Rhonda Woodward (17 page)

Chapter Seventeen

As each lurching, swaying mile brought her closer to Kelbourne Keep, Mariah could feel her excitement increasing, despite the odd, lingering sadness that now seemed to be with her constantly. Unfortunately, the pain, buried in the secret passages of her heart, had only intensified since her precipitous departure from Heaton.

Why this should be she refused to examine. The only thing that could not be ignored was that the strange ache was directly connected to Stone.

Being of a logical temperament, Mariah concluded that if she could only get thoughts of him out of her mind, then the pain would depart.

She reached over and lifted the blind covering the coach window and watched the stark countryside passing by.

A group of children, all bundled against the bleak day, stood shouting and waving on the side of the road.

Leaning forward, Mariah lowered the window. Disregarding the frigid blast of air, she extended her gloved hand and waved her kerchief at the children.

Hearing their cheers, she waved more vigorously before closing the window and leaning back in the luxurious interior of the Duke of Kelbourne’s traveling coach.

She could well imagine how exciting children would find the sight of two shiny coaches, each pulled by six matched bays, and four outriders with the colorful ducal banners rippling in the wind. She herself had been more than impressed at the sight the other morning when they had thundered up the drive at home.

Snuggling deeper under the heavy fur rug, Mariah wondered how Harris fared in the other coach with the maid and footman Julia had so thoughtfully sent along for the journey. Though why Julia thought Mariah would need three personal servants, Mariah did not know.

Mariah was excited about seeing her old friend again, but she was also extremely curious about Julia’s new life. From her letters, Julia sounded the same as she always had: warm, generous, and witty. But Mariah could not believe that becoming a duchess had not affected her friend in some way.

Well, she would find out shortly, she told herself. Leaning into the corner, Mariah closed her eyes, hoping to nap. Even though she had been traveling since early morning, she would not reach the Keep until late. If she could manage to sleep in the moving coach, it would help to pass the time.

As she relaxed into the warm leather squabs, her mind drifted to her family’s farewell early that morning.

The day before, her family had taken her as far as the inn near Tenterden and had spent the night to see her off the next morning. It was the merriest time they had all spent together in a very long time.

Early this morning they had stood on the inn’s wide front steps, their breath white in the morning chill. Papa had embraced her closely, telling her to enjoy herself—he had even surprised her by giving her a good deal more money than he ever had before. Steven had kissed her cheek and teased her about the grand traveling coaches and liveried outriders, saying everyone would mistake her for Princess Charlotte. George had scurried around the horses, exclaiming that they were just as prime as the earl’s horseflesh. She had smiled at them all, sad to leave them even though she was very glad to be visiting her friend.

To her surprise, Mama had looked near to tears as Mariah climbed into the coach’s opulent interior.

“I shall miss you, Mariah, dear,” she had said through the open door. “But you must promise me that you will enjoy yourself.”

“I will miss you, too, Mama. I will write to you very soon,” Mariah had replied, choking back her own tears.

After waving out the window until the coach rounded the curve at the end of the drive, Mariah was suddenly struck with the thought that her mother had made no mention of finding a titled husband since their heartfelt discussion some days ago. It touched her deeply that she and her mother now had a much better understanding of each other than they had had in years.

Maybe things could change for the better if Mama and Papa really would give up their hope of her marrying for a title, she mused within the quiet sway of the coach. She fervently hoped so. Mariah wanted nothing more than for her parents to find contentment. They had worked so hard for so many years to be free from any material want that it seemed a shame to waste so much time and energy chasing something so pointless.

She prayed that all this nonsense about titles and court presentations would truly be forgotten and that perhaps someday she would find a worthy, respectable man to wed and her parents would find some joy in that.

This thought did not give her the sense of satisfaction and relief that she needed.

Pulling the rug up to her chin, Mariah settled into a more comfortable position and tried to ignore the occasional jarring movements of the coach.

Some time later she awoke with the lingering vision of broad shoulders, nearly black hair, and piercing blue eyes. Disoriented, she looked sleepily around the darkened coach for Stone.

