Regency Romance: The Marquess’ Curse (The Fairbanks Series - Love & Hearts) (CLEAN Historical Regency Romance)

by Jessie Bennett

  William nodded. “I believe she does.”

  “I will go find her immediately.” Without another word, he turned and left the room.

  William moved the chair the doctor had been sitting on closer to the berth. He looked down at the sleeping beauty and felt his heart aching in his chest. He wanted to place a kiss on her lips, but it would have been highly inappropriate. He restrained himself.

  He reached over and touched her cheek, sliding his fingers down her smooth skin, daring to touch the lips he wanted to kiss. She had to be the most beautiful woman he had seen in a very long time.

  “It is hard to believe that you cannot hear me,” he said in a gentle tone. “It is hard to believe that you cannot open your eyes.” He leaned closer to her, clasping his hands in front of him on the berth and slumping his shoulders. He sighed. “We haven’t had enough time to converse, princess. We haven’t been able to get to know each other. You simply must come back to us, Belle. I know I am not the only one who would miss your presence. Your family, your homeland, the people there, I am quite sure they desire your safe return.”

  He scanned her face, glancing down at her chest to make sure it was falling and rising as she breathed. She was so quiet. So serene.

  “Miss Belle Van den Berg, you are a light in this world. You cannot leave it.” He wanted to get closer to her, but saw no way of doing so without violating her personal space. He wished that she could speak to him. He wanted to see her eyes open. He prayed vehemently, closing his eyes and lowering his head. When he looked up again, she was the same. He had not expected a miracle, but he was certainly hoping for one.

  “Belle. I will wait right here for you to come back. I will not leave your side. If this was done to you on purpose, I will find out. I feel responsible.” He swallowed and closed his eyes. “I feel as though my past is somehow responsible for this, a curse that has taken the women I love away from me. But I won’t let this happen to you. I won’t let it be. I…I may have to leave your side long enough to put the curse to rest…but I will return.” He brushed his fingers through the golden strands of hair that spilled out over the pillow. “I will return and I will stay with you. When you waken, I will be here. If you need help recovering, I will help you. We have only known each other a few days, but…I feel I know you well, as though I’ve known you all your life. Your guard has told me some things about your past. I do not believe him. I believe he was attempting to change my opinion of you. This could be because he does not feel I am good enough for you.” William thought about his past. “Perhaps I’m not. But it is certainly not his place to decide.” He paused, staring at her. “When you wake up, we are going to watch the sun rise and set every day of this journey. When we reach New Bedford, I will escort you where you need to go. Your guard did not do a good job watching over you, sweet princess. I think you’ll need to talk to your father about him.”

  He sat for a moment in silence, looking at her. She was so still. Other than her breathing, there was no movement. He balled up his fists and clenched his teeth. What could have brought this on?

  Frustrated and wishing he were not on a ship in the middle of the ocean, William stood and began to pace back and forth in the small room. He stopped at the small window and stared out at the small lapping waves. His brain worked at a fast pace, the stress of the situation making his chest tight with anxiety.

  He looked down at the sleeping beauty. He leaned over and placed a gentle kiss on her cheek. “I’m going to do something about this, Belle. I’m going to find out what’s causing this, bring you back and never let go of you. I’ll protect you, since no one else will.”

  He turned and went out the door without looking back.

  The moment he stepped out the door, he was met by Lady Burkinshire. She had an intense look on her narrow face. He stopped directly in front of her to avoid running into her. “Lady Burkinshire. Are you all right?”

  “I need to talk to you, Lord William. Something sinister is going on here.”

  William glanced back at the closed door behind him before taking Lady Burkinshire’s arm and directing her to the other side of the room. Did she suspect the curse, as he did? If she did, how did she know about his past? He spoke in a low nervous voice. “What is it?”

  “My husband…he’s…he’s also fallen into a deep sleep, just like the princess!”

  William frowned. This news changed everything. He regretted feeling somewhat relieved. It couldn’t be that he was cursed if the same thing had happened to a stranger. “Are you sure he isn’t just sleeping?”

  “No, my lord. I am certain that he isn’t just sleeping.”

  “Have you told the captain or the doctor?”

  “No. I could have, but I came directly to you as you came out of Princess Belle’s room.”

  “We must find them.”

  “I don’t want to bother them quite yet. Please come to see my husband. Tell me what you think.”

  Instead of answering, he took her arm again and turned back toward the door to the Burkinshire’s cabin. “Have you had a chance to consult your books? Are there any remedies for a deep sleep?”

  “I have been looking, my lord, but have found nothing as of yet. I have many books and I find it quite difficult to go through them easily, especially when my mind is distracted by the situation at hand.”

  “All right, my lady. After I check on Doctor Burkinshire, I will help you.”

  “I would be most grateful, my lord.”

  She opened the door to her room and led him into the cabin. The doctor was laying on his side on the berth, his eyes closed, his breathing steady. William went directly to him, reaching out to pull the lantern off the table. He held the light close to the doctor’s face and examined him closely.

