The Duke's Revenge (22 page)

“
Oh, how kind of him,”
Christine said.

“
I want to stay longer and
learn all about horses and breeding them, but I have to return to
Eton after Easter,” the boy mused with his lips turned
downward.

“
I’m sure you’ll have a
lot of time to learn in the summer holiday.” Christine patted
Tyson’s light blonde head.

Ivy smiled, and as she
gazed at the boy, there was
that
something that she couldn’t quite put her finger
on. Tyson seemed oddly familiar to her. It was as though she had
seen his face once before, but when and where, she couldn’t
remember.

They rode on in quietness and when they
reached the small town of Staffordshire, the two carriages were
parked at the end of the main street. Christine, Ivy, Tyson, and
the three maids went visiting the various shops that were set along
the town square. When they left Mrs. Millers store Ivy suggested
that they stop at the pastrycook’s for refreshment.

“
I think we should pay
particular attention to Betty, my lady,” Emma said as she looked at
her friend meaningfully.

“
What’s that supposed to
mean?” Betty snapped.

“
What I mean is that
you’re eating a bit too much now a day. Andrew doesn’t like women
on the chubby side.”

“
He’s my husband. He likes
me to eat a bit more,” Betty defended and raised her plump chin up
a notch.

“
Oh really?” Emma raised
her brows.

“
Are you both always like
this?” Lisa asked, looking from one to the other.

“
Don’t mind them, Lisa, I
got used to them teasing at each other. They are always like that.”
Christine laughed and walked into the pastrycook’s
store.

“
Smells nice,” Ivy
commented as she, Christine, and Tyson took their seats around a
table outside the little shop. The three maids occupied a table
next to them.

“
I agree,” Christine said.
“Goodness it makes me hungry.”

A moment later a shopkeeper came to their
table with a tray of delicious assortment of treats.

“
Morning, Ma’am, would you
be so please as to try our tarts? Or perhaps these cakes or these
lovely buns here.” She pointed to the various colorful small cakes
and buns on her tray. “This cheesecake would go lovely with our
famous tea, Ma’am.”

“
Do you any ice cream?”
Tyson asked with his metallic blue eyes wide in
anticipation.

“
Oh yes, we do have ice
water and ice cream. There are strawberry and pineapple ice as well
if you would like,” the woman said.

“
Really?” he asked in
glee. “I’d like strawberry ice, thank you and one of those
cakes.”

“
Very good, sir,” the
shopkeeper said and then turned to Christine and Ivy, “and you,
Ma’am?”

“
Tea and some of those
cakes and buns for us, thank you,” Christine said. The woman nodded
and left them.

“
How lovely this is,”
Betty said rather excitedly from the other table. “I thought such
pastrycook’s shop only exist in London and Bath.”

Not long afterward, the shopkeeper returned
with their tea and treats. After spending half an hour enjoying
their refreshment, they took their leave and went further south to
explore more shops.

“
Where is Tyson by the
way?” Ivy asked some half an hour later as they came out of a
bookstore.

“
He was here only a moment
ago,” Christine said. “Let’s go look for him.”

Ivy nodded, and they all traced their way
back toward where they had left the carriages.

“
Ah, fancy meeting Her
Ladyship here,” a voice said from a small distant.

Christine turned to see Lady Hartland and
Lady Mornington coming toward them.

“
Hello, Lady Hartland,”
she said and then turned to the other woman, “Lady
Mornington.”

“
Good morning, my lady,”
Lady Mornington said, “buying something in particular?”

“
Nay, simply exploring,”
Christine replied.

“
My dear Ivy, how are
you?” Lady Hartland touched Ivy’s arm. “How is your ankle? Perhaps
you should let Mr. Oliver have another look to make sure that it
isn’t getting worse or that it has gotten infected.”

“
I’m good thank you, Lady
Hart,” Ivy greeted and turned to look behind the woman. “Are Mary
and Dan here? Is Mary getting better?”

