The Duke's Alliance: A Soldier's Bride(51)

Now, if Perry was here the journey would pass so much more speedily, they would laugh and talk… Her cheeks flushed at the thought of what they had done the last time they were in this carriage. 'When is Giselle's baby due to arrive?'

'In the spring some time, I believe. This will be my sixth niece or nephew. Which reminds me, my dear, have you had any further thoughts about finding me a bride?'

'Actually, your grace, I have.'

He raised an eyebrow and his mouth curved, but he said nothing. If she wasn't already married and hopelessly in love with his brother she would find him disturbingly attractive when he was being charming.

'Well? I am all agog.'

'My thoughts are that you have no more intention of joining in with such nonsense than I have of doing it.'

His laughter filled the carriage. 'I am relieved to hear you say so. I am happy as I am, my dear, I enjoy my own company and am free to do as I please and to be as curmudgeonly as I wish.'

She smiled sweetly at him before answering. 'Married or not, sir, you will continue to do what you want and expect everyone else to fall in with your plans. You are, after all, the Duke of Silchester.'

'I am indeed and I can tell you with all honesty that there are times when I wish I was not.'

'I am astonished to hear you say so. What is it about your life that you do not like?'

'I'm one of a handful of aristocrats holding a dukedom. We are expected to behave in a certain way, those we meet feel obligated to treat us differently. Only with my family can I let down my guard. Sometimes I am tempted to abandon my life altogether – to leave Bennett to run the family.'

She stared at him, for a moment too shocked to speak. 'Are you saying that you wish to… intend to kill yourself?'

He reacted as if stung by a hornet. 'God's teeth! Of course not – that is a coward's way out. No, I would not do that to my family and especially not to my brother who would hate to take on the title.'

'Yet you are prepared to make his son do so?'

'Touché, my dear Sofia. No, I merely meant that I should like to live a simpler life somewhere I could be accepted as a gentleman, not bowed and scraped to.' He warmed to his theme. 'Any young lady I am introduced to treats me differently. Perry knows without a shadow of doubt that you love him for himself, not for his title and his wealth. If I could have the same certainty, then I might consider matrimony.'

'You could always travel the country incognito.'

'An interesting suggestion, my dear, but not one that I am about to take up. I had thought I would enjoy the excitement of travelling, of camping under the stars every night, but as you are aware I could not wait to get back to civilisation.'

'Good heavens, I was not suggesting you became a pedlar. You could be a botanist recording the flora and fauna of an area for posterity.'

He chuckled. 'That would be an excellent suggestion, Sofia, were it not for the fact I have no knowledge of the subject and am an abysmal artist.'

'I shall give it some thought. There must be something you can pretend to be that would allow you to travel in comfort.' She closed her eyes and let her mind drift hoping inspiration would strike. Instead her head was filled with images of Perry and she was determined to put matters right between them when she returned to Silchester.

Their last conversation was engraved on her memory. How could she have said such dreadful things? She would get her comeuppance if he took her at her word and instead of returning directly from the north he went to London in search of a female companion.

*

When Perry was still some distance from Silchester he was met by Zorro who greeted him enthusiastically covering his breeches with more mud than they had on them already.

'I'm pleased to see you too, my boy, but why are you so far from home? I am astonished that you knew I was coming – but you are a clever dog and never cease to amaze me.'

He had been fortunate in his journey as the weather had remained dry and he had been able to ride across country most of the way. Billy showed no signs of tiring even after travelling so far. He pushed the horse into a gallop and completed the last two miles at a rattling pace arriving at Silchester in a flurry of gravel.

The dog had been left behind but was perfectly capable of finding his own way back and would no doubt arrive shortly. He tossed the reins to a stable boy who had heard his precipitate arrival.

'Walk him until he is cool, no water whilst he is so hot.'

He strode into the house, not expecting a rapturous welcome, but for the butler to gape at him as if he was an apparition was the outside of enough.

'As you can see I am home a week earlier than expected. Would you inform his grace and Lady Peregrine that I will join them as soon as I have removed my dirt?'

'My lord, his grace and her ladyship are not in residence. They have gone to visit Lady Giselle and are expected to return at the end of the week.'

This was disappointing news. There was no point in haranguing Peebles, he would restore his appearance and then go and visit his brother. It was his own fault, he should have told them he intended to come back early.

He sent a footman to tell Aubrey he was coming and was infuriated when the response to this message was that Aubrey and Mary were also away from home for a few days. Then his irritation turned to amusement. He was behaving like a petulant child. Everyone had expected him to be away for another week so they could hardly be blamed for not being there when he had arrived earlier.