Page 36 of A Duchess Untouched

Matthew let out a sharp breath at the sight of the bleak landscape. He wanted his search to end here, but wondered what it would mean to find Robert’s former mistress and their child in such a place. This trip, however, was no longer just about fulfilling his mission and keeping his promise. It was about escaping the temptation that was his wife.

Beside him, Maximus panted as he shifted on the floor of the carriage. His large frame was undeniable. Sometimes, he would even peer out of the window as if he were a middle-aged man. Matthew sighed, looking at his dog fondly. Having Maximus with him on this journey gave him a grounding presence, ensuring that even as his focus shifted, he would continue his mission. He had to admit that the journey had become a way to keep his sanity tethered after what happened with Selina in his study.

The image of his wife on his desk was seared into his mind. It still burned there. Whenever he blinked, he saw her dark hair spread across the wood, her eyes wide and unseeing. He could still feel her tight warmth against his fingers as she clutched him and came undone. When he was alone, he could still hear her desperate whimpers.

It was why he had to be on the move. He had to shake off every bit of the maddening memory.

“Your Grace, are you listening?”

He almost did not hear Harrison’s reply.

“Of course, Harrison. Can you repeat that last part?”

“I was saying that the innkeeper recalled a woman who might meet our description. She passed this way months ago. She was looking for work. Many young women were looking for the same thing, but this one had a young boy with her. And Your Grace, his name is Robert.”

Robert.

Matthew’s blood felt hot and volatile at the same time. The name was common enough, with both peasants and nobles giving it to their boys. He had also become accustomed to one dead end after the other. However, he wanted to see this particular trail through to the end. He was not only bound by duty, but he also truly believed that all clues should be explored.

The carriage soon stopped in front of the inn. Matthew stepped out into the muddy street, unassisted. Cold rain pelted his face and his heavy coat. Nothing could stop him, even the chill of yet another terrible day.

“Wait in the carriage with Maximus, Harrison,” Matthew murmured. “I want to question them myself. I believe we need to separate our investigations, see what they have to say when the other is not present.”

“Of course, Your Grace.”

Matthew pushed open the door of the establishment. The air inside smelled musty, but it did not make him recoil as other inns had before. The place just needed more air and sunlight. Otherwise, he could smell mutton cooking.

A thin woman, perhaps a few years older than he, though weathered by poverty, looked up to see him. She stood by the counter, suggesting she was not merely a patron. Her eyes quickly scanned him, from his expensive wool coat to his gold signet ring.

“May I help you, my lord?” she asked, wiping her palms against her apron. “Would you like a warm meal? Some ale?”

“Are you the owner’s wife?” Matthew asked, keeping his voice level.

“I am, my lord. I am Mrs. Briggs.”

Matthew stepped closer so that he could talk to the woman in hushed tones.

“My steward spoke to your husband earlier. We are in search of a woman named Mary. Now, your husband said he knew of one who was looking for work. She has a little boy named Robert. What can you tell me about her?”

“We have so many travelers passing by here, my lord. We do not make it a habit to pry into their business.”

Matthew saw the flicker of caution in Mrs. Briggs’ eyes. He understood the desire to keep away from trouble. Yet he also knew another need, one of survival. He reached for a velvet pouch and took out a gold coin. He laid it on the wooden counter between them. His body blocked their view. He made certain that the patrons could not see what their transaction was about.

“Do you remember something about her now?” he asked.

Mrs. Briggs swallowed hard. Her eyes blinked furiously as she tried to keep her features steady. Still, her hand instinctively moved toward the coin.

“I need any information at all about the woman,” he said in a low but intense voice.

“I… I truly do not know where she is now, my lord,” the woman said, even as her eyes kept drifting to the gold. Then she lowered her voice to a whisper. “She stayed but two nights with her boy in a small room upstairs, and I could tell she paid with her last coin by the way she had difficulty parting with it.”

Matthew clenched his jaw and glared at the woman. “Did she say anything about where she was going?”

“She did not truly say she was going to London, but she asked after the road toward town,” the innkeeper’s wife admitted. “She wanted to seek employment there. She said she needed a place where a woman like her, who has a child, could be employed without many questions.”

Matthew’s chest tightened. Life could be difficult for women, especially mistresses with illegitimate children living in complete poverty. While London gave him a place to look, it was a large place to try to find a woman who might or might not find employment there.

“What was her name?” Matthew pressed. “What did she look like?”