Duchess Beware (Secrets & Scandals Book 2) (20 page)

He should be relieved right now.  He should be down on his ruddy knees thanking God Silver didn’t love him. 

So why in the hell wasn’t he?

Feeling restless, Daniel stood and reached for the pull bell.  Larkin answered his summons almost at once.

“Your Grace?”

“Have Mills pack my bags, Larkin.  I’ll be leaving for London in the morning.”

The butler gave a nod.  “Very good, sir.  And the duchess?”

Daniel crossed his arms and turned to the windows.  The wind had picked up and his eyes were drawn to the patch of purple iris swaying back and forth in the sea of green grass.  “I will be going alone.”

Later that night, as Daniel stared into the darkness, his hands stacked behind his head, he wondered if he would ever get to sleep.  The brandy hadn’t helped.  Naming every horse he ever owned hadn’t helped.  Nothing helped.  All he could bloody well think of was his wife. 

He frowned up at the blackness.  Why wasn’t he happy about learning the truth?  Yes, he was mad as hell she had tricked him.  But he had been a willing participant.  With a groan, Daniel slid a hand down his face, recalling every detail of Silver’s naked body.  Yes, he had been willing, he thought, hard and throbbing.  God’s truth, he had wanted his wife with a frightening intensity.  Still wanted her as much.  Probably more.

With a sound curse, he threw the bedding aside and pushed his arms through his dressing robe.  After lighting a candle, he moved soundlessly toward the duchess’ suite.  He reached forward, his fingers grazing the cold, silver knob.

From the depths of his mind, a memory surfaced.  His father standing just outside his mother’s room with a hand pressed against the closed door, head bowed, weeping.

Daniel snatched his hand back from the knob and sucked in a deep breath.  Turning to his left, he marched past his sitting room, out to the hall, then to the room at the far end.  He’d be damned if he crawled back to his study to drown his sorrows with more liquor.

Silver tossed and turned on her bed, her thoughts in a whirlwind.  She could focus on nothing but the horrible things that had happened.  From hearing the dowager’s words to Andrew to facing Daniel and learning her nightmare had come true.  She would never have a loving home with a loving family.  It seemed the fates would forever snatch away any shred of happiness that came into her life.

Rolling onto her back, Silver threw an arm over her eyes.  It was just no use.  Ever since Daniel had stopped sharing his bed with her, she got no sleep.  She had hoped moving into the duchess’ suite would help.  It didn’t.  Perhaps a glass of warm milk would do the trick, she thought, easing out of bed.

Just as she stepped out of her room, she heard the soft notes of a piano.  Curious, she turned.  The beautiful music came from down the hall, behind the door with the thin strip of light glowing at the bottom.  She approached and pressed her ear against the cool wood.  The music vibrated against her cheek. 

Perhaps Torie had trouble sleeping, Silver thought, and stepped quietly into the room.

The notes flowed hauntingly from the polished black piano in the center of the room.  She jerked to a halt, her breath catching, at the sight of him sitting on the bench, pouring his heart out into the music.  Daniel. 

She bit her lip, watching his long fingers move gracefully over the ivory keys.  He had his head bent, his eyes closed, and he played beautifully.  The notes grew sad, she realized, and began to listen closer.  She didn’t recognize the music.  What little education Aunt Prudence could afford for her did not include such lessons.  Silver hadn’t thought it important at the time, but as each note flowed into her and tugged at her heart, she wished she had learned.

The sadness of the song altered then, turning to anger…no, frustration.  Daniel’s jaw gritted, and she wondered what had happened to cause such a reaction.  He seemed in some sort of pain.  Unable to take another moment of seeing her husband in such anguish, she approached his side and stopped.

Daniel continued to play, so lost in the music.  After a full minute, Silver took a deep breath and reached out to him.  Her hand shook as she set it on his shoulder.  His muscles leaped under her touch, his fingers pressing several keys at once, filling the room with an ugly clamor.  And as the noise died, he turned and looked up.

Silver swallowed hard and pulled her hand away, hardly recognizing him with such a fierce expression.  “Daniel, I…I heard the music…you play beautifully, by the way, and—”

His hands fisted over the keys and he turned away.  “Go back to bed, Silver.”

