A Season for Honour

Chapter 23

Alex had been furious with Tonbridge and his anger still burned within him. He had come to the conclusion that he must have overheard him inviting Octavia for a drive the previous evening. Then he must have deliberately gone to the park that afternoon along with her brother, Sir Fabian Stretton, with the purpose of seeking her out and talking to her. Octavia had been shocked at the sight of her brother after nearly twelve years, and it had not surprised Alex that she had almost fainted on the way home from the park. Instead of returning her to Sommerville House, Alex had decided to take her back to Holloway House. Not only was Holloway House closer to the park, but he also knew that her grace, the Duchess of Tyne, would be at home. After all, the new duchess was her friend and more importantly, was known to keep a cool head in a crisis.

He had just managed to get her into the hall of Holloway House when she finally crumpled to the floor. Alex caught her in his arms and carried her straight to the drawing-room where he knew the duchess would be having tea.

He swept into the drawing-room without knocking on the door and placed Octavia on a sofa. 'Your grace,' he said, as he looked over towards the duchess, who was now standing staring at him with wide eyes, 'Lady Kendall has had a shock and has fainted.'

The duchess quickly knelt next to Octavia. She took her hand and then felt for her pulse on her wrist. 'She is as cold as ice, and her pulse is weak,' she said in a voice that betrayed no trace of panic. 'Fallbrook,' she said in a commanding voice, taking control of the situation, 'send for my maid and tell her to bring my vinaigrettes, some feathers to burn, a bowl of cold water and a cloth.'

Another woman, Rachel de Havilland, who Alex also knew well, was also in the drawing-room with the duchess. She came over to Octavia and knelt by the side of the sofa. 'She looks very pale,' she said as she placed the back of her hand on her cheek. 'She is cold,' she said softly, 'I will fetch my shawl and wrap it around her shoulders.'

'Thank you, Rachel,' Alex said to her feeling nothing but a deep sense of helplessness. There was nothing he could do but watch the two women attempt to revive Octavia. Octavia was now being tended by the two women he knew he could trust to keep calm and not panic in an adverse situation. 'Alex,' Rachel said softly, 'please could you fetch me a glass of brandy. She will need it when she regains consciousness.'

He was hoping that Rachel de Havilland would still be at Holloway House. It was one of the other reasons why he had chosen to return here rather than Sommerville House. She always came to visit the duchess once a week to discuss matters at the school where the duchess was a governor, and she was the headmistress. He had first met Rachel in Spain when she had been the mistress of a wealthy lieutenant colonel. When her protector had died at the battle of Toulouse, leaving all his wealth to his family and nothing to the mistress who had looked after him for many years, she had returned to London and had sought out the protection of her previous master, Lord Melrose.

'Your grace,' a maid dressed in a smart black and white uniform said as she entered the room followed by a couple of footmen who carried all the equipment that had been requested by the duchess.

'Thank you, Susan,' the duchess said, 'good, you have also brought a lit candle.' The duchess then put the tip of one of the feathers into the flame until white smoke curled erratically into the air. Once she was satisfied that enough smoke was being produced, she then wafted the feather under Octavia's nose.

It was with great relief that he saw her eyes flicker open. 'Where am I?' she said looking weakly at the two women who were kneeling by the sofa.

The duchess then took a damp cloth and patted her forehead. 'You are at Holloway House,' she said in a soothing voice.