Morgan sat up, his eyes fixed on his grandmother as he waited for her to continue.
“There have been rumors going around that not many people know of. Lord Linport is suspected to be responsible for the death of his wife.”
Morgan’s ears perked up at that as he listened closely.
“All of this happened at the time Selina arrived at my doorstep and I do quite recall how terrified she had been when she arrived. So once I heard the rumor, it all made sense that perhaps she had been so afraid because she knew the truth and was running from her father,” Grace said.
Morgan looked at her in shock as she told him what she knew.
“It makes sense also that she would not tell us. How was she to know how we would react to having the daughter of a murderer in our home?”
Morgan was terrified. He was shocked and conflicted. So many emotions ran through him that he could not place but the most noticeable was fear. Fear for Selina.
He had sent her away and told her to leave his home and never return when she was running away from something terrible and now she was all alone, defenseless against him if he were to find her.
Morgan was angry at himself and knew he would never forgive himself if something were to happen to her.
* * *
Selina sat with her back to the wooden chair as she penned a letter to her cousin, Arabella. She had not spoken to her in a while, since she escaped to the home of the Dowager Duchess at the Brigpool Estate.
Arabella had helped her the last time she had had to flee and she hoped that there would still be help to be rendered to her again.
Selina felt guilty for only just reaching out to her cousin after such a long time… guilty for the trouble she had almost brought upon Morgan and his family.
It was because of the guilt that she had felt that she had been unable to defend herself or explain her actions after Morgan had ambushed her with the letter. It was because of her guilt that she had not pleaded with him when he told her to leave.
Selina had resolved in her heart that after she had told him all that she had to say, she would take whatever he decided and not try to sway his decision, however, she had not been prepared for him being armed with information already.
Hence, when he had asked her to leave, she quickly turned on her feet and left. Her mouth had been too heavy for her to utter thanks for the time she had been allowed to stay in his home as a guest without any problems.
Selina had been grateful that she had a bit of coin left on her as she quickly hurried to her room and packed up what little belongings she had brought along with her. With the coin she had, she had managed to find the room she currently sat in, in a rundown inn.
Her stomach growled but she ignored it and hurriedly but carefully finished the letter. She set it out to allow the ink dry and then she fold it up. Selina slipped the letter into an envelope and hurried out of her room to have the letter delivered.
She clutched her wrap closer to her as she stepped into the alleyway that led away from the inn. She swallowed as her eyes darted everywhere, her steps quickening in a bid to escape the uncertainty of the darkness surrounding her.
As Selina walked on, she was alerted to the sound of footsteps coming from behind her. She quickened her pace, ready to be out of the short distance that led out of the alleyway.
Selina felt a hand on her shoulder as someone grabbed her from behind before she stepped out of the alleyway. The hands wrapped around her and picked her up so quickly that her head spun from the action.
Her mouth opened to scream just as a hand covered her mouth. Her eyes watered from the suddenness of it as she tried to wiggle around, her eyes wide in fear and shock.
She tried to speak but her voice was a mumble as the hand remained pressed against her lips. She continued wriggling just as she noticed the carriage just a little way off from her. Fear filled her as she was thrown in. Selina did not have the time to acquaint herself with her surroundings in her fear and confusion before a voice spoke out.
“It has been a while, my dear daughter.” Selina froze in shock as the voice washed over her. She had not heard that voice in a while but she recognized it clearly.
Selina had hoped that she would never have to hear this voice for the rest of her life until it became a distant memory that she struggled to remember but here she was, sitting in a carriage as he spoke. Her blood ran cold as she looked at the face of the man seated in front of her.
* * *
“I am sorry, Morgan. I should have been more thorough with my investigation and given you more information than I did,” Arthur apologized as he rode beside Morgan on their search for Selina, heading to an inn she had been seen staying at.
Morgan shook his head at the man. “It is not your fault. I should have asked her and given her the opportunity to tell me what she needed to instead of choosing to accuse her.”
Morgan could not blame Arthur for not having more information on Selina. There had not been enough time and he supposed it was like his grandmother said. The rumor that Lord Linport killed his wife, Selina’s mother, was something that was known to only a select few. There was no way Arthur could have found out about that, given the length of time.
They slowed down as they arrived at the inn. They had begun their search for her and Arthur had suggested checking nearby inns in case she had stopped at any of them for the night. He felt his heart beat wildly in his chest. He had been so wrong about her and could only hope she would forgive him.
