Bewitching the Duke

by Christie Kelley

  “She’s awake.”

  She blinked and focused on the sound of Kate’s voice.

  “Where am I?”

  Kate walked over to her and clutched her hand. “You’re in one of the guest rooms of Mrs. Littleton’s house.”

  “Where’s Colin?”

  “Mrs. and Miss Featherstone are here looking after him.”

  “Where is Mia? I must speak with her now.” Selina closed her eyes, praying the dizziness would soon pass.

  “I shall get her for you.”

  Kate walked away while Selina continued to breathe in deeply to calm her nerves. She had to find out what had happened to Colin. She could hardly remember anything except hearing a loud sound and then falling to the ground.

  “So you decided to wake up, did you?” Mia walked into the room with a smile. “I would wager you don’t remember much at all.”

  “No,” Selina said, suddenly wondering why her shoulder hurt. Did she land on it after they fell?

  “Do you remember being shot?”

  “What are you talking about?” She had not been shot. That is something a person would remember.

  “Yes you were, but you were only grazed. His Grace probably saved your life by turning you away from the gunman.”

  “Where is Colin?”

  “The duke is well. He is still sleeping off the effects of the laudanum Mother gave him.”

  “Why did she give him laudanum?” God, she wished this awful taste in her mouth would go away and her head would clear. She felt as if a piece of her mind was gone.

  “For the same reason I gave you some,” Mia said with a smile. “Just not as much. Your wound needed just three stitches.”

  “Stitches?” she mumbled. “You sewed me?”

  “Of course, Mother was busy with His Grace.”

  “What happened to him?” Mia had said Colin had turned her away. He’d protected her from the shooting. So how could he have been hurt? It must have been the fall. Probably his bad ankle again. “How is Colin?”

  “Selina, sit back and let me tell you what happened while you were sleeping.”

  Selina resisted the urge to get up and see Colin. She doubted she could even stand much less walk to wherever he was at the moment. She knew he was in good hands with Mia’s mother watching him.

  “Lady Katherine told me she saw the entire thing. A man was standing at the terrace doorway. As you and the duke danced closer, the man raised his pistol and shot at the duke. She said His Grace must have noticed the man because he turned you quickly so you wouldn’t be hurt.”

  Selina put a hand to her head. “Wait, how did I get shot if he turned me?”

  “The bullet went clean through him and then grazed your shoulder.”

  “He was shot!” She rose to her feet only to start to falter.

  Mia grabbed her arm and forced her to sit back down. “Yes, His Grace was shot but he is all right. The bullet went straight through.”

  “He saved my life,” she said softly. Colin had put himself in harm’s way to save her. Her heart swelled with love for him. “Can I see him now?”

  Mia looked up and waited for her mother to nod before she spoke. “Yes, but I believe he is still unconscious.”

  “I don’t care. I have to be there when he wakes.”

  “Of course you do.” Mia helped Selina to her feet.

  Another wave of dizziness swept over her. “Don’t ever give me laudanum again.”

  Mia laughed. “I shall do my best not to. Just don’t get shot again. You scared me to death.”

  As they walked toward the bed, Selina asked, “How did you get here?”

  “Lord Hartsfield sent for us. He wanted no one to attend to his dearest friend but us.”

  Selina smiled and wondered if Mia would ever realize that Hart was in love with her. She approached the bed and blinked away tears. He looked so pale.

  “Sit down, dear girl,” the duchess commanded.

  Kate rose from the chair closest to Colin so Selina could sit next to him. She sat and then clutched Colin’s warm hand in hers.

  “How is he, Mrs. Featherstone?”

  Mrs. Featherstone put her hand on Selina’s good shoulder. “The shot went straight through. I think I got all the clothing fibers out of the wound but you can never be certain. You know what happens next.”

  Wait and see if a fever sets in. Selina always hated that part. It could take days for a fever and then there was no guarantee that he would recover. “And me?”

