Chapter 9

Nine

T he raised voices downstairs quieted. Phil assumed the participant of the disturbance had left. She could do little but return to her aunt's as soon as possible. Hunger and a desire to allow Alex an undisturbed bit of sleep before they left propelled Phil to the main floor of the residence. Once Father learned of last night's mishap, he would be as furious as the visitor had been. Alex would likely be called home. The journey to London had been so straining on her. Phil didn't think of what her own fate would be. Father had been so adamant she make a good match. He might attempt his own match or try to force Lord Endelton into marriage over some twisted version of last night. Phil could not allow the man's kindness to be returned in such a way.

The breakfast room was not empty, as Mrs. Ivy informed her it would be. Lord Endelton sat with the Duke of Aylton at the end of a long table. She attempted to back out of the room before either noticed her. Lord Endelton's voice stopped her in the doorway.

"Miss Philippa, come in and eat with us. You met the duke last night, I assume?" He and the Duke stood.

"Your Grace." Phil curtsied and backed up a step. "I can return later."

"How is your sister?" Lord Endelton took a step in her direction, making leaving without answering impossible.

"She is well enough, we can return to our aunt's."

"Mother said she thought your sister should remain with us for a time." His words countered the argument she'd heard coming through the walls earlier. The fact the duke had to be the other person whose voice they heard made leaving all the more imperative.

"It isn't necessary, I assure you. It would be best if we left."

Lord Endelton pointed to the sideboard. "You shouldn't leave before trying one of the cook's buns. Even his Grace agrees they are among the best he's ever eaten."

Phil avoided looking at the duke as she made her way to the sideboard. She had little choice but to stay, at least for a moment.

"Why do you think you should leave?" asked the duke.

A question from his Grace was so unexpected, Phil needed to grasp her plate with both hands to keep it from tipping. She looked from one man to the other. The Bible claimed the truth would set one free. In her case, the truth would get them booted from the house in short order. Perhaps it would be best. She set her plate down on the sideboard. "Our father is not the most scrupulous of men. If he were to learn we were in your home under your protection, he would take your kindness and twist it to his own means. As much as I wish nothing more than my sister to find a match with a kind man, I cannot allow you to be forced in such a manner."

The duke's eyes narrowed. "Why your sister and not you?"

There wasn't a suitable answer to the question not leading to more. Phil formed several responses in her mind. "She is the eldest, is she not?"

"If it was only a matter of your sister's health, would you accept our invitation to stay?" asked Lord Endelton.

Phil dropped her head to break eye contact. Even the short drive over cobbled streets might further injure Alex. And though her sister denied it, she felt feverish to the touch. There had been some seepage from the wound in the night.

"Should she stay?" asked Lord Endelton a second time.

"Yes." Her soft answer seemed to echo around her. Phil raised her head. "But we cannot. Someone may have seen our exit last night and assume—" She took a deep breath. "My sister and I are of the same mind. We should leave with all haste. Surely you agree, your Grace." Phil hoped she had not misread the duke's expressions or misheard the loud conversation.

"My opinion doesn't matter much here. I am aware of your father's reputation and don't deny there is some cause for your fear. Your Grandfather is Earl Whitstone, correct?" asked the duke.

"Yes, our mother's father."

The men exchanged looks. Phil couldn't read their reactions.

"Miss Philippa, you should eat." Lord Endelton gestured to her abandoned plate.

A near smile grazed the dukes's lips. "He is correct. His cook's buns are worth an early morning excursion. Do sit and eat, please."

The duke was more welcoming than she expected, or he wanted her to sit so he could do likewise and continue eating. Adding a boiled egg to her plate, Philippa headed for a chair at the far end of the table.

"Come sit with us." Lord Endelton pointed to a seat at his end of the table. The duke's formidable gaze made her wish she could ignore the viscount's invitation.

A footman refilled the duke's cup of tea.

"I am still curious on one point. How could your sister have injured herself to such a degree at a ball? As the host, I am most concerned we may have been negligent."

Phil swallowed the single bite she'd managed, not tasting the food. "I assure you it was none of your fault. My sister was injured many years ago. Unfortunately, a misstep caused a new problem. It is my fault. I unwisely asked her to accompany me to your ball. There is no blame on you or your guests."

The duke frowned and added cream to his cup.

Phil ate silently, unsure if she should start a new conversation.

A clatter in the corridor drew everyone's attention. A girl of fourteen or fifteen skidded into the room. "I knew I heard you! It's been so long since you visited."

"Moriah." Lady Endelton appeared behind the girl, her lips thinned in disapproval.

Moriah bobbed the forgotten curtsy. "Your Grace, we are honored by your presence."

The duke raised a brow. "Manners after all these years? I won't recognize you, cousin."

Cousins? Aunt Healand mentioned as much. The connection explained the duke's early morning visit, as well as his concern.

The girl moved to the duke's side and did her best to loom over him. "I heard you yelling earlier. You don't practice your manners either."

