Chapter 19

CHAPTER NINETEEN

I t had been a week since Samuel last saw Nora after they parted ways on the carriage ride, and he couldn't get her out of his mind. She plagued his thoughts in his every waking moment.

Samuel hadn't been able to stop thinking about his feelings for her. She had slowly wormed her way into his heart with her every word and action, and now that she was no longer with him, it was all he could do not to think about her. He had been so cold towards her when she'd done nothing but be warm to him.

Although he should keep his distance from her much like he had told her he would, Samuel couldn't help but worry about her. The last time he saw her was when she decided that she would return home for her mother's sake, and it worried him.

She had given up the life she wanted to make sure her mother wasn't left alone with an abusive man she refused to leave.

"Have you heard anything I said, Samuel?" his mother asked, pulling him out of his thoughts. He looked down at her, his brow furrowing.

In truth, he hadn't been paying attention to anything she said. He doubted he had paid much attention to anything that had gone on around him during this time. He had avoided Benedict, knowing his friend would pick up on any change in his demeanor.

Unfortunately, at the moment, that meant all of him. Nora had succeeded in taking over every aspect of his life even in her absence. It was a thought that left a sour taste in his mouth.

"Samuel?" his mother called once again.

Samuel looked up just as he was about to answer her and saw Selina and Thalia, Nora's friends. He offered his mother an apologetic look.

"I'm sorry, Mother, but there is something I must do. Perhaps we can continue this walk some other time?" he asked, although he did not give her time to respond before he slowly led her in the direction of their carriage.

He kept an eye on the ladies in the hope that they would not disappear before he had a chance to ask them about Nora's welfare.

Samuel hurried across the park, not stopping for a conversation with any of the people who tried to speak with him or greet him.

"Lady Thalia, Lady Selina, how wonderful to see you both here," he said, wearing the mask he reserved for almost everyone. Nora was the only one who had seen parts of him without it.

"Your Grace." Selina's eyes widened as she looked between her sister and the older woman with them. "This is my mother, Lady Flemington."Fletcher."

Samuel nodded, bowing slightly. "Lady Flemington, good evening."

"Good evening, Your Grace," Lady Flemington replied warmly, staring up at him with unbridled curiosity.

"I do hope I can borrow your daughters for a mere moment, My Lady. There is something rather important I wish to discuss with them," he said, looking between the girls and their mother.

"Oh, certainly, Your Grace. I do hope there is no problem," she said, staring at her daughters, who shook their heads.

"Not at all, My Lady. I merely wish to ask a question," he said honestly, tapping impatiently on the side of his trousers with his glove.

Lady Flemington walked away, standing underneath the shade of a tree as she offered them the privacy that they required.

"Your Grace, how can we be of assistance to you?" Thalia asked, her eyes boring into his.

Samuel suppressed the smile that tugged at the corner of his lips. She was strong of mind and seemed like the type who was not easily intimidated.

"Your friend, Lady Nora. How is she?" he asked, keeping the desperate curiosity from his voice.

"We cannot say for sure, Your Grace. It's been a few days since we saw her," Selina added, her face mirroring the worry Samuel felt in his heart.

He swallowed. It was one thing for him to not have seen Nora, especially with how cold he had been towards her the last time. However, the girls always seemed to be inseparable, always together whenever they were at balls. Nora also happened to talk about them a lot, which made things even more shocking.

"Has something happened?" he asked.

Thalia looked uncomfortable. "I'm not certain how much Nora has told you, and I simply cannot betray her confidence in such a manner."

Selina rolled her eyes at her just as Samuel spoke. "I assure you, Lady Thalia, whatever is said here will only remain between us. I merely wish to know how she is, since I have neither seen nor heard from her in some days."

Thalia glared at Selina, who jabbed her lightly in the ribs. "Of course, Your Grace."

Selina rushed to continue now that Thalia appeared to be on board with the idea.

With every second they spent deliberating on how much they wished to tell him, Samuel's mind wandered as he thought about all that could have happened to Nora at her stepfather's hand.

"We truly haven't seen Nora for some days. However, she was able to write to us a week ago, informing us that Lord Worlington has kept her locked up and forbidden her from leaving the house," Thalia said.

