Page 22 of A Duke to Restore her Memory

“Come along, boy,” whispered Christina, leading the horse by the reins towards the stables. The horse’s flank was glistening with sweat. It had been a long, intense ride, and she knew the horse was exhausted from it. “Let us get you to your stable where you can have a long, cool drink and a rest …”

Her voice drifted away. Lady Lydia was walking quickly along a garden path just ahead of her, her hands clasped firmly in front of her, looking as neat as a pin in a pink and white gingham gown, her hair slicked back into a firm bun. Lydia had a determined look on her face, but she also looked distracted.

Christina hesitated. Indignation started pulsing in her veins. She needed to try to find the duke to tell him quickly what Hester was up to, but she wanted to confront his sister, as well.

This was the first time she had encountered Lydia since she had become aware of the rumours circulating about her – rumours that Lydia had spread.

Before she had time to think about it, she veered to the right, pursuing the lady. Her heart was pounding hard now.

“Lady Lydia!” she called.

The lady stopped, turning around slowly. Her face hardened when she saw it was Christina who had called out to her, but she didn’t flee. She stood her ground, her hands still firmly clasped together, waiting for Christina.

“I need to speak to you,” rapped Christina, without preamble. She knew she sounded abrupt and rude, but she no longer cared. The gloves were definitely off regarding her relationship with the duke’s sister, and she didn’t see the point in pretending it was any different now. “Why are you spreading vicious rumours that I am pretending to have lost my memory? It is untrue! I fervently wish that I could remember my life and not have to be in this terrible situation.”

“I really do not care,” Lydia said coldly, her eyes flickering over her. “I do not care if you are authentic or not.” She assessed her carefully, studying her like a strange insect beneath a microscope. “You are in the way, Georgina. You have infiltrated yourself into my brother’s affections … and that will not do at all. You must leave Newquay Hall.”

“How am I in the way?” Christina gaped at her. “I do not understand.”

Lydia sighed heavily. “I am his grace’s only sibling,” she said in a pained voice. “I am his older sister. I expected to play a pivotal role in the important decisions of his life – and that includes who he decides to marry.” She paused. “Your arrival has jeopardized that position – it has jeopardized it within the household, and my status is threatened. You are an interloper, Georgina. You are a cuckoo in the nest … and you must be turned out.”

Christina’s jaw dropped. She didn’t know what to say.

“You are commandeering my brother’s attention,” continued Lydia in a pensive voice. “You are threatening my position as lady of the manor … and I am determined that the next Duchess of Newquay will be a dear friend of mine – and not an outsider.”

Christina frowned. The lady spat the last word as if it were obscene. Clearly, Lydia was closing ranks. She wanted Lady Frances to marry the duke to secure her position in this household.

She thought that if an outsider, as she termed it, became duchess, then her own status would diminish. Lydia would end up as the fading spinster sister of the duke, with little power or influence, spending her days as an annoying burden in her brother’s home.

But just as she was about to open her mouth and assure the lady that she was no threat to her, Lydia gave her a frosty smile, turning on her heel and marching quickly away. Christina watched her. Lydia’s back was as stiff as a washboard.

Christina sighed. There really was nothing she could do to convince Lydia that she wasn’t her enemy and wasn’t a threat to her.

The lady had branded her as an interloper and a troublemaker from the start, and there was simply no way to change her mind now.

Her eyes flickered to the house, resting upon the window of the duke’s study. Her heart flipped over. She must speak with him about what Hester had said. The problem of Lydia would have to wait until another time entirely.

Her mouth went dry. Would he believe her? Or had his sister completely convinced him she was a troublemaker?

***

Sebastian turned at the sound of the knock on his study door.

Daniel was still here – they were sharing a brandy now as they discussed how to tackle the problem of Walter Hester and his stubborn intention to create a mining empire monopoly in the district.

“Enter,” he called out.

The door opened, and his heart shifted. It was Georgina. Their eyes locked, and they gazed at each other steadily across the room. He felt a small crackle between them.

Daniel got to his feet. “I will give you some privacy,” he said quickly. “I will be waiting for you in the parlour, Newquay.”

His friend smiled at Georgina sympathetically as he exited the room. Sebastian turned to her, his heart pounding hard. He wanted to stride across the room and pull her into his arms but resisted the urge with difficulty.

He wanted to say so much to her. He wanted to tell her he trusted her and didn’t believe any of the wild rumours about her. But he just couldn’t do it.

Not yet anyway until he had investigated her background. He must find out who she truly was. It was imperative. Until then, he must proceed with caution and try to keep her at arm’s length.

