Duke of Wicked Intentions by Harriet Caves
Chapter Twenty-Six
She couldn’t remember the last time she’d felt so bored. It had only been a few days, but Miranda was already beginning to wonder how in the world she was going to make it through her bedrest without losing her mind completely.
Thankfully, Rowena had been by almost every day to spend time with her, and Benedict had also been attentive and entertaining as possible. Everyone was going above and beyond to make sure she was comfortable and cared for. To her surprise, even the Dowager had been much less nasty to her, though she didn’t sit at her side and chat with her the way Rowena or Benedict did.
Not that that was necessarily a bad thing, though.
Still, despite her thoughtful company and their efforts to distract and entertain her, Miranda was still growing antsy and frustrated, wanting to leave her bed so badly but knowing that she had to stay put. She just had to tell herself that it was for the sake of the baby. When she reminded herself of that fact, it always helped to ease the worst of her impatience.
She was nearly five days into her bedrest when Aunt Pam and her father came to visit her. The moment they walked through the door to her bedroom, she let out a little squeal of joy, more excited to see them than she normally would be.
“Papa!” she cried out as her father hurried to her side.
He leaned down and pressed a kiss to her forehead. “Oh, My Darling Girl, how are you feeling? I’m sorry I couldn’t come to you sooner. I’ve been overwhelmed with business matters that I simply couldn’t ignore.”
She took his hand and squeezed it. “It’s all right, Papa. I know that you’re a very busy man, but I so appreciate you coming to see me now.”
Aunt Pam stepped up next to Miranda’s father and smiled down at her as she placed her hand on Earl’s shoulder in a very familiar way that took Miranda a little aback.
“I’m so glad that you’re looking so well,” her aunt said with a relieved sigh. “When we received word from the Duke that you’d been put on bedrest so soon into your pregnancy…I’m afraid I feared the worst.”
She could only imagine the fear her father must have felt for her. After losing her mother, the possibility of losing her as well would likely be overwhelmingly stressful.
Giving them both a small smile, she said, “I’m sorry to have worried you. I promise, I am doing quite well now. I just need to rest, according to the doctor. It will only be for a little while. Just until the pregnancy stabilizes.”
Her father released a breath of relief. “That is good to hear, Sweetheart. Are you being well cared for? Where is the Duke?”
“Don’t worry, Papa, I am being wonderfully cared for,” she assured him. “Benedict has been very attentive of me as well. He went on a few errands this morning that couldn’t be avoided, but he should be back soon.”
“Not so much soon as now,” a warm, familiar voice declared from the doorway.
Miranda looked to see Benedict strolling into the room, a wide smile on his face. Her heart fluttered at the sight of him, and she couldn’t help her own grin as he neared. He came around to the other side of the bed opposite her father and aunt and leaned down to press a kiss to the top of her head.
“Good day, My Lord,” he said, straightening and greeting the Earl. Then, to Aunt Pam, “My Lady.”
Her father inclined his head to Benedict, while her aunt dipped into a curtsy.
“Good day, Your Grace,” her father greeted in turn. “I’m quite happy to see you. I was afraid we would miss you today.”
Benedict shook his head as he laid a comforting hand on Miranda’s shoulder. “Little chance of that. I only intended to be away a short time, and only because I had no choice in the matter, believe me.”
Miranda reached up and laid her hand over his, giving it a squeeze. “The Duke has been such a support to me these past few days,” she said, turning her gaze back to her father. “I am quite lucky to have him.”
Her father regarded her and Benedict with a thoughtful expression, as if determining the truth of her words. When his expression softened, she hoped it was because he was satisfied with what he saw between her and Benedict. “I’m glad to hear that, My Dear,” he said.
Aunt Pam patted his arm. “Why don’t you and His Grace go and talk together, and give me and Miranda some time together? I’m sure she has some feminine concerns that she might wish to discuss in private.”
The Earl paled slightly at that, as though the idea of feminine concerns terrified him. Which was very likely true, in all actuality.
“Ah, yes, that might be a good idea,” he said with a little chuckle. Looking up at Benedict, he asked, “Shall we leave the Ladies for a bit, Your Grace?”
Benedict glanced down at Miranda, and she could sense his hesitation. “It’s all right,” she assured him. “I’ll be just fine. You go and enjoy some time with my father.”
He still didn’t look particularly convinced yet, but he gave a slow nod. “All right. If you need anything, send for me, yes?”
She gave him a soft smile. “Of course I will. Please, don’t worry.”
Releasing a breath, he nodded again and looked up at her father. “Shall we escape to my study, My Lord? I’m rather curious to get your perspective on the latest bill that has been presented in Parliament.”
The Earl’s eyes lit up with interest. “Oh, yes. That is rather interesting. I like to hear your thoughts as well.”
“Then shall we?” Benedict stretched his arm toward the door in invitation.
Miranda’s father nodded. “Yes, lead the way, Your Grace.”
With a final glance down at Miranda, Benedict turned and walked toward the door and her father trailed eagerly behind him. Once both men had left, Aunt Pam sat next to Miranda and ran a hand over her forehead.
“You’re looking well, My Dear,” Aunt Pam said with a small smile. “Very healthy, if not a little tired.”
Miranda grinned and ran her hands over her belly. She wasn’t showing yet, but she imagined what it would be like when she was round and could feel the baby moving inside her. She thought it would be a rather strange sensation, to be sure, and yet she simply couldn’t wait for it.
