Page 34 of Love, the Duke
“Did I understand His Grace to say you’ll only be in London for the Season, Miss Stowe?”
Mr. Halaway’s innocent question distracted Ophelia from her tête-à-tête with the duke, and she gave the man she really needed to talk to her attention. His hair was the color of dried winter wheat, and his small eyes were a bluish green. Weathered, yet genuine, his countenance offered pure sincerity.
From the book she’d read, she formed a mental picture of what a thief might look like, but Mr. Halaway certainly didn’t appear the way she’d imagined. He looked more like one of the angelic men singing in the chorus at church. She wondered if she had wanted to pin guilt on someone so badly, she was jumping on the slightest of possibilities.
“Staying in London?” she repeated part of his question. “That is what Maman is saying now. But one never knows. It’s safe to say we don’t have a certain date that we must leave. How about you, Mr. Halaway? Do you reside in Town all year or do you have a summer home?”
“I am mostly London-bound but do a bit of traveling from time to time to stay with family and friends.”
“That sounds lovely,” she said while forming her next question. “Any particular area you go?”
The duke cleared his throat with exaggeration, jerking her attention to him. The corners of his mouth deepened with annoyance. She took it to mean he wasn’t happy with her questioning his cousin, but for what other reason would he have brought the man to her table?
“I do always enjoy myself when the duke invites mefor Christmastide at Hurstbourne. He’s been kind enough to do that since he inherited the title.”
“That is thoughtful of him.”
Georgina, who had her limelight dimmed somewhat when the conversation included Mr. Halaway, vented an impatient sigh and started her own conversation with the duke.
The duke cleared his throat loudly, and Ophelia glanced at him. His brow wrinkled deeper as he started dealing the cards.
“Did I hear you were recently in Wickenhamden?” he asked his affable cousin.
“Yes,” he answered and began picking up his cards.
Shifting to the edge of her seat, Ophelia leaned toward him. “Was that for warmer temperatures, a visit with friends, or something else, Mr. Halaway?”
The duke immediately gave her a look that told her he was the one who was to interrogate his cousin, but she wanted to ask questions too. Her tactic would have been more straightforward, to just come out and ask the man what he was doing in Wickenhamden since he lived in London, but knew she couldn’t. That would tip her hand to what she was doing if he was indeed the thief.
“Neither, though both were welcomed,” he answered with a friendly smile as he arranged his cards, seeming more interested in playing his hand than in the conversation.
Was that all he was going to say? She glanced at the duke, and he gave her an I-told-you-so shrug.
Before she could curtail her inquiry, she felt the words break free from her closed lips, “Do you, by chance, know of the Chatham’s chalice that’s held at one of the churches there?”
“Not clever, Miss Stowe. Reckless,” the duke casuallyleaned in her direction and whispered under his breath as he lined up the cards in his hand.
Ophelia could almost feel the heat of his vexed breath near her cheek as he’d mumbled the words.
But without hesitance, Mr. Halaway offered an easy-mannered reply. “Yes, it’s on the main road through Wickenhamden.”
“Did you by chance stop and see it?” she asked, deciding she wouldn’t look at the duke. She had no doubt he would be scowling at her. She could live without that.
“We tried to and was told the vicar was ailing, so we’ll have to return another time.”
“What made you want to see it, Cousin?” The duke’s mild query put Ophelia’s racing pulse back in order.
Mr. Halaway scoffed with a chuckle. “Nothing. I didn’t go for me. My father’s sister, Aunt Maudine, wanted to see it. I didn’t mind going along to keep her company. She’s taken with historical objects and history. She said it’s been seen by kings and queens through the years. That didn’t mean much to me, but if she wanted to see it, I didn’t mind going along. She’s become more pious in the past couple of years.”
If that story was true, it didn’t sound as if the duke’s cousin had anything to do with the theft. And according to Mrs. Turner, his aunt wasn’t a potential suspect either. The maid was certain the person she saw was a man, but no reason Ophelia couldn’t ask a few more questions.
“That’s interesting, Mr. Halaway,” Ophelia said as she shifted her cards in her hands. “Does she have friends who are also into historical artifacts?”
“There’s a group of ladies, I think, who are into such things.”
“Enough of this uninspiring talk of churches, kings,and artifacts.” Georgina’s voice broke into the conversation with conviction. “It’s making me quite flushed.” She took up her fan and rapidly began cooling her ire. “Lord and Lady Farthingale are having a masked ball in a couple of weeks, and I’m very much looking forward to attending. I have decided to go as Greek Goddess Athena. I’m having a small golden apple made to wear on my shoulder.”
Ophelia’s gaze darted to Georgina. She was smiling sweetly, obviously quite pleased and lightly fanning herself with her widespread cards.
What could anyone say about that admission? The purpose of a masked ball was so no one would know who you were. Obviously, she wanted to make sure the duke knew who she was that night. And that made Ophelia wonder if her new friend was currently seducing the duke with her foot under the table. And then Ophelia wondered if perhaps Georgina had rubbed Mr. Sawyer’s leg with her foot too?
“I’m sure you’ll be enchanting to all the young bucks, Miss Bristol.” The duke slowly turned to Ophelia. Merriment fixed in his gaze. “What about you, Miss Stowe? Perhaps you’d like to tell us what costume you will be wearing to the masquerade.”
“I don’t know if I’ll be attending, Your Grace. However…” She paused and gave him a confident smile. “I’ve been told I have a very clever disguise.”
Ophelia saw a brief sparkle of admiration flash in the duke’s eyes and he chuckled attractively before paying his attention to the game. He could be so delightful when he wanted to be. And when he was, she enjoyed him immensely.
Well, perhaps she enjoyed him a little even when he was trying to tell her what she should and shouldn’t do.He was definitely a rascal of the highest order in either case.
She picked up her cards and proceeded to have a wonderful time.
