Page 36 of Drawn to the Duke
“Your Grace wishes to see me,” began Sir Edward before breaking off in terror when he beheld the dead man in a pool of blood at Chauncy’s feet.
Chauncy waved the likeness that had been sketched of him in front of Sir Edward’s face. “What can you tell me about this?” he demanded.
CHAPTER 22
TEN MINUTES EARLIER
“There are the men you are to draw.” Her brother pointed. “Now do as I say. I will not tolerate your intransigence! Do you realize how important this is? And if you don’t start to draw quickly, I will?—”
But Selina didn’t hear the rest of his threat, for it was cut short by a loud crack.
A sound like a pistol.
Several people looked up, their faces creased with concern, however, the orchestra continued to play.
“That sounded very odd,” Selina said, before dismissing it. Too much of today felt as if it had been a dream: her clandestine tryst with the duke, followed by his suspicion that she was not Edward’s wife, leading to his assumption she must therefore be Edward’s mistress.
Tears stung the back of her eyes. Now the duke insinuated he’d like to make herhismistress.
And now Edward wanted her to draw three men. No, he was demanding that she do so, and yet again, Selina was to simply obey, because she had no choice when a man wanted something from her.
Her brother gripped her elbow and pointed to the three gray-haired, ordinary looking guests in a quiet corner. “There they are. Be discreet, Selina. And be fast. I don’t know when the duke will return.”
Quickly, Selina began to sketch.
“Sir Edward Boothe!”
The cry from the doorway had everyone turning their heads to stare at the panting footman who’d clearly come running from the depths of the castle. Not even the music of the orchestra could drown the urgency in his voice.
Selina thrust the pencil and paper into her reticule as her brother jerked up his head at the sound of his name.
“Sir Edward Boothe, His Grace orders that you are to come with me.” The footman strode through the room, his gaze fixed on Edward.
Selina stepped aside. What was happening? Why was this man staring so angrily at her brother?
A myriad of fears crowded out her earlier worries.
Had her deception had greater ramifications than she could have imagined?
She watched Edward depart under what looked like the custody of the footman and another gentleman. A group of guests, curious and no doubt looking for scandal, followed them.
Selina didn’t know what to do? Was it better to stay away, or to follow her brother as a mark of solidarity? It seemed that whatever she did, it was the wrong thing.
Finally, familial loyalty won out and with a great sense of trepidation mixed with resignation, Selina stepped into thecorridor, catching sight of the stragglers whom she saw had turned right at the end of the corridor.
Where was Edward being led? And why?
When she turned into a connecting passage, she saw the crowd gathered by the balcony, the open doors letting in the balmy summer night air.
“What has your husband done to have caused the duke such displeasure?”
Selina jerked her head up to see Mrs. Piggott’s sheep-like eyes regarding her with bulbous intensity. Ignoring the woman, she approached the gathering in time to see the duke brandishing a piece of paper on which something indistinguishable—from this distance—was drawn.
She took two more steps and as the crowd jostled a bit more, she saw through a gap the figure of a prone man on the flagstones.
Another step and she saw the pool of blood that surrounded him.
She gasped as she heard the duke’s accusing tones. “What wasmylikeness doing in this dead man’s possession, Sir Edward? Since he just tried to kill me, I shall find your answer very illuminating!”
