Page 48 of A Duke Under Her Spell
“You are correct, of course,” Felix replied, saddened by her refusal, but knowing she was right.Life indeed must go on. For me that means marriage to Lady Cordelia. Now that the danger has been dealt with, I will be forced to resume our courtship.Felix groaned in inward misery at the thought.I will miss my dear Marybeth and the moments we have shared together. She has been a breath of fresh air into our lives when all hope was nearly gone. I will never be able to repay her for that.
Marybeth nodded and left the room. Felix knew that she would still be around the manor house tending to his mother, but it would no longer be as intimate as it had been.Odd that I have never felt more alive as I have in these last few days of danger and mysterious intrigue. I have been so consumed with finding a cure for Mother over the years that I had never stopped to think about all of the things she and I had missed in our pursuit of life itself.
“Mr. Wheatly,” Felix summoned.
“Yes, Your Grace?”
“I believe once we have sorted out this mess with the magistrate and all propriety has been observed, we should begin preparations for a brief trip to Bath. I intended to take the Dowager Duchess before all of this occurred and I believe the time has come that we might safely do so.”
“A splendid plan, Your Grace. Her Grace will be greatly pleased. I will begin preparations immediately upon the magistrate’s departure.”
“Thank you, Mr. Wheatly.”
After issuing orders for the remaining staff that stood around staring at the corpse, Felix and Mr. Wheatly continued to stand guard over the body as they awaited the magistrate’s arrival. An odd sensation of discontent settled over Felix’s being. It confused him greatly because he knew that he should feel elated at the capture of the culprit who had terrorized his home and yet he did not feel that they had truly achieved safety and security. Instead, he felt a gnawing sense of doubt about it.
When the magistrate arrived, he examined the body, took witness statements, and went to look at the place where the intruder had been killed in the walls. Patrick and the men he had selected had made short order of tearing out the appropriate section and stood by waiting to clean the blood and rebuild the wall at their master’s behest. Felix was grateful for their efforts.
“Well, Your Grace, it would appear we have a simple straight forward case of defense here, possibly even suicide from what your man said. I do not believe there is any need for further legal action on the matter. Would you like for me to take the body and arrange for burial? The undertaker rode up with me and awaits my orders outside,” the Magistrate offered.
“Yes, thank you. I believe we are all ready for this matter to be put to rest and for normal life to resume once more.”
“I should say so,” the magistrate looked at him with sympathetic eyes. “I shall have the undertaker take the body away immediately.”
“Thank you,” Felix answered. “I have a healer here who has offered to aid in the cleaning of the body if her services should be needed.”
“That is most kind, Your Grace. I will inform the undertaker, but it is likely that he will choose to take the body as it is.”
“Very well.”
Felix walked the portly official to the door and watched as he hobbled out to his waiting carriage. The magistrate spoke with someone inside and a tall, pale, solemn faced man exited the carriage with a large folded piece of cloth under his arm. The undertaker followed the magistrate back through the house to the secret room where he wrapped the body in the cloth and then motioned for two of the household footmen to aid him in carrying the body to the carriage.
The footmen looked to Felix for his consent. He nodded his assent and they stepped forward picking the body up by its torso and legs. The undertaker followed without nary a word other than a bow and to murmur, “Your Grace,” as he passed Felix in the doorway. The magistrate did the same and then they were gone. The entire matter had been dealt with in very short order.
“Well, that is that,” Mr. Wheatly sighed and then began issuing orders for the entire household to clean up the mess, removing all evidence that a death had ever occurred.
Felix climbed the stairs to his mother’s bedchamber and entered to find Lady Cordelia sitting next to his mother reading. “Lady Cordelia,” he greeted in surprise. “I was not made aware that you had arrived.” He looked about the room but did not find Marybeth anywhere.
“I told them not to bother you. It was plain that you were otherwise occupied, and I really only came by to see how your dear mother was doing. When I heard of the distress within the household, I thought perhaps a distraction might be in order,” she replied lifting the book in her hand in illustration.
“That is most kind of you, My Lady,” Felix complimented with a smile.Perhaps she has more merit than I have given her credit for.Stepping forward, Felix came to sit beside his mother upon the bed. “How do you feel?” he asked in earnest. He had been concerned that all of the excitement might not be good for her.
The Dowager Duchess lifted her hand and caressed her son’s cheek. “Do not worry for me, my dear Felix. Marybeth’s herbs are doing wonders for me.”
“I am so very glad to hear it, Mother. I have been quite concerned for you these last days with all that had transpired. I am relieved to see that the anxiety of it has not dampened your spirits.”
“Knowing that all within our household are safe once more is all the boon I need,” the Dowager Duchess admitted with a smile.
“Well, now that life can once again resume its normal pattern, what would you say to a trip to Bath?”
“Oh, I adore Bath!” Lady Cordelia exclaimed, her eyes alight with excitement.
“Would you and the Earl care to join us, Lady Cordelia?” The Dowager Duchess asked smiling kindly at the girl.
“Oh, yes! Thank you! We would be most honored,” Lady Cordelia accepted the Duchess’s invitation. “When will we depart?” she asked turning her gaze back to Felix.
“Upon the morrow?” he inquired. He had not planned on taking anyone other than his mother, Marybeth, and his mother’s lady’s maid, but he supposed that the trip would give them all a chance to become better acquainted. They had all lived within riding distance of one another their entire lives and yet had hardly spoken a word, or in some cases had never met, in all that time.
“So soon? I must rush home and begin packing this instant,” Lady Cordelia gushed. She stood up, curtsied to them both, and then glided from the room. Felix had never seen her so excited.
