“What do you mean?” Mrs. Roberts asked.
“He believes physicians and surgeons have the answers. After all, I am just an uneducated country woman. I might be able to read but I have never been to university. How much could I possibly know? And what could I possibly know about healing people?” Selina sipped her tea and sat back.
Mrs. Roberts tilted her head back and laughed. “I’ll take your uneducated knowledge over one of those arrogant physicians any day.”
Selina smiled back at the older woman. “Thank you.”
“What will you do now?”
Selina shrugged. “I honestly don’t know.”
Mrs. Roberts leaned in closer until her large breasts pressed against the table. “I heard he went to Hartsfield.”
“For what reason?”
“To get permission for you to stay on his lands.”
Selina covered her mouth with her hand. She blinked away the tears that threatened to fall. Finally, she moved her hand. “What did the earl say?”
“The duke told Mr. Roberts that he wanted a wagon to be in front of your home on Friday for the trip over to the earl’s land. So I can only assume the earl gave his permission.”
Of course, Hartsfield would do that. “What am I to do?” Selina mumbled.
“That’s the reason I’m here, Selina.” Mrs. Roberts smiled at her. “We have a plan.”
“We?”
“The servants and I came up with a plan so that you won’t have to leave.”
Selina smiled at the kindhearted lady. “I don’t have any choice, Mrs. Roberts. His Grace can evict me.”
She waved a pudgy hand at Selina. “Pish-posh, girl. What did the duke really say?”
“He told me to leave the cottage.”
“Exactly. And so you shall.”
Selina suddenly felt like thumping her head on the table. “If I must leave then I will have no choice but to go to the earl’s land.”
“Selina, he told you to leave the cottage. He never told you to leave his land.”
Thinking back Selina was certain he had told her to leave his lands. But she desperately wanted to hear Mrs. Roberts’s plan. “But all the tenants’ cottages are occupied. There is nowhere else I can go.”
Mrs. Roberts laughed. “There is an entire house with only a few people living in it.”
“Northrop Park?”
“He never said you couldn’t live there.”
“Once he discovers me there, he will have me removed immediately,” Selina countered.
“And that might take months. That house has fifty bedchambers. We could move you to a new room every night if needed and he wouldn’t discover you for months. That will give you time to show him your worth.”
Selina looked up at the plain white ceiling. She knew it had nothing to do with her worth. “But he doesn’t want me here.”
“That man doesn’t know what’s good for him. Did he ever say you couldn’t help his tenants after you leave the cottage?”
Selina shook her head and then brushed a lock of hair out of her eyes.
“So if he sees you in the house, just tell him you are there at one of the servants’ request. If he sees you on the property, you are there to help out one of the tenants.”
This was so wrong. She knew why he wanted her off his property. And she had no doubt that when he said he wanted her gone from the cottage, he meant departed from his property. Nonetheless, she had a duty to this land that took precedence over his wishes.
“Are you certain I won’t be discovered?” she asked hesitantly.
“There are only a few servants he brought with him from London. The majority of us have lived here our entire lives. The few new servants will take orders from Mr. Roberts or myself. Every one of us will help keep you safe.”
“What about during the wedding?”
“That will only take up to a fortnight. We will hide you elsewhere if they need all the bedchambers.”
“What about after the wedding?”
“Once the wedding is over, he’ll go back to London. Mr. Roberts heard him say so.”
Selina took a long breath in and held it for a moment. Slowly she released it and made her decision. No one would force her to renege on her duties to this land and its people. Not even the Duke of Northrop.
“Very well, Mrs. Roberts. I believe we can make this work.”
Colin tried to listen as his steward discussed the cost of wheat this year, but his attention was elsewhere. It was Friday. The wagon should be at her cottage. Within a few short hours, she would be on her way to Hart’s lands. There she could live happily for the next two months. Perhaps she would be so content there she would decide to remain on Hart’s estate for good.
And he could forget her and all that she represented.
Therefore, he should return his concentration to his steward.
“As such, Your Grace,” Mr. Hughes said, “I recommend reducing the percentage of wheat the tenant farmers receive.”
What did he miss? “Excuse me, Mr. Hughes, I am not quite certain I understand why you would have me do such a thing.”
“Sir, you will greatly increase your profits if you reduce their percentage. Even half a percent decrease to the tenants would increase your wealth substantially.” Mr. Hughes closed his ledger as if their conversation were finished.
“Mr. Hughes, this estate is my most profitable already. Part of the reason for my success here is that I give a very reasonable portion to my tenants and they continue to work the land as if it were theirs. I will change nothing.”
Mr. Hughes glanced down at the desk. “Yes, Your Grace.”
Colin watched Hughes’s face as he attempted to say more but did not. “What else, Mr. Hughes?”