  “You shall be fine. When the bullet grazed you, it was where your shoulder was bare. Mia cleaned it out but she didn’t see any fibers in there.”

  “Thank you both for coming tonight.”

  Mrs. Featherstone squeezed Selina’s shoulder. “Of course we could come for you and the duke. Just as you would if we needed you. It’s part of being a wise woman.”

  Selina stared at Colin’s pale face. She had never imagined she could love someone as much as she did him. It was all her fault that he’d been shot. He’d been trying to protect her.

  She wondered how upset he’d be when he discovered a wise woman tended his wounds instead of a surgeon. Perhaps he had learned that a male physician wasn’t always needed.

  “Selina,” Mrs. Featherstone said. “I will leave you everything you need for the evening. If you aren’t up to the task of watching him, Mia can stay with you.”

  “Thank you, Mrs. Featherstone. I shall be fine once the laudanum wears off.” She smiled at Mia. “And don’t ever let your daughter give me that dreadful stuff again.”

  “Would you rather have felt me sew you up like a dress?” Mia asked with a laugh.

  “No, I suppose not. Thank you both again.”

  “We shall return tomorrow to see both our patients. Give him more laudanum when he awakes. It will ease his pain.” Mrs. Featherstone put a vial of laudanum and another of willow bark on the table by his bed. “Send for me if he starts a fever.”

  “Of course.”

  The room settled down in a silent watch. The duchess and Kate let Selina stay closest to Colin’s bed as they took chairs by the window. The only sound in the room was the ticking of a clock on the fireplace mantel.

  Selina continued to stare at Colin’s face. As the night wore on, the stubble on his face grew darker. She liked the look on him. He groaned once or twice but otherwise slept peacefully.

  “Selina,” Kate whispered. “I am going to get Mother to bed. We are in the room one down on the left. I shall return after she is asleep.”

  “You don’t need to return. I will let you know if he awakens.”

  “I can’t let you sit here alone with an unmarried man. It would damage your reputation,” Kate explained logically.

  The duchess stood up slowly and yawned. “They are as good as engaged and you know it, Kate. He danced three times with her.”

  Kate shot her mother an angry glance. “It still isn’t right.”

  “As soon as he wakes, they will be properly betrothed,” the duchess insisted.

  “Come along, Mother.” Kate shook her head as she led her mother out of the room.

  Engaged.

  Selina returned her gaze to the man she loved. Until tonight, she had never thought it possible that he might love her. Or that she might fit into his world. But tonight had been magical.

  Several men had asked her to dance and wanted to court her. Of course, they might not have if they knew her true background. But it didn’t matter. The duchess had told her that just being seen with her and Colin gave her the appearance of respectability.

  Marriage to him would force her to go to London and into Society. Surely, someone would discover her background. Rumors were certain to follow. Colin would tell her that what people said didn’t matter. But it might reflect poorly on Kate and the duchess. Selina would hate to ruin Kate’s life.

  Besides, none of it mattered.

  Once he discovered the truth, he would hate her forever.

  Colin blink
ed his eyes open. He had no idea where he was, except he was certain the dimly lit room was not his. His shoulder hurt like blazes. He turned his head slightly and smiled. Selina sat in the wingback chair next to the bed with her head tilted against the corner. Her eyes were shut and her breathing even.

  What had happened?

  He racked his brain for a clue. The last thing he remembered was dancing a waltz with Selina as she realized what a third dance with him meant. Her face had been flushed and her eyes bright with dismay.

  Then something happened.

  But what?

  Colin moved his head in the other direction and noticed that Kate had fallen asleep on a small sofa. He closed his eyes and tried to think about what happened. Everything was blank after dancing with Selina.

  He attempted to turn on his side and pain radiated from his shoulder. He couldn’t suppress a groan. Damn, he didn’t want to wake her. He felt his right shoulder and touched a linen bandage.

  What the bloody hell had happened?

