Page 40 of The Duke Steals a Bride (Stolen by the Duke #5)

Chapter Forty

“T here it is,” whispered Edwin, his heart thudding hard, as he gazed down at the bowl on the back step of the kitchen. “I was right.”

He couldn’t believe it. Even though he was witnessing it with his own eyes, the horror of it—as well as the immeasurable relief—was almost too much.

The bowl was empty. However, there were breadcrumbs scattered everywhere…along with four dead mice, already stiffening in the early morning light.

Nora put poison in that tonic. Here is the proof.

He turned, calling a footman, telling the servant to send for a Bow Street Runner. After telling the terrible story to the man, who called for another constable, they headed to Nora’s townhouse on St. James’s Square.

She was sitting in the drawing room, sipping tea, almost as if she were expecting them, when they entered the room. Her eyes widened as she took in the two constables at his side, flanking him.

“Good morning, Edwin,” she said calmly, putting down her teacup, standing up. “You are an early caller! And I see you have brought company!”

His heart filled with an unbearable loathing. This was the woman who had killed Rose, leaving his children motherless. This was the woman who had attempted to kill Christine, as well.

“Why, Nora?” he said slowly, his voice shaking. “Why in God’s name did you do it to Rose, and to Christine as well?”

Her shoulders slumped instantly. Her face changed. A manic light entered her eyes.

“You are so obtuse, Edwin!” she cried, in a shrill voice. “All of it was for you, of course! You know how much I have always loved you!”

Edwin’s jaw dropped. Of course. It all made sense now. Her strange visit to Ironstone last week when she had attempted to seduce him, insisting there had always been a spark between them.

“I should have been your wife,” she cried, wringing her hands. “It should have been me , not Rose! But my foolish parents chose the wrong daughter for you!” She let out a high cackle. “I couldn’t bear to see Rose having everything that should have been mine. So I slipped poison into her tea at first, then into her medicine, once she became ill…”

Edwin swore underneath his breath, wanting to rush over and physically subdue her. He restrained himself with difficulty. This was her confession to her terrible crimes, and he needed to let her speak. The authorities were listening to this.

“It worked,” she continued, her laugh ending on a sob. “But after Rose was gone, my parents made me marry Arthur…I know you would have married me in the fullness of time, once you had resigned yourself to your loss, but it was too late!”

“Why did you poison Christine then?” he growled, his hands balling into fists at his side. “Why did you attempt to murder her as well, when you are married yourself now?” He shook his head slowly, as a thought struck him. “Or were you planning to murder your husband too after Christine was gone?”

He saw that he had struck the mark by the look on her face. The woman was so deluded, so insane, that she had truly thought that he would marry her once both their spouses were conveniently out of the way.

The breadth of her madness, as well as her evil, is truly astonishing. The woman would stop at nothing to fulfil her deluded desires.

“It was all in your head, Nora,” he spat. “I’ve never thought about you in that way, never mind contemplated marrying you. I don’t love you and I never will.” He shook his head incredulously. “You killed your own sister and attempted to kill my current wife for nothing. Nothing at all.”

She let out a howl, falling to her knees, her silk gown billowing around her like the sails of a ship in a strong wind.

The two constables rushed forward, securing her, dragging her to her feet and out of the room. She was crying and shouting, in an incomprehensible way. It seemed like the entire staff of her house were crowding in the foyer as she was led away.

Edwin slumped against the doorway of the house, his mind spinning, as Nora was bundled into a carriage and whisked away. A crowd had gathered, whispering behind their hands, but he didn’t even notice them.

He straightened, walking slowly to the street, before breaking out into a run, sprinting to the house, where Christine was still lying weak in a bed, the last of Nora’s poison swirling in her bloodstream.

He could barely breathe. Was it all too late? Had she been poisoned to the point that she was still going to die? How could he bear it?

Hold on, my darling little mouse. I am coming for you. And I will never let you go again.

* * *

Slowly, Christine opened her eyes. She blinked rapidly. She still felt very weak, but better than yesterday. The dizziness was gone, as was the terrible nausea.

“Be careful,” murmured a deep voice at her side. “I will help you sit up.”

She gasped, her heart soaring, blinking again, unable to truly believe it.

It was Edwin! She thought she had dreamt that he had come to her side. She thought he had been a product of her feverish mind, and that he wasn’t real at all.

She stared at him in wonder. He gazed back at her, visibly swallowing, his dark eyes filled with a strange, almost unearthly light, unlike anything she had ever seen before.

“You are awake,” he said, in a fervent whisper. “And you look better.” He closed his eyes, looking as if he were in pain. “Thank the Lord!”

“I feel better,” she whispered, propping herself higher on the pillow, gazing at him steadily. “I do not feel as if I could get out of bed and dance a jig…but I feel so much better than yesterday.”