“
Oh, yes, she is much
better now. In fact, so much better that they are now running
around and chasing each other like a couple of foxes. They gave the
governess countless headaches, you know.” Lady Hartland laughed.
“They’re in the bakery store with their governess. Dan simply loves
sweetmeat.” She shook her head. “I do hope he won’t enjoy it too
much that he would look like the Prince Regent when he comes of
age. Rather unattractive I think.”

“
But he
is
the lead of fashion,
my dear Cath,” Lady Mornington put in. “Everyone wanted to be
invited to his parties and especially his lovely nest in Bath, the
Pavilion.”

“
He is rather charming
when he wanted to be,” Christine said. “We dined with him only two
weeks ago up at Carlton House. He drinks rather too much,” she
muttered.

“
Talking about dinner.”
Lady Mornington touched Christine’s arm to get her attention. “I
was thinking of a dinner party on Easter night.”

“
A dinner party?”
Christine looked at the older woman. “Oh, that would be marvelous.
Actually, I was thinking of the same thing although I need to ask
the duke’s permission first. I simply need some practice as
hostess, and Ivy could help me.” She turned to look at her
friend.

“
Me?” Ivy raised her
brows.

“
Yes, you.” Christine
nodded. “How else are we to talk His Grace into doing it?” She
touched Ivy’s arm and said, “How about it, Ivy?”

“
Well, I don’t
know...”

“
Oh, come along now, we
can invite many people to the party,” Christine suggested. “It
would be ever so much fun.”

“
Yes, don’t forget Mr.
Oliver,” Lady Hartland added, “a very charming young
man.”

“
Yes, tonight we will ask
His Grace for permission,” Christine said. “I know it is rather
short notice but—ah, there is Tyson now.”

They turned and saw the boy walking toward
them, his blonde hair shone gold under the sun.

“
Where have you been,
Tyson?” Christine asked. Her voice was stern though there was a
hint of motherly affection in it as well. “You have us all a bit
worried.”

“
I was just admiring those
fine Cleveland horses over there.” He pointed to the four handsome
horses near a carriage parked across the street.

“
Is that your carriage,
Lady Mornington?” Ivy asked. When the woman didn’t answer her, she
turned and saw that both Lady Hartland and Lady Mornington were
staring at Tyson, their faces were very pale.

“
Tyson, be a good boy and
say hello to the Marchioness of Hartland and the Countess of
Mornington,” Christine said firmly and urged the boy toward them
with a touch of her hand at the back of his shoulder.

Tyson looked from Lady Hartland and then to
Lady Mornington. He was a bit worried that both women, and
especially the lady with dark brown hair and metallic blue eyes,
looked very pale. It was as though they had just seen a ghost.

“
Hello,” he said to both
of them and saluted with a bow of his head.

“
My—” Lady Hartland
uttered as she moved one of her shaking hands to place on her
chest. Her body was shaking and her head was starting to spin.
“Caroline--” she said to her friend. Then she blinked. “I don’t
believe this. I—”

Lady Mornington widened her eyes in shock
when she saw her friend fell. “Cath!” she shouted and quickly
caught her before she could reach the ground. “Cath!”

Christine and Ivy rushed around and kneeled
beside them. The three maids hovered over them, wondering what they
could do to help. Other people in the street came to stand around
them to look at the unconscious lady.

“
Quick, Lisa,” Ivy said,
“get Mr. Oliver. His clinic is just around the corner.”

The maid nodded, begged her way out through
the throng of unknown people, and rushed to find the surgeon.

“
What’s the matter with
the woman?” A voice in the spectator said.

“
Ain’t you saw she
fainted?” one muttered.

“
Dear, this is not all
going well.” Christine looked around at the people surrounding
them. “Please move back, the lady needs some air.” When no one
listened to her, she yelled, “Please move back.” As she hopelessly
looked around her, even more people seemed to be crowding in,
trying to have a peek at Lady Hartland lying unconscious on the
ground. She sighed in vexation and put her hands to her hips.
“Please!” she shouted, “move back, she needs air.”

