“No woman deserves a man entering her room uninvited,” Daniel said to the vile man through gritted teeth. “Chambermaid or duchess, you should respect her wishes.”
“Eva, come and lock the door after me.”
She watched as Daniel pulled the man’s arm up behind his back and walked him toward the door.
“When will you return?”
“Soon, I promise.”
Grabbing a blanket she quickly wrapped it around herself. If Daniel had not heard her scream, that man could have raped her.
“I’m sorry, your Grace, I didn’t know she was your duchess, you have to believe me.” The man was whining but Daniel was not listening, instead Eva watched as he forced him
from the room, she turned the key in the lock as soon as the door was closed. Sitting on the bed she then waited for her husband to return.
“Eva it’s me.”
Relived when Daniel called to her a few minutes later, she hurried to open the door and after entering he closed and locked it again.
“Are you all right?”
Still clutching the blanket, she moved back to the bed. “Yes. Thank you for coming when I called, Daniel. I’m sorry but I forgot to lock the door after the maid took my tray and that was how the man got in.”
“Did he hurt you in any way?” Daniel stood just inside the room watching her intently.
“I hurt him more,” Eva answered.
He smiled at her words. “You certainly did.”
“Get into bed now, Eva, and I will join you after I have washed.”
Placing the blanket back on the bed Eva then climbed beneath the covers listening as her husband removed his clothes and washed. Sliding over to the far side she then turned her back to face the wall.
“Goodnight.”
He didn’t answer her, instead blowing out the candle and then climbing into bed beside her. Eva felt his arm around her waist and then she was being lifted back into his chest.
“Are you wanting to - ”
“I’m sorry that man hurt you, Eva, sorry that I was not here to stop it happening sooner.”
She turned in his arms then and burrowed into his chest seeking his strength.
“But you came when I called.”
“As I always will,” he vowed.
Eva felt his chin rest on her head and the last of her terror began to ease. She was safe here in his arms.
“Sleep now, Duchess.”
Eva closed her eyes and went to sleep with the steady rhythm of her husband’s heart beating beside her own.
They rose early and were soon back on the road for the final leg of their journey. Daniel had watched Eva grow more nervous with each mile until by the last few she was answering him with gestures and single, quietly spoken words. Her questions had long since ceased and now she sat stiff and pale. Entering the city of London, he feared she was about to relieve her stomach of its contents.
“If you don’t breathe soon, you shall swoon, Duchess.”
“It is very large and noisy,” Eva whispered, her eyes, if possible, growing wider as she looked at a group of people gathered around a shop front.
