Where is she?
He opened doors and closed them again. He hadn’t seen Dorothy since breakfast, and this was unusual. They had a habit of getting under one another’s feet, and he was beginning to think she was avoiding him.
There is someone else I have not seen, though. Where is Lord Chilmond?
A horrid thought crossed his mind and made him walk faster. He was thankful the dizziness had abated today, so he could be back to his usual self. He strode between the chambers, searching for Lord Chilmond and Dorothy.
What if Lord Chilmond had cornered Dorothy? What if Stephen’s suspicions were right and Lord Chilmond was only interested in her dowry?
I have to find her.
He hurried from the garden room to the music room, making Lady Charlotte and Lady Frederica jump from where they had been looking over the sheet music on the lid of the pianoforte.
“My apologies. I was looking for Dorothy.”
He saw the two of them exchange a smile but thought nothing of it.
“Lord Chilmond asked her for a walk.” Lady Charlotte pointed to the window.
“Thank you.”
Stephen wanted to run. He walked as fast as he could, and when he reached the corridor, he forgot about his father’s instructions that a duke should never run. He didn’t bother reaching for his frock coat and just sprinted out of the house, practically leaping down the front steps in his eagerness to get out of the house.
On the driveway, he stumbled and then hastened around into the garden. He was so busy, focused on his task, that he didn’t even notice the carriage that was rolling up the driveway.
He ignored the carriage and moved through the garden, striding between the yew bushes and past the tulips that were raising their colorful heads. He spotted Dorothy and Lord Chilmond walking beside one another, with a maid behind them as a chaperone.
Today, Dorothy was at least more herself. She had picked one of the tulip flowers and was constantly sniffing it, admiring the petals between her fingers.
Stephen came to a harsh stop when he saw the expression on Lord Chilmond’s face. He was staring at Dorothy warily as if he thought it wrong for a lady to dirty her hands with the plants from the garden at all.
“Dorothy?” Stephen called, wanting nothing more than to get her away from Lord Chilmond, fast.
She smiled.
Oh, keep smiling like that.
Stephen jumped over the nearest low-lying border to get near them, half delighted with that smile yet still furious she was walking alongside Lord Chilmond at all.
“You look so much better,” she said enthusiastically, walking toward him. “Any dizziness today?”
“I am well.” His eyes flitted to Lord Chilmond. He must have glowered, for Lord Chilmond flinched as if Stephen had struck him. “I thought I told you, Lord Chilmond, that I should chaperone your walks with my friend’s sister.”
“Stephen,” Dorothy hissed in a low breath.
Stephen didn’t turn to look at her but continued to glare at Lord Chilmond.
“We had a chaperone.” The Viscount pointed lazily at the maid, who was now doing her best to hide her face. “Lady Dorothy can do as she wishes. You are not her keeper, Your Grace.”
Stephen stepped forward, rage boiling in his veins.
“Stephen.” Dorothy caught his arm again. “Lord Chilmond, I think His Grace is somewhat tired at the moment due to his injury. Could you leave us alone for a minute please so we can talk?”
“Of course.” Lord Chilmond bowed and hurried away, with the maid slowly following behind.
Stephen waited for the side door of the house to close firmly before he rounded on Dorothy, his hands folding. “Any other time, I would have been impressed at your reaching for propriety.”
“I know. I thought it might impress you.” She smiled broadly. “I wasn’t bad, was I? When in actual fact, if I had done as I wanted, I would have elbowed you in the rib to stop you from speaking in such a way.” When he continued to glare at her, her smile faded. “What is wrong, Stephen? This is not in your character to look as if you are about to lunge at a man and hit him.”
