Lord Grenville's Choice (20 page)

The following day, he spent on horseback, riding Orpheus to Richmond at a tearing pace. What if he never found Felicity? With each clip of his horse’s hooves, he tried to disseminate doubt. He
would
find her. He would scour the island.

Alex was at tea with his aunt and sister when the man from Bow Street called. He excused himself and met the Runner in the parlor.

“We’ve traced them, my lord. They were seen at nine o’clock at night on the West Road. My runner proceeded from there until he found the inn where they put up for the night. It was definitely them, your lordship. An elderly man, a child and his nanny, a woman, a younger man, and a carriage full of servants.”

Alex clapped the man on the shoulder. “Well done! Now,” he pulled out his money clip and gave the man a twenty pound note, “Do you think you can trace them further?”

“We can try, my lord. We can try. Mind you, the West Country is a big place.”

“I have every faith in you, my man.”

After a punishing round of boxing with Gentleman Jackson the next day, Alex returned home to lunch and found his sister to be very excited. Her cheeks were rosy, her eyes bright.

“Alex, you will never guess who I saw at Lady Southeby’s this morning when I called there!”

“Not Felicity?”

“No, but the next best thing, if there is one. Remember her cousin, Miss Rachel Hammerford? She has been to dinner here at least once every spring with her parents. She and Felicity grew up together near one another in Hertfordshire. I cannot remember precisely, but I believe their mothers were sisters.”

Alex cast his mind back. “I cannot say that I remember her at all. But I was not always present for Felicity’s dinner parties.”

Anabella rolled her eyes in impatience. “She is a tall girl. She has the same eyes and hair as Felicity. Always a bit brown because she loves gardening and horses. I know you must remember her. She has the way about her of an Original. Very independent. Like Felicity, she is an only child and . . . oh, you must remember this! She has her own horse breeding stables in Hertfordshire.”

Alex laughed for the first time since his wife had left. “Yes. I do remember the chit now. Shocking manners. She tried to sell me a filly, sight unseen.”

“Well, I thought that if anyone knew where Felicity went, Miss Hammerford would. I have asked her to dinner tonight. I hope you were not planning to be out.”

“Does she not know that Felicity has left us?”

“She is not much of a gossip and did not say anything about it. So I said nothing. I just told her how very much we would like to have her to dinner, as she had not visited us yet this year.”

Alex felt a slight twinge of hope. Perhaps Miss Hammerford knew Felicity better than he did. But if she knew where Felicity had gone, would she tell him? Would he have to go so far as to reveal Elizabeth’s mischief?

“This is going to require very careful handling,” Alex said, running his index finger across his lip anxiously. “Perhaps we need to consult Aunt Henrietta. Where is she?”

“She is at a luncheon and card party at Lady Gosford’s. She will be home for tea. I had better speak to the cook immediately. I do not know how to plan a menu. Help me, Alex.”

He pulled her sister’s ear. “I am certain you were taught once. I would suggest you go down and smooth cook’s feathers, compliment her finest dishes, allow her to be part of the process.”

His sister ran down to the kitchen to plan the menu, and Alex was left at loose ends. He had not visited the nursery since his son had left for he feared it would be too painful, but he could no longer stay away.

The room was silent as a tomb. As far as he could tell, his son had taken every book, every toy. What he would not give to hoist Jack in the air! He sat in the window seat and looked out at the maple tree, which was completely leafed out now. Could Felicity’s cousin really help them locate her? Was it too much to hope for? Or when this Miss Hammerford knew that his wife had left them, would she be reluctant to share her ideas? Clenching his fists, he stood and strode out of the room. Were the results of his and Elizabeth’s folly to be never ending?

They were all awaiting Miss Hammerford in the drawing room when Norse announced her. Anabella went to her and took her hands with enthusiasm. “We are so glad you were able to come tonight!”

“Felicity is not here?” their guest asked.

“No. She is away at present. My brother is actually interested in buying a horse, and I thought he would like to discuss it with you.”

This was the first Alex realized they were to draw out Felicity’s whereabouts by stealth. He doubted it would work. Miss Hammerford’s eyes were sparkling at the idea of talking about her beloved stables.