“Sir, it’s just that you have sent away our wise woman. There is a chance that with her gone, your lands may not produce as they did in the past.”
Colin banged his fist on his desk. He was so damned tired of everyone on this land treating her as if she was some sort of goddess. “Miss White does not toil on this land. The tenants do. They will continue to do so for generations whether Miss White is here or not. She has no mystical powers. Her departure will not impact our crop output.”
Mr. Hughes nodded. “If you say so, Your Grace.”
“You don’t believe me?”
“I should take my leave now.” Hughes stood and gathered his things.
“Speak your mind, Hughes.”
Mr. Hughes stared down at his boots. “If the tenants are unhappy that you’ve sent away their healer, they may take their displeasure out on you. They might deliberately set out to ruin the wedding, or worse, the crops.”
“They would do no such thing,” Colin said harshly. Although, as he thought back to the day he entered Mrs. Godwin’s home, the reception had not been cordial. And then there was the way most of the tenants turned their backs on him when he rode past. None of that mattered, he decided. This was his land and he would do what was needed. “Good day, Mr. Hughes.”
“Good day, Your Grace.”
Dammit! Colin picked up a teacup and hurled it toward the fireplace to ease his frustration. The sooner she left, the better. Just to make sure she really intended to leave, he decided to verify her whereabouts.
He strode to her cottage. The dark clouds overhead suited his mood perfectly. As he walked, he realized his ankle must be completely healed. It didn’t even ache with the approaching rain.
He stopped a short distance away and watched the scene. One of his wagons sat in front of the house as many of the tenants assisted her with her things. She brought out a small trunk and placed it in the back. As if she knew he stared, she turned and spied him. She only shook her head and walked back into the house.
He approached the house slowly. Several of his tenants nodded but none muttered much more than a quick greeting. He felt their anger as they loaded her possessions. Perhaps Mr. Hughes might be correct with regard to the tenants’ reactions.
“Did you come to check on me?” Miss White asked as she brought out a satchel.
“I came to say good-bye,” he said as a slice of guilt knifed him in the stomach.
“Very well then, good-bye, Your Grace.” Her emerald eyes shone with unshed tears. She dropped the satchel in the wagon and then walked back inside.
He knew there was nothing more to say, and yet, he had no desire to return to the loneliness of his home. He heard a quick giggle as someone said something to her. The sound of her laugh warmed his heart.
Gradually, he walked away, knowing he was not welcome there. He stopped at the reflecting pond and looked over the land that was his only because he happened to be born at the right time and fathered by the right man. Had his father been a tenant on the land, he’d be assisting Miss White instead of forcing her to leave.
If he had any sense, he would stop her. But glancing up at the empty house, the memories were still too raw for him. Forcing her to leave was the best option for everyone. With her gone, he could concentrate on the upcoming wedding. For once, happiness would be the overwhelming emotion in the house, not the continual sadness that draped every room.
So why did he feel like he’d just made a huge mistake?
Selina looked about her empty cottage as sorrow enveloped her. This was the only home she’d ever known. While the servants’ plan to keep her hidden in the house for two months might work, he still might discover her. And if that happened, she’d never be able to return here again. But she had to try. What he didn’t know after he left would not hurt him.
“Is that everything, Selina?”
“Yes.” She brushed away a tear that fell but another just took its place.
Mrs. Roberts embraced her. “It will be all right. You’ll be back in your home in no time.”
“Thank you, Mrs. Roberts.”
“We have the two books you requested, your herbs, and your personal things up in a bedroom on the third floor. His Grace has the west wing on the second floor. He’ll never know you’re living right under his nose.”
Selina nodded and gave the kind older lady another squeeze. “Thank you for all your help.”
Mrs. Roberts let out a husky laugh. “We’re not about to lose our wise woman. The duke has no idea how much you do for us all.”
And he never would, she realized. With this plan, she had no way of showing him the duties she performed for the estate. Not that it would matter to him. He believed only men made good doctors. Healing needed knowledge, and education, and, according to the duke, a penis. After a final look around, she walked outside and closed the door to her cottage. Instinctively, she knew she’d never be back to live there again.
“We shall head out toward the earl’s estate in case the duke is watching,” Mr. Evans said in a hushed tone. “Once we reach the woods, you and David will get out and walk back to Northrop Park. Randall will be at the back of the house to let you inside and show you to your room.”
A nervous energy filled her. If this went wrong, she would end up living with Mia and her mother forever. But this plan would work, as long as they all were careful.
Mr. Evans continued, “I will go on with your things to Mrs. Featherstone’s home. They arranged for your possessions to be left, out of sight, in the stables.”
They had worked on the plan for two days and now that it was time to implement it, Selina worried what would happen to the people involved if they were caught. The duke would likely evict them for disobeying his commands. She couldn’t be responsible for that.
