Never Land the First Fish

Chapter Twenty-Five, Part 1

The Duke and Duchess of Wellbridge had sent a message to say that they would be at Longford Court by mid-morning.

Emily had dined with kings and princes, had once been courted by a Russian grand duke, had played in concerts for three quarters of the crowned heads of Europe. A mere duke and duchess should not bother her.

Still, this duke was funding the defence of her dear friend against charges of murder and little treason. This duchess had been betrothed to Maddox not six months ago.

Emily fretted, though Maddox assured her that she and Sally would be great friends, and that Toad was a bit arrogant, but not too bad once you got to know him.

In the end, her violin kept her from making a complete fool of herself. One of the children had begged to try for herself, and Lady Longford—Diana—had found a half-sized violin in a cupboard in the vaulted room that formed all of one wing on the third floor.

It had a sweet mellow sound, and was the right size, so Emily brought her own instrument up and settled down to give young Cathy a basic understanding of how to hold the violin and the bow, what to do with her fingers, and how to draw notes, rather than cat yowls, from the strings.

The lesson attracted several other children from the board games being played at the other end of the room, and each of them wanted a turn, though only Cathy and one of the boys managed to make anything approaching a pleasant sound.

When Maddox came to find her, to let her know that the Wellbridges had arrived and were visiting with the earl, she was surprised to find that two hours had passed.

She took her violin back to her bed chamber and checked in the mirror to see that she was still neat and tidy. The Duchess of Wellbridge was undoubtedly one of those peaches and cream Englishwoman, with golden hair and blue eyes. Perhaps Maddox had developed a taste for Emily's more dramatic colouring; her dark eyes and hair, her warmer skin tones. Whether or not, there was nothing she could do about it.

She rejoined Maddox at the top of the stairs, and allowed him to escort her down to the main floor. "Perhaps we should wait for them to finish with your father," she suggested.

Maddox wouldn't hear of it. "Mama asked me to come and get you, Emily. She wants to present you to the Wellbridges herself, so they will know you have her approval and my father's."

That was... rather wonderful. Emily made no further objection. Whatever the outcome of the meeting, she would treasure the fact that the Chirburys had accepted her.

In the earl's bed chamber, the golden-haired duchess she expected turned out to have black-hair. She was sitting on the side of the bed, holding Chirbury's hand. She turned to look as Maddox and Emily entered and Emily noted that she otherwise matched the expected physical description. Fair complexioned. Beautiful. Not the eyes, though. They were hazel, and met Emily's with a hint of challenge.

Emily hadn't expected her husband to be her physical match—as handsome as she was lovely. He had the golden hair, and his eyes were the imagined blue, edging towards ice.

"Your Grace," Maddox bowed to Wellbridge, though not deeply. His smile held an ironic twist. The bow to the duchess was deeper and the smile warmer. "Your Grace."

The duchess slipped off the bed and came to Maddox with both hands out. "Sally to you, always, my friend." With her hands in Maddox's, she turned her gaze on Emily. "And this must be Miss Kilbrierry."

Maddox stepped back from the duchess and took Emily by the hand, drawing her closer. "Sally, it is my pleasure to present Miss Kilbrierry. Emily, the Duchess of Wellbridge. And the Duke," he added.