Over the turbot, Alex inquired about this spring’s foals.

“They are a lively lot! My Molly had twin colts. Lovely blacks. Susan foaled a beautiful filly. She’s an Arabian. Beautiful neck. Stunning head.” She chewed a bite of fish. “And, of course, my thoroughbred bays, Rachel’s Spice and Felicity’s Folly, both foaled. I was delighted! They both had colts. You might like to look at one of those, your lordship.”

Alex said, “That does sound a lively bunch. I am in the market for a brood mare, I am afraid. But, I am surprised you could leave them for the mere delights of London.”

Miss Hammerford rolled her eyes. “Mother. She insists I must marry. Have to do the Season every year.”

Aunt Henrietta asked, “Does Felicity know she has a thoroughbred indirectly named after her?”

The girl laughed. “Yes. She gets rather a kick out of it. Felicity loves to help me christen my horses. Never liked to ride much, but she loves my foals. Her maternal instinct. She will raise the children and I will raise the horses.”

“She is increasing again,” Anabella told her as the fish was cleared and stuffed guinea hens replaced it.

“Wonderful news. She has not had any upsets this time?”

“No,” Alex said, smitten by the fact that this cousin of Felicity’s should have been in her confidence when he was not. For the first time, he wondered how much this woman knew of his marriage. “All is well.”

“Where has my cousin gone without the rest of her family?”

“Her father has not been well. She thought it might be good to take him out of London for a while,” Anabella said. “They have gone into the West Country.”

“Ah! Aunt Verity’s property! Wales is so lovely in May. Felicity and I stayed there every summer with Grandmama while the parents did the Season. Sea air will do my uncle good. Has Jack accompanied them?”

“Yes, unfortunately,” said Alex. “We miss them both.”
Wales? Seaside? Felicity’s mother’s property?
His heart bounded and his hands shook so that he put down his utensils and drank some wine.

“The life has gone from the house,” said Aunt Henrietta. “On what part of the Welsh coast is your aunt’s property? I did not get specifics from Felicity.”

“She has not written?”

“Mail is so slow from Wales. She has not been gone long.”

“Well, Tywyn is a beautiful spot. On Cardigan Bay. Northern coast. Our favorite thing, aside from the seashore, was hiking to the ruins.”

Alex’s heart was hammering, but he disciplined his voice into a casual tone. “There are ruins? Jack must be in heaven.”

“Castell Bere. Not much left there. Llewellyn the Great’s last stand against the English.”

Felicity is as good as found!
He wanted to climb up on the table and dance. Instead, he said carefully, “When the Season is at an end, Felicity and I will come visit your stables to see how the filly and colts are coming on. You live quite near Morecombe Hall, do you not?”

“Yes. And, of course, we are in prime hunting country. Do you ride to hounds, Lord Grenville?”

“I do, Miss Hammerford.”

“Oh, that sounds so stuffy. You know my name is Rachel.”

“Then you must call me Alex. After all, we are family.”

*~*~*

It was all Alex could do not to set out on his journey to Wales immediately after Rachel had left them. Once she had imparted her information, it had been difficult for him to remain connected to the talk around him. Fortunately, Anabella and his aunt had carried the conversational ball. He had been absentminded at the game of whist they played afterward and had been roundly lectured by his partner, Aunt Henrietta.

Only once did the conversation slide close to danger. Rachel had said, “I am surprised Felicity would travel so far when she was increasing.”

“They were planning to take it in easy stages, and her father’s carriage is very well-sprung,” Alex said. “Felicity does not like to coddle herself, you know.”

“And why did you not accompany her?” Rachel had asked. “Were you not at all concerned?”

“The carriage was full to bursting!” Alex laughed. “Her father, his doctor, Jack, his nanny, and Felicity. She did not want me.”

Fortunately, Rachel seemed to accept this. There were no more awkward questions, and she left in great good humor at ten o’clock.

Alex tossed in his bed that night, hoping that this would be the very last time he would sleep in this bed alone. Finally, he arose near two o’clock, lit his bedside candle, and went down to the library to study his maps and plan his journey. Then he went back upstairs and packed his saddlebags. No carriage for him. He could make better time on Orpheus.

