A Governess for the Brooding Duke(78)
“Despised him?” Lady Cynthia sat up a little straighter and reached out to take Georgette’s hand.
In truth, Georgette rather thought that the older woman was taking her hand to comfort herself as much as Georgette.
“Yes, he is quite convinced.”
“But why?”
“Because Lady Josephine did not call for him at the end. When she knew that she was dying, I mean, she did not send for her brother. And His Grace has taken that to mean that she did not want him there because she despised him for his actions. He is heartbroken, My Lady; in truth, he is.”
“And he told you this?” Lady Lyndon seemed hardly able to believe it.
“He did My Lady. Truthfully, he was most dreadfully upset.”
“And when did this happen?”
“But days ago, My Lady. Your nephew had happened upon us in the schoolroom, and Eleri was singing a Welsh folk song to me. If only you could have seen the look on his face; it was the purest sadness I have ever seen.”
“Oh, dear me,” Lady Lyndon said sadly.
“The song that Eleri was singing to me was, apparently, one that Lady Josephine would sing all the time after she had first met Mr Carwyn Thomas. At least that is what His Grace told me.”
“He has spoken to you in a way I have never been able to tempt him to do with me, Miss Darrington,” Lady Lyndon said quietly.
“My Lady, I am so very sorry; I did not mean to …”
“Oh, no, my dear Miss Darrington. I am not chastising you for your efforts; rather, I am so glad that you have come here, my dear. More glad than I could have ever have known.
“And yet it would seem that I have done as much harm as I have done good, My Lady.”
“I do not believe that is the case for a moment, Miss Darrington. Rather, you have unmasked the monster.”
“I beg your pardon?” Georgette said, entirely confused.
“There has been a monster living inside my nephew’s breast. It has caused him great pain and anguish, and yet it has never once shown its face. But you have seen its face now; you know what the monster is. You know what it is that hurts him so greatly. Now that you can see the monster’s face, Miss Darrington, you shall find a way to fight it.”
“You mean, find a way to convince His Grace that his sister did not despise him?” Georgette said a little unsure.
“That is precisely my meaning, Miss Darrington. You are the one person who has been able to get to the truth of it all, and I believe, because of that, you are the only person who can find a way to make things right for my poor, dear Hamilton.”
“I see what you mean, My Lady,” Georgette said, one moment wondering how on earth such a thing would be achieved and, in the next, thinking it the most sensible suggestion she had ever heard.
“And you will not give up, Miss Darrington?” Lady Cynthia said, her lined and pretty face full of hope.
“I should never give up, My Lady,” Georgette said sincerely. “But I simply do not know what move I am to make next. I cannot return to Draycott Hall for your nephew will not have me there. He was not unkind, you must understand, but he really was most insistent that I go. So insistent, in fact, that he did not even allow me time to explain it all out to the children. And I cannot believe that he would have done such a thing lightly. He is not as cruel as I once thought him. He is not cruel at all, My Lady. He is simply lost.”
“And it is you who shall find him, Miss Darrington,” Lady Lyndon said and suddenly tipped her head back to look up at the ceiling, almost as if she were appealing to the heavens. “And I was too foolish to see it.”
“I do not understand,” Georgette said truthfully.
“These last weeks, I have been trying, quite forcefully, to throw dear Lady Louisa Wimborne under the wheels of my nephew’s carriage, so to speak.”
“Oh, I see,” Georgette said, feeling the familiar dull feeling attack her at the very thought of the Duke and Lady Louisa together.
“And I have been becoming more and more frustrated, knowing all the while that he felt nothing for the woman.”
“Oh dear, poor Lady Wimborne,” Georgette said, trying hard to feel sorry for the beautiful young woman despite the fact her heart rejoiced at the idea that the man she loved did not love another.
“Oh, she is not so poor, my dear. She is a very nice young lady but intent upon marrying a very good title. I hold nothing against her in that regard; it is simply the way of things. But you must not waste a moment on her poor dear feelings, Miss Darrington, for they are not as fine or as sensitive as you might think them to be.” Lady Lyndon gave a little chuckle for the first time since their conversation had begun.