A wince went through the room.
“And you are certain he said, ‘I do not know why I did that’?” Matilda tried again, and Anna could not help feeling grateful toward her friend.
“I am certain,” she replied.
Beatrice sighed. “And he said, ‘do not look at me like that’? You did not mishear?”
“I did not.” Anna bowed her head. She did not need to see their faces anymore to know that this was not one of her romance novels, and there would be no happy ending for the Duke and the awkward, love-obsessed Matchmaker. It was clear as crystal in the deathly quiet that followed.
CHAPTERTWENTY-FOUR
Percy awoke with a jolt to bright sunlight streaming across his face. He sat up and rubbed his bleary eyes, confused as to his whereabouts. It took him longer than it should have to realize that he had fallen asleep on the comfortable brocade settee in the library of Harewood Court, and that it was way past the hour for his departure.
He got to his feet and nearly tripped over a small stack of books on the floor. One lay splayed out, as if he had dropped it when he fell asleep.
All at once, the events of the previous night swept back into his head. It had been very early in the morning when he had returned, but he had been restless, and had hoped that a nip of brandy would help him sleep. As he had sipped, he had drawn out some of the romance novels that he knew Anna favored, and by candlelight, he had begun to read one:Pride & Prejudice,by Jane Austen.
“She will kill me if she finds it like this,” he mumbled, hurrying to put the books back where he had found them.
That done, and feeling like he had not slept a wink, he shambled out into the hallway.
“Your Grace!” A startled voice made him whip around. “Are you quite well? Have you been in the library all night?”
Straightening up, he attempted to maintain any residual scrap of dignity, though he was in a considerable state of undress in just his shirt and trousers. The former was unbuttoned to the chest, and the poor housekeeper seemed to be doing everything in her power not to stare at that triangle of exposed skin.
“The journey exhausted me,” he said. “I apologize. I must have fallen asleep.”
The housekeeper took a breath. “Don’t apologize, Your Grace. You’re a guest here.”
“Yes, about that.” Percy cleared his throat. “Might you have some of the footmen prepare my belongings for departure? I intend to return to Granville House as soon as possible.”
The housekeeper frowned, but did not argue. “Of course, Your Grace. I’ll see to it right away.” She paused. “Will you want your carriage prepared, too?”
“Yes, if you would. Thank you.”
The housekeeper bobbed in a delicate curtsy and turned back the way she had come, where she would no doubt inform the entire household of the travesty she had witnessed.
Shaking his head and sweeping his hands through his hair to try and flatten what the settee had tousled into a wild mane, he padded back into the library. Standing on the threshold, the book he had been reading caught his eye once more, sticking out slightly.
I will return it,he told himself, as he headed over to the bookshelves and took it from its place.
Remembering the titles of those he had stacked up last night, he withdrew two more from the shelves:The Mysteries of Udolphoby Mrs. Radcliffe, andLe Morte d’Arthurby Sir Thomas Malory. He had heard Anna mention that last book so often yet had never felt an inclination to read it until then.
Retrieving his waistcoat and tailcoat from the settee, he folded the books inside, then darted back to the bookshelves to readjust the books. That way, it would likely take Anna longer to realize there were books missing, and he would hopefully have returned them by the time she did.
He tucked the impromptu parcel underneath his arm as he headed back out into the hallway, wondering if he ought to go to the kitchens to see if he might be given some manner of breakfast.
Before he had taken more than two paces, the front doors of Harewood Court burst open, and three figures walked in. Max and Dickie flanked the shorter figure in the center, her arms through theirs.
Anna stopped dead as she saw him standing there, so inappropriately attired that he might as well have been in his nightclothes. His heart leaped and sank at the sight of her, for his legs wished to run to her, while the rest of him resisted, holding him firmly in place.
And she was not the only one who looked shocked to see him.
“You are still here?” Max asked grimly. “I thought you said you needed to depart at once because there was a… fire at Granville? Did you receive news?”
Percy could not take his eyes off Anna. She looked just as beautiful as she had last night, though she had on a simple dress, and her hair was modestly drawn into a bun, and she wore no adornments or embellishments. Perhaps, she looked somewhat tired, but otherwise, she was radiant.
“I was… waylaid,” he replied. “The footmen are gathering my belongings as we speak. It shall not be long before I depart, for I did not have much to bring.”
