Page 43 of Courting the Duke (Reimagined Regency #2)

Serena entered the bird sanctuary, her eyes scratchy from crying all night.

Hoxton was in London, and she wasn’t sure when he’d return.

Stifling the urge to cry again, she inspected her surroundings.

She was trying her best to avoid Lady Diana and chose to visit the sanctuary.

Craven cawed at her from a tree branch, his yellow eyes watching her.

He truly was a stunning bird with his blue-black wings.

Before Hoxton, she’d never given much thought to the more common creatures.

“Pretty bird,” Rapscallion called out from somewhere behind her. She turned to see the bird fly over to where she stood. Holding out her arm, she girded herself for his weight. He settled his claws on the sleeve of her spencer and tucked his wings in. “Serena is a pretty bird.”

“You are such a charmer,” she said. His compliment reminded her of her wedding night.

She’d jokingly mimicked the bird’s compliment to Hoxton while he’d made love to her.

No, not love, what they shared was passion and nothing deeper.

A twinge of pain settled in her heart, and she leaned her ear toward the bird.

He butted his head against hers and issued a soft click of his beak.

“And very sweet, but I have not come to see you, handsome fellow. I need to check on Lucky, which is what I named one of the baby hawks…er, eyas, I suppose.”

“Lucky,” Rapscallion said, bobbing his head. “Lucky, lucky, lucky.”

“Yes, he is very lucky that someone brought him here.” She headed to the back of the room and stopped in front of the hospital door, debating whether to knock.

Technically, the entire estate was hers to roam, but she wanted to respect Mulligan’s privacy.

After acting as an unpaid servant at Lady Agatha’s house, Serena had more sympathy for the working class than her peers.

Lifting her hand, she gave a brief knock at the door, nervous and unsure why.

After a long moment, the door opened, and Mulligan stared at her, his hair a bit mussed. Handsome in a rough sort of way, he had piercing eyes that looked right through her. “Lady Serena,” he said, glancing behind him and then back at her again, uncertainly.

“Beg pardon, but I’ve come to see the hawks, or I suppose they are still eyas.” She nodded at her own words and smiled when Rapscallion repeated the last word. “I am still trying to learn the proper language.”

Mulligan gave her a brief smile, his agitation evident. He was obviously in the middle of something, and she debated whether to leave.

“Hold on just a moment.” He closed the door. Voices could be heard behind the wooden portal.

“Imogene,” Rapscallion said in a sing-song voice. “Imogene.”

Serena stood stock still, and heat rushed to her cheeks as recognition dawned. It was apparent that Mulligan had a lady friend with him. Was it Imogene? She’d seemed flustered in his presence. The lady was a widow and free to follow her whims.

The door opened once more, and Mulligan appeared. “Please come in, Lady Serena, but I am afraid Rapscallion isn’t allowed.”

“I understand.” Serena lifted her arm and whispered the command she’d heard Hoxton say to the bird.

With a loud squawk, the cockatoo took flight and disappeared into the upper tier of the sanctuary.

She stepped over the threshold, and her steps faltered.

“Good morning.” Lady Imogene’s face was flushed, and she looked at Mulligan and back to Serena. “I would say this is not what it looks like, but it’s exactly what it looks like. Mulligan and I are involved, and I would appreciate your discretion by not telling Lady Diana.”

A rush of affection shot through Serena, happiness for the woman making her smile widen. “I wouldn’t dream of telling a single soul.” Although a million questions rolled around in her head, she merely stared at them, awkwardness hanging in the air.

“Mulligan and I will be taking a drive around the countryside. He’s never seen the falls. John will be watching the birds.” Imogene licked her lips, staring at her feet.

“Please do not let me stop you. I simply wanted to assure myself that Lucky is still alive.” Serena could see the nest with one bird in it. Her stomach sank. “Lucky didn’t survive?”

“He is fine. I put him in another nest with a bedwarmer. The bigger bird will kill the runt if given the chance. Thus far, the little tyke is beating the odds.” He grinned at his statement, the smile transforming his face. She could see what Imogene saw in the man.

“Thank you for seeing to its welfare. I will leave the two of you to your business.” Serena took a step back and turned on her heels.

“We will walk with you,” Imogene said.