She gripped the material of her white night rail and took a deep breath. 
No.
  She couldn’t leave.  Although Daniel hadn’t chosen her from the start, they could still make this work.  For a while, they had been happy.  And damn it, she wanted that happiness back.

With a quick prayer, she forced her quaking legs to take a half step closer.  “We must put an end to the distance growing between us.”

When he made no move or sound, she drummed up enough courage to sit on the bench beside him.  “We were happy,” she stated softy.  “Can we not try to get that back?”

No reply.

“We can at least be friends again, can’t we?”  She grew more nervous with his silence.

He wagged his head from side to side.  “Leave, damn you.”

Silver could actually feel her heart tearing in two.  Daniel regretted their marriage.  He would never want anyone but Megan.  The dowager had been absolutely correct.

Unable to stand another minute of the searing pain of rejection, she sprang to her feet and ran from the room.  What would she do now?

Chapter Eighteen

Daniel expelled a long sigh as the attendant told him he had yet another guest.  He never should have come to the theater tonight.  Every ten minutes someone had come to his box to enquire about his wife.  “Claremont,” he stated in surprise, when Megan’s husband walked through the doorway.

“May I join you for a moment?”

“Certainly.”  He offered one of the red velvet chairs with a sweep of his arm.

Claremont glanced around as he sat.  “Where is Silver?”

Daniel groaned inwardly. 
Not you, too.
  He should not have been surprised, though.  God’s truth, the entire population of Mayfair had just paraded through his box to enquire about his wife.  “Silver is at Huntington.”

“Is she unwell?”

“No.”

Claremont remained silent for several seconds with lips pursed.  “Why didn’t you bring her with you?” he finally asked.

Daniel shook his head.  “I’d rather not discuss it.”

A knock sounded, and Daniel swore under his breath.  He turned to see Jeremy Longwell, the Marquess of Fielding, striding forward, sporting a disgustingly large grin.  “Heard you got leg-shackled just like Nick here.”  He glanced around.  “Well, old man, where the deuce is she?”

“He left her at Huntington,” Claremont said with a frown.

“Really?”  Jeremy took the vacant seat.  “That is rather disappointing news.  I was hoping to meet her.”

Daniel didn’t like the look in the man’s twinkling eyes.  “Why?  What have you heard?”

Jeremy’s smile widened.  “Just that some Scottish witch maneuvered you into marriage by a spell of sorts, got thrown into an asylum after stealing from one of your guests, then seduced your brother, all within a sennight.  All of it tripe, of course.  But very entertaining to hear.”

“Good God.”  Daniel mopped a hand down his face.

The marquess chuckled, shaking his head.  “Don’t worry, old man, no one believes a word of it.  Everyone knows how hard you’ve worked at avoiding marriage and couldn’t possibly be duped.  Believe me, I’ve heard all about it.  Besides,” he continued with a shrug, “it was Havenshire’s twit, Isabella, who started the rumors.  Anyone will tell you that little magpie has had her cap set on you for years and is merely sucking on sour grapes.”

Daniel leaned back in his chair.  He should have known this would happen.

Jeremy stood.  “I must get back to Ivanna—” He wiggled his brows. “—my Russian ballerina, before she comes looking for me.”  He took two steps then turned back.  “Oh, and not to worry, old man.  Between your lofty standing and Nick and Megan’s backing as hosts for her debut, no one would dare give your wife the cut direct.  But it was bad form coming to London without her.”

Claremont rose from his chair just as Jeremy departed.  “Well, it looks as though everything has been said.  My advice is to either return to your wife or send for her.”  He paused, his right brow going up.  “Hopefully that terrible cold she came down with to prevent her from coming with you has passed.  That should silence the rumor mill.”  With a nod, he left the box.

After a minute of indecision, Daniel rose to his feet.  If returning to the estate meant it would put a halt to the gossip…  He expelled a harsh breath and shook his head.  Who in the hell was he trying to deceive?  He knew damn well he wanted to return.

He missed Silver.  And he had a great deal to apologize for.  His terrible behavior in his study, the way her face fell and the hurt look in her eyes, haunted him night after night.  And if he didn’t feel contrite enough, he just needed to think of how anguished she sounded in the music room as she tried to mend the growing rift between them.  His hands fisted at his sides as he hurried out of the building.  He’d leave at first light.

