No doubt understanding the expression upon her face as something akin to surrender, Lord Gillingham’s tone softened. “Think it through,” he told her, and she could all but hear him smile, that satisfied smile she had come to loathe in the past few moments. “I shall see you at tonight’s ball. Indeed, it would be the perfect opportunity to announce our engagement.”
Leonora could not bring herself to open her eyes, wanting nothing more than to retreat from the harshness of reality. Yet, she could not shut out his voice. It continued to echo in her ears.
Then the soft nay of a horse drifted to her ears, a horse approaching from down the path. “Lady Leonora,” came Drake’s beloved voice, and her eyes flew open. “Are you well? You look awfully pale.”
Drake’s eyes were narrowed into slits as they swept over her before coming to linger upon her eyes. Then they momentarily dropped to where Lord Gillingham was holding on to the reins of her mare before the man could drop them, finally releasing her. Leonora could see the tension that held Drake, that had him grip his own reins painfully. He seemed alert, his gaze occasionally moving from her to Lord Gillingham, assessing, contemplating. She knew what he had to think and loathed the doubt she saw in his eyes.
“Pemberton.” Lord Gillingham offered Drake a quick nod, his gaze betraying his displeasure at the interruption. “I did not know you and the lady were acquainted.” A hint of suspicion swung in his voice.
Drake moved his gaze from Leonora and met Lord Gillingham’s without a moment of hesitation. “We are neighbors,” Drake replied, the look in his eyes still questioning, trying to make sense of the situation. “Only a few months back, I moved into the townhouse next to the Whickertons.”
Lord Gillingham nodded in acknowledgment, the look of suspicion fading from his eyes.
“I wish to return home,” Leonora blurted out, seizing this chance. “I admit, I do feel a bit faint.” She forced a smile onto her face and turned to look at Lord Gillingham. “There is no need for you to escort me back home, my lord. My sisters will see to me.” She glanced over her shoulder and was relieved to see Harriet and Christina heading toward them. At last, it seemed that they had taken note of something odd happening. Still, Leonora hoped they would not guess what it was with a single glance at her.
Although a hint of displeasure lingered upon Lord Gillingham’s face, he nodded. “Very well. I hope you will recover swiftly.” He turned his mount down the path. “Until tonight.” After a last word of farewell, he disappeared down the path.
Leonora breathed a sigh of relief, almost slumping down in the saddle, her balance hopelessly unsteady.
“What happened here?” Drake inquired, his voice tense and harsh. Yet, the look in his eyes held deepest concern as he urged his own mount closer. “What did he say? What did he…do?” Again, his eyes narrowed, and Leonora could see suspicions dancing in his gray gaze. “Did he—? Was he the one who—?”
“No!” Leonora rushed to assure him, suddenly afraid when she saw murderous thought begin to burn in his eyes. For so long, Leonora had been all but certain that they would never learn the name of her attacker. Now that she knew, she could not help but worry what might happen next. What if Drake found out? What if her family found out? Her father? Her brother?
All of them were deeply protective of her, willing to go to great lengths to shield her, to ensure her safety. It made Leonora feel cherished and treasured and loved, but it also made her fearful. After all, had Drake not called out men before? Would he do so again?
Tell me who hurt you, and I will put a bullet between his eyes. Had those not been his exact words?
No, he could not know. For his own safety and well-being, she could not tell him. Somehow, she needed to solve this on her own. But how?
If only she knew.
Chapter Thirty-Eight
The Dowager Speaks Again
Drake did not know what to make of Leonora’s strange behavior. Indeed, the day had not gone as expected, as he had hoped.
Unfortunately, he was not granted a chance to inquire after further details with regard to her conversation with Lord Gillingham because her two youngest sisters finally reached their side. Yet, neither one of them noticed Leonora’s distress, each one distracted by their own concerns.
“If we are to get ready in time for tonight’s ball,” Lady Christina stated, looking from one sister to the other, “then I believe it is time we return home.”
The youngest, red-haired sister barely stifled a groan, casting a sideways glance at him. “Must we truly attend? In truth, I would much rather stay home and teach King Arthur a few new words.”
Drake was momentarily confused until Lady Christina rolled her eyes and said, “Who on earth calls a parrot King Arthur?” She shook her head. “Will you not consider changing it? It does sound ludicrous!”
Lady Harriet seemed deeply affronted. “It is his name! I cannot simply change it. Perhaps you should change your name.” She grinned at her sister rather mischievously.
This somewhat nonsensical conversation continued for a couple of minutes. Meanwhile, Drake could not help but stare at Leonora, deeply upset by the paleness of her cheeks as well as the faraway look in her eyes. It seemed as though she had retreated from the world around her, locked in a place in her mind. What had brought on this shock? For she did look shocked, terribly shocked, by something that had come upon her unannounced. Had it been Gillingham? Could he have been the one who had attacked her the night of the masquerade?
Drake felt his insides tense at the thought, outrage starting to boil in his veins. He clenched his hands, only loosening their hold upon the reins when his gelding tossed up its head.
“Good day, Lord Pemberton,” Lady Christina said with a nod in his direction, bidding him farewell. Whatever had happened in the moments since he had lost interest in their conversation, it seemed that they had decided to return home. “Shall we see you at tonight’s ball?” Her watchful eyes moved from him to Leonora and back.
Drake nodded. “Most definitely.” There was no way he would not attend, not when it seemed that Lord Gillingham had every intention of meeting Leonora there that night. Clearly, she disliked the thought; yet, Drake wondered why she did not say something. Was it simply because her sisters were present? Truth be told, it seemed that by now, all of her family knew what had happened to her. Therefore, there was no reason to keep silent, to not alert everyone to her discovery.
Indeed, Drake had to admit that he was surprised to learn—presumably—that it had been Gillingham who had attacked her. Indeed, the young man had always seemed almost sickeningly polite and restrained in his manners. If it had been a mask, it had been a very convincing one. Drake could have kicked himself for not realizing it sooner, for not seeing the signs that had no doubt been there. No one could hide their true self completely. Glimpses were always visible, if one looked hard enough.
Clearly, Drake had been distracted.
His gaze wandered back to Leonora, her eyes still distant, and he doubted that she had heard a single word of what had been spoken. “I shall see you tonight,” he told her, his voice imploring, needing her to know that he would not be far.