Asylum for a Duchess: A Duchess of Blackmoore Mystery (Duchess of Blackmoore Mysteries Book 3) by Nellie H. Steele

Author:Nellie H. Steele [Steele, Nellie H.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: A Novel Idea Publishing, LLC
Published: 2023-07-17T23:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER 18

I snapped my gaze to Robert, my jaw agape. “What do you mean no one is there?”

“The crib shakes, and Sarah cries. But no one is there, Mummy,” Sam answered, his eyes sliding closed and thumb sliding into his mouth.

My eyes widened at the statement, and I glanced at Robert again.

“Sam,” Robert called to him.

I shook my head, lowering my voice. “He is asleep.”

“Then we shall wake him,” Robert said, reaching to shake the poor child.

“No!” I scolded him. “The poor child is exhausted. Let him sleep.”

“Lenora,” Robert exclaimed in a hushed tone, “he has just made a very, very odd statement. And I, for one, would like to question him about it.”

“We shall question him about it when he is awake. Though I can discern his meaning. Someone or…something visits Sarah in the wee hours. Just as my dream hinted.”

Robert crossed his arms over his chest with a deep sigh and scowl. “I would say this is preposterous, but given the circumstances we have lived through since I married you, I am afraid it is not.”

“I’m sorry,” I sighed.

Robert snapped his gaze to me. “Do not apologize. It is not your doing.”

My stomach continued to somersault as my dream paraded through my mind again and Sam’s words rattled along with it. “I fear Sarah may be doomed to suffer from the same affliction I do.”

Robert stared down at the child asleep on my chest.

“At least she has a mother who can guide her through her life,” Sinclair whispered. “Oh, forgive me, Your Grace, but I had to speak up.”

I flicked my gaze to her. “Has there been any talk amongst the servants of odd happenings in the nursery?”

She shook her head and pursed her lips. “No. Nothing that has reached my ears. Perhaps we should ask Nanny.”

I nodded as I continued to rub Sam’s back. “Yes, I believe we should.”

“I shall fetch her, Your Grace.”

Sinclair bustled from the room, returning in a moment with Nanny in tow.

“Oh, dear,” Nanny lamented as she neared the bed. “If I may request the services of Miss Sinclair to assist me in returning the children to the nursery–”

“Just a moment, Nanny,” Robert said, rising from the bed, “there is something we must discuss.”

“Of course, Your Grace,” Nanny said. I pitied her at that moment as a concerned expression flitted across her features.

I stepped into the conversation before Robert came across too harshly. “Sam made an odd comment, and we wished to discuss it with you.”

Nanny fidgeted, wiggling her arms around as she nodded. “Oh?”

“He mentioned Sarah crying at night because her crib shook.”

Nanny’s eyebrows shot up toward her already graying hairline. “Well, all children fuss a bit at night. I assure you I tend to her right away and see that she is fed, changed, or comforted back into her peaceful slumber.”

“Of course,” I said, “please do not misunderstand. I have every confidence that you attend to her needs in a more than timely manner.”

Her forehead pinched as I spoke.

“What concerned us was the shaking crib.

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