Chapter 26
“Well, I am off for another dinner at Dandridge Hall, my dear Henry.” Rufus had, with the help of his valet, got himself ready early and had sought out Henry for a little company before he headed off for Dandridge.
He had seen Henry Mercer earlier and had thought him somewhat out of sorts. Whilst Henry was a quiet man, he was always talkative. There had never fallen any silences between them before and yet, as that day had gone on, and Henry tried to go about his work, he seemed to hardly speak at all.
Something about it had unsettled Rufus, troubled him greatly. As he had made himself ready for his evening engagement, the sudden thought that Henry Mercer was unwell, even gravely ill, came upon him irresistibly.
He cared a good deal for Henry and had known him since he was a boy. He was a regular presence at Hillington Hall, a hard-working attorney who attended to Duchy business constantly, working in the little study two, sometimes three days a week.
“Oh, yes, of course,” Henry said absentmindedly, and Rufus wondered at his lack of enthusiasm.
Every other attendance at Dandridge had been met with great approval from Henry Mercer, leaving Rufus in no doubt that his ageing attorney very much favoured the Earl’s daughters for a match.
“Forgive me, Henry, but is something troubling you?”
“Troubling me, Your Grace?” It was clear that Henry was trying to look surprised by the notion, but he was by no means convincing.
“Yes, troubling you. You have been quiet all day, and when you returned from your business yesterday, I am bound to say that you looked unwell. Forgive me for prying, Henry, but let me tell you that there is nothing that you cannot say to me. If you have some matter of business that is causing you concern, you may speak to me about it at least. Whatever it is, I am sure that I will be able to help you.”
“Your Grace, you are very kind indeed,” Henry said, and there was a fleeting look of sadness on his face; Rufus was sure of it. “But there is nothing troubling me; I assure you. I am, perhaps, just a little under the weather, so to speak. You will know something of it yourself when you reach my great age.” Henry gave a light laugh, but it was so devoid of humour that Rufus was no better informed then than he had been before.
As much as Henry sought to deny any unease, Rufus thought that he could feel it even stronger than ever. There was something very wrong with Henry Mercer; he had no doubt of it.
“Then perhaps you ought to take a little rest, my dear fellow,” Rufus said, feeling certain that he would get no further by questioning. “Is there something so pressing that you really need to be here working today? Can it not wait a day or two? Or a week, or two?” Rufus smiled at him. “Henry, I would not see you working yourself to death for me, really I would not.”
“It is nothing beyond a little upset, Your Grace. An aching bone here or there, nothing serious. Forgive me if I seem far from my normal self.”
“I do not mind it, Henry,” Rufus said and felt his worry growing graver still. “I am just concerned, that is all. You really must tell me if there is something, and you must take time to yourself if you need it. You do not need my permission; for heaven’s sake, you have been at Hillington Hall longer than I have.”
“Yes, I suppose I have,” Henry said and stared off into the middle distance almost as if Rufus were not there. “So many years.”
“Henry?”
“Forgive me. I think my mind is wandering a little. Perhaps I will take your advice, Your Grace, and at least make my way home for the rest of this day. I am sure that I will be back to full strength tomorrow, and I shall return to continue with my paperwork.”
“Well, only if you feel up to it, Henry. If I do not see you tomorrow, I will know that you have decided to take my advice properly.” Rufus laughed and laid a hand on the old attorney’s shoulder. “You must take care of yourself, my dear fellow.”
As Rufus made yet another carriage trip to Dandridge Hall, he could not shake thoughts of Henry Mercer from his mind. So many years . What did he mean by that? Surely, he had not realized at that moment how long he had worked for the Duchy. Or perhaps it was just an old man’s musing, a sudden nostalgic turn.
But Rufus was sure that Henry was not a man in that vein; he was a practical soul and a very steady sort of a character. Still, if he would not say what was troubling him, Rufus could not imagine how he would find it out.
Henry Mercer had never married, and Rufus realized, to his shame, that he did not know if the man had any extended family at all, nor even any friends and peers of his own. He certainly did not talk of such things, but Rufus realized that he should have, at some point, at least made that inquiry.
But then he and Henry were in an unusual position. They were essentially master and servant, and yet Henry had been working at Hillington for so many years that was he not also a friend? Rufus sighed, knowing that he would not rest easy about the whole thing until he got to the bottom of it, however such a thing might be achieved.
He was not shaken from his thoughts until his carriage drew up right outside Dandridge Hall. He had not even been aware of pulling onto the great long driveway, so lost in concentration was he.
But now, he must put Henry to one side for the evening and struggle through yet another mighty meal with just about the worst company in all of England. All except for Ella, that was.
As he jumped down from the carriage, Rufus smiled to himself. He knew that his feelings for Ella were growing day by day, if not hour by hour. His regard for her had almost crept up upon him in the same way that her beauty had. But now that it had, now that it had tapped him on the shoulder, he was beginning to find himself lost in thoughts of her almost continually.
And he knew, without a shadow of a doubt, that he had only accepted the dinner invitation so that he might see her. Even just a surreptitious meeting of eyes would be enough for him. He knew that he would not speak much to her, for he now knew how much Ella feared it. But he realized that to just be in her presence was enough, to look at her shining dark hair and her sparkling blue eyes, her beautiful face, and her fine figure, that was all he required.
Ever since he had seen her again in the grounds of Dandridge, on the day she had excused herself from afternoon tea, he had thought more and more of her and less and less of his masked woman.
In fact, he only ever thought of the masked woman now when he became aware of the little mask he still had tucked away in the inside pocket of his tailcoat.
But he was not so sure now that he would want to draw that mysterious woman to him. After all, if she made herself known now, could he really abandon Ella in favour of her? He did not really know the masked woman, beyond that one exciting conversation, but he knew Ella now. Bit by bit, he had come to find her true character and know that she was a woman who was so very different from those who would trip over themselves, step over each other, to become his wife.
