A Duke, the Lady, and a Baby by Vanessa Riley

Author:Vanessa Riley
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
Published: 2020-04-02T00:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER 18

THE LAST LETTER

I beat my hands and tried to awaken, but I was trapped. He passed beside me. His haunted hazel eyes were so close to my face.

A chill covered my skin as I followed Colin.

He locked himself in a room. I heard shouts, threats, murderous threats.

When I opened the door, he turned to me, his face twisted, ghastly twisted in grief. Then, I heard Colin. His voice was faint but growing louder. “Your fault. Your fault, you killed me.”

Shaking, sobbing, I opened my eyes.

A candle burned, but everything was a blur. I blinked until I could focus.

Breathing made everything hurt.

Nothing seemed right. I was a ship too far from the shore. Tangling in a bedsheet, I swam upstream, swinging my arms until I sat upright.

I wasn’t dead or caught somewhere in between, was I?

Not with aches like this. I had to be among the living.

But where was I?

A window dressing in fine muslin and sheers sat open, blowing cold air into the room.

This wasn’t the bare servants’ quarters in the attic.

Rubbing my jaw, I studied the walls, the jonquil yellow paint.

Not Bedlam.

One of the bedchambers of the second floor? This wasn’t right at all.

The sun wasn’t outside the window. I saw stars in my vision and in the dark sky.

It was the dead of night.

The fallen chandelier.

The duke and I escaping its collapse. Did we both escape?

The bandage on my hand, the lump on the back of my skull said I wasn’t unscathed.

The duke? How was he?

And where was Lionel?

I gripped my neck. The high collar of my rust gown was gone. White muslin wrapped my limbs, not Bedlam’s chains.

My heart pounded as if it had become a drum. The musicians in me beat it hard and crazy. I had to get up and make sense of things.

I stood on my second attempt.

A momentary win.

The noise in both my ears made me fall back. I crashed onto the mattress, headfirst.

“Dearest? You’re awake.” Jemina helped me sit, then hugged me. “You do remember me?”

“Yes. I remember.”

Jemina kissed my forehead. “I was so afraid you wouldn’t. Your nightmares were so vivid, I didn’t think you’d be free. Not everyone can keep their memories.”

I put her hand to my heart. “We widows have lost enough. No more. It wasn’t smart to do what I did to save the duke, but I had to.”

“It was better than smart. It was brave. The poor duke was shaken. He’s very concerned about you. It’s why we are in the room connected to his.”

The connecting bedchamber.

The room that would have been mine if Colin hadn’t insisted I have the best bedroom. It didn’t mean he’d stay, but that was the love he could give.

My foggy thoughts were too fluid, drifting in too many directions. I clutched the bedpost to keep from swaying. “Where’s Lionel?”

“He went to sleep an hour ago. Your baby’s fine. Lady Shrewsbury stayed with him as her physician made sure you were well. The duke took over his care and has had your son ever since.

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