Chapter Sixteen
Wolcott House
Hanover Square
The carriage-style clock on William’s bedside table softly chimed three. As his eyes fluttered open, the darkness pressed in on him. A candle guttered on the table, nearly burned down to a nub, waxed pooled and hardened in the brass holder. Clearly, it had been lit for quite some time.
“What the devil happened to me?” His voice sounded like a rusty gate, and his mouth was as dry as if he’d been dropped in the desert.
When he turned his head, his gaze fell onto the Duke of Scarborough, who sat in a winged-back chair pulled over to the bedside, and he was nodding off himself. “Barrington?”
The duke roused himself with a half-snore, but when he realized William was awake, his whole expression lit and relief reflected in his eyes. “Well, at least you’re not dead.”
“Of course I’m not, and I’m in bed.” But he wrinkled his nose, for there was a putrid and foul odor emanating from himself even though he was quite naked beneath the bedclothes. “What the hell?”
“You have no idea how glad I am to see you conscious.” Then Scarborough’s expression broke, and the moisture welling in his eyes dropped to his cheeks. He quickly dashed it away as he leaned forward. “We didn’t know what would happen to you for a bit there.”
“What?” Pushing himself up against the pillows, William frowned. He listened, but there was nothing untoward except the silence of the night. “How long have I been out?”
“Two days and two nights.” The duke put a hand on William’s shoulder and gave it an encouraging squeeze. “How are you feeling?”
That was a good question, for he hadn’t known there’d been anything wrong.
“I’m a bit groggy but I’m well enough, I think.
” He frowned again. “What happened? I vaguely remember something about confronting Francine and her blathering on about how she wanted to kill me for the damned signet ring. Then there was a bit of discomfort. After that, there is nothing but murk.”
Scarborough’s eyebrows rose. “Well, you have missed much.” He clasped his hands together and rested them on the side of the bed.
“To abbreviate a long story—of which you’ll hear about over the coming days—Mrs. Sherrington tried to indeed kill you with poison, ingeniously applied with a pen.
However, before she could plunge the nib into your body, Miss Primrose tackled her to the ground, resulting in you only receiving superficial scratches. ”
He put a hand to his throat, his fingers tracing the scratches that stretched all the way to his clavicle. “Shit. She really had a poisoned pen. I thought it was something Charlotte had made up out of her own imagination.”
“I wouldn’t know anything about that.” The duke continued.
“Unfortunately, those scratches put some poison into your system, which resulted in some rather unpleasant effects. A doctor was summoned. He gave you something that made you vomit, which you did all over yourself, all over the doctor, all over Miss Primrose, and nearly on me. Then you passed out. I conveyed you upstairs after that. You’ve been out for two whole days and nights. ”
“Shit.” The whole story was incredible.
“If you’re wondering, I stripped you down. You were already rank and would have been worse by now.” Only then did the duke flash a smile.
“I can imagine.” Francine had tried to kill him. Raising his left hand, he glanced at the damned yellow diamond in the signet ring. “All that for a fucking diamond.” He shook his head. “How is Charlotte? Was she injured?”
“She’s asleep. In the countess suite. It has exhausted her, that keeping vigil for you.
She wanted to be by your side but my wife convinced her to rest and have a bath.
” A sigh escaped the duke. “Once she tacked your former mistress to the ground, she then beat her head and shoulders with a sandal. I’ll wager Mrs. Sherrington had the worst of it. ”
Surprise and shock filled William’s chest. “Charlotte defended me even when she thought me dying?”
“She did.”
“What else happened?”
“Well, she had some interesting things to say to you.” Scarborough waved a hand then stretched his back. “Damn, I need to go for a walk to stretch my legs. How are you feeling now that you’ve been awake for a bit?”
With his mind in a tumult, William shrugged. “Quite well, actually. Refreshed, and I’m ravenously hungry.” As soon as he said that, his stomach let out a loud growl.
The duke snickered. “That is to be expected.”
“But I stink to high heaven.” God, how could anyone stand him in the last two days?
“You do, so you’ll need a bath before you ring for breakfast. Also before…” His words trailed off and he raised an eyebrow with a nod.
What the hell was his friend trying to say? “Before what?”
“You know.”
He frowned. “I’m afraid I don’t. There’s not much I remember from that night, if that’s what you mean.”
“No, I suppose you don’t.” With a cheeky grin, Scarborough stood up from the chair. “What I meant was before you declare your feelings to Miss Primrose and put the poor girl out of her misery.”
“What’s wrong with Charlotte?” His spine went ramrod straight. “Was she hurt after all?”
“Calm down, Wolcott. She only has bruises and a gut full of worry.”
“Why? I mean, of course she was concerned for me, but why for the other thing?” Truly, he had no idea what was happening. Try as he might, there just wasn’t a memory of that night after a point.
Scarborough pointed his gaze to the ceiling before landing it on William.
“She loves you, you great nodcock. In fact, she was out of her mind when she thought you were dying. Said many pretty words to you, but you were out of your mind and didn’t respond.
” His grin widened. “The woman kept vigil by your side when I haven’t been here.
She is going to make you a fine wife and a fierce countess.
If I wasn’t so happy and secure in my own marriage, I might be jealous over what you’ll have with her. ”
An ache set up around his heart. “I missed everything?”
“Seems so.”
“Will you tell me what she said?”
“I will not. It’s not my story to share.”
A shiver went down William’s spine. Oddly enough, the urge to see her grew strong, above all his other needs, and he flung back the bedclothes. “I need to find her.”
“Not now.” The duke dropped a staying hand on his shoulder.
“Why?”
“One, you’re naked. Two, you’ve been in the land of the dead for days.
Three, your beard and mustache need trimming, to say nothing about your hair that’s matted with God knows what.
And four, you’re a stinking mess. As it is, they’ll have to burn your clothes as well as the bed dressings.
” He winked. “When you talk with your fiancée, you should look a bit presentable.”
“Fair points.” He quickly covered himself with the bedclothes. “Then what should I do? After I bathe and eat?”
“Truly?” When William nodded, Scarborough sighed.
“Ask for her hand from your own free will, then marry her as soon as you can. Not because her father demands it by All Hallow’s Eve, not out of scandal or obligation, but because you feel that you can’t live without her for one more day… because you love her.”
“What?” Another wave of shock moved through him, but this time it brought with it a bit of panic. “Love? I don’t love her, do I?” But in that moment, he knew the words were a lie, for this had been coming for a while.
The duke eyed him askance. “Don’t be a nodcock. Of course you love her. It shows in your body language and your eyes every time you are in her company.”
“Oh, I…” Yet that was exactly it, and what he felt when they’d shared that private dance in the parlor before the ball officially started. “But…” What if he cocked it up? What if his bad luck followed him into the marriage? What if—
“Listen, Wolcott. You have already gone through the fear. There is nothing on the other side except happiness and peace—mostly—so, my friend, tell her everything. It’s time to usher the good into your life.
” Then the duke strode over to the bellpull near the door.
He gave it a yank. “I’m not going to wake Miss Primrose just yet.
You have a good two or three hours of preparation ahead before she can see you.
And besides, my wife is sleeping as well, and she doesn’t like being cheated of slumber. ”
“Right.” Unease circled through his chest. “Will you remain here, to smooth the way in the event I need it?”
“Of course.” The duke’s expression softened. “Again, I’m glad you’re back with us.”