A Summons From the Duke by Jerrica Knight-Catania, Lilia Birney, Samantha Grace Page B

muttered.
    Ah, there was Philip again. The same abrupt changes in topic, the same quick flashes of temper followed by mellow introspection that had marked his personality as long as she'd known him. "Thank you. She is a darling."
    "Two years old, you say? You must have had her very quickly after your marriage." He scanned her face carefully.
    Heat suffused Emily's cheeks. "Yes, I did. Charles wanted a family very quickly."
    "And…so close on the heels of our own affair…" He trailed off, but the intensity of his dark gaze made Emily catch her breath.
    "We never let things go that far, Philip. You and I both know that." She kept her tone quiet and even, the same voice she would use when comforting Rose after a fall.
    "I would have gone further." The words had a slight edge of challenge.
    "Oh, Philip, I would have too." The admission took a burden off her heart. It didn't feel sinful to confess the depth of her feelings to her former lover—no matter how scandalous they were. "But—"
    "No." Philip held up a hand to stop her. "Just let me have that."
    They sat together in silence for a moment, and he rose from her bed. "Emily, we will travel together to Danby. Whenever you're ready to go, we'll go."
    She nodded. A brief pang of regret clutched at her chest once more. Why not give in, just once, to impetuous desire? Why not follow her heart for once, instead of her head? But Philip was already on the threshold, his tall frame filling the doorway.
    "Good night," she whispered as he closed the door.
    ~ * ~
    The next day, Emily determined to be as industrious as possible, packing up her few belongings, making sure Anna had a place to go, and preparing Rose for the journey. The Duke of Danby was waiting for Philip, and delaying his journey would be beyond rude. Philip seemed content to play with Rose and offered to take her into the village for a few sweets. Glad of the opportunity to work without distraction, Emily shooed them off and tugged Rose's trunk out of the barn.
    Giles, Philip's manservant, was in the barn, helping the coachman ready the carriage for the morrow. He offered to help Emily bring the trunk up to Rose's room, and she accepted his help gratefully. As he toted the small burden up the stairs, Emily studied him. He seemed a good and loyal servant—someone who cared for Philip during what he called those two years of torment. What tragedy had Philip suffered? Surely this man knew. The question that had puzzled and angered Emily since her discussion with Philip suddenly bubbled to her lips.
    "Giles, what happened to Lord Philip?" She peered into his ruddy face and sat down on Rose's cot.
    If her brazen question took him off guard, he was too well-bred to show it. He deliberately set the trunk down, dusted his hands on his trousers, and then turned towards Emily. "He didn't take your marriage to Mr. Barlow too well, ma'am."
    "Tell me," she urged, clenching her hands around the wooden footboard.
    "He tried to do away with himself." The words rushed out, as if a dam had broken free. "Tried to hang himself. Lady Emma, she found him, started screaming for help. I came and cut him free."
    The ground shifted underneath Emily, and she clutched the footboard to keep from falling down. Giles seemed to be standing very far away, all at once. Her breath came in shallow gasps.
    Giles continued. "He was in a bad way. His family didn't know what to do. So the duke decided to send him to Italy to study music. But he's been living in a fool's paradise. Wine, women, song. Even started taking opium. I've tried to stay with him, tried to help him, but he was too far gone when we were in Rome. I think that coming home will be good for him."
    All the energy and the anger drained away from Emily, leaving her shaken and weak. Her hands, still clutched around the mahogany footboard, trembled violently. She licked her lips, but when she spoke, her voice betrayed a tell-tale crack.
    "I had no idea."
    "The family kept it very quiet, ma'am.