The Duke Who Hid from Love (Preview)
Chapter One
Phoebe, how many times have I taught you the recipe for making cold lozenges? How do you forget it every single time?” Helena Swinton joked in exasperation as she stared at her little sister, who was looking at her with an embarrassed smile.
“I am sorry, Helena, I have no idea, I promise. I think it is about time you accept that I do not share your love for medicines, herbs, and treating the sick,” Phoebe answered, not appearing guilty at all.
“I am not asking you to become a midwife or attend to patients like me and Father. I just require your help in making these lozenges for the time being,” Helena said, sounding tired.
Despite their differences in interests, Helena loved her younger sister with all her heart. The two shared a very unique bond. They had grown closer after their mother’s illness and death, since Helena had taken over the role of a maternal figure in Phoebe’s life quite expertly. Even now, Phoebe always came to her for advice or gossip, and Helena loved the intimacy they shared.
“Alright, Miss Swinton, your wish is my command,” Phoebe said dramatically, rolling up her tongue to form an accent. Helena turned to look at her sister and tried to stare at her stoically for two seconds before the two of them burst into a fit of laughter. They shared a fun-loving and joyous nature, and laughter naturally followed in their footsteps no matter the task at hand.
As the two of them laughed, Phoebe’s hand accidentally touched the glass decanter that contained Spanish licorice. They stared in horror as the bottle remained in the air for a few seconds before crashing to the floor with a loud, shattering noise. Helena looked up at Phoebe, who was staring at the mess between their feet with wide eyes. Her expression of horror was so amusing that Helena couldn’t help breaking into peals of laughter once again. Phoebe followed right after and the sisters would have looked like a duo of lunatics to anyone who observed them.
“May I know the reason behind this commotion?” Helena turned as their father’s voice met her ears. Roger Swinton was a tall man with whom Helena shared most of her physical features. He stood just a little distance away and was staring at the two of them and the mess on the floor with an expressionless face.
“Father, we were just making lozenges when the bottle of Spanish licorice fell,” Helena answered quickly, gaining control over her condition. Phoebe too stood straight, keeping a hand over her mouth in order to hide the smile that remained adamantly on her lips. Helena knew that her father was just trying to act stern. They were a close family and hardly ever took their antics seriously.
“I will deal with you two later,” he said, trying to sound angry but failing miserably. “Helena, Baron Sefield just sent word. His wife has gone into early labor and requires your assistance immediately.”
Helena’s eyes widened at the news and she grew serious immediately. Baron Sefield had come to the countryside from London purely for the birth of his first child. He didn’t wish for his wife and unborn child to be subjected to the polluted air in London. Helena’s reputation as one of the village’s midwives had soared during the past year, and everyone trusted her skills. The baron had consulted her from the start, and thus far the baroness had had a healthy pregnancy. Helena had not expected her to go into labor so early, and the news somewhat surprised her. But like any other midwife, she was always prepared.
“I’ll go there immediately,” Helena said, quickly discarding her apron and throwing it carelessly on the kitchen counter.
“And you, young lady, will clean all of this mess and continue making the lozenges on your own. The recipe is written in the old cookbook,” Helena heard her father instruct Phoebe as she ran towards her room to pick up her medicine satchel. She made sure that it was always well prepared, as it was quite often that she had to run away for an emergency such as this one.
She quickly surveyed her appearance in the small mirror placed in the living room and noticed that her hair needed a little combing, though she had no time to straighten out her appearance.
Who looks at me anyway? thought Helena uncaringly. She knew that she was appealing to look at, but it didn’t matter to her at all. The only thing she cared about was her patients and how many she could help or save in one day.
“I am leaving, Father,” she shouted as she stepped out into the mid-day sun.
“Best of luck, darling,” she heard her father’s distant voice as she closed the door behind her. The baron lived a little distance from her cottage, in the poshest area of the village. Those houses were usually occupied by barons and knights who resided in London and visited occasionally.
She walked quickly through the marketplace and noticed how almost everyone was out and about. Most of her neighbors had small shops located here, and Helena waved to everyone she knew as she passed by. Interacting with others had never been a problem for her.
The marketplace thinned and the roads grew wider. Helena had delivered several babies and was adept at the task, but premature labor was always risky. She had no idea how the evening would turn out and hoped for the best. Hers could be a tough job, but she was determined to do it with precision.
She finally reached the baron’s door and knocked loudly. The door was opened by Wendy––a girl she knew from the village. Relief overtook Wendy’s features as soon as she laid eyes on Helena.