He reached out, taking her hand, caressing it gently. There was a tender silence, filled with so much emotion, it felt as if it were a physical entity in the room.

“You came.” She swallowed a sudden lump in her throat. “You came to me. I was praying so hard for it.”

“I should never have left you,” he said fervently. “I should never have let you leave my side.” He took a deep, shuddering breath. “I have been so wrong, Christine. So very deluded. I did not realize how much you meant to me…nor how I cannot live without you, until I almost lost you.”

She gazed at him, astonished, her heart filling with a hopeful, tender joy.

“It was Nora’s doing,” he continued, his voice fraught with pain. “She is the reason you became so ill. She tampered with your medicine—she poisoned you.”

“What?” Christine gaped at him. Her head began to spin again. “ What did you say?”

“It is true,” he whispered, holding her hand against his cheek, before taking another deep breath. “And she did the same thing to Rose. Her own sister. Nora murdered her—as surely as if she plunged a knife into her chest.”

“Oh, my dear Lord,” cried Christine, filled with horror. “How? Why? I don’t understand!”

Edwin shook his head. “I don’t entirely understand, either. How to understand and look into the very heart of evil?” He paused, his eyes filled with pain. “I noticed that you were ailing in a very similar way to Rose—and that Nora was the common denominator. She administered Rose’s medicine… and she was administering yours, as well.”

Christine was silent. She couldn’t speak, taking in the enormity of what he was telling her. The breadth of the evil in the lady who had stayed by her sickbed, ostensibly helping her. How she had done the same thing to her own sister?

“Apparently, she has always been in love with me,” he continued, his face twisting. “That was why she did it all. She confessed everything, after I confronted her. Only last week she tried to seduce me, acting in a very odd way, but I hadn’t put all the pieces together then…until now.”

Christine shuddered. She had never liked Nora, but she had never understood why. It had been a deep, instinctive reaction. The girls had felt the same way, too.

“I thought I had lost you,” he said, his voice catching. “Christine, can you ever forgive me? Can you ever pardon me for letting you out of my sight, and allowing that evil woman to prey on you?”

“There is nothing to forgive,” she whispered, tears streaming down her face. “Not now that you are here. And you stopped her, Edwin. I am alive. You saved me.”

He squeezed her hand, putting his head to their joined hands, as if in prayer. He groaned. For a moment, they were silent.

“I love you so much,” he whispered, looking up, his face contorted in agony. “I was running away from the knowledge of it, thinking it weakened me, took me away from my duty toward the girls.” He hesitated. “I swore an oath to them, when they were born, with their dead mother lying next to us…I swore I would never put anything, or anyone, ahead of them.”

“I understand,” said Christine, her heart shifting. “Please, do not distress yourself. I understand, Edwin.”

And she did. Finally, she knew why he had insisted on a marriage of convenience from the very start, desperately fighting his feelings for her, pushing her away even after they had grown so close. “And I forgive you, completely. For I love you as well.”

“How can it be possible?” he cried, pulling her toward him. “How can I be so lucky? I thought I was going to lose you…I couldn’t bear the thought of it…I have never loved a woman the way I love you…”

He kissed her, then, softly and tenderly, drawing her to him, holding her as if she were a precious relic, as delicate as crystal, who might break at any moment.

He held her, whispering words of endearment, over and over, as she lay in his arms, feeling as precious as gold. Her deepest desire had come true at long last. The pinnacle of her dreams.

I cannot believe it. He loves me as much as I love him. I have never been happier in my life.

They were silent, neither of them wanting to move an inch. Briefly, Christine thought of Violet, as she clung to him.

If only her sister could find this with the one she loved. Was it possible?

* * *

Two days later, Edwin glared at Lord Dunhill. His gaze was withering.

“I am helping Lady Violet return to Italy,” he said, in a firm voice. He glanced at his sister-in-law, who was standing next to Christine. The sisters had their arms around each other, for support. “It is my express wish that she be free to live her own life…and her maid is joining her there. Do you understand, Dunhill?”

The earl flushed a deep red, looking shamefaced. “I understand perfectly, Your Grace.”

Violet gave a cry of joy, rushing to Edwin’s side.

“Thank you,” she whispered. “From the bottom of my heart.”

“You are very welcome,” he said, smiling faintly. He glanced at Christine, then back at her sister. “And thank you —running away on our wedding day gave me the love of my life.”

At that moment, the door opened. They all turned. Christine’s heart leapt with joy. It was the twins, rushing to her, entwining their arms around her legs, gazing up at her adoringly.

“We missed you,” cried Isabella.

“When can we all go home?” cried Beatrice, turning to her father.

Christine gazed at Edwin. Their eyes met and held.

“I think it is time for our family to go home right now,” he said slowly, walking over to embrace them. “In fact, I cannot wait for a moment longer.”