Page 80 of The Untamed Heart

They sat in silence for a while, each man occupied with his own thoughts, the only sound the crackle and snap of the fire in the hearth and the constant scratch of Lucius’s pencil as he wrote interminable lists of everything he needed.

“What’s happened to Keller?” Sherry asked, finding he couldn’t stomach any further introspection.

“He’s been taken to Horsham gaol to await the spring assizes in March. He’ll have a freezing and uncomfortable winter there, and if he survives that he’ll certainly hang.”

Sherry nodded and glanced over at Lucius. “He ferreted the man out and uncovered the truth. You said he would.”

Hawkney nodded, regarding Lucius with a sort of fond exasperation Sherry well understood. “I did, and I am never wrong,” he added, with a supercilious air and a waggle of his eyebrows.

Sherry laughed and then remembered something that had struck him earlier, but he’d been too worried for Lucius to consider.

“Alex.”

“Hmm?”

“Miss Halfpenny addressed you as Alex,” Sherry said, turning to study the man.

Alex immediately became as inscrutable as the damned Sphinx and Sherry smiled to himself. He’d always thought Miss Halfpenny had hidden depths. Well, well. He might just have to find out precisely what was going on there, because one thing was for certain: Alex was bound to mess the entire thing up.

Alex left Sheringham with Lucius in his study and escaped on the pretext of looking in on his grandmother. If he gave Sherry an inch, he’d delight in poking his nose into Alex’s private business, and Alex was determined not to provide him the opportunity.

Gee-Gee had been terribly shocked by the morning’s events, which Alex had been careful to keep from her until it was all over. Inevitably, she had scolded him for putting himself in danger and demanded to know what would have happened to the dukedom if he’d been killed when he had no heir.

It was a fair point, and one he could no longer ignore, even though the very idea made his stomach knot with despair.

He did not wish to marry one of the beautiful, accomplished girls who were forever paraded before him. Yet he knew that was what was expected, a marriage of wealth and influence, a merging of two great families to ensure the power and lineage of future generations. It was what he had been bred to expect of his future from the moment he was old enough to understand the breadth of his responsibilities.

It had never bothered him before, yet of late it felt like a death sentence, as if something vital would be gone from his life.

Gloomy now and thoroughly out of sorts, he almost did not hear Howard speak to him as he put his foot on the stairs.

“Your grace?”

Alex’s heart gave a glad little jump as he turned and saw who was standing in the entrance hall.

“Cl—Miss Halfpenny,” he corrected, belatedly reminding himself he could not address her so before the servants. “What can I do for you?”

Clara gaped at him, and it was only then Alex remembered he was still dressed as a lowly carriage driver.

“What on earth happened this morning?” she asked, hurrying towards him. “I waited at the vicarage, hoping that you would return to explain, but you never came.”

“I told you to go home,” he said crossly, immediately wishing he’d kept his mouth shut when Clara scowled and folded her arms.

Sighing, he modified his tone, knowing it would only get him into trouble. “Did the reverend not explain?”

“He knew no more than I did and Lord Sheringham was so worried about Lord Darenth that we could only make him comfortable until he could be transported to the hall. I have been worried sick,” she added, her voice quavering a little.

Alex felt a surge of shame as he realised how pale she was. She had indeed worried for him. The thought warmed him, making him want to smile, but he was too aware of Howard, who had withdrawn to give them privacy, remained by the door.

Seeing one of his grandmother’s cronies stepping down from a carriage outside, Alex took Clara’s arm.

“Come quickly before Lady Hastings sees me. I’ll never get away.”

He led her to the music room and closed the door, aware he ought not to but… well, no one here would tattle.

“Why on earth are you dressed like that?” Clara demanded once they were alone.

Alex attempted to look offended. “Don’t you think it suits me?”