Read A Lady Undone for Free Online

finally said. “That is as good a word as I can think on.”
    Wyndham strode into the room, his cravat lopsided and his russet hair tumbling over his forehead. “Someone has entered your bedroom without your permission and left an unpleasant missive. I would imagine such a thing would make you feel as if you had been attacked.”
    “It is not so bad as that,” she rushed. After all, she’d been attacked before. In her own home. In a different bedroom of this very house. By her husband. “But I had felt safe here.”
    The Duke of Fairleigh stood, his broad shoulders straight under his black coat. “Unfortunately, you are not. Did the servants know anything, Wyndham?”
    Wyndham shook his head. “No, they seem baffled. I’m inclined to believe them. At present, we do not know how our intruder gained admittance, though someone who knew how wouldn’t find it particularly difficult to remain unseen in such a large house. My real concern is this . . . ” Wyndham paused. “How did the intruder know which room was the duchess’s?”
    The silence which followed Wyndham’s last sentence drove home her uncle’s harsh visit this morning. Soames, though deeply unpleasant, had made clear that she wasn’t taking the threat of physical danger seriously enough. Did someone truly wish her dead? But worse, if the author of the notes knew where she slept . . . “Whoever this is knows where I am throughout the day, don’t they?” she whispered.
    Wyndham locked glances with her, no sympathy this time. Only hard truth. “I would deem that likely. Until we know who is behind all this, you cannot stay here, Your Grace. I recommend—”
    “She will come stay us with,” Mary cut in, her face unusually pale in the candlelight.
    Wyndham lifted a hand, staying her. “That sounds like it would be ideal, but it mightn’t be in all actuality. I’d like to take the duchess to an undisclosed location and guard her personally.”
    Mary’s lips pressed into a thin line at this declaration before she said, “You think we cannot keep her safe?”
    “No. Whoever is doing this will know that you are close and that she would go to you for assistance,” Wyndham said simply. “So, you cannot know where the duchess is. Not for the next few days.”
    Clare shook her head, hardly believing this could be happening. “That is not possible. I have my work. And if it were to ever be known that I stayed with you—”
    “Trust me, it will never be known,” Wyndham soothed, but in that soothing there was determination. “Your Grace, you cannot do your work if you are dead.”
    Clare swallowed. It wasn’t fair. She’d only just obtained her freedom a little over a year ago, and now she was to hide? The unfortunate answer was a resounding yes. She did have to hide if she wished to save her work and herself. Good Lord, how she hated that someone was once again trying to control her through violence and threats. “Can you at least tell me where we are going?” Wyndham shook his head.
    “I see.” Clare swallowed. “Then I must say goodbye to Mary and Edward right now?”
    “Yes,” Wyndham replied.
    For a man who had spoken so verbosely this afternoon, his short, matter of fact answers conveyed exactly how serious he thought her situation was, and so she was even more inclined to do as he bid. If he had over spoken or tried to convince her, she might have resisted. But that calm, clear intent of his? How could she falter under that?
    She looked to Mary’s drawn face and Edward’s taut stance. “They will worry for me.”
    “I have people that will be able to get word to your friends, Your Grace,” Wyndham assured. “And I do not think it will take too long to discover who is at this.”
    “What convinces you of this, Wyndham?” Edward asked, his usually sure, deep voice wary.
    Wyndham leveled his gaze on Clare, regret turning those amber depths nearly black. “Because . . . I think it is someone she