Loving a Fearless Duchess: A Historical Regency Romance Book(10)

Everett glanced at Nash, silently saying, Do you see this?

Edward jumped into the conversation. At eighteen, he wasn’t used to smoothing over awkward situations, but in this case, his attempt was necessary.

“Have you ever toured our seat, Your Grace? If you have interest, we could get some air and see the village. My uncle has business until early this evening. My cousin Henry is off doing whatever Henry does. We are left to our own devices.”

Everett graciously accepted the invitation, welcoming the end of teatime. He and Nash rose and followed the butler to the foyer. Edward whispered in his mother’s ear then followed behind.

“To the stables, gentlemen.”

It was a pleasant afternoon, with a soft breeze gently rustling the leaves on the trees that framed the long drive.

The Somerset village was small and surprisingly unkempt. Cows wandered the main street, depositing their droppings on a regular basis. The kitchen gardens were trampled, but from what, Everett could not say. Two roofs looked to be in disrepair. Everett and Nash swapped glances.

“Is it usual for the livestock to roam?” Everett asked.

Edward hesitated and looked straight ahead, moving his horse close to Everett before lowering his voice to answer, “The villagers like to keep their animals nearby. With enough eyes on them, they are kept alive.”

Nash wrinkled his brow. “Do you have a problem with wolves?”

Edward gave a small smile or a grimace; Nash couldn’t figure out which. “Something like that.”

Again, Everett and Nash glanced at one another. Something was wrong in Somerset. Everett knew Avery spent a lot of energy polishing his image in London, but to look here, he wasn’t doing the same.

“Let’s go up the hill. There is a good view of the property from there,” Edward said. Everett couldn’t help noticing the hesitancy in Edward’s voice. He seemed so unsure of himself.

When they made it to the highest spot on the Somerset estate, Everett and Nash were treated to a beautiful, lush, green land. A meadow of heather stretched to the left, obviously left unattended for quite some time. The lake ahead was calm and undisturbed. It was so quiet Everett could hear Nash’s breathing next to him.

“Edward, this is beautiful land. If I may ask, why is it left fallow? Surely, your livestock would thrive here. Your sheep would become fat and contented. And the crops you could grow. You could be the envy of other landowners with this flat, sunny expanse.”

Edward shook his head. “It is my uncle’s decision. I think the local people would be willing to put the land to use.” He shrugged.

Everett got the feeling Edward was biting his tongue. It wasn’t Everett’s place to question how Avery ran his estate.

“Shall we go to the lake and give the horses a rest and a drink?”

The horses were drinking from the lake and Edward, Everett, and Nash were sitting on the grass, faces to the sun.

“You have a sister I believe?” Everett said, more to make conversation than for any other reason.

Edward’s head swiveled to Everett, and his eyes showed fear. “Yes, I do. She is but fourteen and is tutored. She doesn’t spend much time out of doors.”

Nash leaned back until he was lying on the grass. “Ah, to be fourteen and have no worries except whether to go riding or raiding the kitchen. I remember those times fondly.”

“Unfortunately, Penelope’s childhood won’t be remembered by herself fondly. You will notice at the evening meal so I may as well tell you now. She was in a serious accident two days ago. She was unconscious for about 24 hours. It was just as well. She woke to a shock.

“The whole left side of her face was an open wound. After cleaning the wound and stitching up her face, it swelled and caused her great pain. The healer stopped the laudanum this morning. She had been on it too long. The healer was afraid she wouldn’t wake from it.

“Penelope is an exceptionally beautiful girl and will grow into a woman with unmatched beauty, except for her scar.”

Edward wanted to spit. “That accident, which was no accident, will plague her for the rest of her life.”

Everett looked both pained and confused. “What do you mean it was no accident?”

Edward hesitated. “I am not allowed to say. I’m so furious I can’t in good conscience pretend it didn’t happen. Not everything can be dismissed. Some things have lasting consequences that affect people. I have to speak of it, or I will explode.”

Everett and Nash sat motionless as Edward recounted the last three days then broadened his tale to include the last several years. They were shaken.

Edward held his emotion in check before it could spill out. “I am forbidden to talk about it, to mention anything that goes on around here. We, my mother, Penelope and me, are here because my uncle took us in after my father died. We face great consequences if we break the rules of the house. We have nowhere else to go.”

Nash had a look of sympathy and grief. He fought the tears in his eyes. Everett looked furious – like a caged animal that would be lethal when it was released.

He turned to Edward, and in the most fearsome voice Nash had ever heard from him, he demanded, “Who else in your house knows of this?”

Everett looked out on the lake. “Everyone. Some things can be hidden or whispered about. This is not one of them. Before the healer left, she had screamed the injustice of it to anyone who would listen.”