Bewitching the Duke

“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.