Page 94 of Enslaved to the Seduction of a Lady
Chapter Thirty-Four
“The physician is already waiting in Lady Alison’s chambers,” Jeffries said as they bustled through the front door. “Take her there immediately, please.”
The two men carrying Alison went straight to the stairs and started their way up. Luke went with them, but before he’d taken even three steps, he felt a heavy hand on his shoulder.
“Not so fast,” James said, eyeing him carefully. Luke swung around to face him, eyes pleading.
“Please, I’ve got to go with her. I need to make sure she’s—”
“You’re going nowhere but to the Duke’s study,” James said, his words dripping with fierce determination.
“But—”
“No, Luke,” James said. He moved to stand in front of Luke, blocking his path. “The Duke and the Duchess are waiting for you in the Duke’s study.”
He put a hand to Luke’s arm, a warning signal that he would be forced if he did not volunteer. Luke wanted more than anything to ensure Alison was safe and being well looked after, but he knew he would need to see the Duke first. He was determined to deal with this once and for all.
The Duchess sat in a chair in the corner of the room, having curled herself up as small as she could, not unlike how Alison had cowered after the crash. The Duke, though, he marched up and down the length of the study, his face red with fury and his fists clenched by his sides.
When Luke entered, the Duke glared at him, nostrils flaring. Luke stood his ground, looking back at the Duke eye-to-eye.
“You,” the Duke said, his words muffled through his gritted teeth.
“It’s not what you think, Your Grace,” Luke said as he was shoved through the door. He stumbled but then righted himself and looked from the Duke to the Duchess. “Alison and I are in love. I mean only to protect her.”
“Sit down,” the Duke growled, and with a shocked expression Luke did exactly as he was told.
“Lady Alison is with the physician now, Your Grace,” James said. Luke watched the smug expression on his so-called friend’s face and he wanted to rage, but he knew that would do him no good.
“No thanks tohim,” the Duchess spat. “Do something about the brute, Charles, or I shall be forced to do something in your place.”
The Duke stopped pacing in front of Luke’s chair and glared down at him. “Well?” he demanded. “What have you got to say for yourself?”
“It’s not what you think, Your Grace,” Luke said, trying to keep his voice calm and level.
“First you steal a family heirloom, and then you steal my daughter. And leave her injured, no less! Were you hoping to kill her?”
“I didn’tstealher, Your Grace. We were…” he shook his head, “that doesn’t matter right now. What matters is that Lady Alison is—”
“She is no concern of yours!” The Duke’s roar was so loud that Luke pushed back in his seat, eyes wide with shock.
They were interrupted by a knock at the door, and James opened it to find Sam, the young lad who worked in the stables. He twisted his hat around in his hands, his shoulders curled in and his face lowered.
“Not now,” the Duke said, before the poor lad had a chance to say anything.
Luke looked at him curiously. For him to even consider approaching the Duke was quite something, even if Jeffries was hovering awkwardly behind him. There was something else going on, Luke knew it.
“Your Grace,” Jeffries said. “I do not wish to intrude, but Sam has something important he wishes to say to you.”
“I don’t care for what he has to say,” the Duke spat. “Fetch the Constable right away. I want Mr. Jones imprisoned right away.”
“Please, Your Grace,” Sam said, not raising his eyes from the floor. “I believe I have some information. I ‘eard some things that may be of some use to you, Your Grace.”
Luke’s heart went out to the young man, who stumbled over his words and changed his manner of speaking, all thanks to the trembling fear he no doubt felt in the presence of the Duke.
The Duke breathed heavily, noisily, for a long moment, watching Sam squirm under his intense gaze.
“All right,” the Duke finally said, sighing deeply, although he still spoke through gritted teeth and Luke could see that his patience was wearing thin. “Come in if you must.”
