The Desperate Love of a Lord: A Free Novella. Jane Lark
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Название: The Desperate Love of a Lord: A Free Novella
Автор: Jane Lark
Издательство: HarperCollins
isbn: 9780008115876
isbn:
Mr Larkin leaned forwards again too, his hand resting on his desk. “If Lady Rimes had wished you to know, Lord Sparks, she would have told you. She has not, sir, and so I must respect her choice.”
The blood drained from Geoff’s head, blurring his vision, while his stomach growled. Stopping to break his fast had not been among his priorities, but the after effects of the alcohol he’d imbibed last night turned his stomach and fogged his head.
He refused to faint like a feeble woman. Resting his forehead on the heel of his palm, his elbow pressing into his thigh, he took a breath. Where the hell had she gone? Why?
The room was weighted with silence. He knew Larkin watched him.
What to do?
“I’m sorry, my Lord, but if that is the only reason you have come …” You might as well go. Geoff heard the unspoken words.
He looked up. “Do you know how long she’s gone for? When will she be back?” Larkin merely shook his head.
In the years Geoff had known Violet, she’d rarely left London. The only times she had gone, were to follow entertainment; like last year, she’d gone to Bath. Perhaps she had gone to a house party. But this didn’t seem like that. If it was simply a house party somewhere, why hadn’t she said?
The last time he’d seen her, when he’d left her at her bedchamber door, and her fingers had run across the stubble growing on his cheek, she’d said, “Goodbye Geoffrey.”
She had not said, I will see you this evening, or, later. It had just been goodbye. They’d made no plans.
It had meant goodbye.
But why? There was no point in looking to Larkin for an answer. It was like attempting to draw blood from a stone.
Despondency weighting down his limbs, Geoff stood. “Thank you.” He had nothing to thank the man for but the words just slipped from his lips.
When he left, his feet led him back to Violet’s house. He did not expect to find her there. Yet he had to be there, because, where-else would he go.
The knocker was still in place. That didn’t make sense either. Why pretend she was within when she was not?
He lifted it and rapped it down on the iron plaque beneath it thrice. Then stood back a little.
Selford answered it, his eyebrows rising as he opened the door. “Lord Sparks?” There was a note of pity as well as a question in his voice.
Geoffrey pushed past him to enter, shoving the door aside, just like last night.
He’d got nothing from the solicitor but Selford had said some things yesterday. If he pushed the man perhaps he’d say more …
“Where?” Geoff began as Selford shut the door.
“I do not know, sir.”
“Selford …”
“I swear, my Lord, I can tell you nothing other than my Lady has gone.”
Gone. The word had such finality.
“Did she say when she was coming back? How long is she to be away?”
“My Lord …” Selford said pleadingly.
“Selford, you of all people know how things were. I cannot understand this. She said nothing to me. How long has she gone for?”
“I cannot say, my Lord.”
“Give me something. Please, Selford?”
Worry passed across the butler’s stern expression. “My Lord.”
“Selford.” Geoff heard the note of plea in his voice.
The butler frowned and then in a low voice answered, “She is not intending to return, my Lord.”
“Not intending …” A wash of disbelief swept through Geoff. He moved to the stairs and sat on the second step, feeling faint again as the room darkened at the edges of his vision.
Had he done something wrong? He’d never spoken of his affection. He’d believed his feelings returned. Should he have said something? Would she have stayed if he’d spoken? But surely she knew. He’d not hidden it from his eyes, or his touch. Did she just not care?
His gaze lifted to Selford again. “Tell me what she said? Do you know why she has gone?”
“I should not, my Lord …” Selford’s statement ended in silence, but Geoff could see the man’s resolve was weakening. He looked uncertain.
“Tell me …”
“My Lord, I –”
“Tell me!” Geoff’s pitch grew more forceful.
“Oh.” Selford’s voice dropped to little more than a whisper. He was going to talk. Geoff stood.
“The house is to be shut up, sir. The knocker has been left in place because Lady Rimes asked that it remain so for a few weeks, as if she were still here, and then the house and everything is to be sold.”
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