Bewitching the Duke

“Of course, Miss White. She left here this morning and hasn’t been seen again. Did you hurt her?”

“No, Your Grace,” Mr. Wells said quickly. “I ain’t seen her since last night at the ball.”

“Get him out of here, Hart,” the duke said, pushing Mr. Wells away.

“What do you want me to do with them?” Hart asked as he grabbed them both by the arm.

“Escort them off my property.” The duke stared at them both. “And do not ever return.”

They both nodded and as they left Mia finally stepped forward again. “Your Grace, in order to help find her, we might need to know what exactly caused her to leave so suddenly.”

The duke sat back down and stared at his cooling soup. “When she was telling me what had happened with Mrs. Wells, I made a comment about her mother.”

Mia looked at her mother and frowned. “What did you say?”

“I told her that what had happened to Mrs. Wells was no reason to shoot a person. And that I had wanted to kill her mother after I lost my wife and son but had never acted on that thought.”

“Oh, dear God,” Mia said and then slapped a hand over her mouth.

Chapter 26

Selina woke the next morning after a fitful night on Tia’s small sofa. Tia had been so happy to see her last evening and had started packing for London immediately. She would leave on the next post this afternoon.

“You’re awake,” Tia said, fumbling with the kettle. “I was just putting on some tea.”

“That sounds lovely.”

“Once you’ve had breakfast, I’ll show you where everything is. Do you want me to introduce you to the tenants?”

Selina rose and folded the blanket. “No. I would prefer to keep my presence here quiet for a short time.”

Tia shrugged. “Very well. Do you want some toast or eggs?”

“I can’t eat this morning.” Her stomach was in knots. She had lain awake half the night wondering if Colin was all right. Then berating herself for caring about a man who could be so cruel.

“I have no appetite either. I can’t believe I’m going to London to find Jonathon.”

Selina took a seat at the small, scratched table. “Do you really think this is a wise idea?”

“Of course it is. That dratted Middleton forced Jonathon to go to town to get away from me. He thinks I’m going to seduce his brother.”

“Isn’t that exactly your plan?”

Tia rolled her eyes. “Not exactly. I hope to ring a proposal out of him first. Then I shall seduce him.”

“Good luck.”

“Thank you!” Tia fluttered around the fireplace and readied the tea. “I just wish you had made this decision a fortnight ago. It may take me some time to find Jonathon in town.”

“You don’t know where to find him?”

Tia laughed. “He is either at the viscount’s town home or at the Albany. Where else would he be?”

Selina rubbed her forehead. Her friend needed to be stopped but she was more stubborn than Mia when she made up her mind. Nothing was going to stop her from going to London. “Do you have a place to stay?”

“Yes, I wrote to one of the former tenants’ daughters. She has a small place with her husband. She will let me stay there until Jonathon proposes.”

That was one saving grace, Selina thought. She sipped her tea and worried again about Colin. It was a little too early to have started a fever. She shook her head, angry with herself for caring.