Page 41

V erity exhaled loudly as Redcliff Manor came into view.

It was a beautiful, old manor built in the Tudor style, with sprawling grounds she had missed tending to, with her aunt chattering away in her ear about one piece of gossip or another. A tall trellis reached across one wall, climbing over another. The old paint washes had?—

“Dear me.” She straightened up, noticing that her home had received a fresh coat of paint.

That wasn’t all. As she leaned out the window on the way up the small hill, she noted that countless repairs had been made.

The steps were straightened, a stronger post stood by the door, and the shutters had been replaced.

Everything looked so fresh and new and darling that none of it looked familiar once her carriage came to a stop.

“Goodness gracious,” she breathed, stumbling out of the carriage before she could be assisted.

Three knocks brought someone to the door. It had been locked, and she didn’t have the key in hand. A young man in livery greeted her there.

He blinked several times before bowing. “Your Grace, welcome.”

“Do you know who I am?” she asked warily.

“Your painting is over the fireplace in the dining room,” he said. “Shall I see if Lady Wetherby is available for you?”

A beautiful fresh home, a strange young servant, and now she didn’t even know if she could talk to her aunt.

Verity’s stomach twisted. Everything felt so unusual and strange. She had expected to come back into the warm familiarity of comfort and instead found everything so different. Unsettled, she couldn’t think of another word to say.

It turned out to be very fortunate that Eugenia was crossing the hall at that very time.

“My word, Daniel, don’t leave the door open. Wait a minute. Verity, dear, whatever are you doing here? Come in, come in. If you let that bird in here one more time…”

“Aunt Eugenia!”

Relief surged through Verity. She rushed across the hall and pulled her aunt into an embrace.

They’d never done this before. Her aunt wasn’t one for displays of affection. But at that moment, Verity didn’t mind. She wasn’t going to let go until she was ready.

“Oh, I’ve missed you.”

“Darling, you write too often for me to miss you much. But look at you. Let go of me and let me look at you, dear. It’s awful manners to call without prior notice, you know,” her aunt made certain to add.

A sheepish chuckle escaped Verity. “I’m sorry. I haven’t been myself of late. But I missed you dearly.”

“Yes, you said so. Daniel, fetch tea, would you? Or have someone fetch it. I want a fresh pot of that peppermint,” Eugenia called, before tugging her into the nearest room. “At least you look healthy.”

“As do you. And the house!” Verity collapsed in a chair to stare at her. “What happened? And Daniel?”

Her aunt merely raised her eyebrow. “I understand that you did your best keeping the books here. A very good job, dear. But of course, the funds you and the Duke provide would go twice as far as what I could possibly do here.”

Verity opened her mouth and then closed it, trying to remember. She’d indeed been sending part of her pin money. Still, it wouldn’t have been enough to hire more help and make those repairs to the manor. Tristan must have been sending more.

Could he? If he did, why wouldn’t he have told her?

“What on earth is going on inside your head?” Eugenia pursed her lips. She gave Verity a look before beckoning over a young maid whom Verity didn’t recognize. “Darling, really. Whatever your problem may be, I don’t think it’s serious enough to warrant lines in your forehead.”

A short laugh escaped Verity before she could contain it. Her aunt always had something to say. She could put anything into perspective.

While Verity decided she wasn’t ready to explain everything to her aunt, she accepted her tea and hoped that coming here was the right thing to do.

After all, it’s home, isn’t it?

The two of them talked through the afternoon, though Verity still did not express the real reason for her return. Eugenia seemed to understand and asked a few questions about the events in London, before retiring early for the evening.

A room was prepared for Verity—the same one she’d lived in for several years, though this too somehow felt worlds different—and she slipped into bed. All her hopes for resting easy now were dashed as she tossed and turned through the night and into the morning.

When she woke up, all she could hear were Helena’s final words to her. “Are you certain you’re not only running away?”

I’m not running away. I’m not. I’m simply running in a new direction.

Verity wandered the house to find more improvements, since it was raining outside.

She calculated the cost in her head and wondered if Tristan had really sent her aunt the same amount as she received.

She tried to understand her feelings while considering the various improvements, wondering why the manor felt so foreign now.

The realization left her unsettled and confused.