Rubbing her eyes, Mariah tried to clear the sleep-fuddled thoughts from her head. Of late, so many of her dreams were inhabited by his disturbing image that she should have been used to it by now.

Unfortunately she was not.

Despite how hard she tried to rid herself of thoughts about Stone during the day, he filled her dreams at night. Her cheeks warmed. Would she ever cease wincing over the memory of the look on his face after he overheard her insult him so viciously to Steven?

The slowing of the coach and the distinct sensation of going uphill pulled her—gratefully—back to the present.

Nothing but blackness met her gaze as she peeked out the window, and she suddenly felt very alone and bereft.

Shivering from the cold—for the rug had slipped to the coach floor—Mariah judged that they must be nearing Kelbourne Keep. She hoped so, for she had been alone with her thoughts for much too long.

Moments later, the coach slowed to a stop and the door opened. Standing on the steps in front of a pair of the largest, heaviest-looking wooden doors Mariah had ever seen, stood the Duke and Duchess of Kelbourne, surrounded by a throng of servants holding torches aloft.

An instant after she alighted from the coach, she found herself in the warm embrace of her oldest friend.

“Mariah! I thought you would never arrive!”

***

Half an hour later, as quick as mercury, Mariah changed from her traveling clothes to a shimmering russet evening gown.

After the warm but all too brief reunion with Julia, Mariah had been shown to a beautiful bedchamber to freshen up before joining Julia and the duke for a late supper.

She gazed admiringly around the room, particularly impressed with the immense canopy bed hung with brocaded burgundy-and-gold draperies.

Promising herself that she would explore her surroundings tomorrow, she finished tidying her hair, then left the bedroom.

A footman led her through a long stone corridor and down a massive staircase to a drawing room. The footman opened the door, and Mariah was glad that he did not formally announce her.

She entered the large room and saw the Duke and Duchess of Kelbourne standing in front of a massive fireplace drinking champagne. Evidently there would be only the three of them for dinner, Mariah noticed with some relief.

“Miss Thorncroft.” The duke’s warm deep voice rumbled over her as he stepped forward to greet her. “Welcome to our home. I trust your journey did not prove too arduous?”

Feeling somewhat shy before someone so grand, Mariah performed her best curtsy, sending Julia a quick glance on the way up.

Looking radiant in a gown of burnished gold silk that flattered her pale blond hair and gray eyes, Julia beamed a smile from Mariah to her husband and back again.

“I thank you, Your Grace,” Mariah stated simply, smiling into his warm gaze while thinking that his dark evening clothes only accentuated his tall, broad frame. “Your coach is so comfortable, the journey seemed to take no time at all.”

Julia stepped forward and handed Mariah a glass of champagne, and the three of them chatted for a few moments about the weather and their families’ health. As Julia stood next to her imposing husband, Mariah thought her friend did not look quite as tall as she usually did.

As he stood smiling tenderly down at his wife, the duke’s regard for her could not be mistaken. This pleased Mariah deeply, for Julia’s happiness was extremely important to her. She still found it somewhat hard to comprehend that just half a year ago Julia had been convinced that the Duke of Kelbourne was the most loathsome man in the world. Now, however, Mariah felt profoundly reassured by witnessing their loving expressions.

Sweeping the duke with a glance, Mariah judged him to be an inch or so taller than Stone. The Duke of Kelbourne, with his wavy dark brown hair and light brown eyes, could possibly be considered by some as handsome as his good friend the Earl of Haverstone, but Mariah would not be numbered among them.

Why does everything turn my thoughts to the earl?

she chided herself in frustration.

“How fitting that Mariah should be our first guest, for who better to practice my hostess skills upon than my oldest and dearest friend? So I would like to toast our guest,” Julia said as the duke gallantly refilled their champagne glasses.

Julia’s warm gaze met Mariah’s as she continued, “To Miss Mariah Thorncroft, the dearest, most loyal and supportive friend anyone could ever have.” She and the duke raised their glasses, bringing a blush to Mariah’s cheeks.

