Bewitching the Duke

“I shall check on him. Where is your brother?”

“Edward is with him now.”

Selina headed to the small bedroom on the main floor. Inside, the room was darkened and stunk of bodily waste. “Good morning, Mr. Baker.”

She walked directly to the windows and opened the curtains. “Why is this room so dark?”

Mr. Baker rose from his seat near the bed and shrugged. “Ain’t that what you’re supposed to do?”

Selina wanted to shake the man. “No. Get this room cleaned up right now. All chamber pots emptied and I want fresh linens on this bed.”

“Now, Miss White,” Mr. Baker strolled closer. “The man’s going to die so why does it matter ’bout the linens? It’s just more for Bertha to wash.”

The rancid smell of his breath almost made her vomit. There were very few tenants she truly disliked but this man was one. Being near him always made her skin crawl. “Do as I say, now, or I leave.”

He took a step even closer. “Go ahead and leave. Bertha’s the one who called for you, not me. He can die anytime. One less mouth to try and feed. Now you,” he said as he reached for her unbound hair, “I wouldn’t mind watching you eat . . . me that is.”

A sliver of fear wove through her. Mr. Baker had never been this overt in his intentions. “Bertha, can you come here for a moment.”

“Don’t you come in here, Bertha,” Mr. Baker shouted. “This is between her and me.”

“Indeed,” said a menacing voice from the threshold. “Somehow I think I might have a say in this.”

Selina breathed again. “Your Grace, can you please escort Mr. Baker out of this room?”

She glanced over to see a gleam of anger in Colin’s eyes.

“With pleasure, Miss White.”

“Your Grace?” Mr. Baker said with a gulp.

“Mr. Baker, you and I need to have a little conversation outside.” Colin strode toward him and grabbed his arm. He dragged him out of the room.

Once they left, Bertha entered the room. “I’m sorry, Selina.”

“I know, Bertha. I’ve tended your bruises before.” She went to the bed and examined Bertha’s father. “He is severely dehydrated. When did he stop drinking water?”

“I don’t know. Edward wouldn’t let me tend to him. That’s why I called for you.”

The man was trying to kill his own father. “All right. Try to get him to drink. And clean up this room. The windows should be open to get some fresh air in here. I’ll come back tomorrow to check on him but he might not make it.”

Bertha nodded. “I know.”

Selina gathered her things and walked out to find Colin. Leaving the house, she saw Colin leaning against a tree with a very self-satisfied look upon his face. Mr. Baker ambled toward her, holding his stomach.

“I owe you an apology, Sel . . . Miss White.”

&nbs

p; “Apology accepted.” She glanced over his shoulder to see Colin give a quick nod. “But you are not to tend to your father. From now on only Bertha will look after him.”

“All right.” He walked away from her with a quick look back at Colin.

“What an odious man,” Colin said as they started walking to the next tenant’s home.

“You have no idea.”

They walked along in silence for a short while until Selina put a hand on his arm to stop him. She looked up into his blue eyes and never wanted to look away. “Thank you.”