To Dishonour A Duke

Chapter Eighteen

Reluctantly, Clara stays true to her word, and for the next few days she keeps to the house and grounds of Chester Valley. The temptation to sneak out haunts her mind through the hours of the day and her reclusive behaviour catches the attention of Jasper and Eliza as she dines with them at every meal and even joins in their card games. Between the meals and the parlour games Clara buries herself in book after book, reading through the volumes sent over by Elizabeth, completely absorbed in the many tales of the Wellesley family and the history of thirty years previous. When the words begin to swirl around her head she walks around the garden and visits the stables to sneak some apples to the horses. The crisp autumn air batters her face as it turns bitter, and the threat of rain lingers over her head, but it provides a welcome change to the stifling warmth of the house. The solitary days prove to possess some limiting enjoyment but the silence from George causes her to grow restless and irritable as the week draws to a close.

After breakfast, Clara chooses to lounge in the conservatory off the west wing, a thick book resting in her lap as she attempts to wade through the dry and pompous words. Looking out at the grounds behind the house, she keeps getting distracted by the wildlife and activity of the world beyond the borders of the estate. Her cool gaze follows the path of a tall hare, his twitching nose darting in the air as he looks around, alert and coiled to run. At the sound of a bang, he takes off, sprinting down the hill before driving into the undergrowth and disappearing from sight.

"My lady?" Lucy leans around the back of the chair.

"Oh, Lucy." Clara shuts the book and moves it to the side table, "I did not hear you come in. Is it lunch already?"

"It is only ten o'clock, my lady." Lucy replies, "But you told me to come straight to find you if there was any post for you."

"But the post doesn't usually arrive till midday," Clara says, standing up. "What do you have?"

The maid holds out a small rough square of paper. "It was delivered by a young boy, he said it was for you and that it was incredibly urgent."

"Thank you, Lucy," Clara takes the paper. "That is all."

She waits until she is alone before unfolding it. She frowns at the note with no return address or name and a single sentence scratched upon it.

Hyde Park, East Entrance, 11 am

Got him

Her mind jolts into action although she continues to stare at the note, her feet stuck on the same spot, a buzzing running through her blood. The penmanship is scrawly and rough, with ink splatters decorating the edges but, in her mind, it can only be from George. As she races to dress in more appropriate clothing it does cross her mind that she could be walking into the hands of a more malicious character, but she quickly waves away her doubts and hurries to find someone to ready the carriage.

The drive seems to take an agonising length of time and every time the carriage lurches around a sharp bend or stops suddenly, Clara's heart rate spikes and a stab of fear enters her stomach. Nothing appears out of the ordinary as they trundle into town and no man with vicious intentions attacks the carriage to steal her away. At last they stop on the corner of Kinnerton Street, a little way from the bustling crowds that surround Hyde Park. Clara is wary as she steps out and joins the stream of people wandering towards the park. Lowering her head, she slips to the inside of the pavement and sticks close to the fence, shielded by the people walking around her.

With the East Entrance in sight and the hour drawing near, her eyes dart from person to person, attracted to any swift movement or loud sound. Agitated, she spins her ring around her finger, her heart beating quickly as she turns the corner. She recognises a few faces from within the park, debutantes from the season and a range of eligible bachelors vying for the opposites' attention. Almost level with the gate she slows down and tries to spot a familiar head of strawberry gold hair or a stern gaze and vicious stick, but it is a tall figure across the road that makes her freeze and stumble into a passably.