Chapter Forty

The countess lunged at the weakened girl with the fierce venom of a striking adder, railing at her with a furious tirade.

Griff grabbed Agina’s arm roughly, without apology, and pulled her away from Dulcie.

“Hold on, now, Spencer,” Lawrence Bundy said. The smile had been wiped from his expression until Griff finally let Agina go. “The earl’s daughter is simply being stubborn. Let me speak with her alone. I’m sure we can fix everything.”

“Wait, just a minute…” Rand sputtered, not sure whether or not he should interfere.

Griff gripped his friend’s shoulder to stop him. Then he swung to face Agina’s lawyer. “Don’t bother, Bundy. Lady Dulcina and I are not getting married. The lady changed her mind, and I will not force her to accept me as her husband. I think you should tear up that special license right now. You won’t need it for this wedding.”

“But Mr. Spencer…”

Reverend Carter had stepped back when the tussle between the countess and Griff occurred. His spectacles slipped down his nose, and his bushy eyebrows flew upward at his surprised expression. He grabbed at his prayer book, and quickly snapped the pages closed as he headed toward the door.

“Perhaps, if you will excuse me, I s-should be on my way,” he stuttered and exited as if his coattails were on fire.

The countess glowered at Griff.

He glared back.

The two stared for an interminable period, until the countess at last understood she had lost the fight. She turned to glance at Trent who stood in the doorway. The lady’s maid nodded very slowly.

“Well, then,” Agina said, haughtily, her gaze flinging daggers to everyone in the room. “If that is the case, I shall leave this nasty chit to herself and depart for London and Eberley House as quickly as I can get packed.” She sneered, especially at Dulcie. “And you…I never want to see you again.” Agina stalked from the room with Trent following close on her heels, murmuring soothing words into the peeress’s ears as the two women progressed down the hallway.

Lawrence Bundy took the marriage license from his jacket pocket and tore it into several small pieces. With a weak flourish of disappointment, he let them float to the bedroom floor. “So much for that bit of work,” he said, and walked out and down the central staircase. He was seen ten minutes later galloping his horse down the carriage drive.

Only Griff and Rand remained in the room with Dulcie. Griff gazed down at Dulcie, but she turned her head away and wouldn’t acknowledge him.

If only she had looked up, she would have been able to interpret his feelings quite clearly by looking upon his solemn, concerned expression. But Dulcie kept her eyes tightly closed.

“The problem is solved,” Griff said to her, very gently. “You are well on the road to recovery.” Deeper emotions, those he wanted badly to express to her, caught in his throat and didn’t allow him to spit them out. “Stay well, Dulcie,” he murmured very low, very sincerely. He glanced over at Rand and nodded, letting him know it was time for them to go.

* * * *

Dulcie sat there, permitting herself to calm down after she heard the men’s footsteps leave the room.

When one of the maids tapped on her door a bit later, Dulcie bade the girl enter. “Would you please help me undress so I can get back into bed?” She felt as limp and boneless as her hand had been when Griff grabbed it and squeezed it.

When she was settled down in bed again, she asked for a tea tray. On her way out

The little maid stooped to pick up the torn scraps of parchment lying on the carpet.

“Oh!” Seeing her, Dulcie stopped the girl. “Please give me those.”

When the girl left, Dulcie hugged the pieces of the marriage license to her breast. Her eyes filled again, and this time she couldn’t keep from weeping, all by herself, surrounded by the lonely silence in the empty room.