“Georgina,” he said, swallowing a lump in his throat. “What can I do for you?”

She took a deep breath. “It is what I can do for you,” she replied, her eyes wide. She hesitated. “I went for a ride near the castle ruins … and overheard a conversation that was not meant for my ears.” She paused again. “The conversation was between Walter Hester and a man called Barstow.”

Sebastian’s jaw dropped. “Abraham Barstow? My tenant?” He shook his head. “It was Barstow who helped me that day when I found you in the mine shaft. He was the one who sent for the physician.”

Georgina’s eyes flickered. “I do not remember him,” she said in a soft voice. “I did not see either of them at the ruins – I just heard their conversation.” She frowned. “What they were saying was troubling, Your Grace. Very troubling indeed.”

Sebastian shifted on his feet uncomfortably. His heart was really pounding now. It crossed his mind that perhaps she was lying – that there hadn’t been any meeting between Hester and Barstow. But why would she do that?

“Go on,” he said, trying to keep his voice neutral. “I am listening.”

She took another deep breath. “Mr Hester said that this man Barstow sabotaged the abandoned mine that I fell into that day,” she said, turning pale. “Apparently, Barstow also caused the explosion at your mine.” She hesitated. “And he did all this because Hester paid him to do it.”

“What?” Sebastian gaped at her. Ice had entered his bloodstream. “He did what?”

His mind was spinning violently now, trying to grapple with what she was telling him. The enormity of it. It was as if the pieces of a puzzle were slowly slotting into place. It was starting to make a chilling kind of sense.

Hester had always been a thorn in his side, but Sebastian had believed the man was fighting fairly with him.

To hear how he was playing dirty like this – sabotaging his mines to undermine his reputation in the district – was a massive blow. But it was a blow that made sense, and he really should have seen it coming.

“Hester is planning to sabotage more of your mines,” continued Georgina, her voice ragged. “He is paying Barstow to do it. Apparently, Barstow will have quite a nest egg with the money he is making from this enterprise.” She bit her lip. “Hester intends to ruin your business reputation, forcing you to sell … and he will buy your mines at a reduced price.”

Sebastian swore beneath his breath, running a hand through his hair. In one way, he simply couldn’t believe what she was telling him – but in another way, it made perfect sense.

He recalled how belligerent Hester had been to him at the village inn that day. The man had all but threatened him then.

Additionally, Daniel had just told him that Hester planned to lower the price of copper to force him to sell his mines to him. Hester was attacking him from all sides. And it must be stopped. Now.

He gazed at Georgina, forcing himself to bite down on his anger. “Did Hester say anything else to Barstow? Is that the entire gist of the conversation?”

“That is all,” replied Georgina, swallowing visibly. She gazed at him sympathetically. “I am sorry to be the messenger of ill tidings like this.” She hesitated. “I know that you are unsure about me and whether you can trust me, but I am not making this up, Your Grace. I am telling you this because I want to help you.”

Sebastian’s face reddened. He didn’t know what to say to her, for she had just expressed the truth of it – he was unsure about her and whether he could trust her. But he knew he wanted to trust her … with his whole heart.

“Stay close to the house this evening,” he said gently, stepping closer to her. “There will be upheaval in the district after I confront Hester with this. I am uncertain as to how things will progress.”

She blinked rapidly. “Of course.” She hesitated. “Please, do not put yourself in danger. I could not bear it if something happened to you.”

His breath caught in his throat as he gazed at her. She looked so beautiful, her eyes shining. He was beset by the urge to pull her to him once again and hold her close, to breathe in her sweet scent.

At that moment, with the clarity of a glass shattering, he knew she was telling the truth – about everything.

“I am sorry for listening to the rumours about you,” he whispered, slowly leaning over to tuck a stray curl behind her ear. “I know you are not deceiving me about anything, Georgina. I believe in you.”

The moment stretched on between them. It was so taut with tension that he felt as if he could cut it with a knife. Once again, the longing to pull her into his arms, to finally taste her delectable lips, was starting to overpower him.

“Thank you,” she whispered, her bottom lip trembling. Her eyes shone with tears. “That means the world to me.”

He took a deep, shaky breath, deliberately stepping away from her. Now was not the time.

He must ride to Hester’s house and confront him before any more damage was done. He would get Daniel to accompany him. His friend would be more than willing and be good back-up.

“I promise I will return to you,” he whispered, reaching out and trailing a finger slowly down the side of her face. “Wait for me.”