William felt the warmth of the blanket as she gently tucked it around him, her touch both soothing and unsettling. He was acutely aware of the tension between them, an unspoken acknowledgement of the impropriety of the situation. He knew that she shouldn’t have been with him like that, but he refused to let her go. Just a moment more, he told himself, enjoying that strange sense of comfort in her presence and in her genuine concern for his well-being.
That was when he lifted his gaze and looked at her. Her eyes widened, refusing to look away. They remained like that for a while, neither of them speaking, neither of them willing to break the silent magic of the moment. Finally, she took a step back.
“I’m sorry,” she smiled. “I can’t help but worry about you, Your Grace. Being a healer is in my blood.”
The simplicity of her statement struck a chord deep within him. It was more than just concern. There seemed to be genuine care in her voice that went beyond the bounds of duty. Yet, as much as he wanted to believe there was something more, he forced himself to be pragmatic. She was a healer, after all, and it was simply in her nature to be compassionate and caring. He shouldn’t be reading anything more into it.
He smiled back, but before he could say anything, she continued. “I’d best go home now. When should I come back?”
“Tomorrow morning would be fine,” he replied. “A carriage will be waiting for you at seven.”
“Thank you,” she said. “I will be here tomorrow then… goodbye.”
“Goodbye, Rose,” he said, waiting for her to close the door.
Once he was alone, he exhaled deeply. Despite his rationalizations, a part of him yearned for her concern to be more personal, more intimate. It had been so long since anyone had shown him such unguarded care and tenderness. The dream, the tension, and now her words had stirred sensations he thought he had long buried.
He tried to shake off the longing that was taking root in his heart. He couldn’t afford to let his emotions cloud his judgment, especially not now. Rose was there to help around the manor, and he needed to set clear boundaries… for his own sake.
As he slowly lay back against the pillows, pushing through another onslaught of pain, he found it increasingly difficult to convince himself that her words were merely a reflection of her professional duty. The warmth of the blanket and the lingering sensation of her touch only seemed to make the storm of his thoughts even worse.
He closed his eyes in an effort to rest and let the pain in his back subside. That would pass soon enough. But the emotional ache would be much harder to dispel. Her kindness had left a mark on him, one that he wouldn’t be able to forget easily.
Chapter 10
It was still morning when Rose carefully stripped some willow bark from the small, well-tended garden behind her home. She worked with practiced efficiency, her movements swift and certain. However, despite the simplicity of the task, her mind was elsewhere, as she couldn’t get the events that took place in Montford Manor earlier that morning.
She still had the image of the duke lying in bed in pain. She had been trained by her aunt to recognize and use various natural remedies, and willow bark, known for its pain-relieving properties, was one of the most effective ones.
Despite the duke’s insistence that his pain would be a lifelong ailment he would simply need to learn to live with, she was determined to bring some willow bark back to his manner and prepare him a tea that was sure of alleviate some of the lingering discomfort he had.
She wanted to help him. She wanted to make him feel better. But that was not all. She couldn’t help but feel an entire amalgamation of emotions. There was, of course, concern for his well-being, but there was also curiosity about the man he was, and a strange, unbidden sense of connection. Shaking her head to clear her mind, she refocused on the task at hand. The duke needed her help, whether he was aware of that fact, and that was what mattered.
As she finished collecting the willow bark, she bundled it carefully in a cloth and tucked it into her basket. The next challenge was obvious: getting is past Mr. Hancock and explaining what it was for. The man was fiercely protective of the duke, and Rose could easily imagine Mr. Hancock suspecting her intentions, no matter how benign. She knew she would have to be careful in her approach.
“What are you doing, Rose?”
Rose turned around upon hearing her aunt’s voice. She smiled. “Just gathering some willow bark for the duke.”
“Speaking of the duke, how are things going at Montford Manor?” her aunt asked, glancing at Rose’s basket.
Rose hesitated for a moment, thinking again of the incident from the previous night and that morning as well. She decided it would be best to leave out the details of her unexpected encounter in the duke’s bed chamber. Instead, she provided a general overview of things.
“It is going well, Aunt Cora,” Rose assured her. “The manor, as you know, is quite grand and there is plenty of work there to keep me busy.”
Her aunt eyed her carefully, clearly sensing there was more to the story. “And how has the duke been treating you?” she inquired.
“Fine,” Rose said with a shrug. “I barely see him.”
That was partly true. Partly… not so much. Once again, her aunt knew that there was more than met the eye.
“Rose, I respect your decision to work for him, but I cannot help but be concerned for you,” her aunt explained her predicament.
Rose smiled reassuringly, trying to alleviate her aunt’s fears. “He has been nothing but kind to me, Aunt Cora. Yes, he is a very private man, but that makes everything easier. Mr. Hancock oversees most things, and he is very protective of the duke. Still, he is fair in his dealings, and I couldn’t ask for anything more than that.”
Her aunt finally smiled. “I am happy to hear that.”
“Happy to hear what?” Henry’s still sleepy voice echoed around them as he entered the room. He had just woken up, and his hair was still disheveled, in a state of complete disarray as he rubbed his eyes. He looked only half-awake as he sat down at the dining table opposite his sister and aunt.
