He even cut off a lock of her hair to keep with him when he pretended to do work in his study during the day (Add it to my ledger of sins, he thought.).
Colin needed to feel like he was doing something, and making amends to her somehow, instead of sitting around the house, feeling useless and helpless. He was certain he would lose his mind if she didn’t wake up soon. So, on the second day of his wife’s illness, Talbot decided to visit her brother, while Miss Williams kept her company.
“What have you done to your sister?” he asked without preamble as soon as he entered Hawkins’s study.
“Hello, Duke Talbot, welcome to my home,” Nicholas said obnoxiously as he stood from his chair. “How nice to see you for the first time in months.”
“Did you not hear my question?”
“What in Heaven’s name are you talking about?” Nicholas seemed truly perplexed.
Talbot sat down with a sigh and rubbed his eyes with both hands.
“Your sister has fallen ill. It’s been two days. She has a high fever and she’s not waking up.”
“Why haven’t you sent for me sooner? She’s my sister!” Hawkins exploded, and Talbot jumped to his feet, itching for a fight which would help relieve the horrible tension he’s been living under since Powell’s ball.
“Yes, exactly, she’s your sister. So what is this I heard about you offending her after the Pearsons’ ball?”
Nicholas glanced to the side. “That’s hardly any of your concern.”
“It is my concern when my wife refuses to talk to you over it.”
“Has she said that?” Hawkins asked in a pleading tone.
“What have you said to her?” Talbot asked through clenched teeth, ignoring his former friend’s distress.
“After the two of you were found alone in the cloak room, I told her that…” Nicholas stopped speaking and swallowed. “I told her that she demonstrated that one couldn’t escape their breeding.”
Talbot rubbed his eyes again, with one hand this time. He deeply regretted the punch he had so generously allowed Hawkins to deliver before the wedding.
“You absolute idiot!” He said loudly. “The whole thing was my fault! Your sister never did anything, I arranged for her to be compromised like that!”
“You did what?!” the other man yelled with equal intensity.
“What is going on here?” a startled Duchess Sophie asked as she entered the study.
Talbot’s eyes took in her bulging middle, and he looked away, afraid he might choke on his sadness and envy.
“Your husband has just relayed to me how he insulted my wife before our wedding.”
“Insulted her? I know Nicholas was unhappy about her marrying you, and he told me he argued with Elizabeth about it,” Sophie said with a small frown and looked at Nicholas for answers.
Talbot twisted his lips in disgust and spoke first, “After my actions caused everyone to think Elizabeth was being inappropriate with me, which she wasn’t, your husband insulted her breeding.”
Sophie gasped, and Talbot suddenly liked her a little more.
“Nicholas, please tell me you didn’t.” Her hand flew to her chest. “Poor Elizabeth! This whole time, I thought she was avoiding us because she worried you didn’t approve of her husband.”
“I was upset and worried and angry… I didn’t mean what I said.” Hawkins tried justifying his actions, but Sophie just kept shaking her head.
“Don’t you know Elizabeth at all? I should have known there was something she wasn’t telling me, but I misinterpreted her behaviour as showing loyalty to her husband. She used to adore you, Nicholas. Oh, that poor girl!” Sophie’s eyes filled with tears as she cradled her stomach instinctively with her hand. “Nicholas, you have to make things right with her. Let us go over there now!”
“It’s not that simple,” Talbot said grimly. “She’s been made aware of my deception regarding the circumstances leading up to our matrimony, and has fallen ill as a result of the shock. She’sin the throes of a severe fever, and we don’t know when and whether she’ll wake up.”
No one said anything for a while. Talbot sat back down in his chair.
“You said you deceived her regarding your matrimony?” Sophie prompted. “What happened?”