“Maybe I should just go live with Mrs. Featherstone,” she said softly.
“Absolutely not,” Mrs. Roberts said as she approached the wagon.
“Mrs. Roberts, think what might happen to you and your husband should the duke discover you were a part of this scheme,” she implored the older woman.
“He will never find out.” Mrs. Roberts looked at the other men involved. “But if any of you men feel unsure of helping out Miss White, just speak up.”
Mr. Evans and his son both shook their heads. “If not for you, Miss White, my wife might be dead from that fever last year,” Mr. Evans said.
David laughed. “My mama says I wouldn’t be here if not for yer mother helping with the delivery. I owe ye everything.”
“Very well, then,” she said. With all this support, they would make their plan work. With a flick of the reins, the wagon rumbled down the road. Selina cast a quick glance back in the direction the duke had left, but there was no sign of him.
A slice of disappointment slid through her. Why should she be unhappy that he wasn’t here to watch her leave? It made no sense. Had he been there, she would have felt angry that he did ensure that she left. Perhaps she was just going mad. That seemed the most likely explanation.
After a short drive, Mr. Evans stopped the wagon. She and David climbed down and made their way through the small copse of woods toward the house.
“Randall will give a sign that the master is locked in his study,” David whispered as if the duke might be directly behind them.
He locked himself in his study. She wondered why he would do such a thing. “What is the sign?”
“He will chase the swans out of the pond.”
Selina almost laughed. Unless Randall walked into the pond, she doubted those stubborn birds would go anywhere. They waited for close to an hour and then they saw Randall flapping his arms as he attempted to make the swans fly. He finally stepped into the pond and ran toward the birds. Only the swans wanted no part of this and turned on Randall, honking and flapping their wings.
“We need to go save that boy before they attack him,” Selina said with a laugh.
With a breath for courage, Selina ran for the salvation the enormous house would bring her. As they raced past Randall, David yelled at him to get out of the pond. Once they reached the terrace, Selina stopped near a statue of Venus. She caught her breath and noticed Mr. Roberts standing by the terrace door. He waved for her to come inside.
“The duke is in his study,” Mr. Roberts said as he ushered her up the back staircase.
“Why does he lock himself inside?”
“I believe when things are troubling him, he may take to the spirits.”
Her heart went out to the man who mourned his wife so deeply that after eight years, he still couldn’t get over her. She wondered if his upcoming marriage was only out of duty to produce an heir. How sad that his new wife would never know the love he gave to his first wife.
What was wrong with her? This was the man who had evicted her from her home and she was feeling sorry for him! Not for a moment longer, she decided. Some people might consider her softhearted, but she would harden her heart where he was concerned. He hadn’t a thought for her, and she would do the same for him.
She followed Mr. Roberts up the stairs to a third-floor bedroom. He opened the door to what might be a bright room . . . on a different day. She glanced out the window and noticed the clouds had finally given way to the rain they held.
“Here you are, miss,” Mr. Roberts said with a kind smile. “When the duke is out of the house, you’re free to come down. I’ll have a footman send up a tray for your meals.”
“What if one of the tenants needs me?”
“All the footmen who watch the door know you are here. It’s only those snooty London men we need to watch out for. If you are needed at a home, we’ll let you know straightaway.”
“Thank you, Mr. Roberts.”
“If you need anything, just ring.” Mr. Roberts closed the door behind him, cloaking her in her secret chamber.
Selina smiled as she looked at the bed that would be hers for a short while. The cherry four-poster bed was huge compared to the small bed in her cottage. The bedchamber was nearly as big as her entire home. For a brief moment, she wondered what it would be like to live in this luxury every day. She couldn’t imagine having a maid wake her in the morning with a cup of chocolate on a tray. Or dressing in fine silk gowns for a ball.
She wasn’t meant for that type of life.
As she glanced about, she realized that while beautiful, this room was her prison for the next two months. While Mr. Roberts had told her she could come downstairs if the duke was out, she really didn’t have access to the rest of the house. She couldn’t entertain her friends in here.
But it would all be worth it, she tried to convince herself.
Once he left for London with his bride, she would be free again.
Colin walked out toward the reflecting pond as darkness settled over the estate. He’d lived alone for the past eight years, other than when his stepmother and sister paid a visit. After the first year of mourning, he had not come to enjoy the solitude, but he at least could tolerate it. So why did he feel such dreaded loneliness at this estate?
Was it just the idea that his wife had died here? Or could there possibly be more to his morose feelings tonight?
It certainly wasn’t because he’d made Miss White leave.
She needed to be gone while he was here. He needed no reminders of eight years ago. There were enough memories here that would never leave. And he needed the temptation she brought as far away as possible. He’d promised himself that he would never put his heart at risk again. While he doubted he could fall in love with such a woman, he did desire her.