  He lifted the doctor’s eyelids. “Doctor? Doctor Burkinshire?” He let the eyelid close and looked up at the Lady. “I think you are right.”

  “What shall we do, my lord?”

  “Let’s go look through your books. Surely there is something that can be done here.”

  “I am anxious that something in my stock has caused this. I did not mean to create such trauma.”

  William shook his head. “This is not the time to place blame on oneself. I fail to see how anything you’ve brought on board this ship could have such an effect. If that was so, surely it would have affected all of us. It would need to be airborne. I cannot think of anyone on this ship who would seek injury to both the princess and the doctor.”

  He followed her as she went through the door and back to the steps leading to the upper deck.

  “If we see the captain or the ship doctor, should we tell them what has happened?”

  “If we see them, yes.”

  “Should the doctor not take a look at my husband?”

  “If you wish. I cannot tell you not to. I would like to get to the books, if I can.”

  “I will go find the doctor and the captain. I’m sure they are on the bridge.”

  “First take me to where your plants and books are.”

  “Yes, my lord.”

  William followed her. The small cabin where the plants were being stored was adjacent to the cabins they were occupying. The only way to get to it was to go up to the top deck, circle around and go back down a different set of stairs. There were four storage rooms behind a locked white door.

  Lady Burkinshire used a small key to unlatch the door. She reached up and took a lantern from a hook by the door. She handed the lantern to him. “Light this. There are no windows in here and it will be too dark to see anything.”

  William used a small tinderbox on a shelf under the hook where the lantern had been hanging.

  “I will come back and continue the search with you.”

  William nodded. “Take the doctor to your husband.”

  He watched her turn and hurry back up the steps. He turned around. The room was dark, even with the light of the lantern. He wished he could light a dozen candles and place them around the
room. He held the lantern up and scanned the room around him. Wooden trunks were stacked up against three of the walls, almost reaching the ceiling. A small desk and chair were placed against the wall next to the doorway. He set down the lantern.

  William inspected several of the trunks, but only found a wide variety of herbs and spices, none of which he recognized. He was impressed by the organization of the plants. They were sectioned off from each other so that they would not fall together and mix. They were each unique. He wondered if the Lady Burkinshire really knew what each of them was simply by looking at them.

  He turned to the desk and settled his eyes on a large trunk sitting next to it on the floor. “Books,” he murmured.

  He was right. The trunk was filled to the top with thick books. He lifted out three of the books and set them on the desk next to him, opening one to the middle of the book. It had pictures of the different plants listed in alphabetical order, with details that made William’s head spin. He flipped through a few of the pages before opening the second book. It was much like the first. The third also gave detailed accounts of the plants.

  He looked down at the trunk. There had to be at least a dozen more books in there. He shook his head. How could there be so many books about plants? He swallowed his frustration, sat at the desk and pulled the first book closer to him. He didn’t know what books the Lady Burkinshire had already been through. It didn’t matter. With both of them going through the books, surely they would find an answer.

  Before he began reading, he closed his eyes and pictured Belle in his mind, talking and laughing during mealtime and on the deck of the boat. His heart felt heavy in his chest.

  He opened his eyes and began reading.

  14

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  We must find a solution as soon as possible.

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  CHAPTER FOURTEEN

  TIME RUNNING OUT

  His brain was becoming fatigued, looking at the hand-drawn pictures and reading the descriptions of so many plants. His frustration was mounting. The cause of Belle’s and the scientist’s condition was somewhere in these books. It couldn’t be something in the air.

  He sat back. It couldn’t be. Could it?

  The moment he sat back against the chair, the door of the storage room opened and light sprayed in. He squinted, turning his eyes to the door. The light was blocked by the form of two people. He stood up. His eyes focused on the Lady Burkinshire and Captain John.

  “Have you found anything, Lord William?” Lady Burkinshire asked.

  “No,” William said. “I have been through three of these books. I don’t know which ones you have read or what plants you’ve examined for this kind of effect, but I found nothing helpful.”

  “I didn’t get through very many of them,” the Lady answered. “and the ones I did go through, I only scanned for effects. I don’t have all of the plants listed in these books. It would take much more room than I have and I would need to travel to many places I cannot go.”

  William nodded. “I understand, Lady Annette.”

  The Lady moved around him, leaning to look at the book he was reading. “This is not one of the books I read through. You didn’t find anything interesting?”

  “Nothing that would pertain to what has happened here.”

  The ship’s doctor leaned in, scanning the three of them. “I have only been able to give the princess water since she…fell ill. We must find a solution as soon as possible. Her health will not stand for this very long. If she has ever had any health issues in the past, we may be…that is, she may be in a great deal of trouble.”

  The thought of it made William’s heart pound. He swallowed hard and clenched his jaw. “I don’t know what more we can do.

  “What if we aren’t going down the right path with this to begin with?” Captain John asked. “Both the princess and the Lady’s husband have been affected by something, possibly something on this ship, that the rest of us seem to be immune to.”

