Page 24 of Never Beguile a Duke

She hadn’t, but Winifred suspected Miss Juliette had foregone eating due to nerves and, judging by how quickly she returned to the chamber, delivered her plate of food to Winifred.

“Agreed.” Miss Juliette popped up and darted from the room, clutching the tray of drenched cloths and two empty bowls.

In her haste to reach the kitchen, Miss Juliette nearly crashed into Nora, the two of them performing an awkward dance in the corridor as Nora juggled two cups of punch and a second dish of food.

“I’m not going to starve,” Winifred chuckled as Nora handed her the plate.

“Miss Juliette wanted to ensure you tasted every dish.” Grimacing, Nora set down both cups. “I believe she wanted the excuse to hide upstairs for the remainder of the evening.”

Winifred’s heart sank. “Was her introduction not well received?”

“It went exceptionally well...” Nora chewed on her lower lip. “However, Miss Juliette appeared quite uncomfortable with the singular attention placed upon her.”

“And therefore, didn’t eat?”

Nora inclined her head, pursing her lips as footsteps echoed on the staircase. A moment later, Miss Juliette appeared in the doorway, carrying a tray of water, clean bandages, and a piece of chocolate cake.

Accepting the tray, Winifred indicated the plate with her chin. “Is that from the Duke of Roxburghe?”

“Yes,” Miss Juliette replied, her voice adopting a grave tone. “He stated that Miss Webb must consume the entire portion, unless she chose to share some with me, before returning to the banquet. If she did not return, he would seek her out in this chamber in one hour.”

“You could,” Nora said, her eyes glowing as she turned to Winifred, “attend the banquet for an hour with Miss Juliette. I will stay with Amelia.”

Nora still couldn’t bring herself to use the word ‘Mother’—not that Winifred could fault her stepsister. If Winifred had the opportunity to bestow the title upon a different woman, she would have followed Nora’s disrespectful example.

Had their mother just moved?

Winifred glanced at the bed, frowning.

“Stop!” Her mother’s eyes flew open, and she raised her hands in front of her face as though blocking an invisible assailant.

Winifred and Nora flung themselves at her, crashing onto the bed with twin grunts and wrapping their arms around the frail woman. “You’re awake!”

Her mother’s weak, muffled voice came from beneath them. “I don’t approve of this behavior.”

Sharing a glance, Winifred and Nora crawled backward, then sat, each on an opposite side of the mattress.

“Girls,” her mother said, exhaling a soft moan with the word. “I’m grateful you discovered me before I froze to death.”

Winifred took her mother’s hand. “Who did this to you?”

“Curtis.” She coughed twice, her body shaking from the violent force. “Mr. Timothy Curtis.”

Nora’s eyes flicked to Miss Juliette, who hovered, trembling, in the corner of the chamber. “Bring the Duke of Beaufort immediately. We need to ensure Mr. Curtis isn’t a guest.”

With a squeak, Miss Juliette vanished from the room.

Returning her attention to the bed, Nora asked, “Why would Mr. Curtis attack you? Did you falsely accuse him of a crime as well?”

“If I had, would that appease your desire for revenge?” her mother asked, rolling her head toward Nora.

Winifred adjusted her mother’s pillow. “It would explain the depth of your injuries.”

Her mother stiffened, then swallowed and shifted her gaze to Winifred. “Mr. Curtis came to collect a debt owed by Mr. Hollingsworth.”

Nora and Winifred gasped.

“And after learning of Mr. Hollingsworth’s current location in prison, Mr. Curtis concluded he couldn’t recover his funds from Mr. Hollingsworth.” Winifred’s mother shivered and pulled the blankets to her chin. “Before Mr. Curtis attacked me, he claimed that since I caused Mr. Hollingsworth’s imprisonment, the debt was now mine.”