Selena opened her eyes. Her face was ashen. Trembling, she looked at Mrs. Evans and then over at Gerald. Her eyes filled with tears, and she began to sob. “He killed her. He killed my mother,” she wept. “My mother is gone…and he wouldn’t let me see her. He poisoned her. I know he did.”
Gerald pulled her up into his arms and held her against his chest. “Who…who killed her, Selena?” he whispered.
“Percival…my cousin Percival killed her. He’s a m…monster,” she hiccupped.
“No, he didn’t,” a woman’s voice said from the entrance to the parlor.
~*~
Chapter Eleven
Bellwood Estate
Derbyshire, England
“Call Doctor Baker now,” Gerald ordered, rushing upstairs, holding Selena, followed by Dutch and Connery.What had happened to you, Selena?It seemed much more than fainting. She had clearly been in pain—her head—before dropping into a dead faint.
“Right away, my lord,” Wells said from behind him.
“Have Anna and Mrs. Evans meet us upstairs,” Gerald said, taking the stairs two at a time to reach the parlor.
He pushed open the door and laid her on the settee. Grabbing a chair, he pulled it next to the bed. She was so still. He leaned over her face to feel her breath. Thank God!
Mrs. Evans and Anna rushed in behind him.
“What happened, my lord?” Mrs. Evans asked, pulling a small vial from her pocket.
He struggled to push the lump from his throat.What if I’ve lost her…just when I found her?“I’m not sure. She gripped her head, as if it pained her tremendously, screamed, and then…fainted.”
The housekeeper uncorked the vial. Gently lifting Selena’s head, she waved the smelling salts beneath her nose. “Come on, child. Wake up.”
As Selena stirred, her hands thrashed above her, until Mrs. Evans gently took them and held them in hers. “Selena…darl’n girl…wake up.”
Selena opened her eyes. Her face was ashen. Trembling, she looked at Mrs. Evans and then over at Gerald. Her eyes filled with tears, and she began to sob. “He killed her. He killed my mother,” she wept. “My mother is gone…and he wouldn’t let me see her. He poisoned her. I know he did.”
Gerald drew her into his arms and held her against his chest. “Who…who killed her, Selena?” he whispered.
“Percival…my cousin Percival killed her. He’s a m…monster,” she hiccupped.
“No, he didn’t,” a woman’s voice said from the entrance to the parlor.
Gerald’s head swiveled towards the doorway to see Lady Fleur Bowles standing there alongside his father and mother, Lord and Lady Bellecote. Behind them, stood Gerald’s best friend, Lord Asher Wright, and the rest of his family—hisbrother-in-law, Christopher Anglesey, the Marquess of Banbury, and his wife, Gerald’s sister Diana, as well as his youngest sister, Gabby. Gerald immediately recalled the invitations to celebrate the holiday at his estate. He had for’otten about the holidays and realized he hadn’t done a thing towards readying the estate for the festivities. Selena’s unexpected arrival had consumed his thoughts. But with Diana and his mother here, he was sure that they could easily remedy the situation.
“Maman!”Selena tried to get up, but Gerald stayed her with his hand.
“Selena, love, you just dropped in a dead faint, screaming in pain, in the stable. You could have reinjured your head. Let your mother come to you,” Gerald said, softly.
He helped Selena to sit up as her mother rushed forward to embrace her daughter.
“How…? What happenedMamam?” she cried as she clung to her mother.
“Ma chérie,” her mother said, pulling her daughter to her breast.
Needing answers and, at the same time, wanting to crush the head of Percival Bowles, Gerald approached his family and greeted them.
Wells appeared at the door. “My lord, Doctor Baker—.” Before he could finish the doctor strode into the room.
Gerald quickly explained the situation and introduced him to Selena’s mother. Asking Anna to remain in the parlor to assist. Gerald ushered his family into the drawing to tell them everything that had happened in the past few days. Connery excused himself and said he would be in the stables. Mrs. Evans returned a short while later with Rosie, one of the kitchen maids, pushing a tea cart with refreshments.
