Page 36 of Twice Upon a Midnight

But when the man dismounted his horse and glanced up at the house, the sunlight revealed his face, and she could see—

Not Spenser. But the Marquess of Walmesley.

She sank into the little desk chair and hung her head in her hands.

“Ella?” Concern thickened Mama’s voice. “What’s the matter?”

“Nothing,” she lied. Her mother didn’t need to be swept up into her romantic life again…or learn exactly what kind of fool she’d raised. “I just…suddenly felt a bit dizzy.”

“That’s because you haven’t eaten today. You didn’t come down for breakfast, didn’t touch your lunch, and now you’ve shunned the tea biscuits. They’re your favorites, too. Lemon and lavender. I had Cook bake them specially for you.”

Ella bit back a pained laugh. What plagued her couldn’t be solved with something as simple as biscuits!

“Perhaps I’ve worn myself out with all that pacing,” she muttered and reached for the book she’d left open on the desk. “Perhaps I should just sit quietly for a while and read.”

Not that she could. As the minutes passed, her swirling mind simply could not focus on the words, and there was no point in attempting to read at all. But it gave her an excuse for not keeping up conversation with Mama or having to choke down a biscuit.

“We have a visitor,” she finally admitted quietly and set the unwanted book aside.

“Oh?” Mama looked up from her needlework. “Who?”

“Simon Radcliff.” She forced a lightness into her voice she certainly didn’t feel.Not Spenser…“The Marquess of Walmesley. He rode up a few minutes ago.”

Her mother’s mouth fell open. “The marquess is here, and you didn’t think to tell me before now?”

Mama set down her needlepoint and shot to her feet, sending Ella up onto hers in surprise. Then the duchess hesitated, not knowing whether to sit back down and wait for the marquess to be shown up to them or if she should go down to meet him. So she straightened her dress, then sat back down. And waited.

Ella watched her mother with detached curiosity. She didn’t care if the marquess ever set foot inside the room or not. But Mama was simply beside herself and began to pace exactly where Ella had left off.

After several minutes, when Hendricks didn’t come into the room to ask if they were accepting callers, Mama let out an aggravated, “Oh, bother!” and charged across the room to the bell pull. She gave the cord a fierce yank.

Within moments, Hendricks appeared at the door and bowed shallowly to both ladies. “Yes, Your Grace? Lady Elenora?”

“We have a visitor?” Mama asked, although in much more of an announcement than a question.

“Yes, Your Grace.”

“Well, where is he? Why isn’t he here in the drawing room with us?” Her mother narrowed her eyes in cold accusation. “What have you done with the marquess?”

The butler yanked up straight. “I—I—” He blinked, clearly confused. “Yes, Your Grace—I mean, the marquess arrived a few minutes ago, but he didn’t come to call on you, ma’am.”

It was Mama’s turn to blink with confusion. “He didn’t?”

“No, ma’am. He called upon His Grace. I showed him into the study.”

“Durham?” She shot a bewildered glance at Ella. “Why on earth would he want to see…Oh.”

Ohwas right. Ella sank onto the sofa, knowing exactly why.

So did her mother after a moment’s rapid spinning of thoughts. The duchess clapped her hands together with glee. “Oh, this is absolutely wonderful! Elenora, isn’t it simply fabulous that he would call on your father so soon after we—”

Her words choked at the stricken look Ella knew showed on her face. After all, she would never be a good enough actress to hide her feelings about something like that.

No, it wasn’t fabulous. It was nothing of the kind.

The excitement on Mama’s face melted into an expression of concern, dismay…and acute disappointment. Dismissing Hendricks with a wave of her hand, she went to Ella and sat beside her.

“We tried to find your masked man, Elenora,” her mother reminded her quietly, reaching for her hands. “We trulytried, and there is nothing more we can do.”