God, do not let him be too late to make things right.

****

Silver woke long before the sun decided to make its appearance.  She’d had another night of staring endlessly into the darkness, thinking of nothing but that cursed man she married.  She could still rouse a great deal of anger toward him and was glad for it.  It kept other thoughts at bay.  Thoughts that made her chest tighten, her breathing go shallow.  Thoughts that terrified her.

Thoughts of facing the rest of her life without him.

When she couldn’t take another second of lying in bed, she dressed and then paced her bedroom, waiting for day-break.

An hour later, deciding the pink and gold fingers across the sky light enough for a walk to the lake, Silver threw a shawl over her shoulders and left her bedchamber.  Molly would surely throw her hands up in the air when she found her mistress gone once again.  The little maid was already complaining she had nothing to do.

Perhaps she could send Molly to the stables to give Garrett a message.  Silver could see the looks they gave each other, even if neither was willing to admit to their obvious attraction.  She walked down the long, dim corridor contemplating what to put in the message to Garrett.  Something about Fiona?  Perhaps that could work. 

Silver tightened the shawl around her shoulders when she approached the staircase.  Mid-way down the steps, dizziness struck.  She gasped and held on tightly to the marble handrail for several seconds then slowly, carefully, crouched down until her bottom rested on one of the steps.  Taking in deep gulps of air, she closed her eyes and prayed the vertigo would go away.

“Your Grace?”

Silver refused to open her eyes, afraid to see the swirling vortex again.  She remained still and mute.

The maid called out again and scrambled up the stairs.  “Are you hurt, Your Grace?”

She took a deep breath.  “No.”  Then carefully, she cracked open an eye.  When she found nothing spinning, she opened both eyes, and breathed a sigh of relief.

“Perhaps I should summon a doctor.”

“No, no.  That isn’t necessary.”  Holding on to a baluster, she rose carefully to her feet, then turned to the anxious maid wringing her hands.  “I nearly slipped and sat because it startled me, Sarah.  I am perfectly fit.”  She didn’t speak the entire truth, but it hadn’t been a lie either, and Silver didn’t feel too guilty for the improvisation.

Sarah nodded and smiled, her worry melting into relief.  “I understand, Your Grace.  Nearly had a spill or two myself on these steps.”

She thanked the maid for her concern then stepped carefully down the rest of the way.  Certain that lack of sleep had caused her dizziness, she made her way outside.

Fog blanketed the garden, and the air held a briskness, just shy of cold.  Silver shivered and tightened her shawl more securely around her shoulders.  A cock crowed in the distance to her right as she started down one of the pebbled paths, and soon, the lake came into sight.  The large, inky blue-black oval was glassy smooth and wispy gray mist hovered about a foot over the water’s surface.  So peaceful, she thought.  This had become her favorite place to visit over the last two weeks, having come every day without fail.

She still had no answers, though, and frowned down at the dewy bench.  With a shrug, she sat anyway.  What was she going to do?  If Daniel no longer wanted her, where would she go?

Bowing her head, Silver realized just how much that thought terrified her.  Why did the people she love end up sending her away?  Why?  What was wrong with her?  Could she have some sort of defect, where people found it impossible to love her back?

She slid her eyes closed.  Why couldn’t Daniel love her just a little?

God, how she missed him!  He had been in London for eight days now, supposedly on business.  Silver sighed tiredly, certain he had fabricated the reason for leaving just so he could get away from her. 

Why couldn’t things go back to the way they were between them?  The smiles, the laughter…the incredible nights.

She remembered everything.  Even the exact cadence and tone of his voice.  And, thanks to sneaking one of his shirts the day he left for London, had his smell seared into her memory.  It was bittersweet torture, though.  Wearing that shirt every night.  Not only was Daniel’s scent keeping her from sleep, it produced vivid memories of their lovemaking.  Even now, her body tingled as she recalled him filling her, gliding his soft, stony shaft deep within her, finding the very core of her.  His hands and lips would scald a path down her skin as he rocked his hips, making her writhe beneath him until she came undone with pleasure.