Before she could reply to her aunt’s comments, though, the bedroom door opened and the Dowager strolled in. She stopped abruptly when she spotted Aunt Pam, but other than a scowl, she didn’t make any comment to the woman’s presence. She moved to stand where Benedict had been beside Miranda’s bed and gazed down at her.
“How are you feeling today?” she asked in a voice that wasn’t exactly warm, but was far from the icy tone Miranda had grown used to from her.
“I’m feeling good,” Miranda told her. “My nausea did not seem so bad this morning.”
The Dowager nodded. She seemed pleased by this information. “I’m glad to hear that,” she said. “It is of the upmost importance that we keep you healthy and cared for. Do you need anything?”
Miranda was still not used to her mother-in-law treating her with any kind of consideration. It took her a moment to gather her bearings enough to answer. “Actually, is there any way you could have a new book brought to me from the library? I’ve finished my last one.”
The Dowager readily replied, “All right. I’ll fetch it myself. Which one would you like?”
Miranda told her the name of the book she wanted to read next, and the Dowager turned to leave and collect it. Before she walked out the door, however, she glanced back over her shoulder with narrowed eyes at Aunt Pam. The look almost seemed be one of warning, but Miranda wasn’t sure what the Dowager would be warning her aunt about.
Once her mother-in-law was gone, Miranda turned her attention back to Aunt Pam, who was staring at her with a frown.
“What’s the matter?” Miranda asked.
“Since when have you and the Dowager gotten along so well?” her aunt demanded to know.
Her tone of voice caught Miranda by surprise. She almost sounded angry. “I…I wouldn’t say that we’re getting along, really,” Miranda stammered. “She is just concerned about the pregnancy and doesn’t want anything to happen to the baby. It really has nothing to do with me.”
Though I don’t mind being treated with a modicum of respect.
For some reason, though, that didn’t seem to put her aunt at ease. Her expression didn’t soften, and she was practically glaring at Miranda.
“Aunt Pam…really…the Dowager and I are in no way on the path to friendship. She’s just trying not to cause me stress so that I don’t lose the baby during this delicate time. I swear, that’s all there is to it.”
“You don’t understand how manipulative that woman can be,” her aunt hissed. “She’s up to something, I guarantee it. You can’t trust her, no matter what she says to you.”
Miranda furrowed her brow in confusion. “Aunt Pam, what would she try to say to me that would have you so worried? Why do you think I would believe her?”
Aunt Pam blinked at her, and look slightly startled for a moment. “Oh…that’s…I didn’t mean anything specific. I just meant that you can’t trust her…at all.”
Gazing up at her aunt, Miranda couldn’t help but think that she was lying. Why would she do that, though? What was she trying to hide?
Does it have to do with their rift? Aunt Pam has all the reason in the world to mistrust the Dowager, but she’s acting so strange, even though she’s already told me about the affair.
“Aunt Pam, what–?”
“Let me get you something to drink, Dear,” Aunt Pam said sharply, cutting Miranda off before she could ask another question. “It’s important that you don’t let yourself become too thirsty.”
Miranda knew her aunt was avoiding speaking to her further on the issue, and though she wanted to push for more information, she refrained from doing so. She could see that her aunt was upset, and she didn’t want to do anything to poke at her temper further. Aunt Pam wasn’t one to grow angry often, but when she did, it could be quite intimidating, especially when one was on the receiving end of her fury.
Aunt Pam moved across the room to a pitcher of water that sat on a dresser. It had been brought in earlier by a maid so that Miranda didn’t have to continuously send for someone to bring her something to drink. Aunt Pam stood in front of the pitcher, with her back to Miranda, blocking her view as she poured water into a cup for her.
Turning back to face Miranda, Aunt Pam held up the cup as she walked back across the room to give it to her.
“Here you go, Dear,” she said as she handed Miranda the water. “Have a drink and relax. I’m sorry that I snapped at you. That was uncalled for.”
Miranda was still rather baffled by her aunt’s strange behavior, but she took the cup with a nod. “Thank you, Aunt Pam,” Miranda softly said. She held the cup in her hand as her aunt sat back down next to her.
When she didn’t drink right away, her aunt frowned. “Well, come on then. Have some water.”
“I will,” Miranda assured her. “I just thought we’d continue speaking for a bit–”
“You should have a drink now,” Aunt Pam insisted. “I don’t want you to be parched.”
Her aunt’s peculiar behavior was beginning to make Miranda a little nervous. “If it’ll put your mind at ease,” Miranda conceded, lifting the cup to her lips.
Just before she tipped the cup back to take the water into her mouth, the bedroom door opened again and the Dowager returned. Her eyes locked on Miranda and widened with alarm.
“Don’t drink that!” she cried, rushing forward, dropping the book that had been in her hands to the floor. Reaching Miranda, she knocked the cup from her hands. The water went flying and spilled across the bedding and onto the floor.
“What in the world are you doing?” Miranda exclaimed.
The Dowager, her eyes crazed, pointed a finger at Aunt Pam. “She’s trying to poison you.”
“What?” Miranda blinked in shock at her mother-in-law, certain the woman had completely lost her mind at last. “Are you mad?”
“She is mad,” Aunt Pam shouted, pushing to her feet. “Why would I try to hurt my niece? Where would you get such a ludicrous idea?”
The Dowager gnashed her teeth, appearing to struggle to speak for a moment, but then she released a long breath and hissed, “Because you did the exact same thing to your sister!”