“To Miss Mariah Thorncroft,” the duke echoed, lifting his glass a little higher before he and Julia took a sip of champagne.

Tears came to Mariah’s eyes at her friends’ lovely words. “Thank you,” she whispered. “I am so happy to be here.”

Supper proved to be extremely enjoyable and much less formal than Mariah had anticipated. At first she had found the duke rather intimidating as the three of them dined at one end of an enormously long table. Soon, because of Julia’s innate ability to put anyone at ease, Mariah found herself laughing a lot as she and Julia told the duke stories of some of the scrapes they had gotten into over the years.

For his part, the duke showed a keen interest in their tales and encouraged them to keep talking, refilling their wineglasses himself. Mariah felt warm, welcomed, and not just a little charmed by Julia’s handsome, sophisticated husband.

After they finished the sweet, the duke pushed back his chair. Rising, he gestured to both ladies to remain seated.

“I shall twist convention slightly and say that I will leave you ladies to your port—and conversation,” he said, grinning slightly at the surprise on their faces.

Recovering her manners, Mariah looked up at him in dismay. “Please do not leave on my account, Your Grace.”

“Not at all, Miss Thorncroft. I know Julia has been longing to have a coze with you. She told me just this morning that these last five months have been the longest time she has been away from you since both of you were about five years of age. I bid you good evening.” He smiled and turned to Julia. “I won’t wait up for you, my love.”

Julia laughed and sent her husband a loving smile as he kissed her hand tenderly.

After he strode from the room, Julia turned to Mariah. “He is correct about my longing to talk with you, but are you too tired after your journey?”

“Not at all. I slept a good deal in the coach. I would love to sit up and talk the way we used to.”

“Good.” Julia nodded her pale blond head in pleasure. “Then let us go into the drawing room and settle in. I am going to keep you up quite late.”

Leaving the dining room, they walked down a short hall to Julia’s private sitting room.

“You are obviously exceedingly happy,” Mariah said, smiling at Julia as they settled into a plush settee.

“I confess that I am happier than I ever thought it possible to be. I have become one of those tiresome creatures who expound the benefits of marriage.”

Mariah laughed. “You need not expound, for your expression gives your joy away. I am very happy for you, Julia. It is clear the duke adores you.”

“Thank you. I feel adored,” she said with a serene expression crossing her features. “But enough of me. I have been eager to hear what has been happening with you. There is something different about you, Mariah. I cannot put my finger upon it just yet, but I will.”

“I do feel different, so it is not a wonder that you see it as well.”

“Then tell me how you have changed and what has caused it. From your letter, I suspect that it has something to do with your time at Heaton with the Earl of Haverstone.”

Settling more comfortably into the corner of the settee, Mariah met Julia’s perceptive gray gaze. “My time at Heaton affected me in a most profound way.”

“Start from the beginning and leave nothing out,” Julia charged.

The entire story came pouring out, and Julia listened in attentive silence, interjecting only a few comments during the narrative. The first was when Mariah told her of finding the earl with Lady Walgrave.

“Gracious! I have heard that Stone does not care a fig what people think of him, and this proves it. You certainly handled that much better than I would have. Your composure is to be admired.”

“Thank you.” Mariah inclined her head with a slight smile before continuing.

When she came to the kiss, she fumbled over her words a little, hardly able to look at her friend. Julia, seeing Mariah’s distress, said softly, “His charm is legendary, Mariah. I can understand perfectly why you did not resist.”

“Resist? I welcomed his kiss,” she said, her voice full of scorn for her wanton behavior. She then told Julia of her confrontation with Lady Walgrave, bringing a fierce scowl to Julia’s brow.

“Truly? She will not address you if she meets you again? Humph.
I
shall not address
her
when next we meet in London,” Julia said with newfound hauteur. Then she spoiled it with a laugh, saying, “It’s rather fun to be a duchess.”

“No doubt,” Mariah agreed with an answering smile.

Mariah finally came to the end of her story, and Julia was silent for a few moments, shaking her head.