"He found out that she was responsible for ruining her reputation, and now that he knows the truth, he wishes to marry her off. She has been forbidden from leaving the house, and we are not allowed to visit her."

"It's been a week since we received the letter from her saying she cannot see us, and so far, we haven't received any other letter from her. Our letter to her went answered, so we are left to imagine that the Viscount has the letter, and it never got to her," Selina added.

"It is either that, or she is unable to have a second letter sent to us," Thalia said.

Samuel sighed. He should have convinced her to go to her aunt's, where she would have been safer. Instead, he had chosen to be selfish, only thinking about how he would feel if she left. Now, she was in trouble, with no one to protect her.

Guilt, shock, and fury ate at him. He was furious with himself. However, his fury was also directed at the Viscount, who couldn't see how wonderful and strongminded Nora was, and at her mother, whom she'd returned to protect but who couldn't protect her from the vile man she married.

He kept his face blank, keeping his emotions to himself. There was no point in them knowing the turmoil churning within him.

Samuel thanked the ladies, escorting them back to their mother, who was patiently waiting for them. As he walked back home, his mind filled with ideas on how to get Nora out of the confinement she had been placed in.

He could not sit still as she was treated harshly and then married off to some undeserving man, much like in the fashion she had hoped to avoid by ruining her reputation.

A thought occurred to him as he neared his estate. The one thing people like the Viscount liked was being seen as important. He would host a dinner party at home, the first one he'd have since he became the Duke. Then he would invite the Viscount and make sure to be clear that the invitation was extended to everyone in his household, including Nora.

When he finally got her alone with him, he would find a way to make sure that she didn't return to the prison her home had become.

Samuel rushed into the estate, walking into the sunroom, where he was certain to find his mother.

"Mother, I wish to host a dinner party at the estate," he announced, stunning her.

The Dowager Duchess stared at him, her mouth opening and closing. Samuel marveled at the sight, feeling a slight bit of pleasure at it. This was the first time he had managed to stun her into silence. His mother often had a lot to say when it came to the decisions that he made, no matter how many times he made it clear that he did not care to listen.

"Oh, that's a surprise. I cannot say that I am not surprised by your decision to host a dinner party. Where has this come from?" she asked after she found her words.tongue.

Samuel shrugged. "I simply believe it's time we have one. I have never done so since I became a duke. Don't you believe it is time people are treated to one?"

She nodded, still staring at him in shock. "I suppose that is true. I cannot deny that it would be a good idea to host a dinner party, but why now? And all of a sudden?"

She walked up to him, looking him over. "You did not seem to have this idea on our walk, so what could have happened between the time I left you and now?"

Samuel's jaw ticked. Even now, she refused to acknowledge that things could never be as she wished them. He had hoped for a mother who cared about him when he was merely a young boy, but he hadn't gotten that. Instead, he had gotten a mother who constantly disappeared and reappeared as she liked, never caring what happened to him.

Now was not the time for her to act like the mother he needed all those years ago, not when he didn't need one anymore.

"If you will not tell me why you wish to host such an event?" she asked, sitting back down.

Samuel looked at her for a moment and sighed. "Please, take care of the necessary preparations, Mother. I would hate for this to not turn out the way that I wish it to."

His mother nodded, turning to him. Samuel frowned when he saw the glint in her eyes. He dismissed it and walked away. He would leave it all to her. There were other things that he needed to take care of, if this was going to go the way he wished.

He walked to his study, drained by the conversation with his mother. It was never a good feeling speaking with his mother about things that caused her to pry. He preferred to keep her at arm's length. However, she refused to let things be.

He pushed the thought to the back of his mind as he prepared to pen a letter to the Viscount.

Samuel had never had reasons to make dealings with the Viscount, especially since they did not run in the same circles. The Viscount had always kept questionable company, one that did not much suit Samuel's taste, but now was not the time for him to balk at the thought of inviting him.

Samuel heaved a sigh as he sent for his butler. Now that he had made sure to specify that his invite was for the whole family, the Viscount would have no choice but to make sure that Nora, and her mother by extension, were present at the party.

He was a duke. While he was not one to pull rank, he knew that now, the Viscount had no choice but to bring Nora along, as anything else would be considered a slight towards him.