At dawn, he was in his saddle and on his way.

{ 28 }

A
s each day passed, Felicity found that she grew increasingly angry with Alex. She had always striven to be a good wife, in spite of the fact that he had not always been a satisfactory husband.

To think she had actually made excuses in her mind for his habit of—as she had thought—frequenting his club every night! Until recently, he had never taken her to the balls and dinner parties that filled the London season. She had sought out interests of her own to keep her from sitting at home feeling ill-used. Oh, she had been very accommodating!

Very likely, he missed her not at all. Jack was another matter. Alex had been a good father, and now his son had finally begun asking when his papa was coming to join them.

“I cannot wait to take him to see the castle, Mama.”

“He is very busy right now with Parliament, love. He is not certain he can get away.”

“I miss him, Mama. I want to show him my shell collection. And I know that
he
would take me swimming in the sea.”

She did not know how to tell him, what excuse to give him for his father’s absence over all the years that faced them. Then there was the fact that Jack was the heir. At some point, he would have to go away to school to be properly educated for his place in society. That day would be up to Alex to decide. Jack had been put down for Harrow at birth. Also, she could not deny Jack all that would one day be his. He loved the Lincolnshire estate, and as delightful as Wales was in the summer, it had nothing to offer in the winter but cold, rainy, and windy weather.

Her son needed to be raised at Grenville Manor so that he could learn to administer all that would be his and become familiar with the tenant farmers. But the thought of abandoning Jack to Alex made her grow cold inside. Her boy was the light of her life just now.

And so Felicity prayed that her new child would be a girl. Someone who could live with her and her father until she married and had a home of her own.

For years, she had not understood how society women could live with unfaithful husbands. Most did not have a wealthy father who would take them back, but she was beginning to realize the problem that the children raised. But how did those women continue to face their inconstant spouses over the breakfast table? Perhaps an indiscretion or two might be different, but what if your husband loved his mistress? What if she was the only woman he had ever loved?

She was a fool to have married Alex, thinking he would change. Anger at him rounded a circle until it was anger at herself. Felicity had thought she could make his life so comfortable that he would choose her over Elizabeth. She had been a giddy fool.

It was in this frame of mind that she set out for an afternoon walk to the castle ruins. Alan, who was still delaying his departure, had taken Jack into the village with him to buy a small pail and shovel to use on the beach. Her father was taking his nap.

The sun was traveling into the western sky, brilliant and warm, so Felicity sat with her back to it and to the path which had led her to the place. With her parasol anchored between the stones, she sat and took out a volume of Wordsworth’s poetry and began to read. Hearing someone tread on the small stones of the path, she assumed it was Alan and did not turn around.

“Felicity, darling, next time you choose to go missing, consider the Continent. I swear it would be closer.” Her husband’s voice was light but tired.

Whirling around, she jumped to her feet, “Alex!” No further words would come. Her mind raced.
How did he find me? Why is he here? What about Elizabeth?

“So this is Castell Bere,” he said. “Not much left of it, I must say.”

Felicity’s heart was pounding in her ears. The wind whistled sharply, carrying his words away. She was stunned at the sight of him—standing so tall, every inch of him Alex, from his burnished Hessians to his black beaver top hat. But his face was drawn and tired, his eyes shadowed, in spite of his light words.

“What are you doing here?” she finally managed.

“I have much to say to you, Felicity. But it is impossible to speak in this wind.”

She gestured for him to join her behind the fortifications. In order to find shelter, they walked a bit until they could take shelter behind a crumbling wall.

“You have treated me and our marriage exceedingly ill,” she said firmly, finding his closeness strange and difficult after two weeks away from him. “I cannot imagine what you will say that will cause me to forgive you.”

Alex looked directly into her eyes, and she read sadness there. “I am devastated that you have suffered so much pain on my account. However, Felicity, you must know that what Elizabeth told you was untrue.” Still holding his horsewhip, he spanked it into his hand for emphasis. “She has never been my mistress, nor have I ever desired her to be.”