Page 71 of Her Bear of a Duke

"The doctor left just now. He said that she is overly tired and needs time to rest."

"How long will that be?" Dorothy asked.

"I do not know. He said that when she is ready, she shall leave her room of her own accord."

"She ought to rest in her own room," Cecilia grumbled. "I do not see why you feel the need to burden yourself with her."

"Because she is the aunt of our niece," Dorothy explained gently. "It is not ideal, but Catherine has only just found her. She shall be devastated if she learns that her aunt was sent away."

"Yes," Emma nodded, "truly, there is no need to do anything on my behalf. I shall simply keep my distance, or perhaps stay with you, Dorothy. That way, no more accusations can be made."

"If she were smart," Cecilia smirked, "she would have said it about me. I would never be so cruel, but at least His Grace might have believed it."

"I do not believe you are cruel, Lady Cecilia," Morgan replied. "I would have been as inclined to believe that you said it as I was Lady Emma, which was not very much at all. My wife would not keep the company of someone so vile."

Dorothy, in spite of it all, was smiling. She had fallen very quickly for her husband, and though she did not dare tell him asmuch she hoped that he might one day come to see her the same way. It was a dream, one that would not come true, but she had her hopes regardless.

There was a knock at the door, and Mrs. Herrington entered.

"I am terribly sorry, Your Grace, but Lady Annabelle wishes to see you."

Morgan bristled.

"I will not be doing that," he replied.

"Not you, Your Grace," she explained, turning to Dorothy. "She has asked to see you."

"Dorothy, no," Cecilia warned. "She is only trying to make you go so that she can say you were unkind to her. Do not be so foolish."

"I will certainly not be going alone," Dorothy agreed, "but I could take Catherine with me. I would wager that she had not seen her aunt since yesterday, is that correct?"

Mrs. Herrington nodded, and Dorothy knew in an instant what she wished to do. She went with her housekeeper to Catherine's room, and collected her before taking her to Lady Annabelle's room. She planned to watch Lady Annabelle brighten, and use that to prove that she was feeling better. At that point, she would send her husband in to speak with her.

When they entered, however, Lady Annabelle remained unchanged. She looked exhausted, and each movement seemed to almost pain her.

"Aunt Annabelle!" Catherine exclaimed. "What has happened to you?"

"It is nothing, Dear, only something that was said to me yesterday."

She gave a pointed look to Dorothy then, which Dorothy ignored. She did not believe any of it, but she had to admit that Lady Annabelle was very convincing. If she were only eight years of age like Catherine was, she was not so certain that she would have seen through it.

"Might I speak to my niece alone?" Lady Annabelle asked.

"You and I both know that is not allowed, Lady Annabelle. It is what the Duke wants, and I am not going to disobey him."

"I know," she whimpered, "but I am aware that I will be leaving soon, and I only wish to spend five mere minutes with my niece before I go. Surely you can turn a blind eye for that?"

"You are leaving?" Catherine asked, eyes wide. "Oh, Aunt Dorothy, please give me five minutes. I will not tell Uncle Morgan, I promise."

"That is not what concerns me, Catherine. Your Uncle has ensured that you have someone with you at all times."

"You all think that I am some filthy commoner, don't you?" Lady Annabelle snapped. "You think that I am unworthy of being here simply because of my family. I knew that you were all ashamed of me."

"We are not, Aunt Annabelle!"

"We most certainly are not, no. Come, Catherine, it is time to leave."

"But I want to stay with her! She has only just arrived, and now she is being sent away, and it is not fair."

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