“Thank the Lord you are here, Helena. Baron Sefield is frantic,” she exclaimed, and Helena couldn’t help but smile at her choice of words. She had no doubt that the baron was worried. It was his first child and he must not have expected any complications.
“Don’t worry, everything will be alright,” Helena said with an uneasy smile as she stepped inside. She herself wasn’t certain if anything was going to be alright but her job was one that needed both hope and prayers and required confidence. Being a midwife, she had to be strong and supportive so her patients and their family members could trust her and remain calm.
“Miss Swinton, you are here at last.” The baron’s loud voice met her ears as he descended the staircase and saw Helena standing there.
“How is the baroness?” Helena asked quickly, making her way towards the man. He was an inch or two taller than Helena and had an appealing face. His wife was also a very beautiful lady, and Helena was certain that their child would be blessed with great looks.
“She is in extreme pain but is trying to stay strong. I have no idea what to do and had no choice but to send for you,” he answered and Helena nodded. “Miss Swinton, I beg you to please make sure that both my wife and unborn child are safe.”
Helena noticed the pleading look in his eyes and the worry etched on his brow. Helena felt sorry for the man, since she knew the turmoil that muse have occupied his heart. There was no way that Helena could promise safety for both the mother and child. Childbirth was very unpredictable and matters could go wrong at any time. Making promises would only put her in a tough position if something went wrong.
“I’ll try my best, my lord. I’ll see that your wife has a comfortable labor,” she answered and quickly made her way upstairs towards the bedroom.
She was anxious, but despite that, her mind was alert. She had been in the same situation countless times and knew that she could handle this turmoil without any problem at all. She simply needed to have faith in herself and God. She took a deep breath before stepping inside the baroness’s bedroom, praying for everything to work in their favor.
Chapter Two
Simon Dalrymple, the Duke of Davinshire, walked up the staircase of his home, deep in thought. He was calculating the timing of shipments that were to arrive in London in the next months. He had a generous sum of money invested in different avenues pertaining to the materials that were arriving and was expecting great profits.
Sometimes he himself couldn’t believe how deftly he had expanded his business. He’d had such success that he was now considered one of the richest dukes in all of England. His dukedom was already one of the oldest, and now his growing wealth had made him an extremely prominent figure.
He knew it was of utmost importance that he calculate all his business moves with great precision in order to keep his position intact. He wanted to leave his children a legacy, a fortune that they could rely upon. It was his duty towards them as a father.
He was finally at the top of the staircase, still lost in plotting ideas to bring his business ventures to life, when a loud barking noise brought him out of his reverie. He looked down and noticed that the noise was soon followed by the arrival of a slightly overweight, brownish-gold pug in the passageway. The pug immediately ran towards Simon and stopped by his feet. Simon watched with widened eyes as the creature started rubbing his head over his trousers, as if wanting to snuggle to him.
“Away dog, away,” Simon growled, trying his best to move his leg out of the pug’s path without hurting him. Why did I ever allow Benjamin to have this dog as a pet? Thought Simon, extremely irritated. He had never been fond of animals, and having one as a pet was beyond his realm of understanding. The dog refused to move away and instead turned his head up to stare at Simon with his huge black eyes, as if begging for affection.
“Caesar, where are you boy?” Benjamin’s loud voice reached Simon’s ears. He knew that just like countless times earlier, his eight-year-old son must have lost control of the dog or had allowed him to run away. Simon disliked it when the pug roamed throughout the mansion and especially when he came in the middle of his path.
“He is in here, Benjamin,” Simon called out loudly, his tone stern. He was angry that his son had defied him yet again and planned to scold him. He had told Benjamin clearly that the dog was not allowed inside the house, but the boy never listened.
Benjamin came running and his eyes fell to the pug snuggling by Simon’s feet. He stared at Simon with widened eyes and bent down before making a clicking sound from the back of his throat. Caesar most probably recognized the sound, as Simon noticed how he immediately turned around and ran towards Benjamin with a happy bark.
“Forgive me, Father, I had no idea he was here,” Benjamin started apologizing immediately, probably judging the thunderous look that was clearly evident in Simon’s pale blue eyes.
“Benjamin, how many times do I have to tell you to keep this pet pug of yours outside? The only reason I allowed you to have it was this agreement between us. Have you forgotten it?” Simon questioned, his tone turning loud and angry.
“No Father, I am sorry. Caesar simply refuses to stay outside and I feel sad for him. I really love him and do not want to leave him all alone,” Benjamin said, his tone pleading.