  He needed answers but wasn’t willing to wake either woman yet. Instead, he lay back against the pillows and shut his eyes. Perhaps if he rested, the pieces of the puzzle would fall into place.

  Except his eyes wouldn’t remain closed. He stared at Selina and then noticed that she, too, had a bandage on her shoulder. Frustration surged in him. He’d never felt so helpless in his life.

  He couldn’t take this any longer. “Selina,” he whispered.

  Her full lips lifted into a slight smile but her eyes didn’t open.

  “Selina,” he said slightly louder but hopefully not loud enough to wake Kate.

  She groaned slightly and rubbed her eyes. Finally, she opened her eyes. “You’re awake!”

  “Yes, what the bloody hell happened to us? And where are we? Why is my sister sleeping on the sofa? Where is the duchess?”

  “Slow down,” she said with a hushed laugh. “How did you wake with so many questions? When I woke, I was completely fuzzy-brained.”

  “When you woke?” he asked, confused by her statement. “Didn’t you just now awaken?”

  “No, earlier when you were still sleeping. After the laudanum wore off. Dreadful stuff. I only use it because it works so well.”

  “Darling, you are rambling and my patience is wearing thin. What the hell happened?”

  “You don’t remember anything?” She leaned forward and touched his forehead.

  “The last thing I remember is dancing with you. After that it’s all a blank.”

  “You were shot while we were dancing.” She slowly explained what occurred.

  “Why would someone shoot me?” Even as he spoke, he thought of how he’d treated the servants and tenants on the estate. Any one of them might have been angry enough to shoot at him.

  Selina stared down at their joined hands. The look on her face told him there was much more to this story.

  “What is wrong, Selina?”

  “I don’t think they were aiming at you.”

  “What are you talking about? Whom else would they have been aiming for?”

  “Me,” she whispered so quietly he almost didn’t hear her.

  “You?” Was she mad? “Why would anyone try to shoot you? Everyone on the estate loves you.” Then he remembered Mr. Baker. He might blame her for being banned from the estate. God, why didn’t he realize what could happen before he’d told the man to leave.

  “Not everyone loves me.”

  “Did you see the man who shot me?”

  She nodded slowly. “At first when I woke, I didn’t remember seeing him. But just now when I was napping it all came back to me. I saw the man. It just didn’t register in my mind as it happened.”

  “I’m going to kill Baker.”

  “Baker?”

  “Bertha’s brother. The man I banned from the estate after he was rude to you and hurt Miss Baker.” He squeezed her hand. “I’m so sorry, darling. I didn’t think that the man might blame you.”

  She frowned and shook her head. “It wasn’t Mr. Baker, Colin.”

  Colin searched his brain for one other person who might hold some resentment toward her. Maybe someone had found out about them and thought it wrong. “Who was it, Selina?”

  “Before I tell you, I need you to promise me something,” she said softly.

  “What do you want me to promise?”

  “That you will do nothing to hurt this man or his family. The man is still hurting and I am positive he wasn’t in his right mind last night.”

  How the hell could he promise her that? Right now, he wanted to throttle the man who did this to them both. “Very well, I promise. Now tell me who tried to hurt you.”

  “I tried to see her again a few days ago. I just had to make sure she was feeling better. I was hoping she would tell me that she and her husband would try to have children again soon.” Selina blinked back tears.

  “What happened?”

  “He was there again. He told me to leave his property and never attempt to see her again.” Selina sniffled. “I just wanted to help her.”

  Colin closed his eyes in thought. “It was Mr. Wells, wasn’t it?”

  “Yes,” Selina wiped away a tear.

  He clenched his fists and bit his tongue to keep from forbidding her from her healing. He knew that she would never give up her passion. But it took every bit of willpower he had to not speak up. He only wanted to protect her.

  “Colin, I know he might have killed you.”

  “Killed me! He might have killed you.”

  “He is not himself. They haven’t given each other time to heal from the death of their child. You should understand that more than any man.”