Silver shifted on the bench, suddenly uncomfortable with the way the area between her legs throbbed.  How she wanted Daniel to come back and relieve the ache there.  How she just wanted him to come back.

He is going to abandon you.

The thought made a shiver race down her spine.  She moved her head from side to side, calling herself a fool.  She should have known being married to Daniel didn’t promise her security.  As her husband, he had the power to send her to one of his estates, or anywhere he chose.

He is going to abandon you.

Silver gripped her hands together in her lap.  No, she wouldn’t let that happen.  She wouldn’t allow him to send her away.

He is going to abandon you.

Rising from the bench, she began to pace.  The sun had climbed high enough to chase away both the chill in the air and the mist on the lake.  Sliding out of her shawl, she walked back and forth, her mind searching for a way to get her husband to come home.  Should she write a note?  What would she say?

“There you are, child, I’ve been looking for you.”

Silver turned and found her aunt moving stiffly toward her.

“Your knees bothering you again?” She rushed forward to assist her aunt onto the bench.

“Slightly.”  Prudence eased onto the marble slab and nodded to the empty space beside her.  “Sit with me, Silver, or you’ll give my neck an awful crick.”

She hid her smile, knowing how much her aunt hated to watch her pace, and sat.

“Now,” Prudence said, her eyes growing sharp with assessment, “tell me what is troubling you.”

Turning to the placid lake, she watched a group of ducks glide in the water some distance away.  She shrugged, hoping her voice wouldn’t reveal her torment over Daniel’s absence.  “It is merely a bit of boredom.”

“Oh, bosh.  You’ve an entire library at your disposal.  And the fact that you aren’t in it tells me something is wrong.  Now, out with it.”

She hesitated, not wanting her aunt to be aware of her worries.  The old dear had come close to learning everything last week in the library.  Fortunately the conversation had turned to Prudence’s involvement in what happened in Scotland and Silver had been able to keep her worries to herself.  She hoped she could continue to divert her aunt’s questions.

“It’s because your husband has been away, isn’t it?”

“Yes.”  That was true.  Every day Daniel stayed away, her fears of being abandoned increased ten-fold.  She turned to the water and watched the ducks make ripples across the glassy surface.

Her aunt patted the top of her hand.  “The duke has many responsibilities, child,” she said in a soothing voice.  “He was in Scotland a lot longer than planned and must catch up on his work.  I’m sure he will return soon.”

Hearing Prudence’s reassurance helped to ease some of her fear.  Her aunt was a keen, intelligent woman.  Perhaps Daniel really did have business in London and his leaving wasn’t entirely because of her.  Silver gave a small smile.  Perhaps he would be back soon and things would get sorted out between them.  “You are right, of course.  And I am being silly.”

“Come, child.”  Prudence grimaced as she rose to her feet.  “You have no doubt been outside too long.”

“Just a little longer, Aunt,” she said, glancing back at the ducks.  She didn’t want to leave until the tiny spark of hope remained, until she could be sure it would not evaporate with Prudence’s departure like some mirage.

“All right, but don’t stay too long.”

Silver gave a nod, then watched her aunt amble back up the path.  Lifting her head, she was surprised how high the sun had risen in the sky, then glanced back to the lake just in time to see a fish jump up and dive back into the water.

Deciding she had stayed outside long enough, she stretched her arms above her head to work the kinks out of her back, then started to rise from the bench. 

“Hello, Silver.”

She sat back against the hard marble, stunned.  Dear God, had she really heard his voice?  Slowly, she turned and a jolt of alarm shot through her when Victor appeared out of the nearby trees like an apparition.  She blinked several times.  Was she dreaming?  Then he slithered toward her, making no sound as he neared.  Her heart surged up her throat.

Silver sat frozen, unable to speak, unable to move, as he took the seat beside her.  “Victor,” she finally choked out, “what are you doing here?”

His pale eyes appraised her ivory muslin dress embroidered with dark pink rosebuds and smiled approvingly.  “You look rather lovely, my dear.”

“What are you doing here?”  Her breath quickened to tiny, choppy pants.  She still had trouble believing Victor Merrick sat beside her.  On a bench.  At Huntington.