The Duke's Forbidden Lover (Forbidden #1)

Chapter 9.

"Agnes?" Nalini whispered, her eyes wide, horrified. She wasn't that surprised to hear it, but at the same time, she couldn't believe anyone would make a child cry...deliberately.

There was a part of her that wanted to believe that Agnes may have made him cry accidentally. After all, some kids cried for no reason, but it didn't seem like that was the case.

"Yes!" Nora exclaimed, eyes burning. "Richard talked in his sleep, you see, and he was whispering her name and pleading her not to hurt him and that it was all a mistake!"

A mistake? She wondered what he was talking about.

"Mistake?" Nalini voiced her thoughts and leaned forward, eager to know. "What do you think he means?"

Nora shrugged helplessly. "I do not have one clue. However, I am more concerned about him being hurt by Agnes."

That much was true. Nalini's heart was beating rapidly and all the missing pieces seemed to fit. Having Ricard cry here and there especially when Agnes was around—did that mean she was abusing him?

A gasp left her lips. "Oh my goodness...Richard's being abused by Agnes!"

Nora frowned, nodding. "He, moreover, persisted on not wanting His Grace to know because he is afraid."

"Afraid?" Nalini repeated. She didn't blame him, though, the Duke was the scariest man alive.

Nora nodded, her eyes filled with sorrow. "Afraid!" she echoed, incredulously. She then shook her head, the emotion shifting to one of anger. "I cannot believe Agnes would do such a barbaric thing. Pardon my language, but she is nothing more than a harlot!" she exclaimed, in passionate anger. "How could one think of hurting a young child?"

Nalini sighed and bit her lip. She didn't question her on what 'harlot' meant and instead, nodded, pretending she knew. Besides, she was just as angry as Nora to care much about what an ancient word meant.

"I know," Nalini said, a frown on her face. "She's gone too far. And that's exactly why we have to tell the Duke this—he has to know!" She got out of bed and went to race out the door when Nora took her by the arm and pulled her back.

"If you disturb him or Richard whilst he is sleeping, surely he will get mad at you. We must wait till the morrow and we shall address this concerning matter, then," she said, softly.

Nalini said nothing in response and nodded. She just wanted to let the Duke know so that Agnes could get fired, once and for all, but Nora was right.

"I have another confession," Nora said, quietly this time. Nalini squinted her eyes at the blonde girl in the dark, confusion consuming her.

"A confession?"

Nora nodded, once. "Richard believes...Agnes has fallen in love with His Grace."

If Nalini could faint at that very moment—she would. Agnes in love with...the Duke?!

She pushed down the urge to laugh. "What?"

"Such was another mumble during his sleep. He does not want His Grace to fall in love with such a horrible woman!" Nora bit her lip. "And, perhaps tis why she torments him so much."

"Because she's in love with the Duke?" Nalini didn't understand that logic. If she loved the Duke, wouldn't she try to get on his good side and want to love his child as her own?

"Or, mayhap, she wants him all to herself and believes Richard is standing in her way."

Oh.

That actually made more sense and the thought caused Nalini to choke on her saliva. Was that really Agnes' thought process?

She swore she could feel the bile rising in her throat at the woman's indifference.