Page 48 of Trapped with the Forbidden Duke
Edwina was left hovering in the hallway, unsure where she wished to be.
Chapter Fourteen
The following morning, Edwina came down for breakfast with a strange hope in her heart. Could things begin to change? Not just for her but all of them, even her aunt.
She paused upon seeing her aunt on her way to the breakfast room, but she noticed that Isabel stopped before a painting—one that had been brought in specially to decorate the house.
“Good morning, Aunt Isabel,” Edwina greeted, approaching her aunt.
“A good morning it is, dear niece! Oh, have you seen this painting? Why, do you not think the maiden in it resembles me?”
Edwina cocked her head at the young woman in the painting, pretty and slender, before turning her attention back to her aunt, who was most certainly not.
Isabel narrowed her eyes, waving her off. “Do not dare disrespect me, child,” she huffed. “I was a gloriously beautiful lady back in my day. I could spin around the dance floor of any ballroom for hours! I dare say that those were some of my far better days.”
“So you have mentioned once or twice,” Edwina said delicately. “Aunt Isabel, there is something I wish to discuss?—”
“I wonder where His Grace is on this fine morning. No doubt he is handsomely riding a grand steed of his, simplyoozingauthority. We are very fortunate that he has agreed to aid us. I did have some objections at first, but now I see that he has been good to us.”
“Indeed, very good,” she agreed hurriedly. “But I must speak?—”
“Apparently, word got out that we are connected to His Grace, and I am to have afternoon tea with some old friends before I depart for the countryside. Oh, do not look so panicked, dear! I am not leaving yet. Although Heaven knows that Nicholas will not even know his dear old aunt was here.” The last part was muttered with a sniff. “How my heart aches with his absence.”
“I wished to speak with you about my brother, as a matter of fact,” Edwina continued. “Nicholas is rather sick, Aunt Isabel. That is why he has been resting a lot, and?—”
“Sick?” Isabel cried, drawing back. “Sick? What sort of ailment? Is he contagious? Heavens, we must send for a physician. Wemust shut the house down.” Her face turned white with horror. “I dare not ask if His Grace knows and has been infected?—”
“It is not that sort of illness,” Edwina rushed to say. “It is a more…personalailment, and His Grace indeed knows. He has even suggested a countryside retreat for Nicholas. He wishes to help him.”
Isabel blinked several times before her face broke into a wide smile. “He is so very good to us, is he not? But why did you not tell me sooner about your brother’s illness?”
“I did not think it was as bad as it turned out to be. The physician has examined him, and His Grace has concluded that we must arrange for him to be treated.”
Her aunt furrowed her brow. “It is rather concerning that I did not pick up on this.”
“I have more news,” Edwina continued, clasping her hands nervously. “The Duke and I are engaged.”
Her aunt’s face paled, and she clutched the wall behind her.
“Heavens, am I so heavy a sleeper that I have missed all of this?” Her eyes glazed over as she frowned. “I… When? How?Why? I had assumed he…” She frowned harder. “When I advised him to find a woman to share his life with, I did not quite mean within the house.”
Edwina cleared her throat as she helped her aunt straighten up so they could continue to the breakfast room, but Isabel stopped short.
“Does your brother know?” she cried out. “I shan’t be the one to tell him! Edwina, you must tell him yourself! And do so when I am far, far away from him. I have seen men fight over their sisters’ honor before. And it was most awful. I do not wish to see such a sight.”
She pressed a hand to her heart and fanned herself with her other hand.
“You are to become a duchess?” she asked.
Edwina nodded, her nerves rising. “I am, indeed.”
“Is it… in exchange for his help?” Isabel whispered. “He spins our world around but snatches my niece away?”
“Aunt Isabel, please do not fret,” Edwina said gently. “The Duke is not snatching me away from you, and we will likely live close to one another. I am sure we shall visit, and you and I shall eat chocolate until we are full, and drink lemonade in your beautiful garden.”
“I shall find the Duke himself and interrogate him,” Isabel concluded. “Do not worry, dear, I shall find out his true intentions. If you are to go to Stormhold, then I will ensure it is not without good, honorable cause.”
But when they entered the breakfast room, neither the Duke nor Nicholas were there, and Edwina recalled that Lucien had promised to obtain the special license.
