The Forgotten Duchess

Chapter Three | Surprise

JAMES FLIPPED THROUGH the various missives. He discarded all the soiree invitations haphazardly into a pile. Martin would see to them later. He answered a few inquiries from his acquaintances at Eton asking if they would expect him to arrive in time for the season. James wrote a few sentences, pointing out their tomfoolery—it wasn't as though Prinny would accept his retreat to the country instead of Parliament.

Sighing, utterly bored of the various invitations and requests, James wondered for the fourth time today about the happenings upstairs.

He knew the girl, Vivienne—was her name, seemed to be healing remarkable well according to his housekeeper. He'd done his best to stay away. There were times where he'd been tempted to slide the door open and see those hauntingly green eyes, but he had refrained. It was beneath him to be visiting a chit and he had more important matters to tend to—like the proposals of new farming systems to increase crop yields in his country estates, thereby increasing his wealth. 

There was a knock on the door and James yelled, "Come in."

Martin, his butler stood on the other side holding a stack of papers. "This just arrive this morning, Your Grace. The messenger said it was of utmost importance."

James rubbed his temple absentmindedly—almost all the missive he received were always of 'utmost importance.'

"Very well, give them to me."

Martin dropped the papers onto the desk.

James gestured towards the pile of invitations, "Dispose of those for me, will you?"

"Of course, Your Grace." He bowed once before leaving the study.

James picked up the first document and read through the first line. His eyebrows scrunched in confusion as he continued reading the first page. As he made his way to the end of the document, his heart began pounding widely. It just couldn't be possible. The document had to have been forged.

"Martin!"

His butler scurried through the room once more, still holding the soirée invitations. "Prepare my horse, I must leave for London at once."

His butler only bowed, "I will inform the stablemaster at once."

James grabbed the document he had just finished reading and made his way to the manor entrance. Only he was stopped by his housekeeper.

"I was just coming to see you, Your Grace."

"Speak in haste, I am leaving for London," James said as he continued walking. Mrs. Shrine scurried to keep up with him.

"Right now?"

James paused for a moment, cocked his right eyebrow before looking—more like looming over her, "Yes right now. Is there something you wish to discuss?" he asked, impatiently.

Mrs. Shrine opened her mouth then closed it before opening it again. "It's just that Vivienne is doing better now, what should we do with her?"

James hadn't thought that far ahead when he kept the girl under his roof. In those moments, all that mattered was her health, and the fact that she might live. If the words she muttered were true, he knew that she was running away from something, and it wasn't safe for her outside.

"Offer her a position as a member of my household."

"Which position would you like her to take?"

James shrugged while Martin helped him with his coat before passing him his hat. "It is up to your discretion Mrs. Shrine. I am sure that you will find a suitable place for her."