Sunshine warming her cheeks as she left the sanctuary, Serena ambled back the way she had come with the couple falling into step beside her. Happiness for them eclipsed her own pain for a time. Although her heart was still heavy, the couple walking with her renewed her faith in people.

“Hoxton says the two of you had a big row.” Mulligan stood a head taller than her, his large hands looped behind his back. He was well spoken and had a noticeable brogue that was somehow comforting.

Serena’s breath caught at the revelation. For some odd reason, she had assumed that Hoxton did not have close friends, but it was apparent that he and Mulligan were close.

“Mulligan, that is none of our affair,” Imogene admonished.

“If the Captain were a normal man, I would say yes. He is not.” Mulligan met Serena’s regard, his brown eyes serious. “War does things to a person, and no matter his title, he is no different from any of his men.”

Serena’s stomach twisted in knots at the reminder of his trauma. He’d shown it in multiple ways that others didn’t seem to notice, but screamed out to her. “He said as much.”

“I know when I returned home, I couldn’t sleep or eat.” Mulligan’s voice softened, the troubled lines around his mouth pronounced. “If not for the Captain taking me and other men into his employment, we would no doubt have wasted away in the streets. He is a good man.”

“He is a good man. I never doubted his goodness. Unfortunately, he doubted mine,” she said, tears making her voice sound strained.

“He isn’t perfect, none of us are.” Mulligan exhaled a slow breath, his tone lowering as they came to the house. “I don’t expect you to forgive him for the insult, however, I simply wanted to tell you to have patience with the demons that chase him.”

“I will try.” Serena pressed her knuckle to the corner of her eye, trying to halt her wayward emotions. The results of his traumatic past were easy to forgive. It was his lack of trust in her that still stung. “Thank you for your sage words of advice.”

“This is where we leave you.” Imogene pressed a kiss to her cheek. “Do not let Lady Diana run roughshod all over you. You are a duchess. You have the power. Use it.”

Watching the couple take the path to the stables, the words repeated themselves in her head.

Serena was no longer dependent on Lady Agatha, nor was Brandon, for that matter.

She entered the grand house—her house—and the surge of pride empowered her to continue fighting.

Down the long hallway, she saw the silhouette of two women.

She blinked, allowing her eyes to adjust to the dim light.

A maid came into focus, as well as another familiar figure.

“Roxanne.” Serena’s feet had a mind of their own, and she rushed to Roxanne’s side. She clasped her cousin’s hand before drawing her into a hug. “Oh, my dearest cousin, I wasn’t expecting you to call.”

“I wanted to come and see you.” Roxanne hugged her back, always a giving person despite being perceived as selfish, and always with a strong shoulder to lean on. She pulled back first and inspected Serena’s face with uncertain eyes. “How are you faring?”

Serena fought the need to blurt out everything.

The maid still hovered a few feet away and would no doubt get an earful.

She maintained her grip on Roxanne’s hand and led her into the yellow drawing room, turning to the maid at the last minute.

“Please fetch refreshments. Lady Roxanne is fond of cake if we have some available.”

“Very good, Your Grace,” the maid said.

The moment the door closed, Roxanne squeezed Serena’s hand and went to the blue settee. “You look troubled.”

“I suppose I must.” Serena didn’t have to look in the mirror to know that there were circles under her eyes, and her eyes were bloodshot and red-rimmed.

She fought the ever-present tears. Unlike Roxanne, who did not have a single strand of golden hair out of place, Serena was certain she looked the worse for wear.

She forced a smile for Roxanne’s benefit.

“You didn’t come to hear of my woes. How is the season?

Have you received another offer of marriage from Stiller? ”

“Stiller isn’t speaking to me right now.” Roxanne bit her bottom lip before squaring her shoulders. She exhaled a telling breath. “I did something he doesn’t approve of.”

“Oh dear, that is unfortunate.” Serena patted her cousin’s hand in encouragement. For just a few hours, it would be lovely not to focus on her own woes. “He will come around. He always does.”

“Hoxton is not home yet?” Roxanne released Serena’s hand and placed her palm on her knee.

She averted her gaze before looking down, a sure sign that she was trying to hide something.

A slight hint of a blush colored her face.

The response confused Serena. She hadn’t thought that Roxanne carried any affection for Hoxton; thus, her comment made no sense.