The Contract Duchess, a Regency Romance: Key To My Heart Book 1

Chapter 28 - Angela

Angie found herself awake and rested early the next morning. It was a pleasant surprise to be able to sit up in bed by herself, especially after the emotional drama of the previous evening. Careful stretching revealed that even her legs, normally weak, but often heavy and difficult to move, were cooperative. She was sitting on the edge of the bed with her bare feet dangling just above the floor when Anne came bustling in.

The grin she gave her mistress when Angie wiggled her toes added more light to the dim room. "It looks like you're having a good morning. My heart is glad to see it, because I have been told to get you dressed for visitors later." Still smiling, Anne opened the wardrobe and began sorting through them.

Angie's smile froze before fading. "What visitors? Visitors are rare here at the house, and even more rarely are they for me. Is my husband having visitors and would like me to accompany him?" She held back from saying more, remembering that Anne had no knowledge of her conversation with Derrick the night before, and so she certainly would not know that Angie had said she would prefer to not see Derrick again.

Anne spun to face her, eyebrows raised. "For Mister Williams? Why would he have a visitor here when he has returned to his own manor?"

Angie's heart sunk to her toes. "He is not here? I just saw him last night."

"He demanded a carriage be brought at once over an hour ago, insisting that he had matters to deal with at home that could not wait." Anne winked at Angie. "I think he may be getting ready to finally take you home, now that he is feeling better."

Angie turned her head away for a moment and dashed the tears from her eyes before Anne could see them and ask questions she was not yet ready to answer. Turning back, she forced a smile to her lips and said, "Well, if I am to have company, I would like to select my own gown. Could you help me get my braces on?"

In short order, Anne had her lady attired in all of her underclothes, including a fresh chemise and lightweight petticoats, along with the braces for her legs. Angie stood by the wardrobe, fingering each dress as she considered it. Few had been worn outside of the house and so had acquired little wear.

One dress had been hung toward the back of the wardrobe, but even the visible sleeve demonstrated some wear along the cuff, as though the delicate fabric had been rubbed against a rough surface over and over. Angie pulled it out and caressed the fabric fondly. The light lavender gown had last been worn on the long journey to rescue Derrick, nearly weeks before, and while it had been laundered, there was no washing out the tiny tears and roughened threads of the adventure. Remembering the interlude alone with her husband in the dark cellar brought a blush and the threat of more tears, and she hugged the soft fabric to her chest.

The prodding of a hard object hidden in the folds of the dress made her loosen her hold on the garment, and it fell to the floor with a dull thud. Anne hurried over to pick it up, and she held it aloft so Angie could search for the unseen object. As this particular outfit was a house dress, it had two small pockets concealed in its folds, and in one of these Angie's fingers grasped the item she sought.

Pausing to ensure she had a good grip, Angie then drew the object out of the pocket. It was a large rusty key, the one she had used to unlock the cellar door. She must have put it into her pocket, and in her excitement and exhaustion she had neglected to leave it at the house when they returned home. She stroked the trio of circular holes in the bow of the key with her fingertips, absently wondering if the other keys for doors in the estate contained a similar number of punctures.

"What is that, my lady? I don't recall hearing that any of the house keys had gone missing recently," Anne asked quietly, sensitive to Angie's pensive mood.