Page 31 of Unbound Duchess

“Geoff, take them to the cottage for now. See to it that they have plenty of food and clean clothing,” Laurence ordered. “Place a guard outside.”

“Yes, Your Grace,” Geoff answered with a curt nod.

“You two,” Laurence said, turning his gaze to the young couple. He noted how both flinched at his tone, and he took a breath, willing his rage to get back in check.

“Go. Get some much-needed rest,” he said, far more gently than before. “Your lady—your duchess—will be most excited to see you, but I cannot allow her to do so until you are both fully healed.”

Laurence waited until Geoff had ushered Jacob and Sarah back outside before he rang the bell for his valet. When the servant arrived, Laurence commanded him to go to the tavern in Blackford to collect Solomon, as he knew he had planned to spend the evening there before heading back to his estate in Wynter.

He would need to speak to Ellen soon. First, though, he needed to work off some of his rage, and there was no better remedy for that than boxing with his old friend.

CHAPTER TWELVE

“Ellen! Are you alright in there?”

Ellen’s lashes flew up as she heard the panicked shouting. She sat up, confused and startled, and realized, as she looked down at her new white silk nightgown and robe, that she had actually fallen asleep. She didn’t remember when or how. Only that she had taken Madalene’s advice after she’d shown her around to have a bath to help her relax.

Pounding erupted from her chamber door, followed quickly by Laurence’s voice shouting, “Shall I send for the physician?”

Ellen scrambled off her large canopy bed, noticing only then that the day had shifted to night as she hurried over the marble floor and to the door. She opened it with haste, and found Laurence standing sideways, his shoulder and muscled arm facing her, as if he’d just been about to ram the door open.

He’d changed out of his black suit into a simple white shirt that laced in the front, and a pair of black trousers. She cocked an eyebrow, surprised that, despite her attraction to him in a fine suit, he seemed much more handsome when he dressed casually. The moment he saw her, his worried expression went blank, and he quickly shifted himself into a straighter, more composed posture.

If they had known one another, she would have laughed at him for being so quick to panic.

She did not know him, though, and even though she believed his promise not to hurt her, she was still slow to trust that he would not explode the way Benedict had.

“I do not need a physician,” she answered calmly, opening the door wider for him so he could step in. “I fell asleep.”

Laurence’s brows rose in surprise as he stepped into the room. Without a thought, Ellen let go of the door and stepped back, his presence making the large room suddenly feel very small.

“Apologies,” he offered. “I did not realize. I could go? We could speak another time.”

Ellen shook her head.

“No, it is alright,” she assured him, turning away from him so she could light some more candles.

“It is probably good that you awakened me. I would only have woken up in the middle of the night in a panic, I think. I wouldn’t have known where I was. At least this way I had an instant reminder.”

“Happy to be of service, I suppose,” Laurence muttered.

She turned and found him taking in her quarters as if it was the first time he’d seen them.

“Have you never been in here before?” she asked.

Laurence shook his head as his gaze slowly came back to her.

“But this room adjoins yours,” she pointed out.

Laurence shrugged.

“Never had a need to be in here before now,” he answered. “Is it suitable?”

This time Ellen did let out a laugh.

“My room at Perminton Manor was quite nice, but this?” She waved a hand around the large room. “This is an entirely different sort of opulence. Everything is beautiful. Thank you.”

To her surprise, a smile tugged at Laurence’s lips. Not sarcastic or devilish, but a genuine smile that lit up his face and highlighted his already handsome features.