The days after the dinner party were not very enjoyable ones for any member of the Mentheith household. Both Lady Hendrickson and Miss Elisabeth were incredibly irritable, knowing that the Duke had left Bassen Park to search for his mystery woman.
To make matters worse, the following morning after the dinner party, Miss Elisabeth divulged what she knew about Colonel Jasper and Miss Mary to their mother. When pressed on the matter by her mother, Miss Mary had no choice but to confirm such affection and inform her mother that they had plans to wed. As expected, Lady Hendrickson was appalled by the prospect and forbade her daughter from spending any more time in his presence.
Though heartbreaking for Miss Mary to hear, she had no choice in the matter as Colonel Jasper was inclined to follow the Duke on his tour about possible mystery ladies. She did, however, receive a letter from the Colonel that she was forbidden to open or respond to.
“I will write to the Colonel,” Lady Louisa said a week after the dinner, while they both worked in the garden behind the house. “Your aunt has no right to object to me doing so. If there is information that you wish to pass to the Colonel, I would be happy to do so. I can also inform him why you have not written a response to him so that he doesn’t question your loyalty to your engagement.”
Miss Mary was so happy that she burst out into tears instantly.
“Oh, Louisa, you would do that for me?” Miss Mary said between sniffles. “It has been devastating not being able to read his letter or inform him why I cannot write back. I couldn’t bear it if he thought I was turning my attention away from him.”
Lady Louisa enveloped her cousin in her arms and did her best to soothe her. Miss Mary was usually so steady and reserved. The sudden outburst of tears only showed how much turmoil Miss Mary had been forced to hold back since her mother’s scolding.
“You don’t have to fear, Mary. It will all work out in the end. After all, you have the Duke on your side. Your mother will surely not deny your marriage if only because it would displease the Duke and thereby ruin Elisabeth’s chances with him.”
“Mother will not care for that now. For surely the Duke will find his lady while he is away and the prospect will be gone. With that, all hope of the Duke’s influence with be lost to me.”
“I cannot say that such thing isn’t a possibility, but I can promise you that he will not find his lady in green while away.”
“Why ever not?” Miss Mary asked looking up at her cousin in confusion.
Lady Louisa shouldn’t have said as much. She was willing to do anything to comfort her beloved cousin in a time of need, however.
With a heavy sigh, Lady Louisa responded, “Because I know who the lady in green is. It is not any of those ladies that the Duke is seeking. That, of course, doesn’t mean he might not find a connection with one of them, and I truly hope he does and finds a lifetime of happiness,” she added quickly.
“Louisa, you know! Why did you not tell me when you found out? Was it someone in the village as Mother suspected, coming uninvited?”
“No,” Lady Louisa hesitated. She still wasn’t sure if she should say anything at all.
“Please, you must tell me who it was! I will promise to keep your secret as you have kept so many of mine.”
“It was me,” Lady Louisa finally said barely above a whisper. “Bess had me borrow one of your sister’s dresses after the incident with the sherry. I knew your mother hoped I wouldn’t come at all, and would have in fact been very cross to see me. When I saw them approach, I quickly hid, and that is when I encountered the Duke.”
Miss Mary sat for a moment with her mouth agape with shock. Finally, she closed it, and excitement glowed on her face.
“It is just as Jasper and I had hoped,” Miss Mary finally said.
“What?” Lady Louisa was confused.
“We were sure that you and the Duke were perfect for each other. That is why he insisted on your presence even when you and the Duke were on less than happy terms. I just know you two are the perfect match. We must tell him right away!”
“No! We must not say anything,” Lady Louisa disagreed. “The Duke would be appalled if he realized it was me.”
“How could you think such a thing?” Miss Mary said with a tinge of sadness in her eyes. “I know you two had some tempestuous conversations at the beginning, but I believe at the dinner party you got along so well. Not to mention the fact that you quite stole his heart at the ball.”
“I didn’t steal it, the idea of a mysterious woman did,” Lady Louisa countered.
“I don’t think that is true. I am certain that it was your personality that he fell in love with.”
“It doesn’t matter either way,” Lady Louisa dismissed. “You know of our families’ differences. If I were to announce to the Duke my identity and he was for some ridiculous reason to ask me to marry him, it would only cause more strife between our families.”
“It wouldn’t create strife between you and me. I would be more than happy with it. Oh, it would be so wonderful,” she added as the thoughts came flooding into her mind. “We would both live at Bassen Park. What great fun we could have together. Just imagine it, that glorious medicinal garden would be yours to tend and I could help you with it,” Miss Mary continued in excitement.
“Mary, you are jumping too far ahead of yourself,” Lady Louisa cautioned.
“But you do care for him now, don’t you? I can tell already by the way you speak of him.”