“
Is she going to be all
right?” Betty asked and her face was as pale as those of Lady
Hartland herself.

Ivy got up and helped Christine begged
everyone to back away so that Lady Hartland could get some air. No
one listened, however.

Tyson got a bit frustrated at the
over-crowded people and shouted, “Move back!” as he pushed them
back by walking toward them to clear the way. “The lady needs some
air. Move back,” he shouted and shooed them all back.

Emma and Betty did the same, and instantly,
the crowd dispersed.

“
Has she not been well?”
Ivy asked Lady Mornington.

“
Nay, I—” Lady Mornington
glanced up at Tyson and then turned her attention back to her
friend. “No, she has been very well. Just shock, I
think.”

“
Thank God Mr. Oliver is
here,” Christine said when she saw the young man rushing toward
them.

Tim Oliver came to kneel beside Lady
Hartland and quickly started with his examination. He checked her
pulse and then opened her closed eyelids.

“
She’s going to be all
right,” he said. “She should be awake soon. Here, you take my
satchel,” he said to Tyson. The boy took the bag quickly, and Tim
moved to lift Lady Hartland in his arms and then carried her across
the street to his clinic.

They were following Tim to the clinic when
Lady Mornington saw the governess, Dan and Mary rushing toward
them.

“
What happened?” the
governess asked.

“
It’s Catherine, she
fainted,” Lady Mornington said.

“
Oh, dear! Come along Dan,
Mary,” the governess said as they, too, followed the others toward
Mr. Oliver’s clinic.

Once Tim had placed Lady Hartland on a
comfortable examination bed she regained her consciousness. She
blinked a few times and turned to look around her.

“
Where am I?” she
asked.

“
You’re in my clinic, Lady
Hartland,” Tim said. “How are you feeling?”

“
I think I’m all right,”
she replied and then turned to her friend. “Caroline, I—” She shook
her head and blinked. “Was it a dream?”

Lady Mornington came around to her friend
and rubbed the woman’s arm gently. “Nay, dear, ‘tis no dream, I can
assure you.” She nodded her head toward where Tyson was standing
beside Ivy and Christine.

Lady Hartland took a shaky breath and closed
her eyes. Then tears started to flow down her pale cheeks. “I had
lost hope and now...thank God,” she whispered.

“
Is Lady Hartland going to
be all right?” Christine asked. “I was so worried.”

Lady Hartland opened her eyes and turned her
attention to Christine. “My lady,” she started, her voice was shaky
and her hands were clutching her midsection. “Tyson, is he your
brother?”

Christine frowned in confusion and said,
“Why yes.” She touched Tyson’s shoulder. “Rather, he is my foster
brother. We are not related at all, you see. I found him. I beg
your pardon, Lady Hartland, why do you ask?”

Lady Hartland did not answer, however, and
tears flowed down her cheeks. She turned to her friend and
sobbed.

Lady Mornington patted her friend’s back.
Everyone stared in silent at the woman crying. A moment later, Lady
Hart turned and said, “Mary, please come here.”

Mary, who was standing beside her governess
and clutching the governess’s hand with her small, shaking ones,
walked to her mother. “Mama, are you all right?” she asked in her
small, quivering voice.

“
Aye, my love, I am quite
all right now,” Lady Hartland said and moved her daughter around to
face the crowd.

Everyone stared wide-eyed at Mary.

Ivy knew instantly why she had thought that
she had seen Tyson somewhere before. But the fact was that it was
not Tyson himself that she had seen before—it was Mary.

“
My Goodness!” Christine
said. “I—”

Tyson stepped forward as he stared at the
young girl before him. Mary stepped back as she stared at him.

“
But how?” Christine asked
in shock surprised.

“
Where did you find him,
my lady?” Lady Hartland asked.

Christine just shook her head. “In
Hammingshire town, it was about six years ago and...”

“
My son was kidnapped six
years ago,” Lady Hartland sobbed. “I had been searching for him,
and I have never stopped. I was beginning to loose faith and
now...”