His Lady Peregrine (8 page)

Perhaps it was as simple
as she had loved the man so much and her injured mind latched onto
the first man she saw. He’d have to ask Conrad if it was the case
with his mother, that she suffered from a longing for her spouse.
Might that explain at least some of the bizarre
goings-on?

After handing the note to
the footman to have it delivered, and he’d had to give his best
severe look to the footman in order for him to comply, Percy went
in search of the Loftons.

They were standing outside
the parlor and the door was closed. Had something happened to the
dowager? Guilt washed over him anew when the thought brought not
only remorse but relief. “Might I have a word?”

Conrad turned, seeming to
not quite have heard him. “Pardon?”

“
There’s something I
must—” He glanced at Amelia, inclined his head in greeting, and
studied Conrad. “That is, might I ask you a question? About your
mother?”

“
Oh. Of course.” Conrad
addressed his wife. “My dear, will you excuse me for a
moment?”

She nodded and kept watch
by the door. Was something bad happening in the parlor?

Percy tilted his head toward the library
across the hall. After they entered, Percy closed the door.

“
There’s something you
wish to ask me, Percy?” His pallor was more pale than normal and a
frown rested on his face. He looked more ill than his
mother.

“
Yes.
But… Are
you
feeling unwell?”

“
What? Oh. I’m fine.
Physically, that is.”

“
Worry about a beloved
family member can cause heartache.”

Conrad shook his head
slowly. “If I may be candid?”

“
Please.”

“
My entire life, my mother
and I have been at odds. I was an unhappy child and, until I met my
wife, an unhappy adult. In fact, the only thing spoiling my home
life is that my mother insists on living in the house. With
us.”

Percy nodded. He was aware
that though it was common practice for a dowager to have her own
quarters, Conrad’s mother did indeed reside with her son and his
wife.

“
But it has taken this
terrible tragedy to help me see clearly what a terrible son I’ve
been.”

“
Pardon?”

“
You saw her in there,
lying on the settee, moaning, obviously in pain.”

“
Indeed.” Percy ran his
hand over his face. He couldn’t do it. It didn’t seem right in
light of what Conrad had told him to burden the man further with
inquiries of his mother’s love for Conrad’s long dead
father.

Giving himself a shake as
if to snap out of his morbid reverie, Conrad focused on Percy. “Do
forgive me. We came in here to discuss a concern of
yours.”

Percy put up his hand.
“Under the circumstances, I believe now is not a good
time.”

“
Are you
certain?”

“
Quite.”

Conrad’s shoulders
slumped. “I suppose I should be returning to the parlor.” He was
halfway to the door when he stopped and turned. “Percy, I’m sorry
about all the fuss happening at your house. And that my mother
somehow has mistaken you for my father.”

“
Please, think no more of
it. I’m… I’m sure everything will work out as it
should.”

“
Thank you.”

Percy watched Conrad leave
the room and head across the hall.

What shall I do now?

Percy watched out
the window as Dr. Hervey walked toward his
carriage. Though he’d deemed Miriam fit to resume physical
activities, the physician felt strongly that her mental faculties
were still fragile. Therefore, Miriam was to reside at the
Radcliff’s for the foreseeable future.

Damn the luck!

Percy rubbed his hand over
his face, asking himself for the hundredth time why. Why him? Just
when he’d been getting closer to Georgiana. It was so
unfair.

“
Darling!”

He groaned. “Coming,
Miriam.” With legs that felt as heavy as lead, Percy trudged to the
parlor.

There she sat. His
wife
. She patted the
settee. “Come and sit with me, won’t you, darling?”

His skin scrawled at the
thought of being near her again. Hadn’t he sat for hour upon hour
at her side already? Patting her hand in reassurance? Murmuring
endearments he hadn’t felt?

But spend time with her,
he must. Every time he even contemplated leaving, going to visit
Georgiana, guilt crashed down on him like a clumsy elephant. No. He
must stay, though his heart was breaking.

Reluctantly, he sat down,
positioning himself as far away from the woman as he could without
falling to the floor.

She pouted, a most
unbecoming sight. “Why are you so far away? Since my accident, we
have so much time to make up for.” She moved a little closer. He
leaned away.

“
Miriam, I… that is, we
don’t wish to tire you out, now do we?”

She moved a few more
inches in his direction. He edged forward on his seat, trying to
escape, hoping to avoid the awkward dance of her delusional
obsession. “I’m not tired.” She reached up and stroked his neck.
“Not at all.”

Percy swallowed, hating
that the movement pushed against her fingers. He wasn’t wearing a
cravat, to his shame, because she put up a fuss whenever he did.
She’d absconded with the first one. In order for him to retain the
rest, he’d chosen simply not to wear them in her presence. “But the
physician—”

A slow smile spread on her
thin lips. “Dr. Hervey said I can resume all physical activities.”
She fluttered her stubby lashes. “
All
activities.”

Good heavens, she couldn’t
mean—

“
I’ve been so terrible
lonely, my love. Picturing you and me together… it’s all I can
think of.”

Percy recoiled from her,
abruptly standing and stepping away. “Madam, I bet your
pardon?”

“
Ah, begging? That could
be arranged.”

His mouth dropped open.
Did she expect him to… for them to…
No!
“I’m afraid—”

“
There’s no need to be
afraid. Don’t you remember how it was between us? In
bed?”

In bed!

He took another step back,
longing to make a sign with his hands to ward away the evil that
surely was Miriam. The woman was a harridan and a shrew at best.
Vile and evil at worst. The more time he had to spend in her
presence, the more Percy was convinced it was the worst.