Lady Louisa hesitated. She still was tormented with her own feelings for the man and what ramifications those could have for the people around her. She couldn’t bear the thought of causing rifts in her family.
“Don’t think of Mother or Elisabeth,” Miss Mary said, sensing Lady Louisa’s hesitation. “I want you to look inside yourself. How do you personally feel about the Duke? Has your heart been captivated by him?”
Lady Louisa took a moment to think of all the times she had encountered him, from their first meeting in the woods to the last conversation at the hearth’s side a week ago. If she was being truly honest with herself, she did have feelings for the Duke.
Who wouldn’t, though? He was a most handsome gentleman with his broad shoulders, square masculine features, enchanting green eyes, and heart-stopping smile. More than that, he was a warm-hearted gentleman who strove to help those in need, cared greatly for his friends and family, and had even greatly influenced her own character in a positive way.
Had it not been for his offer and help to improve her study of medicinal practices, she wouldn’t have become the independent woman she was now. In truth, she had grown quite fond of the Duke over the past few months since meeting him. Even more than that, that night at the ball she too had shared the same inexplicable feelings alone in that room with the Duke.
Lady Louisa expelled a long sigh. It was enough for Miss Mary to be further convinced she was right in her assumptions.
“It matters little how I feel, the truth of the lady in green must stay hidden. Promise me that you will do so for me?” Lady Louisa asked.
Miss Mary didn’t want to agree to such terms, but she had already assured Lady Louisa she would keep any secret that was asked of her. She couldn’t go back on her word now.
“If it is what you wish, of course, I will do so.”
Rowland brushed his jacket as he prepared for the evening meal. Five ladies and two months later he was no closer to finding his lady in green. Earlier this afternoon he had finally arrived at his last destination. If this was not the lady he hoped for, he wasn’t sure what he was going to do.
“Are you ready?” Jasper asked from behind him as he entered the room in his own dinner jacket.
Rowland gave a deep sigh, put his own jacket on and tugged at his neck tie. The last two months had been nothing but disappointment for him and false hope for the ladies he visited. He was beginning to feel that he was making an enemy with each house he left without proposing to the young lady of it.
He turned to his friend. He could scarcely call Jasper just his friend any longer. He had waited patiently through all the months while they traveled from house to house, never complaining. Rowland knew it was even harder for him because Miss Mary had been forbidden to write him.
Luckily, Lady Louisa had been kind enough to carry correspondence between the two. Certainly, it wasn’t the same as sharing information with his betrothed, but at least it was better than nothing.
Jasper had shared every letter he received from Lady Louisa. Rowland found himself feeling more and more admiration for the lady with each passing note. For the most part, she spoke of things that she and Miss Mary did to pass the summer months.
She would also share news she gleaned from Mrs. Vance on Bassen Park. Rowland expected that the ladies visited Mrs. Vance and his uncle often. It made him happy to know that his uncle, who had chosen to stay behind at Bassen, was well looked after.
He took one long deep breath before determining that he was ready and turned to exit his room with Jasper at his heals. They walked down the stairs and into the drawing room while they waited for the rest of the party to appear.
First, Lord and Lady Filton entered the room. He made light conversation with Lord Filton while he waited for his youngest daughter to appear. Finally, she did, and Rowland caught his breath in anticipation.
She was tall and thin, with a narrow face and intricately placed ringlets so light a blond, they almost looked white. In an instant, Rowland was sure this wasn’t the lady he was searching for. He breathed a sigh of defeat.
What was he to do now? Of course, he would have to spend the remainder of the meal pretending not to feel disheartened by his last hope being taken from him. Worse than that, he would again have to spend the week visiting with the Filtons, though he knew she was not the one he was searching for.
Rowland couldn’t help but sigh in relief as he saw Bassen Park come into view in the carriage a week later. Jasper, who had been asleep for most of the return home, was now awake and eager. Though he had no excuse to call on Miss Mary this day, he was happy just to be back in the same county with her.
“What am I to do now?” Rowland said more to himself than anyone else.
Jasper looked over at his friend and felt pity for him. Jasper had experienced the same epiphany when he had found Miss Mary. The drastic difference was that something had grown from it. He couldn’t imagine to have experienced such love and not even know the name of the lady.
“Perhaps it is time to look forward,” Colonel Jasper said.
“How?” Rowland said, fairly frustrated with the whole situation. “I have run out of options to find her.”
“Well, what I mean by forward is past this lady. Clearly, she doesn’t want to be found despite all your efforts. Perhaps it is time to let her go.”
Rowland thought over these words as the carriage came to a stop before his home. Could he just let her memory go? He knew he could never move backwards to the man he was before. Over this season, he had matured and grown into the man he hoped that his father had wanted him to be. He would not just turn and run after failing.
He could only see one move forward. He would stay here at Bassen Park and hope to someday find his Lady in Green or at least someone who might erase her memory from his heart.