As he walked towards the wide stone steps leading up to Dandridge Hall, he wondered if Ella was what he had been looking for all along. She had not sought to trap him, to impress him with her wiles and hope to become the next Duchess. Quite the opposite, in fact.
And every sad confidence she had parted with had almost to be pulled from her. She had never sought his assistance or his sympathy, always choosing to divert the conversation so that she might maintain her dignity.
But was that simply because she did not view him as he viewed her? The more he found himself attracted to Ella Winfield, the more he wondered if she would ever feel the same. As far as he could see, she had certainly given no sign that she did.
Rufus was brought back to the here and now when he saw the great door opening inward and the butler making ready to show him in. Knowing that he was about to see her again, his spirits lifted, and even the idea of far too much food and an evening spent listening to the braying tones of the Earl of Dandridge could do nothing to dampen those spirits.
He would be kind to the dreadful man, even kind to his awful daughters. He would pretend not to see every slip, every moment in which either Patience or Georgiana would display their distinct lack of manners. He would be magnanimous, openhearted, and very careful not to put Ella at any risk.
And then, when his meal was done, he would come to some conclusion. He would go home to Hillington and make a plan; he would come up with some scheme by which to win Ella Winfield’s heart and take her away from that awful place. He would find some way to let her know that he was falling in love with her.
“Ah, Your Grace, do come in,” the Earl said, already waiting by the open drawing room door.
Rufus smiled and shook his hand warmly, allowing himself to be ushered in so that he might once more witness the little piece of theatre that was Belville family life.
When he saw Patience and Georgiana at their needlework, and the Countess pretending to read, he almost laughed. But this time he was not so scornful, quietly thinking of Henry’s words and wondering if it really was quite so intimidating to have the attention of the Duke. Just like Henry, he would be kinder.
“Good evening, Lady Dandridge,” Rufus said and bowed deeply. “I must thank you again for being so kind as to invite me into your wonderful home.”
“Good evening, Your Grace.” Ariadne rose to her feet and inclined her head graciously. “And you are very welcome.”
“Lady Patience, what is that you are sewing, my dear?” Rufus said and did a very good job of looking interested.
“It is just a little cross stitch, Your Grace, something to be hung up somewhere in our home.” Patience looked up at him so demurely that he could hardly believe it was the same young lady.
He could sense Georgiana twisting a little in her seat, hoping to gain his attention and see to it that Patience got no more of it.
“And you are doing the same, Lady Georgiana?” he said and gave her the warmest smile he could manage.
“Yes, Your Grace. Tell me, what do you think of it?” As always, Georgiana’s manners were more lacking and her behaviour just a little more forceful than her sister’s.
“I think you are both very skillful young ladies, and I am sure that your father will be pleased to have both pieces hanging anywhere in Dandridge Hall, will you not, Dandridge?” he said and turned to their father who looked as satisfied as a cat with a saucer of cream.
Rufus smiled in a way which made his face ache, and he let his eyes move this way and that around the drawing room for any sign of Ella. The moment he realized that she was not there, the spirits which had been so high immediately began to dwindle. He knew he could not ask there and then where Ella was, for he did not want to appear too obvious.
He had promised that he would do nothing to put her in peril, and he would keep to that promise no matter what. And so, instead, he nursed the small hope that she would miraculously appear in time for dinner. After all, as much as the family disallowed her the dinner table at all other times, they had not been so bold as to do so the last time Rufus had been invited to eat with them.
He tried very hard to make polite conversation as he suffered his way through two glasses of sherry in the drawing room before dinner was served. When the door opened, Rufus had turned and smiled brightly, fully expecting it to be Ella herself.
But it had been none other than the butler come to tell them that dinner was served and to usher them gently towards the dining room.
As they took their places around the great table, Rufus could immediately see that there was not a place set for Ella. There were just place settings enough for the five of them, and he knew he could stay quiet no longer.
“Is Miss Winfield not to join us for dinner today?” Rufus kept his tone light and mildly inquisitive as if his question was nothing more than an innocent inquiry.
“Forgive me, I had not mentioned,” the Earl said in a matter-of-fact tone that Rufus was not entirely convinced by. “Miss Winfield is away from home at the moment, Your Grace.”
“Oh, indeed?” Rufus was struggling to maintain his polite and unconcerned demeanour.
“Yes, she is visiting relatives in the North.”
“I see, where?” Rufus said and then hurriedly sought to cover his curiosity. “I have distant relations there myself and am very fond of the North.”
“Scotland,” the Earl said with a tight smile. Only just over the border, but in Scotland nonetheless.”
“Lady Belville, I had no idea you had Scottish relations.” Rufus smiled at her, despite his own great disappointment.
Ella had never mentioned Scottish relations, and he wondered just how long she might be there. Perhaps Ronald Belville had finally banished her, turned her out of his house, and sent her away forever.
“They are her father’s distant relations, Your Grace,” Ariadne said and smiled before turning her attention to the great platters that the servants were beginning to ferry into the room.
“I see.” Rufus knew that he must change the subject, but he wanted to know exactly where Ella was.
Wherever she was in the world, he wanted to know. He wanted to be able to find her if the Earl never allowed her back again.
He could feel his anger rising and knew that Ella would not have chosen to go so far away. The Earl was at the very root of this, and he knew it. And the Countess was no better, allowing her dreadful husband to send her only child hundreds of miles away.
“Well, I must say that the food truly does look wonderful once again. I must congratulate you, Lady Dandridge.” Rufus forced himself to smile when all he really wanted to do was overturn the dining room table and beat the truth out of Ronald Belville with his bare hands.