Simon couldn’t help but stare at his son as he continued apologizing. His lower lip was quivering, as if he would break down in tears any second. Simon noticed once again the resemblance to Patrina, his late wife.
Benjamin was the spitting image of his late mother, and Simon couldn’t help but think about her as he stared at him. He had the same brown hair, the exact same hazel eyes––an unusual shade of green, and the milky white skin. His son was still young and his features hadn’t hardened, which made him look all the more like his mother. Simon’s heart grew heavy as thoughts of Patrina invaded his mind.
“I have told you many times to not run inside the house with the dog. If you wish to run, you must step outside and play in the gardens.” Simon said before moving his stare from his son to his daughter, Ruby, who had just walked in the passageway sporting a stern expression on her face.
Simon noticed how she seemed much older than just twelve. It felt as if the turns of time had ticked a little too fast for her and that she had grown up way before she was meant to.
“Good morning, Father. I hope you are well this morning.” Ruby’s soft voice forced Simon to look up as he noticed his daughter bobbing a polite curtsy in front of him. Where Benjamin looked like his late mother, Ruby looked a lot like Simon. She had Simon’s dark brown hair and slightly pale complexion, but her mother’s eyes. Simon nodded at her. He didn’t know what to say. He was at a loss for words whenever he was in the presence of his two children and thus wished to reduce his interaction with them to a minimal amount.
“Good morning,” Simon mumbled lightly before walking back towards his study and heading inside the room. The room was dark to suit his tastes and characterized mainly by brown and black tones. He usually kept the windows and doors closed and that had made the place quite stuffy, but he didn’t mind at all. He had no desire to see or be seen by the outside world.
He knew that both his children were still standing just outside his door because he could hear their voices.
“Benjamin, why do you insist on bringing Caesar inside when Father has asked you to keep him outside?” Ruby scolded Benjamin. Simon stood just by the door and listened to every word.
“He gets lonely all alone outside. I can’t leave him looking devastated,” Benjamin answered, his words filled with sadness. In that moment Simon wanted to step outside and give his son a hug. He wanted to tell him that he could keep Caesar inside for as long as he wished, but he didn’t have the courage to do so. There was no doubt in his mind that he loved his children with all his heart, but he didn’t know how to express it anymore.
The last three years had been hard on all of them. Following the unfortunate death of his wife Patrina, Simon had closed off. He didn’t wish to be the person he had turned into. He wanted to be a good father to his children, but had no idea how he could become that person again.
“Benjamin, I understand that. But Father doesn’t, and I do not want you to bother him anymore. Just make sure that you do not upset him unreasonably again,” Simon heard Ruby scold Benjamin. His heart suddenly felt way too heavy in his chest. It was as if all the world’s weight had been put on his shoulders and he had no choice but to endure it with a straight face.
He heard footsteps leaving and knew that Benjamin and Ruby were probably walking away from the study and back towards their bedchambers. He waited for them to disappear before quietly opening the door and stepping out. The portrait room was just a little further away, towards the left side of the passageway, and Simon entered it carefully. The room stood in stark contrast to his study, as it was painted all white and had large windows at all sides that allowed natural light to filter in. Simon suddenly felt as if he was in a different world altogether.
He quietly walked towards the biggest portrait in the room. It was a family picture of him, Patrina, Ruby, and Benjamin. It had been painted several months before Patrina had passed away in the unfortunate incident. Simon stood silently, staring at the painting of his late wife. He tried to remember the day they had sat for the portrait, but his memory failed him.
That was the case with almost everything related to Patrina, except the night of the accident. He had forgotten her sharp features, her scent, her habits, her voice and everything that made her a person. His mind had accepted that she was gone, but his heart was still unable to process everything that had transpired.
He blamed himself for the accident. He knew that if only he had been a little quicker, he could have saved Patrina from the fire that had taken over their London residence that night. She would have still been here beside him.
The family in the portrait seemed like strangers. They were happy and knew how to smile. These days, it was as though Simon had forgotten what happiness felt like. He was the reason that his children didn’t have a mother. A man like him had no right to happiness.
He picked up his right hand and traced the left side of his face. The scars were still there, reminding him of that fateful night when everything had gone wrong. The fire, the smoke, the smell of burning flesh, cloth and furniture. He remembered Patrina’s lifeless body lying in his arms, the physician informing him that she was gone, and not wanting to believe the truth despite knowing it in his heart.
He still couldn’t believe that it had been three years.
