The Duke Before Christmas - Bianca Blythe Page 0,47
quickly through the room and exited, his mind pondering the various emergencies that might occur.
Niles shut the door firmly behind him. The sound groaned in the corridor. The empty corridor.
Colin looked around. “Where’s Portia?”
Niles and Jonesie looked at each other. Dash it, why were they looking at each other? And why were they looking at each other with sorrowful expressions?
“I’m afraid,” Jonesie said finally, “that she’s gone.”
“Gone?”
“She didn’t want to tell you at once, but I—we—thought you should know.”
Colin’s heart quaked.
She was gone.
She wasn’t supposed to be gone.
“I-I don’t understand,” Colin said.
“I’m sorry,” Jonesie said.
“Did her guardian get her?” He scowled. There seemed nothing that Sir Vincent wouldn’t do. He wasn’t going to allow Sir Vincent to run off with her.
“Sir Vincent’s in the drawing room,” Niles said.
“Er—right.”
Niles and Jonesie glanced at each other. It was one of those glances from couples that Colin despised. One of those glances that told the world they didn’t require words to communicate, that they simply knew each other so well, that words were superfluous, things best left to novels and newspapers.
“There was a man,” Niles said slowly.
Colin gazed at his manservant. Niles wasn’t prone to halting language, and when he spoke, he normally didn’t stare at the walls.
“Mr. Andrews arrived,” Niles said.
“They’re getting married in the town,” Jonesie said. “I’m so sorry.”
Married.
And then Colin did more than blink. His heart twisted and ached, and his legs wobbled, as if he were standing on the deck of a ship during a vicious thunderstorm.
There was no ship, and there was no thunderstorm. There was also no Portia.
“Excuse me,” Niles said abruptly, then entered the drawing room.
He soon returned with Vernon and Charlotte. Vernon and Charlotte assessed the situation at once, with the speed honed by parents of active children prone to mishaps.
“Perhaps you should sit down,” Vernon said.
Colin stared at his legs. “I don’t think I can move.”
“Come,” Vernon said matter-of-factly, leading Colin to a chair.
“I’ll have the housekeeper make you some tea,” Charlotte said.
“Tea won’t bring her back,” Colin said miserably.
“No, I’m afraid it won’t,” Charlotte said.
People murmured in the drawing room. The children were chattering, no doubt mystified why the ceremony was postponed.
Colin’s chest ached.
“Now, are you going to explain why she had a fiancé?” Charlotte asked.
“I’d rather not.”
“And if you’re married, why would she go off with this other man?” Vernon asked.
“Because we’re not married,” Colin said miserably. “We were never married.” He turned to Vernon. “I’m afraid I lied to you. I’m afraid I brought scandal onto your house.”
“Heavens,” Charlotte exclaimed.
Colin attempted to muster some dignity into his voice. “If she wants to leave, I’ll let her leave.”
“You mustn’t do that,” Portia’s maid exclaimed.
“I doubt that would be wise,” Niles concurred.
Colin shook his head.
Perhaps he would lead a life of misery and torment, but Portia would be happy, and that was the most important thing. He wouldn’t inconvenience her elopement with his presence.
Charlotte glanced at Portia’s maid with a thoughtful expression, then addressed Colin. “Why on earth would she want to leave you?”
Colin shot her a horrified glance. “You want me to catalog my flaws?”
“I believe my wife meant you don’t seem to have many flaws,” Vernon said.
Oh.
Colin’s shoulders relaxed. “Well, my chief flaw is not being Mr. Rupert Andrews, the man she apparently adores.”
“She seemed to adore you,” Charlotte observed.
“She is a great actress,” Colin said. “One of her many extraordinary qualities.”
“You love her very much, don’t you?” Charlotte asked.
“Oh, rub it in!” Colin grumbled, conscious he should be resigning himself to the fact that Portia was gone. “You think I’m a fool.”
“No,” Charlotte said. “Not that.”
“An idiot,” Vernon declared.
“Vernon!” Charlotte exclaimed. “You mustn’t say that!”
“Well, he is,” Vernon said staunchly, and his chin inched forward in an aristocratic manner.
“That’s not the sort of thing you’re supposed to say about anyone, even behind their back,” Charlotte said.
“I’m saying it because it’s true and because he needs to hear it.”
“No one needs to hear that,” Charlotte said. “Besides, you might make him cry.”
“I’m not going to cry,” Colin said.
“Even though you lost your one true love and are being subjected to my husband’s criticisms?”
Colin’s jaw trembled, but he forced it upward. “Despite even that.”
“Hmph.”
“Look,” Vernon said. “I don’t mean to insult you.”
“Well, then you should change your vocabulary,” Charlotte said. “There are many nicer words in the dictionary.”
“I’m using the word that best describes him. Even you wouldn’t argue with the importance of that.”
Charlotte blinked. “No, I suppose not.”
Vernon glanced at Colin. “Now just why did you come here and announce