Page 44 of A Duke Under Her Spell
“Yes, it is I,” she answered, moving so that he might see her face.
“Are you well? Where have you been? Mr. Wheatly said that you were needed elsewhere to aid another, but that you were taken against your will.”
“Yes, I was taken to help another. I will tell you all about it when you are feeling better. You need your rest. I will simply tend to your wound and then allow you to return to sleep.”
Felix moved forward and laid out Marybeth’s supplies upon the side table so that she might access them more readily. Working together they quickly changed Oliver’s bandage.
“Your Grace,” Mr. Wheatly appeared in the doorway and they all turned to face him. “I was informed that you had returned and wished to speak with me. Forgive me for not greeting you at the door, but I was serving my duty as watchman in the hidden room.”
“It is upon that very subject that I wish to speak with you. Has our unwelcome guest resurfaced?”
“No, Your Grace. He has not been seen.”
“Nor was he seen at the castle when I spoke with the guard there.”
“I do not understand any of this,” Marybeth murmured shaking her head.
“Nor do I,” Felix agreed.
“These have been difficult days indeed,” Mr. Wheatly mused, frowning.
“Mr. Wheatly, you should not have been serving guard duty in that room alone.”
“I may be an old man, Your Grace, but I am still capable of doing my duty.”
“Indeed, you are, Mr. Wheatly. My apologies if I caused offense.”
“Not at all. Think nothing of it, Your Grace. It is my honor and duty to serve.”
“Perhaps Oliver’s discovery of the hidden room and trapdoor has frightened the intruder away,” Marybeth offered, as she made Oliver some willow bark tea for the pain.
“We can only hope,” Felix answered, nodding.
Mrs. Taylor entered the room. “Pardon the interruption, Your Grace, but there is a man at the door claiming to be Miss Wright’s brother.”
Marybeth’s head snapped up in surprise. Felix turned and met her eyes. “You do not have to receive anyone that you do not wish to see.”
“It may be pertaining to the one that was injured. I am not certain I could live with the guilt of not offering aid if a life hung in the balance.” Marybeth did not feel at all certain that she wished to see anyone from Enfield, but she straightened herself up as best she could and informed Felix that she was ready.
“I will go with you to ensure that this is not the manipulations of Lord Enfield.” Felix followed Marybeth as she left the room. “I will not have you harmed by that man ever again.”
Marybeth wished that his words could be true, but even as he said it, she somehow knew that it was not within his power to keep such a promise, no matter how much he may believe that it were. “If only you could,” she whispered. Taking a deep breath, she prepared to meet her brother.
Chapter 19
As Marybeth approached the library, she was not quite sure what to expect. There had been eight brothers in the forest and any one of them could have come to speak with her on their father’s behalf. She hoped that the wounded one named Stephen had not worsened since she had last cared for him. The forest floor was not the best place to clean and tend a wound. She knew it was quite possible that his leg could have become inflamed. She prayed silently that it was not for both her and Stephen’s sake.
As she and Felix walked through the door, they found a tall, broad shouldered, dark haired man standing staring out of the window. His back was to them so they could not make out which brother he was. “Hello,” Marybeth greeted tentatively. “Mrs. Taylor, the head housekeeper, said you wished to speak with me?”
The man turned and met her eyes, a mirror of his own. “Yes, I do.” He moved forward and bowed his head to Felix in respect. “Your Grace. With your permission, I have come to speak with my sister. You of course are welcome to stay, as it is your house, but I assure you that I mean her no harm.”
Marybeth was surprised at the ease in which he had read Felix’s thoughts. She turned to look at Felix and found that his stance was very much that of a man guarding something most precious to him. She smiled slightly at him reassuringly and he nodded his consent, but did not move to leave the room. Marybeth was glad for his presence. “You may,” Felix granted his consent, but his tone held an edge of warning.
“My name is Alexander. I am the second son of Lord Enfield,” he introduced himself bowing ever so slightly over Marybeth’s hand, then quickly releasing it, stepped back a respectful distance.
“And why have you come?” Felix demanded to know.
“I have come on behalf of my brother, Stephen, to thank you for the kindness you rendered unto him in the forest.” Alexander produced something small from his vest pocket and extended it out to Marybeth. “It was our mother’s.” He opened his palm and nestled within was the tiniest band of gold topped by a delicate crimson ruby.