“
Lady, er, Miriam, I
cannot in good conscience—”

“
I don’t give a rat’s arse
about your conscience. In fact, we’d have so much more fun if you
left that useless thing at the bedroom door.”

What a despicable, vile
creature.

Miriam slumped against the
back of the settee. Her loud groan sickened Percy. “Oh… please… I’m
feeling faint.” She held out a limp hand. “Won’t you come and sit
beside me again?”

Letting out a deep sigh,
Percy once again sat next to her. He had no desire to touch her but
finally took her hand when she flopped it onto his thigh, very near
his—

“
There now.” Miriam edged
close and laid her head on his shoulder. “Isn’t that
better?”

Better than what? Being
eaten by a snake? Trampled by a herd of angry oxen? He tried not to
breath in her scent of onions and something worse he couldn’t quite
identify.

Her fingers slowly but
deftly made a trail from his chest downward. What did she think she
was — Shock rolled through him as her hand came in contact with
his—

He grabbed her wayward
hand and thrust it safely away from his private area. “Please! Stop
this at once!”

Her lip pushed out again
in a pout. Did she think she was a child? “But, my love, I’ve
missed you so. I have needs.”

He leaned forward to
stand, to escape her, and damn the consequences to her mental
stability. Because right at that moment, he would lose his
faculties if she persisted in her efforts to seduce him.

Apparently, Miriam had
other ideas. With a strength she’d not shown until that moment, she
wrapped her tentacles around his neck, tugging him close. Too
close.

“
Please, Miriam, you
mustn’t!”

Her lips, dry and rubbery,
moved against his in a seemingly sensuous dance.

His internal scream
remained silent as he tried to disengage the suddenly strong woman.
Finally prying her hands off of his neck, Percy jumped up from the
settee and fled the room.

Once in the hall and around the corner,
Percy allowed himself to finally breathe the sweet air of freedom.
Or, as free as he could be until the blasted woman went home.

What if she
never
went home? Never
recovered from her injury? What if he was tied to her
forever?

Sweat broke out over his
forehead as a queasy sensation overtook him. No. It couldn’t be
true. It couldn’t!

“
Percy?”

He jumped and turned,
ready to flee once more, though he relaxed when he saw it was only
Amelia. “Ah… g-good day.”

She stepped closer and
touched his arm. “Are you unwell? You’ve gone quite
pale.”

He fished a handkerchief
from his pocket and mopped his brow. Gesturing vaguely in the
direction of the parlor, he muttered, “I don’t know how much more I
can stand.”

Amelia followed the
movement of his hand, tilted her head, and then faced him again.
“Oh. I see.”

Was she upset with him
because he’d spoken ill of her mother-in-law? “Oh, pardon me
for—”

She held up her hand.
“Nothing to pardon. Where she’s concerned, I’m amazed you’ve held
up as well as you have. Lesser men would have run away.”

Percy lowered his brow.
“Are you saying…”

“
That’s right. I’ve never
cared for her. She’s unkind to me, but more importantly, she’d
terribly unkind to Conrad. Always has been.”

“
Is that so? Amelia, may I
ask you something of a personal nature?”

“
Please. I’ll gladly
answer anything for you if it will help your cause.”

Ah yes, his cause. Trying
to not be shackled with the dowager. “I’ve wondered, that is since
this whole mess began, well, could the reason for Miriam latching
onto me be that she’s so lonely for her dead husband?”

Amelia’s sputtered
laughter was so loud it was startling. “Oh my goodness. Is that
what she’d told you? Percy, she couldn’t stand the man. Nor he
her.”

“
Truly?”

“
From what Conrad has told
me and what I’ve gleaned through wicked comments by her, his mother
was happy when her husband died. Thrilled, in fact.”

Percy’s mouth dropped
open. He looked at Amelia and blinked before remembering his
impoliteness and closed his mouth.

“
Why,” she asked. “Does
that matter?”

“
I’m not sure exactly how,
but yes. I think it might. Thank you, Amelia, for your insightful
comment.”

She smiled and patted his
shoulder. “Happy to help.”

“
May I ask an enormous
favor?”

“
You, my dear man, may ask
anything.”

“
Could you, perhaps, keep
Miriam company, distract her for say an hour or so? There’s
someone… I must see.”

Amelia’s mouth pulled down
at the corners. “Is it that pretty Lady Ollerton?”

“
How did you
know?”

“
It was obvious seeing you
with her how much she means to you.”

“
Through all of this,” he
pointed to the parlor, “I’ve not been able to see her or even fully
explain. I’ve sent notes, but so far, I don’t think she believes
me.”

“
Of course. I’ll take care
of everything. You run along and see your Lady Peregrine.” She
winked.

Percy’s heart warmed at
her use of his pet name for Georgiana. He kissed Amelia’s hand and
hurried out the door before Miriam called for him again.

The short journey to
Georgiana’s seemed to take three lifetimes. Why was his coachman
going so slow?

As soon as they went up
her drive, Percy leaped from the carriage before it had completely
stopped. Who cared if someone saw him? He was on a mission for
love.

He hurried to the door and
knocked. Mary opened the door, her welcoming expression changing to
a frown. “Oh. Good day.” She didn’t open the door all the way but
left only enough room to peer out at him.

Obviously, Georgiana had
confided the events of late. “Good day. Is Lady Ollerton at home?
It’s imperative I speak with her.”

“
I’m not sure she
would—”

“
I’ll see him,” came from
the behind the door.

Percy’s shoulders slumped
in relief at Georgiana’s voice. When the door opened wider, Percy
stepped inside without invitation. Mary scowled but stepped aside
when Georgiana shook her head.