Page 42 of Once Upon a Devilish Duke

“Oh. Yes, of course.” Marianne turned and strode down the hallway.

“Thank you,” Rose said before running after her friend.

He was not in the garden. Where would he go? Rose looked in the summer house, but he was not there either.

Marianne walked towards the stables and peeked in. “His horse is gone.”

Rose worried her lower lip. “Now I am worried.”

“Me too. I should have checked on him sooner, and now it is going dark.”

“Perhaps he has gone to a friend’s house?”

Marianne shook her head. “I am not even sure he has friends.”

“A tavern? His club?”

“Maybe. He is a grown man. We will just have to wait for him to return. I knew he would be affected by this turn of events. I cannot blame him for wanting to leave.”

Rose stopped and said, “Isn’t that what he did last time?”

“Not straight away. He stayed until after the funeral, but as soon as that crypt was sealed, he was already mentally packing his bags.” She sighed and sat on a garden bench. “I had never seen my brother so lost. It is not as though he loved his wife, or he may have in his own way, but she did not deserve his love in any case. I hate to talk ill of the dead, but she was a horrible, spoiled, and tempestuous creature.”

“Oh, that must have been a very difficult time for all of you.”

“It was. A newborn baby, a dead sister-in-law, and my broken brother. It was the most miserable time. The only light was Max. She was the most delightful baby. Just an hour in her presence and all seemed right again. She saved us in a way. Maxine could have saved him too if only he had given her a chance.”

“What shall we tell your mother?” Rose asked.

“I do not know. I do not want to cause her even more worry, but not telling her feels somehow wrong.”

They both walked back into the house arm in arm. They parted at the staircase. “I will go and see if the midwife needs anything,” Marianne said. Rose watched her go and sighed heavily. Should she go back into the parlor or just go to her room? She decided to go back into the parlor and support the dowager. Tony was still pacing, his forehead lined with worry.

“Oh, Rose, my dear. Come sit by me. Where is Marianne?”

“She went to check if the midwife needed anything and will be back shortly.”

“Why would the midwife need anything?” Tony asked.

“She means to ask if she needs more water or towels, that is all.”

“Should we call in a doctor?”

“No,” Rose and the dowager said at the same time.

“If a doctor is needed, the midwife will let us know. Now, dear, just because Lucinda is taking her time does not mean anything is wrong. They call it labor for a reason.”

“I swear this will be the only one. I will not put her through this again.”

“You will find that her body will heal in time, my dear boy. This is all natural.”

Marianne came in then. “All is going well,” she said to the room. “She is progressing as expected.”

“As expected?” The misery in Tony’s voice was evident.

“Just think, brother, in a few short hours you will be a father and you and Lucinda will be a family of three. In a few days you and your wife will return to your home, and everything will be wonderful.” Marianne sat next to her mother, and Sasha, her golden cocker spaniel, jumped up on her lap, demanding attention. She nuzzled her face into the dog’s soft fur.

Tony finally sat, putting his face in his hands. “If I had not argued with Edward, we would have been at home, where she would have been more comfortable.”