“Say no more.” Lily had already deftly turned the conveyance around. They trotted out of the park at a brisk clip.
CHAPTER 45
Kate hiked up her skirts and rushed up the steps to James’s town house as fast as she could. Her slippers slap-slap-slapped against the stone stairs. She pounded on the door and then stood back, wringing her gloved hands and staring at the portal intently as if she could force it open with her sheer will. Moments later, the heavy door swung wide, and Locke’s large form filled the frame.
As soon as the butler recognized Kate, a wide smile spread across his face. “Your grace?”
Her breath came in short pants. “Tell me, Locke, is James here?” She bobbed her head, trying to catch a glimpse around the butler, into the house.
Locke’s face transformed into a frown. “I’m sorry to say he is not, your grace.”
Kate’s heart sank. She frantically searched the butler’s face. “Where is he?”
“His lordship has gone to Parliament this afternoon. The new session has just begun.”
Kate leaned up on her tiptoes and deposited a kiss on the older man’s leathery cheek. He blushed and stammered. “Your grace, why, I—”
“Thank you very much, Locke.” She whirled around and rushed back down the stairs and out into the muddy street where Lily sat impatiently on the seat of the curricle.
“Well?” Lily asked, her eyes as wide as the curricle wheels. “Where is he?”
“He’s in session at the House of Lords.”
Lily sighed and shook her head. “How do you like that? Most inconvenient. Don’t worry. I’ll take you back to Lady Catherine’s and we’ll return later when he—”
“Like hell you will.”
Lily’s head snapped around. Her expression could not have been more shocked had Kate just slapped her. “Pardon?”
“I said like hell you will!”
Lily’s mouth dropped open. “Why, Kate. What exactly do you plan to do?” she asked breathlessly, her hand fanning out across her breastbone.
With a sly smile on her face, Kate gathered her skirts, climbed back up onto the conveyance, and took a seat next to Lily. She nodded toward the matched pair of horses. “You’re taking me to Parliament. Now.”
Lily gaped. “P-P-Parliament?” she stuttered, her mouth opening and closing.
“Yes. Now. Please,” Kate added for good measure.
Lily shook her head. “Kate, we can’t.”
Kate arched a brow. “Can’t or shouldn’t?”
“Both!”
Kate turned to Lily and met her gaze. “With all due respect, Lady Colton, I determined several weeks ago that I intended to live. And if this isn’t a moment for living, I don’t know what is,” she finished with a resolute nod.
Lily eyed her carefully. “But Kate, have you any idea the kind of scandal it will cause if you interrupt Parliament?”
Kate threw back her head and laughed. Now that she’d made the decision, a curious calm had come over her, a curious calm paired with a giddy happiness. “I am the original scandalous bride. I’m already an outcast. Are you seriously telling me you think I’m worried about causing another scandal? Truly?”
Lily opened her mouth to retort but quickly snapped it shut again. “When you put it like that…” Lily clucked to the horses and shook out the reins. The team took off at a fast pace. Kate pressed her bonnet against her head and swayed with the jolt of the carriage’s movement.
What was she thinking? She moved to pinch the inside of her arm. Could she do it? Could she truly march into the Houses of Parliament and retrieve James? A thrill raced down her spine. She pulled her hand away and settled it in her lap instead. Yes, by God. She could do it and she would.
Minutes later, the curricle pulled to a stop in front of Westminster. Kate stared up at the grand Gothic buildings and gulped.
“Are you quite sure about this?” Lily asked.
“Quite.”
Kate squared her shoulders. She’d come within weeks, perhaps days, of a death sentence. She’d caused a spectacular scandal. Telling the man she loved that she couldn’t live without him one moment longer wasn’t about to stop her from rushing into the House of Lords. Hell, she’d rush into the Prince Regent’s bathing parlor if she had to. Though no doubt she wouldn’t like what she saw.
Kate pulled her skirts to the side and jumped from the vehicle. She turned and winked at Lily. “If I’m arrested, I expect you to call upon Mr. Abernathy.”
“I shall do so with all haste,” Lily replied, pressing her lips together as if to keep from laughing. “Rest assured. And good luck. Now, go.” She motioned with her chin toward the buildings. “Oh, and one more thing.”
“Yes?” Kate replied.
“If you see Devon, don’t tell him I’m out here,” she said with a wink.
Shaking her head at her friend’s irreverence, Kate turned on her heel and faced the imposing Houses of Parliament. She took a deep breath, sucking cold air into her lungs. Steeling her resolve, she made her way to the south side of the Commons where the House of Lords sat. She marched up to the tall green wooden front doors. The gatekeeper, an enormous man, stood at attention. “What business do you have?” he asked in an imperious tone.
What business indeed? Hmm. She hadn’t quite thought this far.
“I am the dowager Duchess of Markingham, and I have urgent information for Viscount Medford,” she said in the most commanding voice she could muster. She raised her chin and stared the man straight in the eye. Unless the bloke had been unconscious for the past two months. he must have heard her name before. But would he believe she had urgent business?
His eyes flared. Ah, so he did know her name. He looked her over, up and down. She narrowed his eyes on him.
Finally, he stood aside. He bowed to her, then straightened and nodded. “Down the corridor, your grace. Just through those doors.”
Kate expelled the breath she’d been holding since she approached the cavernous building. Good God. She’d never been so thankful to have the detested duchess title to bandy about in all her days. She had to admit, it opened doors, that title. It opened very large, grand doors.
“Thank you very much.” She nodded regally to the guard and made her way past him along the corridor, exercising a degree of patience she didn’t know she possessed. She longed to hike up her skirts and run, but she imagined the beefy guard tackling her and carting her off to the Tower if she attempted such a thing. No, better to remain calm and carry on as if she were just going to slip James a quiet, orderly little note.
She walked up to the side of the gallery and took two deep breaths. She stood outside the door, trying to quell the sick scared feeling in her belly. Then she pressed open the stately carved doors with shaking hands and stepped inside the large hall.
“Will the honorable gentlemen—” The loud voice that had been speaking immediately stopped and all heads swiveled to look at her.
Kate gulped but managed to raise her trembling chin. She felt like a tiny pebble lost in a sea. There were dozens of men in the room, possibly hundreds. And they were the bishops and the peers of the land. The illustrious House of Lords. The men who would have sat in judgment on her had she gone to trial. She tightened her fist.
