by Laura Beers
They walked the short distance to the milliner shop and stepped inside. They were immediately greeted by a petite woman with a pleasant disposition.
“Welcome to my shop, Your Grace.” The woman dropped into a curtsy. “We have received a new shipment of hats. If you don’t see anything that strikes your fancy, then we can make whatever you desire.”
“Do you have any riding hats?” the duchess asked.
The shopkeeper nodded. “We do, but it is a small selection.” She walked over to a table in the back and gestured. “Allow me to show you.”
As they stepped closer, Amelia saw a simple grey hat that she knew would complement her riding habit most splendidly.
She picked it up and said, “This one will do quite nicely.”
“Are you sure?” Ellen asked as she held up a hat that was embellished with white feathers. “There are no feathers on that hat nor adornments of any kind, and it looks similar to a top hat.”
“That is why I prefer it.”
The shopkeeper interjected, “Would you like me to wrap that up for you, miss?”
Amelia nodded. “Yes, please,” she replied, extending her the hat.
“Your mother would have been displeased with your selection,” Ellen observed lightly. “She adored hats, and she would alter them to coordinate with her outfit.”
Amelia smiled at that memory. “That is true. My mother had the most extravagant hats, and she wore them proudly whenever we went outside.”
“Do you not wear any of your mother’s hats?”
“No,” Amelia replied with a shake of her head. “My sisters have claimed most of them.”
“That is a shame.”
“Not really. After my parents died, the only thing I requested was my father’s gold pocket watch.” She reached into her reticule and removed it for the duchess’s inspection. “Every time I look at the watch, I am reminded of him.”
Ellen smiled tenderly at her. “I am glad you have a keepsake to keep your father’s memory alive.”
“I do have some of my mother’s jewelry,” Amelia revealed. “But I left the most precious pieces back in London.”
“That was wise,” Ellen said before she continued perusing the hats.
It wasn’t long before the duchess had made her own selection and they departed from the shop. The footman stepped forward and collected their purchases.
“Would you care to see the church before we head to the bakery?” Ellen asked.
“I would,” Amelia replied eagerly.
As they strolled towards the church, the duchess glanced over at her. “May I be so bold as to ask why you aren’t married?”
“I suppose I haven’t found the right partner.”
“But you have had a Season?”
Amelia nodded. “Yes, my older sister, Kate, insisted that we each have a Season, and we participate in them every year. We attend the theatre, balls, soirées and nearly every social event that London has to offer.”
“Frankly, I am surprised that a young woman of your beauty is not married.”
“That is kind of you to say,” Amelia replied, smiling, “but I want more than a marriage of convenience.”
“You want love,” the duchess said knowingly.
“Yes.”
“As well you should.”
Amelia shrugged one shoulder. “Until I find love, I won’t even consider matrimony.”
“Then it is a good thing that you are a matchmaker,” Ellen joked.
Laughing, Amelia replied, “I assure you that it is much easier to find other people’s matches than your own.”
“I wonder why that is?”
“I am not entirely sure,” Amelia admitted.
The sound of horse hooves pounding on the cobblestone filled the air, followed by the sound of a man’s frantic screaming in the distance. Amelia looked up to see a horse barreling towards them on the narrow street. As she turned to run to safety, she noticed the duchess remained rooted in her spot, her face drained of all its color.
“We have to go, Your Grace!” she exclaimed.
When Ellen didn’t move fast enough, Amelia yanked on her arm and pulled her towards the other side of the street.
Just before the horse reached them, she noticed the wooden cart that was swinging wildly behind the animal. Making a split-second decision, she shoved the duchess out of the cart’s path just as it clipped her side, propelling her towards the stone building. Then, everything went black.
Edmund closed the ledger and rubbed his tired eyes. He had been reviewing the ledgers all day and he decided he needed to take a break. Perhaps he should go on a quick ride before he dressed for dinner.
With his decision made, he had just risen from his desk when he heard a commotion coming from the entry hall. He hurried out of his study to see what the disturbance was when he heard Miss Blackmore order in an authoritative voice, “Send for a doctor at once.”
“Right away, Miss Blackmore,” his butler replied.
“What in the blazes is going on here?” Edmund asked.
Miss Blackmore turned to face him, and he could see scrapes and bruises along the right side of her face. The sleeve of her dress was ripped, and her brown hair was disheveled.
Edmund approached her and asked, “What happened to you?”
She winced slightly, glancing back at the main door. “Your mother and I had a slight mishap in town—”
“Is my mother all right?” he demanded, cutting her off.
Hesitating for only a moment, Miss Blackmore replied, “It would appear that she twisted her ankle and—”
Miss Blackmore’s words were barely out of her mouth when he stormed past her. A footman had his arm around his mother’s waist, supporting her as she limped into the entry hall.
Edmund stopped in front of her, his eyes frantically taking in her haggard state. “What on earth happened to you?”
“Amelia and I had a little adventure with a runaway horse and cart.” His mother brought a smile to her face, but he could hear the pain in her voice.
“This is not the least bit funny!” he declared. “You are hurt.”
