Bewitching the Duke

“Your Grace,” Mrs. Featherstone said, opening the door. “What brings you here? Is your wound bothering you?”

“Only a little. I came to speak with your daughter. Is she at home?”

“She went to help one of the servants.”

“Thank you. I shall ride up to the house, then. Thank you again for caring for me.”

“Of course, Your Grace.”

Colin rode up to the main house. After giving his horse to a stableboy, he was welcomed inside.

“Good afternoon, Your Grace,” the butler said with a bow. “I shall tell his lordship that you are here to see him.”

“Actually, I came to speak with Miss Featherstone. Her mother told me I would find her here.”

“I’m sorry, Your Grace, but she left about ten minutes ago. She said she had a few more visits to make.”

Damn. He didn’t feel like returning to Mrs. Featherstone’s cottage to wait for her. That older woman had a stare that would frighten any man.

“Shall I tell his lordship you are here?”

“Yes.” Perhaps a bit of brandy with Hart would ease his frustration.

The butler sent a footman to search out Hart while Colin waited in his study. He poured two snifters of brandy and set one on a table for his friend. Then he walked to the window and stared out at the overcast day.

He prayed she was all right. The more time that passed, the more he worried some harm may have befallen her. He’d never forgive himself if that were true because of some foolish words he’d spoken in front of her.

“Any word?”

Colin shook his head. “No. I actually came to speak with Miss Featherstone.”

“She left only a few minutes ago.”

“I know.”

Colin sipped his brandy and let the heady liquid wash over his tongue. Maybe getting completely sodden would ease his mind. He doubted even that would help.

“Where the hell is she, Hart?”

“I wish I knew.” Hart sat down and drained his glass in one large gulp. “Is there any possibility she went to London?”

“She once told me she had no desire to leave the countryside for the ills she would see in town. I just can’t imagine she’d run there.” Even still, he would contact a Bow Street runner tomorrow to start searching.

Hart placed his glass back on the table. “I asked Miss Featherstone about Selina’s family and she told me Selina had never met her father’s family. Mrs. Featherstone admitted the man married down. He was the second son of a squire in Suffolk.”

“How can I find her when I have no way of knowing where she might be?”

“You might not be able to, North. She might be out of your life forever.”

Colin clenched his fists. He would not stop searching for her until he found her. As the evening wore on, the men continued to drink until they were so deep in their cups, Colin knew he would be spending the night.

Mia awoke the next morning feeling sick to her stomach. It just wasn’t like Selina to leave without a note to her. She slowly sipped her tea while her mother paid a visit to a sick tenant.

A knock scraped the door. “Come in.”

One of Middleton’s tenants opened the door. “Good morning, Miss Featherstone. I have a message from Miss Tia for your mother.”

“Thank you,” she said and reached for the message. “Would you like some tea?”