“If this doesn’t feel like home, then do I simply not have one?” Verity asked in a quiet huff while studying the new upholstery in the dining room.

“Your Grace?” She jumped and whirled around to see it was Daniel again, his cheeks flushed. “My apologies, Your Grace. I didn’t mean to startle you.”

“Never mind that.” She inhaled deeply. “What is it, Daniel?”

He shifted shyly and glanced over his shoulder down the hall. “Your Grace, you have a guest. There is a gentleman in the front parlor who asked to see you. The butler’s day off is today, I’m afraid, and the gentleman didn’t offer his name or card.”

“Very well, I’d be happy to see him,” Verity said.

Off she went down the hall, expecting it to be one of her tenants.

It had to be one of them, since she couldn’t imagine who else would have even noticed her arrival the previous afternoon.

She patted her hair and dress, and stepped through the partially open door, prepared to discuss agriculture or land boundaries.

“Good morning,” she started, before her breath caught in her throat.

What is he doing here?

“Oh.” The word escaped her lips before she could help it. She paused in the doorway, confused by his presence. It took her a moment to remember his name. “Lord Halbridge.”

The tall gentleman rose from his seat, seeming slightly wet but otherwise well. He turned to her and smiled like they were old friends. “Your Grace, how lovely to see you. Thank you for your warm welcome into this beautiful home.”

As far as she could remember, Verity had only met him twice. The last time was at the ball, when they danced together. And before then he had accosted her outside the church just before she married. Hadn’t Tristan said something about him?

It doesn’t matter, since my husband cannot be trusted. I wonder if anyone can be.

Trying to remember her manners, Verity smiled and walked further into the room. She didn’t want to think about Tristan. At least Lord Halbridge had not been rude to her or anyone else. The man was a little curious and a little strange, but altogether charming and harmless.

“What a pleasure it is to have a guest here. I haven’t hosted much in the country. This is the second time I have seen you here, but I don’t believe I know of a nearby residence of yours, do I?” she asked.

“No, but I have friends in the county whom I visit frequently.” He lowered himself back onto the sofa while she took the nearby chair.

It felt too rude to ask which friends.

Verity nodded and then started to rise back up, and he followed her. “Pardon me. I should call for tea. Would you like some crumpets as well?”

“Oh. No, thank you.”

So she sat back down, and he followed again.

His light eyes followed her steadily. She brushed off the odd feeling it left on her shoulders.

Feeling awkwardness settle around the edges of their conversation, she thought quickly to lead them forward. “Very well. Perhaps later.”

“Indeed.”

“Are you enjoying the countryside? The Season isn’t over.”

He shook his head. “I’ve never cared for the crowds, and I find myself relieved to be out here.”

“Yes, how fortunate it is that we were able to meet here again. Do you know, I still don’t believe we’ve had a proper introduction,” she realized suddenly with a hesitant laugh.

“What misfortune. It still feels like we are strangers, does it not? I hardly know what to ask you today. How did you enjoy the weather on the journey here?”

“Very well, Your Grace, thank you for asking. I thought to call on you and offer my sympathy. The gossip mill is terribly nosy in London, and there have been rumors about some… discontent between yourself and the Duke.”

Her spine stiffened. How could anyone know that?

Perhaps her husband was telling people about her, about their mistake of a marriage. Would he do that?

What was he doing now? It had been a week since she’d left him, and she wondered if he was still in his study.

Apparently not, if he is telling everyone our private business. That’s not at all what I would have expected from him. I thought he was a private man.

“Your Grace?”

She blinked. “Pardon me, I don’t mean to be woolgathering. I suppose it’s the early morning. Not everyone is out and about at a time like this.”

“I thought it best to visit you as soon as possible,” Lord Halbridge reasoned.

They were only words that meant nothing.

Verity studied him curiously, noting the dark color of his clothes.

Tristan dressed similarly, but the color seemed very different on both gentlemen.

They were calm and controlled speakers as well, but there was still something about Lord Halbridge that felt odd. If only she could put her finger on it.

“Are you well here?”

“Very much so, yes,” she replied after a pause. She tried to remember her smile. “It’s my family’s property, and my cousin is grateful for my help in managing it while he’s abroad.”