“I shall live,” his mother asserted, glancing down at her swollen left foot. “I merely twisted my ankle.”
Edmund turned towards Morton. “Why haven’t you sent for the doctor yet?” he demanded. He had no time for incompetence. His mother was injured!
“I shall send our fastest rider,” the butler responded with a tip of his head.
“See that you do.” Edmund turned back towards his mother. “Were you hurt anywhere else?”
Her hand rose to her head as she revealed, “I did bump my head when Amelia shoved me out of the way.”
“You shoved my mother?!” Edmund roared, advancing towards Miss Blackmore.
Rather than cower from him, she stood her ground. “Of course, Your Grace. Your mother was in the direct path of the cart. If I hadn’t shoved her, then she would have been hit.”
His mother spoke up. “You have no right to speak to Amelia that way,” she chided. “If it wasn’t for her, then I could have easily ended up dead.”
Running a hand through his hair, Edmund knew he was being entirely unfair to Miss Blackmore, but he couldn’t seem to control the emotions raging through his body. His mother had almost died.
“Thank you,” he muttered before turning back towards his mother. “I shall carry you to your bedchamber. You need to rest until the doctor comes.” Without waiting for permission, he scooped her up into his arms.
His mother turned towards Miss Blackmore. “Will you ask Jane to mix some laudanum with my tea?” she asked. “That should help ease the pain.”
Amelia tipped her head. “I would be happy to.”
As Edmund started walking towards the stairs, he noticed that Amelia was limping as she trailed behind them.
“Are you injured, Miss Blackmore?” he asked over his shoulder.
“Nothing more than bumps and bruises, Your Grace,” she
replied. “You need not concern yourself with me.”
Edmund nodded as he continued up the stairs and down the hall to his mother’s chamber. He shifted her in his arms as he reached for the handle to open the door. Once inside the room, he walked over to the bed and gently laid her down.
“Do not let Amelia fool you,” his mother said in a hushed voice. “She is more injured than she is letting on.”
“Is she?”
Ellen laid back onto her pillow. “She pushed me to safety, but she was not so lucky. The cart hit her and tossed her towards one of the shops.” Her gaze grew determined. “Promise me that you will have the doctor examine her, as well.”
“I will try, but I can’t force her to see the doctor.”
“Amelia is stubborn, just like you.” His mother’s eyes filled with tears as she shared, “I froze, son. When I saw the horse barreling down on us, I couldn’t move my feet. It was as if they were made of lead. If it wasn’t for Amelia…” Her voice stopped. “She saved my life.”
Edmund knelt by the bed as he remained close to his mother. “I am so relieved that you are alive.”
“As am I.”
His mother’s lady’s maid walked into the room and she was holding a tray. “I brought some tea for you, Your Grace.”
“Thank you, Jane,” his mother murmured as she moved to sit up in bed.
Edmund stepped out of the way as Jane approached. She placed the tray onto the table next to the bed, then picked up the teacup and extended it towards his mother.
“This should have you feeling much better,” Jane remarked.
After his mother finished the tea, she handed the teacup to her lady’s maid and laid back on the pillows. “With any luck, the laudanum will take effect sooner rather than later.”
Jane smiled down on her. “It usually does with you, Your Grace.” She placed a pillow under his mother’s left foot. “I shall bring some ice up to wrap your ankle with. That should bring down the swelling.”
Edmund watched as Jane left the room before approaching the bed. “Can I get you anything, Mother?”
Closing her eyes, his mother sighed. “Will you sit with me for a spell?” she asked. “I should warn you that the laudanum makes me exceptionally sleepy.”
“I am well aware of that.” He grabbed an upholstered chair from the corner and repositioned it near the bed. “I will remain here until you fall asleep.”
“Thank you,” she murmured, not bothering to open her eyes. “You are a good son.”
Edmund continued to watch his mother until her breathing deepened. Tears came to his eyes as he realized how close he had been to losing her. If it wasn’t for Miss Blackmore, then the outcome could have been dire.
What would he have done without his mother? She was the one constant in his life, and he had come to rely on her strength and goodness. He couldn’t lose her.
Miss Blackmore’s voice came from the doorway. “How is your mother faring?”
Edmund rose and turned to face her. “She is asleep.”
“I am glad,” she replied, her gaze focused on the bed. “She was in a tremendous amount of pain as we traveled from the village.”
“Are you?”
Miss Blackmore looked at him with a baffled expression. “Am I what?”
“In a lot of pain?”
Taking her hand, she ran it along her right hip and winced. “I am bruised, but I believe I shall make a full recovery.”
“My mother wants me to force you to speak to the doctor when he arrives,” he informed her.
“That is wholly unnecessary,” she said with a wave of her hand. “I am much more concerned about Her Grace.”
Edmund took a step towards her. “I would like to thank you for saving my mother’s life.”
“It was nothing.”
“No,” he replied with a shake of his head, “it was everything.”
Her gaze traveled towards his mother lying in bed. “I am just relieved we both managed to survive the ordeal.”
“As am I.”
Leaning her shoulder against the doorway, Miss Blackmore admitted, “I have never been so scared before. It all happened so quickly that I barely had time to react.”
