No Stopping Your Heart

16

Simon was there bright and early Cordy was waiting for him. She had a lot to tell him and not just investment information. She had gleaned a bit of information on the whereabouts of the Marquee of Staff. Simon came while she was enjoying her breakfast with the Duchesses. He shook his head they had been so worried about her and here she sat eating breakfast as if nothing had happened. She got up and walked past him and into the study.

"Before you get all worked up, my trip was rather useful in gathering information on the Marquee of Staff it appears he has been hiding out in a friend place here in London. The friends name is none other than Lord Garland."

"How in the bloody hell did you get this information in Birmingham?"

"I told a little white lie to one of the woman I met on my trip. She was let say someone Lord Garland would be interested in because of the type of lady she was. I decide to ask her about Staff I had not heard woman were not his type and he had not been to see his mistress in a while, a prostitute could solve some of his problems just not all of them."

She paused to be dramatic but right then he was about to thrash her for even talking with a prostitute but if she had information on Staff it might just be worth it.

"She told me he frequented a certain place and had a special friend who she introduced me too. This friend told me she was planning a trip to see Lord Staff and his friend Lord Garland this week. Now here is the bad part she was not told where she would be going the address would be arriving the day before the assignation."

He fell into a seat. The girl was a wonder she could get information out of anyone she was an asset to the crown.

"Cordy are you not afraid of anything?"

She thought about that question she knew he was not looking for an answer, but it made her think she was afraid of something.

"Yes, yes I am afraid I will not make Addie see what I see before he is forced to marry me. I do not want him like that I want him to come to me because he loves me not because he is force. That is what I am most afraid of."

That night at the Clayburn's ball Cordy was much more out going than she usually was. She would do what she needed to so Addie would find her charming even if she ruined herself in the process. When Alex walked into the ballroom he did the one thing he told himself he would not do and that was search out Cordy, but there he was watching as Lord Melville danced with her and then handed her off to Foxworth who seemed to be beaming at her. Was he the one who she was meeting last night? They seemed rather close when Foxworth leaned down and whispered something in her ear and they both laughed. He knew he should turn around and walk out but he couldn't stand there and watch her with another man.

Foxworth brought Cordy over to his mother so he made his way to her and his grandmother. He would ignore Cordy for all intense purposes. She knew when he walked into the ballroom and she knew when he was behind her. She looked up at his mother and smiled, who was smiling right back at her. The Duchess knew her son loved the young girl but why he was having a challenging time coming to terms with it was beyond her. His father and her had a wonderful marriage, he had never seen a side of marriage that would cause him to doubt the institution. Even his grandparents had a loving and happy marriage, what was he so afraid of.

Foxworth was sure Alex and Cordy were in love he wasn't blind, and he certainly didn't want to be married off to the girl at the king's whim if she was in love with someone else. He had decided after talking with the Duke of Windom today he would help the young couple come together.