Page 65 of The Duke's Wicked Widow
Ellie did not deign to speak.Passing judgement? As if he had the right to pass judgement onher.
There is only one man whose judgement matters now, and it is the one whom you hurt.
Her father-in-law waved a hand dismissively. “And now it seems we have proof you do not carry Rufus’s heir. Therefore Jasper, my second son, will be the new Viscount Cumnock andmyheir apparent. You are no longer part of this family. Return to your uncle, the Earl of Bonkinbone, and pray he will take you.”
Return.
Ellie felt tears pricking at the back of her eyelids again. Her chest tightened, her muscles ached, and she felt as if the room was closing in on her.
This was what she’d feared.
Nowhere to go, nowhere to belong.
Uncle William invited you to live with him. To be his hostess. To have a place.
It wasn’t what she’d wanted. The thought of living with an evil man like him made her stomach churn. But it was either that or force herself upon Georgia, who was so close to giving birth that Ellie couldn’t stand the thought of intruding on her life.
“Did you hear me, girl?” the Earl snapped out. “Your things will be sent along, either to your uncle’s or wherever you end up. But that will not be here. Your acquaintance with this family is at an end.”
Before Ellie could answer, she felt a small hand slip into hers, and glanced down to see Merida’s worried expression. Her gaze switched to where the girl clasped her hand, squeezing the too-heavy gold ring, the one Rufus had given her on their wedding day, into her flesh.
Distantly, she heard the Earl say, “And I believe it goes without saying that the same is true for this…child. You have a half hour to gather what you will need imminently, and the rest of your things—bothof your things—will be sent along.”
Ellie stared down into Merida’s eyes and dimly thought,Well at least he did not call her something worse.This is what she’d expected. This is what she’d been prepared for.
“Ellie?” the girl whispered, her big green eyes frightened. “They say I have to go with you.”
Her eyes were so much like her father’s. So much like Fawkes’s eyes.
Fawkes.
He deserved to know what happened. He deserved to know the truth.
He deserved an apology.
Despite the tightness in her chest, the cramping in her back, and the pressure of the world on her shoulders, Ellie tried to look comforting.
“Yes, my love. We will have an adventure together.” She squeezed Merida’s hand. “But first, there is someone we must see.”
Chapter 11
Fawkes stareddown at the blank envelope in his gloved hands, horror slowly climbing from his stomach into his throat.
He’d returned from picking up some motherwort from the apothecary—the snow falling thickly, making the streets dangerous—to find it slid beneath his door. Just like the old days.
But it had been eighteen months since the last time he’d received an envelope like this, and while he’d hoped and prayed that one—with it’s horrible, macabre assignment—would be the last, he’d feared this day would come.
Blackrose has returned.
Staring down at the envelope—half-terrified to open it—Fawkes knew this with every ounce of his soul. The Devil had returned. The knowledge pushed aside everything else; the guilt of how he’d yelled at Ellie last night, the beastly way he’d used her in anger, the hollowness in his chest after,everything.
Just fooking open it. It’s no’ going to get any better for staring at it.
Fawkes forced his breathing to slow as he removed his hat and gloves. The damning envelope sat on the table as he hung his wet overcoat and stored the motherwort in his laboratory. He checked on Tramp—blissfully asleep and drooling all over the dog bed—kicked off his shoes and changed into dry trousers. Then Fawkes made himself a cup of tea, took a sip, and placed it beside the blank envelope.
Aright. Let’s get on with it, eh?
Taking a deep breath, he opened it.
