The Vanishing at Loxby Manor by Abigail Wilson (grave mercy .TXT) 📕

nothing to do with his forcedretreat from society, yet sometimes I wonder if she believes the incidents were somehow related. One scandal, then another.”

Here it was, the chance I’d been waiting for. If anyone knew why Piers had permitted the world to think him a coward, hisfather might. I was glad Mr. Cavanagh couldn’t see me biting my fingernails as I formulated the order of my words. I had tobe careful if I meant to learn the truth.

I ran my fingers along the coverlet. “Perhaps Mrs. Cavanagh’s emotions have become confused in her head. It was quite gallantof Piers to arrange the duel to avenge Seline’s honor, but then to disappear . . . I wonder why he’s never said what happenedthat day.”

A long sigh. “Sometimes you must allow a man a secret. Trust me, the entire ordeal was quite trying for Piers, particularlybecause”—his arm twitched—“his heart was involved.”

I sat up straight. “His heart?”

“Piers was caught in a bad way. And though he’s never told me the whole, I know my son.”

My eyes went wild about the room. “Had it something to do with Miss Gervey?”

“No, it . . .” Mr. Cavanagh remained quiet for a moment, then licked his lips. “Speaking of Miss Gervey, have you heard thenews?”

“Of Lord Kendal’s pending marriage? Certainly.”

He searched blindly for my hand on the bed. “Poor Piers. Mrs. Cavanagh held out hope for him and Miss Gervey till the bitterend, but he’d best forget her now.”

Mr. Cavanagh’s fingers were soft and warm, and I allowed him to hold mine as Piers’s clear blue eyes came to mind, his darlingsmile. “I don’t know how one can do that—forget someone, I mean.”

“It is not an easy process, but when the lady has made promises to another gentleman, he must do so and straightaway.”

Thankfully Piers had made promises to no one, only himself. I’d been spared that at least. I leaned forward, emboldened byMr. Cavanagh’s openness. “I do think Piers has a handle on things. He told me he never means to marry.”

“True. He’s spoken of remaining a bachelor to me quite frequently as well. He has no intention of sharing his disgrace withanyone, but love can be a tricky thing, my dear. Sometimes it clouds our vision, when other times it allows us to see.”

He rubbed his face, a companionable silence filling the room. Though I urged my mind away from Piers, I found my thoughtsnarrowing in nonetheless on Mr. Cavanagh’s surprising words about the duel. “His heart was involved.” A sinking feeling filled my chest. If it wasn’t Honora Gervey to whom Mr. Cavanagh had been referring, whom exactly did hemean?

My eyes widened, and I drew my shoulders back. Wait.

If I understood correctly, the incident occurred around the same time I left for Ceylon . . . The same time. Every muscle in my chest tightened and twisted as the sharp pieces of our past clicked together. It had been staring me in the face since I’d arrived.

My accident on the road!

If Piers had planned the duel with Lord Kendal for the morning I unexpectedly arrived home, he would have had to miss it becausehe was helping me. Oh dear. I nearly stood before thinking better of such a hasty move, pressing my free hand to my head instead.

I was right. I had to be. Piers never would have left me on the side of the road that day, and he would have been forced tokeep quiet about his whereabouts to protect my reputation. I had been out all night, after all. What a fool I had been. Everyonewould have thought . . . My stomach turned as I remembered the look on his face. I’d known something was wrong.

Mr. Cavanagh adjusted his position on the bed, startling me back to the present, a smile taking over his pensive face. Hecould have no idea of the emotions churning within me.

“You know, after you left the other day, I spent a great deal of time thinking about your brother. He was a good friend tome before your family departed so suddenly for Ceylon.”

My voice felt a bit shaky in my throat, but I pushed through. “Arthur would have liked to have seen you again, but I don’tknow that he ever means to leave America. He loves it there.”

“I was thinking I might dictate a letter to him. Baker handles all those sorts of things for me now. If I did so, would yoube willing to enclose it within one of your own?”

“Certainly. I would be happy to.”

“Good. Then I shall summon Baker at once.”

He reached for the bell rope, and I took the opportunity to retreat. “I will leave you to it. Good day, Mr. Cavanagh.”

He raised his chin. “You will come again another time? Perhaps bring a book to read?”

I was glad he couldn’t see the flush on my warm cheeks. “I would be honored to.”

I made my way to the door before taking a long glance back into the room. With everything so unsettled in the house, in away I was glad Mr. Cavanagh had asked me to return. Of course Mrs. Cavanagh would not be pleased. I suppose she only wantedto protect her husband, and I did understand caution to a point. He was pale and feeble. But at the same time, if the appearanceof his room was any indication of his neglect, it was high time someone took an interest in him.

I sealed the door shut with care, pausing in the hall. It felt good to have a father figure in my life once again, and Mr. Cavanaghhad given me much to ponder about Piers.

Piers. My heart contracted.

Mr. Cavanagh was right. Love was tricky and confusing and complicated. Piers Cavanagh was not the man I’d thought him to befor five long years. So what was I to do now?

Chapter 14

It was a full week before Avery returned home. I saw little of Piers during that time and never unaccompanied as he was caughtup in estate business with his father. Thus I was forced to contemplate alone my role in Piers’s scandal, the presence ofSeline’s tooth powder, and the continued lack of communication