"And did you hear why I yelled?" His eyes flicked in Phil's direction.

"Of course. Michael's imprudence at your ball."

Phil winced at Moriah's confirmation of what she and Alex had only assumed.

Moriah continued, "Only you are wrong. I saw Miss Lightwood through the door. She looks quite ill."

Phil froze mid-bite.

Lord Endelton coughed. For a moment, Phil thought he might be choking as his face turned red, but he took a sip of tea and the color receded.

Lady Endelton tapped her daughter on the shoulder. "You forget yourself."

Moriah nodded but did not look contrite.

"Miss Philippa, may I introduce my youngest daughter, Moriah?"

Moriah's face reddened like her brother's had. "Oh, beg your pardon, I didn't notice."

"Nice to meet you. If you will excuse me. I'll go to my sister."

"Mrs. Ivy is sitting with Miss Lightwood. Despite what Moriah says, your sister's condition hasn't changed since you left her. Please finish your breakfast." Lady Endelton sat down with a cup of tea.

"I am finished, thank you. My compliments to your cook. This is the most delicious bun I've ever eaten." She must escape this room and the house as soon as possible. The duke's opinion was likely shared by others. She could feel every pair of eyes on her back as she exited the breakfast room. If only she had not stayed to eat or Lord Endelton had deemed the extra miles to Russell Square worth the risk. If she had insisted. If only she hadn't pestered Alex to attend the ball.

She'd mounted the first step when Lord Endelton's voice interrupted her thoughts. "Miss Philippa, a word, please."

She pivoted on the step. With the added few inches, their eyes were at the same level. The brown in his she'd noticed earlier was ringed with golden flecks. Warm and safe as tea in her mother's favorite cup. She stared for a moment before realizing the inappropriateness and dropping her eyes. "Ye-Yes?"

Miss Philippa's soft blue eyes reminded him of a wild fox trapped in a corner. Michel didn't want to scare her. "Please stay as long as you and your sister need. Her care must be your first consideration, despite what you may have heard from my dunderheaded cousin."

Her eyelids flew up, her gaze meeting his.

"Yes, I called a duke a dunderhead. My mother is a more than adequate chaperone, but if you think my presence here will besmirch your character, I can arrange to stay elsewhere."

"You should not need to leave your own home because of us. We are the interlopers."

"No, guests. Promise me you will not leave if there is a risk that moving your sister would harm her further."

She looked down, her eyes hiding behind long lashes. "There are always risks. Such a promise would make it impossible to leave."

Michael sighed. "That is not what— In the breakfast room you said you don't believe she is well enough to move. Will you at least promise not to move her until Mrs. Ivy believes it is safe?"

Miss Philippa bit her lip. "How do I know your housekeeper isn't overprotective?"

"A physician then?"

"No, no doctors. Alex is wary of their dire opinions."

"I see. How can I be assured when you leave, you don't go because you are worried about my cousin's opinion?" Richard's opinions should not be a tool to further endanger Miss Lightwood.

"I would never knowingly bring harm to my sister."

"Then you will not leave this morning?"

"No."

"May I take the liberty of informing Lady Healand her coach is unnecessary?"

"She will come anyway."

"As I would expect, although at a later hour."

"Yes, if you could send a message to our aunt, it would be best." She turned, taking the steps as quickly as her dress would allow.

"Miss Philippa?"

She paused and looked over her shoulder.

"The item you left in the coach is being cleaned by my valet."

Her face pinked, and she bowed her head. He hadn't meant to embarrass her, but the blush became her. He waited until she reached the top of the stairs before turning back to the breakfast room.

Moriah looked up from her meal. "Mother says I should apologize to you and Miss Philippa. Was she truly embarrassed?"

Michael rubbed the back of his neck. "I believe so. She is in an awkward position, and you didn't make it any easier on her."

Lady Endelton nodded at her daughter. "You are excused to pen a note of apology to Miss Philippa and her sister."

Moriah left the room in a silent contrast to her arrival.

Richard harrumphed.

Lady Endelton pointed her butter knife at her nephew. "Neither did you help the situation, Richard. As a duke, your opinion carries more weight than it ought. I know you would feel as poorly if a premature removal caused Miss Lightwood further harm. Neither girl seems to be of the same mind as your wife."

"Upon speaking with Miss Philippa, I admit I may have misjudged the situation." Richard's offering was not a full back track. "However, even she admitted her father could find potential to?—"

"Richard!" Lady Endelton's scolding tone caused his grace to jump. "Not every debutante is after a husband by cunning. Assuming every woman is as calculating as—" Mother paused. No one actually spoke of the incident precipitating Richard's hasty and imprudent marriage.

Richard tossed his head back and laughed. Not at all a cheerful sound. "Aunt, if only I could believe you. My wife wasn't the only woman to try such a ruse. She was the only one to succeed. From the day I took my father's title, I've had not a moment of peace as woman after woman paraded herself in front of me. Even at last night's ball, I received a most scandalous offer from one who perceived I was unhappy with my situation."

