Page 63 of The Duchess' Replacement

Charles’s jaw clenched at the sound of giggles coming from the hallway. He left the spot in front of his window where he spent the last forty-five minutes pacing and charged out into the hallway.

“Where have you been?” His booming voice echoed throughout the hallway causing the girls to jump.

“Charles! You scar-”

Charles walked straight past Sarah and took a hold of Nora by the shoulders.

“Are you all right? Where were you? It’s late and you know better than to walk around by yourself.” Charles hated how frantic he sounded.

Just then a pointed finger poked, rather harshly, into this shoulder.

“Excuse me. She was not alone, I was with her.” Sarah’s voice was stern and unmoving.

He glanced over his shoulder to see his wife standing there perplexed and most likely offended. He shrugged her off. She wasn’t his concern right now.

Charles held Nora at arms length while he looked over her to make sure she was unhurt.

“Answer me, Honora. Where were you?”

A not-so-ladylike scoff emanated from behind him. “Oh, please, Charles, do stop this line of questioning. You are acting as if we stole away in the night and fled to the town for a night of debauchery and mischief.”

The buzzing sound that only seemed to frequent his mind when his wife was around started.

He looked down at Nora and instead of finding the intimidated and shy girl he was used to seeing, he saw something else entirely. Something he quickly discovered he was not fond of.

She looked as if she was about to burst open from laughing… at him.

Or was she laughing at Sarah?

Charles shook his head. No. It didn’t matter. Sarah was making fun at his expense, so if Nora was laughing because of Sarah’s remark, she was laughing at him.

He couldn’t have that. He must be in control.

“Not now, Sarah. I’ll get to you later, darling.” He threw a look off his shoulder just in time to see his lovely wife’s normally alabaster complexion turn pink. A thrill ran through him from her amenable disposition.

His wayward mind wanted to take the next several moments to come up with all the delectable ways he would punish her for her part in this situation, but his sister’s eyes were focused on him.

“Charles, please don’t be upset.” Nora began. Charles was taken aback by her voice. Usually meek and mild, Nora was standing tall with her chin jutting out in defiance.

“Sarah and I were talking in the parlor and we both needed some fresh air. We had a lovely walk, we just lost track of time.” She shrugged.

Charles released Nora's shoulders after he gave her one more once over to make sure she was all right.

He turned to Sarah.

“My God, woman, what happened to you?” Dirt smeared her cheeks, her dress was covered in grass stains and dirt, and was that a stick in her belt?

Sarah raised an eyebrow. “Oh, are we addressing me now? I figured you forgot I was here.” Sarah picked off, what Charles could only assume was, a piece of grass from her skirt.

“Truly, Sarah, are you all right? Should we fetch a doctor? Samuels!” Charles’s bellowed down the hall.

Sarah’s eyes widened as she raised her hands. “No, no, don’t. I’m fine, really.”

Samuels appeared in the doorway to the kitchen. “You called, Your Grace.”

Sarah waved him off. “It was just a misunderstanding, Samuels. We’re fine.”

Charles’s heart thudded low in his chest. “Sarah, are you sure? You look like you were run over by a carriage.”

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