Anna shrugged. “I have not slept easily since hearing of his return and I’ve spent many an hour wondering what he is about. Why has he come at last?”
Mercy wasn’t sure she should confide in Anna about Leopold’s missing siblings. Leopold deserved a little loyalty and certainly his privacy. “The news of his cousin’s death did not reach him till recently and he’s come to pay his respects. Since he’d traveled so far, I invited him to stay awhile. He is otherwise engaged at the moment, but it has been nice to have him here.”
“Nice.” Anna bristled. “Only you would call such a man nice. I should have liked to take a peek at him. A gentleman would have made himself known by now. It speaks poorly that he’s skulking about here and has not been seen outside the abbey recently.”
There were several good reasons why Mercy didn’t want to have Leopold meet Anna today. The first, of course, was the threat to her son. Edwin needed protection more than she did. The second, she was still tremendously angry with Leopold. And third, sadly, she didn’t know if she could hide how much she admired the blasted scoundrel. Even in her current temper, she found it hard to look away from him.
Anna would see her interest and could never be counted on to hold her tongue.
Her scrutiny would make Leopold uncomfortable—not that he didn’t deserve a little discomfort today. He’d likely known he’d bedded the Duchess of Romsey five years ago. He must consider himself quite accomplished to fool her. And, knowing the current duke was likely his child, he’d still returned to the abbey and pretended they’d never met.
Well, maybe she could give him a small concession. She hadn’t known her midnight lover’s name either. The room had been black as pitch, they’d not spoken above a whisper, and even then the most they had uttered were gasps and moans. She had never seen him clearly and he may not have seen her either. She shuddered. Remembering. Feeling her emotions conflict inside her.
Damn him.
“Lady Venables,” Wilcox intoned, standing aside so Blythe could join them in the drawing room.
Blythe’s face was drawn and pale, so much so that Mercy leaped to her feet and caught up her sister’s hands. “What has happened?”
“I’m sorry,” s
he whispered. “I never should have—” the rest of her words died on her tongue as she spotted Anna across the room. “Forgive me? I didn’t realize you had company already.”
Mercy forced a bigger smile to her lips. “Anna came a while ago but I am very happy to see you. Will you stay and take luncheon with me? I’ve missed you so much these last few days.”
When Mercy embraced Blythe, the hug was returned lightly. “Of course, Your Grace. I’d be happy to join you.”
Since they hadn’t seen each other in days, Mercy captured her sister’s arm and steered her toward the settee opposite Anna. Anna looked a bit put out when Mercy didn’t resume her spot at her side, but she ignored it all in favor of keeping hold of Blythe. She didn’t look at all well. When Anna was gone, she would get to the bottom of things with her sister.
“And how do you get along, Lady Venables?” Anna asked with a touch of condescension tingeing her words.
“Very well, thank you,” Blythe replied. “And you, Lady Barnet?”
Anna turned a bemused smile on Mercy. “I find Her Grace’s situation vastly unsettling. Imagine the strain she is under by having that man reside here?”
Blythe frowned. “What man?”
Anna rolled her eyes. “Why that presumptuous Randall fellow, of course. He is staying here, under this very roof, no doubt plotting to do the poor child in and steal the title for himself. We’ll likely need to have Shaw come and remove him by force, I expect. What an outrage to find him encamped here.”
Blythe’s glaze flickered around the room. “Is that true? Is Randall here now?”
Mercy smiled, cursing Anna under her breath at the same time. “Of course he is here. He is family, after all. How else can one get to know new family without seeing them frequently?”
Blythe frowned. “I’d like to visit with Edwin, if I may.”
Mercy patted her hand, but inside, she quaked. Blythe would be difficult about Leopold being here, and about him being alone with Edwin without her supervision. “Perhaps we could go together. Shall we?”
Mercy stood, and since Blythe did too, Anna had no choice but to follow them. When they reached the hall, Mercy could hear her son laughing at the top of his lungs. Blythe’s frown grew and her step quickened, dragging Mercy along with her.
Her sister didn’t bother to knock on the door. She simply barged right into the playroom without knocking.
But if she hadn’t, Mercy would never have seen the look on her son’s face as he played with Leopold. The pair was across the room, Leopold lying flat on his back. But Edwin was perched atop his raised feet, arms spread wide as if he were flying. He was having a grand time with his new playmate and Mercy’s heart did little somersaults at the sight.
They looked to be having so much more fun than she was. They were becoming fast friends.
“Put the duke down now,” Blythe shouted.
At her request, Leopold placed Edwin on his feet carefully, and then rolled to his feet, tugging hard on his coat and waistcoat before turning to face them.