Mother pursed her lips. "There is no talking to you on this matter. However, if you remember, both your mother and I warned you of your wife and you refused to listen."

"And have you warned your own son?"

"I have no need, since you have every time you see him." Mother took a deep breath and relaxed her shoulders. She dealt with his cousin better than he. "As far as the Misses Lightwoods' presence here, believe me, they did not willingly set some plan in motion that led them to this place. I have seen the elder sister's injury, and I can assure you no woman would ever inflict such a thing on herself, even for your title and money."

Richard rose and turned to Michael. "I apologize for the disruption I caused. I have learned too late to trust our mothers' opinions. If my aunt is correct, apparently trustworthy women, other than our mothers, exist."

"I appreciate your concern. I will be careful, cousin."

"I shall take my leave. It seems as if I have done enough damage for the morning. Aunt." Richard placed a kiss on Lady Endelton's cheek. "I'll tell mother you found my fears unfounded."

"Ask her to visit tomorrow and I'll tell her myself." Lady Endelton patted the duke's arm.

"If she will wait that long." Richard's laugh lost its sharp edge of earlier.

"My sister is not nearly as impatient as her son."

Michael walked his cousin to the door, where the butler met them with the duke's hat and coat. Neither said anything of consequence. For a moment, Richard looked like he may say more, but he shook his head and left.

Michael retreated to his study, unsure of what to do next; his morning routine had been far too disrupted.

"Peggy is where?"

Phil smoothed the blankets covering Alex, hoping to soothe her fears. "Lord Endelton's valet is cleaning it."

"If I wasn't so tired, I might scream. However did we get into such a mess? Your Season is ruined before it even started, and it is all my fault."

"I fail to see how it is your fault or how it is ruined. Forgive me for asking, but you are always more unreasonable when you are in pain. How bad is it today?"

"Bad enough I'd be tempted to take laudanum if it were available, if only in hopes of getting some sleep. Last night I could feel my foot." Alex stifled a yawn.

Phil ached for her sister. They'd talked about Alex's ghost of a limb often enough Phil knew she referred to the missing foot. "Do you think you can travel to our Aunt's?"

"Mrs. Ivy worries about reopening my wound. I am more fearful of the pain. I don't believe I could handle much more without resorting to drastic measures. You haven't let them call for a physician, have you?" Upon meeting Alex, men who claimed to be medical professionals only did one of three things: offer her laudanum, which Alex refused to take; bleed her, which only made her weak; or forecast a dire future, which wasn't helpful in the least.

"No, Mrs. Ivy doesn't think the wound needs care."

"She's taken excellent care of me. Green would approve."

"Likely Aunt will bring Green when she comes this afternoon."

"You think she will visit?"

"Curiosity will compel her to, even if duty doesn't. She'll want to give a proper report to Grandfather at any rate."

"I hope he doesn't think financing my extra dresses was wasted on me."

"You know better than to think that. Grandfather loves you." Phil smiled her brightest smile. Love and guilt were an odd combination. Where Grandfather's guilt led him to give Alex everything she could need to succeed, Father's guilt would keep Alex hidden the rest of her days.

"He'll be disappointed Peggy's new revolutionary design wasn't as good as my old prosthetic Mr. Potts made. I may go back to using the old one, even if it doesn't have carved toes." Alex closed her eyes.

"Will you be able to sleep?"

"Mrs. Ivy had me drink some of her special chocolate with cream. She guaranteed it would help me sleep like an old lord on the fourth day of parliamentary deliberation." A yawn proved the point.

Phil tucked the blanket around Alex's shoulders and settled into the chair.

"Don't sit there watching me. There must be a library here. Go find a book." Alex's words trailed off.

Phil looked longingly at the other half of the bed. If she didn't think it would hurt Alex, she would climb in and take a nap herself. What little sleep she'd received in the chair last night wasn't nearly enough.

She found the library easily enough, or what she supposed could be a library. There were only two hundred or so tomes in the bookcases. Most of them were newer, with several on agriculture and sheep. They might be useful, but Phil doubted they contained enough details to keep her awake. Pride and Prejudice by the author of Sense and Sensibility , looked to be interesting. However, Phil hadn't read the first novel, so she returned the book to the shelf as well.

Ann Radcliff's The Mysteries of Udolpho, which Phil had read often enough to have memorized several passages, won out over the other choices. She settled into a chair next to the window. After a few pages, her mind wandered. A new agriculture book sat on the table next to the chair. Curious, as the title promised to mix agriculture with chemistry, she opened the book and skimmed a few pages. George did more with the land planning; it might be a book she'd enjoy. She flipped to the title page, and a paper fell out of the book, landing face up on her lap.

Phil stared at the list of names with Alex's and her own scratched out.