“You were incredibly brave.”
Miss Blackmore gave him a timid smile. “I don’t feel brave.”
His eyes roamed her bruised face as he slowly approached her. “You need to have those scrapes tended to. I would hate for them to become infected.”
“In due time.”
Edmund stopped in front of her. “You have my gratitude for saving my mother’s life.” He hoped his words conveyed his sincerity.
“I’m just glad I was able to save her.”
With a heavy sigh, he dropped his head. “She is all that I have left,” he confessed. “I would be lost without her.”
“I understand that feeling well,” she responded softly. “It is something I would not wish to bestow upon my worst enemy.”
Edmund brought his gaze back up. “I am sorry, Miss Blackmore. I’m afraid I don’t know what to say to comfort you.”
“There is nothing to apologize for,” she murmured, her eyes growing moist with unshed tears. “I was blessed to have my parents for as long as I did.”
Feeling that he must reward Miss Blackmore in some fashion, he said, “I would like to compensate you for your bravery.”
She wrapped her arms around her waist. “I do not wish to be compensated, Your Grace.”
“Then what do you want?”
“Nothing.”
Edmund lifted his brow in disbelief. “It is my experience that people generally want something from me.”
“Not I,” she replied.
A servant came to stand behind Miss Blackmore and announced, “Your bath is ready, miss.”
A look of relief flashed on her face as she straightened from the doorway. “If you will excuse me, Your Grace.”
“It would ease my conscience if you would allow the doctor to examine you,” he remarked, putting his hand out towards her.
She tipped her head. “As you wish.”
Edmund watched Miss Blackmore until she disappeared into her bedchamber. He didn’t know what to make of her. He had offered her compensation for her heroic act, and she had turned him down, as if money meant nothing to her.
What a perplexing woman his mother’s companion was turning out to be.
7
The sun was streaming through the windows as Amelia reached for a pillow and covered her face. She’d had a restless night, and she wasn’t ready yet to greet the morning. Her whole body ached, and she had a dull, throbbing headache.
“Good morning,” Leah greeted cheerfully as she stepped into the room. “I see that you have finally stirred.”
Amelia grunted in response. She could hear her lady’s maid’s soft steps on the floral carpet as she approached the bed.
“You have missed breakfast in the parlour, but I did manage to secure you a tray,” Leah said.
“I’m not hungry,” she replied, removing the pillow from her face.
“You need to eat something.”
Reluctantly, Amelia sat up in bed and rested her back against the wall. “Did you bring any chocolate?” she asked hopefully.
“I did,” Leah replied, smiling. “I assumed that would be the first thing you’d ask for.”
“I am hoping chocolate can cure me of this headache.”
Her lady’s maid walked over to the tray on the dressing table and picked up a cup. “Would you like any of the laudanum that the doctor left for you?”
“No. I do not like how I feel when I take laudanum.”
Leah walked the cup over to her. “Here you go, miss,” she said. “Perhaps after you drink your chocolate you will feel up to eating a piece of toast.”
“I suppose.”
With a concerned expression, Leah asked, “How are you feeling?”
Amelia took a sip of her chocolate before responding, “Like a runaway
cart hit me.”
“That awful?”
“I can’t pinpoint a place that doesn’t seem to hurt.”
Leah sat down on the edge of the bed. “I will see to securing you some peppermint leaves for your headache, and perhaps the cook will have something for your pain.”
“Thank you.”
“Would you care for a bath?”
“I would, very much.” Amelia finished her cup of chocolate and extended it towards Leah. “Also, would you post the letter for me on the writing desk?”
Leah rose from the bed. “I will be happy to.”
“I wrote to my sisters about the duke,” Amelia revealed.
“May I ask what you wrote about?”
Amelia grinned. “I may have referred to him as insufferable, peevish, and pompous. Furthermore, I wrote that it might be nearly impossible to secure him a love match.”
“How do you think your sisters will react to the news?”
“Most likely, they will encourage me to come home.”
“And will you?”
Amelia brought her hand up to her forehead. “Not yet.”
“What exactly is keeping you here?” Leah asked as she placed the cup on the tray.
“I am not entirely sure, but something just feels off about Harrowden Hall. And it is not just because Mr. Rawlings told me to be wary of the duke.”
Leah picked up a plate with a piece of toast on it and walked it over to her. “Then I would trust your instinct, miss.”
Amelia accepted the toast and slowly ate it. “Have you noticed that His Grace has a child, but we haven’t heard or seen any sign of one?”
“How do you know he has a child?” her lady’s maid asked, stepping back.
“Because he mistook me for the nurse when I first arrived,” she replied. “I must assume that the nurse was for his child.”
“Why not ask the duchess?”
Amelia swallowed the last bite of her toast. “What if the nurse is for an illegitimate child,” she asked, “and that is why no one speaks of it?”
“That is a probability.”
Amelia moved to place her feet over the edge of the bed. “I would like to see how the duchess is faring today.”
Leah placed her hand on her hip and gave her a stern look. “I shall inquire after her health. The doctor told you to stay in bed for at least three days.”