  He gritted his teeth. “I do understand that better than anyone. And as much as I wanted your mother dead, I never attempted to kill her.”

  Selina’s face went pallid. Her green eyes gleamed with tears.

  “Oh, hell, I’m sorry,” he whispered as guilt rushed through him for hurting her. God, he was an imbecile.

  “I have to leave now.” She rushed out of the room before he could even attempt to sit up.

  “Dammit, Selina. Come back.”

  Chapter 25

  Colin struggled against the nausea as he stood. Damn those women for stripping him down to his undergarments. Now he had to find his clothing. The room was too dimly lit to see much of anything away from the candle on the nightstand. He lifted the candle and searched for his trousers.

  “What the devil are you doing out of bed?” Kate said sharply as she sat up. “You should be lying down and resting.”

  “I need to find Selina.”

  “She was in the chair watching you. She probably just needed to relieve herself.” Slowly Kate rose and stretched.

  “She was here talking to me. I said something completely inane and hurt her feelings.”

  “Oh damn you stupid men. You always speak without thinking.” She walked over to him.

  Colin grabbed the chair as a wave of dizziness swept over him. Kate clasped his arm and led him back to the bed. “I need to find her, Kate.”

  “It’s four thirty in the morning. How far could she have gone?”

  He inhaled deeply, realizing his sister was right. He doubted Selina would even know the way home from here. She rarely left the estate.

  “You’re right,” he admitted sheepishly. “Besides, she wouldn’t have left her patient. Did you watch as she stitched me up?”

  Kate frowned. “She didn’t care for you. That was Mrs. Featherstone’s work. Hart rode back to his home and picked them up. He didn’t want anyone else to care for you.”

  Selina didn’t tend him. “I don’t understand. Was Selina too upset by the shooting?”

  Kate sat in the chair next to him. “Didn’t she tell you?”

  “Tell me what?”

  “The bullet went through you completely and grazed her shoulder. Miss Featherstone cared for Selina while Mrs. Featherstone tended you.”

  She’d been shot.
He closed his eyes and remembered the small bandage on her shoulder. And he had let her walk out of the room. “I have to find her.”

  He attempted to sit up only to have his sister force him back down. Damn he was weak.

  “You will go nowhere. She most likely went to our room. I will go find her and bring her back.”

  “Thank you, Kate.”

  She smiled down at him in a teasing way. “Just don’t get shot again. You about killed me.”

  “As you wish. Now go find my betrothed.”

  Kate searched her room and a few of the empty rooms on the floor but Selina was nowhere to be found. She couldn’t have left the house. Kate walked down the steps and searched in the salon, library, and study. Finally, she heard movement toward the back of the house and was certain she’d found her missing friend.

  Entering the kitchen, she said, “Excuse me, have you seen Miss White?”

  An older woman with a large apron walked toward her. “Out of my kitchen, my lady. This is no place for you.”

  “Yes, but have you seen Miss White?” Kate quickly described her.

  “All the fancy ladies are abed, which is where you should be, my lady. Now off with you.”

  Kate stomped her foot but then turned on her heels and continued her search. After two hours, the sun had come up and there was no sign of Selina. Feeling completely inadequate, she returned to her brother’s room. He was going to be so angry.

  As soon as she opened the door, he sat up in bed. “Did you find her?”

  Kate closed the door and leaned against it. “I searched everywhere for her, Colin. No one has seen her.”

  “Why would she have left?”

  “I can’t imagine. She hadn’t left your side from the moment she awoke from the laudanum.”

  He understood why she would have been upset with him. After all, he’d said he wanted to kill her mother. But that was in the past. “I want my carriage readied. She went back to her cottage.”

  Where she feels safe. He should have known if she was upset that would be the first place she’d go. Nothing, not even a gunshot wound, would stop him from finding her and apologizing. He had to make her understand that while he had loved Mary, he was over her now. Mary would have been furious with him for grieving this long.

  And she would have liked Selina.