  “Whether or not they have been poisoned by one of these plants has nothing to do with finding a solution within the limitations we have here on the ship,” William replied. “We should try looking for a plant that will help them, rather than what caused it.”

  “I disagree.” The Lady shook her head, frowning. “Plants, herbs, spices…these things can all have an effect on each other. What if we were to give her more of what she’s already had and she… does not survive it?”

  “That doesn’t make sense, my lady,” William responded. “How can a plant that we read has a revitalizing effect put her into this state to begin with, while the known effects are said to be completely opposite?”

  “It’s just a fact of nature, Lord William. When a body has too much of something, it could easily change the way it affects the person.”

  “How do you know this without being a doctor?” George questioned.

  Lady Burkinshire gave him a raised-eyebrow look. “Did you see how many books I have on the subject? There is a lot of information to be read in that trunk and I have read them all, I promise you that.”

  “Yes, my lady, I’m sorry.” The doctor lowered his head.

  “I do think that we should continue to see what the cause of the problem is.”

  “We are running out of time, my lady,” the captain said.

  “I know. Perhaps we should all look through the books.”

  “The only way I’m doing that is if we bring them all outside,” the captain said. “At the very least, I will bring a book outside and look through it. I need to be with the crew in case they need me and I find it easier to read by sunlight than by candlelight or lamplight.”

  “The sun will be setting in a few hours. I feel it is vital that we find a solution by tomorrow.” The doctor shook his head. “She is a small woman, fragile and very slender. She needs to eat and drink in a healthy way to maintain her health.”

  “No one can say that we are not trying,” William replied. He moved around the Lady, reached into the trunk and pulled out two books. “Take these, John. Take them outside if you wish. Just help us.”

  “Be careful with those books!” Lady Burkinshire sounded a bit panicked as she watched her books being passed from one man to the other. “It has taken us some time to gather them all. They are very precious to me.”

  Captain John nodded at her. “I understand, my lady. I will be careful with them. If anything should happen, I will go out of my way to replace it for you.”

  Lady Burkinshire did not look reassured. “All right, Captain.”

  The captain went out onto the deck with the two books. With a look at Lady Burkinshire first, William picked up two more books and handed them to the doctor. “You should really be looking through these as well. Perhaps it might help in a future case.”

  The doctor nodded, took the books and followed the captain.

  William looked at the Lady again. “You must remember that your husband has also been affected here.”

  “I do remember that.” She sounded slightly offended.

  “I mean no offense, my lady,” William said gently. “I just notice that you are very concerned about the princess.”

  “I’m also concerned that one of my plants has been used nefariously by someone on this ship. I cannot imagine who could have done such a thing or why. My husband has done nothing to harm anyone here. We do not even know anyone here.”

  “You have never met any of the other passengers? The two Americans?”

  “No.”

  “You have not met anyone on the crew?”

  She frowned at him. “I cannot imagine how I could ever have met anyone on the crew, my lord.”

  “And Lord Burkinshire? Do you imagine there might be a possibility he could have met anyone on this ship?”

  She thought for a moment. “No, I don’t believe so. But he has met many people I do not personally know. And even if that was a possibility, my lord,
why would they attack the princess first?”

  “I will be honest and forthcoming with you, my lady. I first thought that the guard, Max and the princess’s assistant, Naomi, may have been responsible for what has happened.”

  The Lady narrowed her eyes, looking up at him. “May I ask what gave you that impression?”

  “I had a discussion with the guard top deck several days ago. He mentioned that she had health issues and a troubled past. But in speaking with Belle, I find this hard to believe. She is a gentle, sweet soul and I cannot imagine her causing trouble for the king and queen, her father and mother.”

  “You believe he lied to you.” She spoke the sentence as a statement rather than a question.

  “Yes, my lady.”

  “Why would he do that?”

  “I initially thought it was because he wanted to keep his princess safe from nefarious characters such as myself.” He managed a small grin to show the Lady he was teasing. “It was shortly afterward that she fell into this sleeping state.” He sighed, closing his eyes for a moment. “I don’t mind telling you, my lady, I truly believe that Belle has captured my heart. I have not been the most upstanding man in my past. My brother, father and mother have been given many reasons to be upset with me. They have been given reasons to distrust me. As did my late wife.”

  The Lady raised her eyebrows. “I would never have believed such a thing, my lord. You seem very charismatic and honorable to me.”

  “Charismatic…thank you, yes, that is descriptive of me. Honorable… that is another story. I have betrayed those close to me in my past.”

  “Do you think you have changed? Do you think you would be a better man in the presence of the princess?”

  “Yes.” William nodded. “Yes, I truly do. I wish only to have an opportunity to explore that option.”

  “You will, Lord William. We will find a solution. Hand two of those books to me. We must get started.”

  “You should choose them. You have read these books before, as you mentioned. Surely you know the best ones to read through at this point. In thinking about it, I should have asked you to give books to the captain and the doctor. You know the best ones to look through.”