Page 66 of Her Cursed Duke
He reached out shakily, cupping his godmother’s cheeks gently as he called, “Godmother?”
She didn’t respond, and he checked her pulse, relieved when he felt a steady pulse beneath his fingers. Then, quickly, he calledfor his new butler, already gathering his only family into his arms when the man arrived.
“Send for a doctor. Immediately.”
To say that Prudence was wrought with anxiety would be an understatement—possibly the biggest to have ever been made.
If she had been thinking about Aiden too much before, he was all she thought about now, her waking hours clouded by thoughts of him and her dreams filled with images of their moments together, along with instances conjured up by the desires of her heart.
They were at their final stretch now. She was amazed that they had somehow managed to keep up the charade for as long as they had, and even more surprised at the fact that she had not felt the pressing need to come clean to anyone.
It was as though from the start, her only thought had been of Aiden’s well-being, wanting to protect him along with contributing to the farce that would ensure he got to live the life he wanted.
Prudence wanted to be fine with the progression of things, but she could only lie so much to herself. She tried to keep up with her own plans that had existed before the whole ordeal began, asking Aria to gather her things in preparation for their journeyto London, which was scheduled for a week from now, feigning excitement each time she spoke to her sister about their pending reunion with Imogen.
Normally, Prudence would appreciate it, but this time, she wished someone would tell her just what to do. She’d never felt so lost about anything, so terrified of saying nothing and then coming to regret it, or saying something and still ending up regretting it.
Aiden had been so sweet to her during the times they had met in the last week, his actions, words, and gentle tone causing hope to sprout within her, wonderful and dangerous. She could only pray that however things ended, she would be able to live with herself afterward.
With renewed determination to let whatever outcome of their relationship run its course, she finished up her stroll in the garden and went back into the house, pondering over painting a new piece before lunch.
As she headed up to her room to fetch her brushes, Prudence noticed a handful of servants whispering in hushed tones. She usually ignored their penchant for gossip, but then, she spotted Aria standing a little behind the group, her lips pressed into a grim line. She looked up, and her eyes met Prudence’s, her countenance immediately changing to one of relief, her lips parting to undoubtedly utter a greeting.
But before Aria could say a single word, another maid’s voice cut through the air.“What if she dies? He’ll have no one else.”
“Pity, his good looks are wasted on him because of his rotten luck. No one would want to be with a man whose very existence puts their life in jeopardy,” another chimed in.
“What are you talking about?” Prudence heard herself ask, her heart twisting uncomfortably in her chest as her gut told her something was really, really wrong.
“My lady!” the maid who had spoken last shrieked and curtsied clumsily, the others following suit. “It’s nothing, we were just—”
“It’s Lady Foresthill, ly lady. We received word from Serpenhood Castle that she fainted earlier. A doctor was called, but…”
It was almost ironic how Prudence’s heart sank hard and fast at the thought of Aiden all alone, worried sick over the well-being of his only surviving family member.
For once, she didn’t think too much and didn’t consider the consequences. She simply listened to her heart.
“Ask the stable boy to prepare a horse immediately,” she instructed the maid before turning to Aria. “Please fetch my cloak while I change my shoes.”
Together, they hurried upstairs. Prudence immediately kicked off her shoes as soon as they walked into her dressing room, searching her wardrobe for something more comfortable.
“Are you sure you want to do this? Perhaps we should inform Her Grace—”
“You can tell her after I leave. As of now, I do not have time to spare to explain why I am doing what I am about to.”
Aria still looked uneasy, “But, my lady—”
“I must go to him, Aria. I can’t… I can’t simply leave him to face this alone. He needs to know that this was in no way his fault. He deserves that much.”
Aria did not protest anymore, simply helping Prudence don her cloak.
Still fueled by determination, Prudence mounted the horse that had been brought to the front of the house for her, taking a deep breath to soothe her frayed nerves before she took off in the direction of Serpenhood Castle.
She arrived much quicker than expected, swiftly dismounting and running into the castle. The butler looked surprised to see her and appeared conflicted when she requested to see Aiden.
“My lady, I’m afraid this is not a good time.”
“I know. I heard about what happened to Lady Foresthill, and I just wish to—”
