Page 76 of Deviant Duchess
“It isalmostenough,” Cedric replied after a long moment. “There is one more piece of the puzzle I must obtain before I can take this all to Deborah.”
Godric’s dark brow rose slowly in intrigue.
“And is that why you had me ride all the way out here to this rather common little pub?” He asked.
Cedric nodded as he looked over the public house. It truly was common. No theme, no music, no attempts to lure in the higher society. It was a place for the common folk, which was why he and Godric, despite minding their own business, were receiving so many stares.
Especially from one particular barmaid. One that had brilliant copper locks and vivid green eyes that were all too familiar to him. Cedric had noted her from the moment he had walked in.
Hester. As lovely as her sister, but instead of rage and confidence shining in green eyes, there was fear and apprehension. He hadwaited at the table he now sat at, silently willing her to be the one who came around the bar and took his order. All he needed was a second, a chance to speak Deborah’s name and hope that would be enough to give her pause. She never did, though. As if knowing she was a target of some sort, Hester had stayed behind the bar, using it as a barrier between her and the finely dressed man she suspected would hurt her.
Not that he blamed her. After everything she had been through, how could she trust a nobleman? Still, Cedricneededto speak with her. He just had to figure out how. The last thing he needed was for her to run again before he had the chance to explain himself.
“If that is who I think it is, there is no way she’s going to approach us,” Godric said in a low tone. “After all she’s been through, I would wager that she would not allow a nobleman to come within a broom’s length of her. That is probably why she works here. No one of our caliber would deem it good enough to set foot in.”
“I know,” Cedric said, his eyes still locked on Hester, “But I cannot leave here without her. Deborah needs to know she has been found.”
“And how do we convince her to listen to us?” Godric asked.
Cedric slowly turned his gaze from Hester to Godric as an idea formed in his head.
“We cannot convince her,” Cedric agreed, “But perhaps Adeline can.”
CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT
“Beatrice?” Deborah breathed.
She’d heard the footsteps coming down the hall and had shoved her notes away just in time for the door of her room to be unlocked and swung open without so much as a knock. She had been prepared to demand that Mrs. Kilborn give her more of a warning, but her reprimand had died on her lips as she saw the young woman standing meekly beside the matron.
Beatrice’s red-rimmed eyes grew wide with recognition, and she took a tentative step into the small room.
“Deborah? It is you?” Beatrice asked, her voice quaking.
“Oh, my days,” Deborah breathed, then let out a surprised laugh.
Not even a second passed before she was rushing past Mrs. Kilborn and into Deborah’s arms. Deborah embraced her friend at once, immediately feeling the waves of sadness rolling off her.
No,she thought sadly,not you too.
Mrs. Kilborn let out a rather unladylike grunt before she dryly asked, “I see you two know one another?”
“Oh, yes,” Deborah replied quickly. Gathering her composure, she turned to the matron with a confident look and gave her a nod. “Do not worry, Mrs. Kilborn. I shall keep her in line.”
Mrs. Kilborn looked them both over with obvious distaste.
“Be sure that you do,” Mrs. Kilborn replied grittily as she took a step back toward the door, “There is something a little uppity about this one.”
Deborah rolled her eyes as Mrs. Kilborn left them be.
“Pay her no mind; she said something similar about me when I first arrived,” she assured Beatrice, leading her to sit on her bed. She pulled away, and another pang in her heart as she saw the tears swimming in Beatrice’s eyes.
“Beatrice, the last I saw you were so very happy! What has happened?” She worriedly asked.
As if the question opened a floodgate, Beatrice burst into tears and leaned back into Deborah’s embrace. Through her sobs, Beatrice told her tale. She’d been purchased for a man’s brother to marry, the gentleman who had been dressed similarly, quite like siblings, it was not he that Beatrice had fallen in love with.It was his brother, the very man , despite showing obvious affection for her, could not admit his feelings even to himself.
“Oh, sweet Beatrice, I am so very sorry,” Deborah offered, handing Beatrice a kerchief. “What an awful situation.”
“My heart,” Beatrice breathed, bringing the kerchief to her eyes, “It has never felt so much hurt. I think he loves me as well, but he is so…so worried about protecting his brother’s reputation that he ignores it.”
