Henry wagged his tail, and she liked to think he was responding to her words even though she knew it was only the sound of her voice he enjoyed.
She’d only just broken up a bit of ham from the uneaten lunch Mrs. Donnelly had brought her on a tray when a sharp knock at the door proceeded Stephens.
Eliza had no concern that it would be Dax coming to see her. He only came to the connecting door between their rooms at night, and every night she dismissed him. His side of the bargain was already done. He needn’t be bothered until the outcome of this pregnancy were known.
She smiled and pressed her hands to her stomach. “Are they here?”
Stephens gave a bow. “Yes, Your Grace. I offered to put them in the east drawing room, but they seemed rather enchanted with the vestibule.”
She couldn’t stop a laugh. “It is rather imposing. I’ll go down just now and see to them. Thank you, Stephens.”
He gave a bow and left.
She turned to Henry who sat expectantly beside her.
“Henry, are your aunties here? Should you go find them?”
At the command to find, Henry was off with a bark. She usually provided him with a scent to seek out, but she was fairly confident in his interpretation of the word aunties.
She was more sedate in her journey down to the main floor and across to the vestibule as she took a shortcut Henry didn’t have access to, and she was fairly certain she would arrive ahead of him. However, she was stalled when she came upon more voices than she’d expected.
Namely a male voice interspersed with the female ones.
She hesitated, trailing a hand along the wall as she bent her head to listen.
Realization dawned, and she couldn’t help a smile as she pushed forward into the foyer to find Johanna sparring with the Duke of Waverly.
“One would think when ladies were present a gentleman would give way to the ladies’ carriage in such conditions.”
Sebastian looked carelessly out the windows that flanked the massive front door.
“It’s only some rain. As Englishwomen, I would expect you’re used to such conditions, as you call it.”
Louisa shook her head, her lips slightly parted as if astonished. “You are rather like my sister, Eliza. Did you know that?”
Sebastian might have blanched, but the lighting was too muted for Eliza to be certain.
“I have never had the circumstance to be compared to one’s sister.”
Louisa openly stared, her head shaking thoughtfully. “How fascinating. Do you know they call you the Beastly Duke?”
“Do you know it’s rude to point out the gossip of others in the presence of the one being gossiped about?”
“That can hardly be true.” Louisa snorted her disbelief. “How am I to learn what you understand of what’s said about you if I cannot ask it of you yourself? You are the afflicted party here.”
Sebastian crossed his arms. “I would hardly call myself an afflicted party.”
Louisa opened her mouth to say something, but she stopped and seemed to changed her mind.
“What are you doing here?” she asked instead of what she’d meant to say.
Sebastian dropped his arms and peered around him as if looking for salvation.
“Ashbourne invited me for some leisure by the sea. Why are you here?” He spoke the last question as if asking Louisa how she might have contracted a particularly nasty tropical disease.
Louisa was not at all affected by it. She only smiled her unending smile, and her eyes grew ever wider in earnest.
“Eliza, of course. She sent for us. We’ve never spent a summer at the shore even though our sister’s married to the Duke of Margate and his seat is directly on the ocean. The duke is a bit of a wanker as I’m sure you heard.”
Sebastian did blanch now, and it was all Eliza could do to keep from laughing and give herself away.
“I had heard something of the sort, but I would say it’s quite common for dukes of the peerage.”
Louisa tilted her head in consideration. “But I don’t think it’s true of you, is it, Your Grace?”
Eliza took pity on Sebastian as he searched the corners of the vestibule for someone to save him. She stepped in with a louder than necessary click of her heel just as Henry finally made his way down the main staircase at a barking run.
Johanna jumped behind Louisa, never the fondest of Henry, but Louisa bent and put her hands to her knees to brace herself for Henry’s impending collision.
Eliza took the opportunity to approach Sebastian quietly. “I must apologize for my sisters. They have the unfortunate circumstance of having been raised by a rather direct woman.”
“Your mother?” Sebastian raised an eyebrow.
“No. Me.” She flashed her teeth at him. “It’s rather good to see you, Your Grace, although I must admit I didn’t know you were expected.”
A shadow passed over Sebastian’s eyes, and not for the first time, she doubted the truth of the rumors about him. Sebastian was rather cold in his manner, but she thought there was a robust beating heart under that austere exterior.
“I am not surprised to hear that.” His look was knowing, and she had to turn her gaze away.
Either Dax had written to Sebastian of their situation or a summons from Dax was reason enough to believe trouble was afoot at the manor house. Either situation was not to her liking, and she cast her attention on her sisters whom Henry had finished greeting.
Louisa had her arms wrapped around Henry. “Oh, I did miss this boy.” She looked to Eliza. “Are we to have lunch? We haven’t a thing since we left this morning.”
“I’ll ring for a tray while you get settled. Come along, and I’ll show you the way. Ashbourne Manor is a particularly vexing labyrinth.”
Her gaze traveled hesitantly to Sebastian, who still stood at the door, his hands behind his back as if he had all the time in the world to stand motionless in a vestibule. She thought perhaps she should invite him to take luncheon, but as he’d not been expected, she wasn’t sure there was anything arranged for a formal meal.
Sebastian, ever the gentleman in disguise, saved her with a simple nod of his head. He’d wait for Dax to come fetch him then.
“We shall see you for supper?” While the question was the one propriety demanded, she hoped with all her might that the guests may choose to dine separately this evening as she had not laid eyes on Dax since that fateful afternoon in the drawing room, and she had no wish to do so now.
“That would be lovely, Your Grace, but I believe the duke had some sort of hunting expedition in mind when he sent for me.” Sebastian’s smile was comforting.
She drew a deep breath and smiled. “How lovely. I shall see you upon your return then.”
Sebastian gave a deep bow, and she couldn’t help but notice the way his gaze slid cautiously to Louisa before she herded her sisters up the main stairs in the direction of the guest quarters, Henry adoringly in tow.
“What an interesting man,” Louisa said when they’d gained the upper floors and were alone in the vast corridors of the east wing. “I had thought the Beastly Duke would be something more of a disagreeable creature, but really I think it’s just that he’s in a foul mood.” She turned a thoughtful gaze on Eliza. “He does rather remind me of you. Not that you’re in a foul mood. Although I can’t imagine why you would wish to have your sisters underfoot during the summer of your first year of marriage.”