My Dangerous Duke (The Twisted Dukes #2)

Chapter 13

“ L ady Cambell shall be expecting us for tea later today.”

“Mama, we have already paid three visits this very afternoon. I am sure my guests need me to tend to them as well.”

“This has been an absolutely horrid trip,” Laura Langley seethed, throwing a disgusted look at Eleanor. “We have been here for days and what do you do to help us? Nothing!”

“I tried to tell you, Mama,” Edna said snarkily from behind her mother’s shoulder.

“I am sorry to disappoint you, Mama but I am exhausted,” Eleanor stated, pushing through another wave of dizziness. The mere presence of her family was causing her heart to race and her breathing to shorten. And the more days they were staying with them, the worse she felt.

“You are full of excuses, Eleanor! I said-”

I should not have extended the invitation to the house party.

“Mrs. Langley, Lady Wilten,” Penelope greeted politely, stepping between her friend and her family, “There you are. I have been looking everywhere for you! You simply must come to meet my aunt; she is a Viscountess who hosts a salon for Ladies every third Thursday. She would love to meet you.”

Laura and Edna’s eyes alighted with excitement, and without another word toward Eleanor, they followed Penelope like flies to a carcass. Eleanor felt another wave of fatigue wash over her as she turned away from her mother and sister, and was met with an insistent Marina holding a cup of tea for her.

“Drink something,” she encouraged. “Eat something as well. You have barely touched any food these last few days, Eleanor!”

“I do not want it!” Eleanor insisted, pushing away the tea cup and saucer Marina was trying to push on her. “Food or tea.”

“It is heavy with brandy,” Marina whispered, pushing the cup toward her again. “Trust me, you need it.”

Wearily, Eleanor took the teacup and took a long sip; feeling the immediate calming effects of the peach liquor. It helped- but only a little. It was day three of her parents’ visit and her resolve was wearing thin. Thus far, her family had tried their hardest to make themselves important among the Ton and had failed miserably.

Her father was too pompous, and her mother and sister too eager to be the center of attention. It caused most peers to put a wide berth between them; only refraining from gossip because of Xander’s well-known dark temper for such things. The only one who had not caused a scene thus far was Edna’s husband, William. But it was obvious he was growing bored, and Eleanor had as much faith in him as in her sister.

“Eleanor, darling, are you sure you are all right?” Cordelia asked, leaning forward to study her friend’s face.

“Just a bit exhausted,” Eleanor sighed, dabbing at her forehead with her kerchief. The wind had made the day blessedly cool, but she was still sweating a surprising bit. “Mother and Edna have been dragging me to all of those ladies’ tea functions, you know. Their behavior can be… tedious.”

Cordelia still looked at her worriedly, but she nodded.

“How long is their stay?” She asked next.

“One more day this week, then they wish to return to London at the beginning of August. They want me to throw an end-of-summer ball in London for them.”

The sound of her friend’s voice became muffled as Eleanor suddenly felt a wave of nausea wash over her. She looked up from the table, finding her vision blurry, and began to feel lightheaded as she saw a black figure approaching the table.

“Eleanor?” Xander’s voice sounded thick and distant like he was speaking through water. She tried to look up, but the light burned her eyes.

“Xander,” she sighed before sinking into darkness.

“What happened to her?” Xander’s voice clashed above her like a symbol, making her ears ache. Though her eyes were already closed, she clenched them tighter and tensed her body.

Eleanor was moving, she quickly realized, but it was not her legs that were carrying her. They were hanging uselessly over a well-muscled arm. There was a thumping in her left ear; rapid and powerful, and through her exhaustion, she realized it was her husband’s manic heartbeat. He was scared?

“We do not know,” she heard a voice say behind them. “She was not looking well and she had mentioned that her par-”

“Marina!” Another hissed, then added “ Certain guests were becoming quite vexing. Perhaps it has affected her sleep these past few days.”

“Mrs. Gaines, where have you been!” Xander snapped above her, making her wince and whimper.

Eleanor immediately felt Xander’s arms bring her even closer to him as they kept moving, and then she felt his lips caress against her temple as he whispered, “I am sorry, Honey.”

The sudden tenderness in his voice relaxed Eleanor immediately, and she once more sank fully into his arms.

“Get the physician at once, have him meet us in her quarters,” he then instructed in his normal voice.

“Right away, Your Grace,” Mrs. Gaines stated, her voice, and all the others fading away once more.

Eleanor awoke as the taste and substance of tar filled her mouth, making her choke and sputter. She tried to turn her head away and purge, but she felt a strong hand on her chin and her mouth was forced open. Once more the spoon clanged hard against her teeth, and then a hand was slapped over her mouth so that she was forced to swallow. She coughed and gagged as it went down, and finally forced her eyes open to pleadingly look at the old man with a beak nose and glasses that was holding her down.

“Let go of her!” She heard Xander roar, along with the sounds of restrained struggle.

“She is beyond exhaustion, Your Grace, yet her body keeps trying to awaken.” The physician shouted back matter-of-factly, “Her nervous system is confused. She needs to be put into a deep sleep so her body can heal. A heavy dose will have to do.”

As Eleanor felt a heaviness take over her body and her eyes slowly started to close again, she heard the sound of someone being pushed, then rapid footsteps before she heard a yelp. Eleanor’s eyes fluttered open just enough to see the beak-nosed man being pulled away from above her.