in his life. But neither, it seemed, would Lady Rebecca.
The box Lady Kensington had referred to was one he had purchased from Sturrock and Sons. He had been informed some days ago that a small item had been set aside for him and that he was to pay for it and return home. Why now he was to give it to Lord Bellingham—a quiet and staid gentleman that Jeffery had met only once before—he could not even imagine.
Not that such a thing mattered.
With a sigh, Jeffery rose from his study chair and made his way to the window, pressing his hands down on the windowsill as he looked out below him. Nothing in his view was of any interest. Nothing there intrigued him. His spirit was low. His heart was broken. And he felt nothing but regret.
“Richmond!”
Jeffery turned, startled, as Lord Swinton threw back the door and hurried into the room.
“For heaven’s sake, man, whatever are you doing here?” he demanded as Jeffery turned slowly back towards the window, having no eagerness to discuss the matter with his friend. “Why are you not at Lady Hayward’s? Or at the duke’s townhouse, seeking out Lady Rebecca?”
“Do not torment me with such suggestions!” Jeffery rounded on him, his hands curling into tight fists, fury slamming through him all at once. “It is over! It is done! Lady Kensington has achieved her great victory despite my attempts to bring her low.”
Lord Swinton stared at him, his mouth agape, before he strode towards Jeffery purposefully, slamming his hands onto either side of Jeffery’s arms. “Whatever are you talking of, Richmond?” he said fiercely. “I spoke to Lady Rebecca and Lady Hayward last evening. I told them everything. Everything that you had kept from them in the hope of protecting Lady Rebecca from Lady Kensington. Did you not receive my note? And did they not write to you also?”
Jeffery stared at his friend, his eyes widening as he realized what Lord Swinton meant. “I—I received letters this morning,” he murmured, his anger beginning to fade away. “I have not yet opened them. My…my torment has been too great.”
Lord Swinton dropped his hands. “Lady Rebecca was deeply upset last evening, as you must know,” he began. “I could not permit her to continue believing the worst of you. I told her the truth. I begged her to believe me, and, much to my astonishment, Lady Hayward was the one to encourage her to do so.” He turned on his heel. “I said you would explain it all to them today also so that she could be thoroughly assured that I had told her the truth.”
“Then I must go,” Jeffery breathed, his heart beginning to hammer furiously as he realized what Lord Swinton had done. “Thank you, Swinton. I—” He did not know what to say, how to express his thanks to his friend, but Lord Swinton only grinned.
“You care about Lady Rebecca,” he said. “I believe she cares for you. I cannot see both of you so sorrowful and troubled without speaking up. But I should suggest that you hurry. The lady will be waiting.”
Jeffery nodded, hurrying to his desk and snatching up the letters he had received earlier that day. Flicking through them, he quickly found the one that bore the correct seal and broke it open.
“‘My dear Lord Richmond,’” he read aloud, his heart pounding. “‘I have been utterly astonished to hear what Lord Swinton has said. Please, if it is true, then call upon me at Lady Hayward’s this afternoon. I must hear it from your lips. Yours, Lady Rebecca.’”
Clenching his jaw so that he would not give in to the shattering emotions threatened now to plague him, Jeffery took a few moments to regain his composure before he turned back to his friend.
“Let us depart,” he said a little hoarsely. “She is waiting for me at Lady Hayward’s.”
Lord Swinton nodded. “I have the carriage waiting,” he said as Jeffery let out a long breath, setting his shoulders and walking to the door. “We will be there within the hour.”
Walking into Lady Hayward’s drawing-room felt like some sort of dream. Jeffery had believed that he would never be able to do so again, would never let his gaze settle on Lady Rebecca’s beautiful face, and yet both things were occurring at the very same moment.
Lady Rebecca rose to her feet the instant he came into the room, and Jeffery could not take his eyes from her. Her face was a little paler than