A Deceptive Wager (Marriage by Design #3) - Ruth Ann Nordin Page 0,34

gaze to him. “Teddy, you’ve known Dr. Westward for years. Do you really think he’s going to poison you?”

Teddy stopped rocking back and forth for a moment. “I don’t know.” Then he was rocking back and forth again.

“He’s a very nice person,” Gretchen told him. “You have nothing to worry about.”

He shook his head.

Hattie sighed and gave her sister a look that indicated this was the reason she needed her help.

“Do you trust me and Aunt Hattie?” Gretchen asked him.

“Yes,” he replied.

“If you don’t take the medicine, your wounds could get infected,” she said.

“I’ve been bad,” he replied. “Knives are bad. They aren’t toys.”

“Yes, that’s true. In the future, you won’t play with them.” Gretchen patted his back. “You’ll do better. I believe in you. Right now, though, I need you to take the medicine. It’ll help you heal.”

He stopped rocking again, and Kitty could see that he was working through the logic of her statement. After a moment, he said, “I’ll take it. I want to be good.”

She smiled and rubbed his back again. “I know you do, and we want to do what’s best for you. You’re a good person, Teddy.”

Gretchen got up from the couch and went to the fireplace to retrieve the bottle of medicine and the spoon that was resting next to it.

Hattie glanced in Kitty’s direction, and since she didn’t know what to say or do, Kitty’s gaze went back to the floor. She hadn’t ever been in a situation like this. What was the proper etiquette? She didn’t know if she should offer a greeting when Hattie seemed so distressed, nor could she treat Teddy like she would any other gentleman whom she was just meeting.

“There you are,” she heard Gretchen say.

Kitty looked up and saw that her chaperone was pulling the spoon out of Teddy’s mouth.

Gretchen offered him a tender smile. “I promise that you will be just fine.”

Teddy returned her smile, and he visibly relaxed. Hattie relaxed, too.

“Teddy, let me take you to bed so you can get some rest,” Gretchen said. “You’ve been through a terrible scare today.” She helped him to his feet. “I’ll be right back,” she told Kitty before she led him out of the room.

Kitty tried not to panic as Gretchen left. What was she supposed to say to Hattie?

Thankfully, Hattie saved her from having to make a decision since she stood up and walked over to her. “Forgive me for insisting my sister come here,” Hattie said. “I was at my wits’ end. I tried for an hour to calm Teddy, but I couldn’t do it. I realize it was inconvenient for you to have to come all the way here when you had more important things to do.”

“No, I didn’t have anything more important to do.” Talking with her friends about how miserable she was because Aaron was making her wear something restrictive suddenly seemed ridiculous in light of what she’d just witnessed. She offered Hattie a smile. “I’m glad Miss Britcher was able to come and help you.”

Hattie chuckled. “My sister’s always been so formal. Did you know her name was Gretchen until you came here?”

Kitty shook her head.

“I heard she was hired to chaperone you,” Hattie said in a low voice. “I thought it was silly that a married gentleman would make such a request. In the past, she’s only chaperoned ladies who are on the market.”

She did? Kitty didn’t recall seeing her until the day of her wedding. But then, she didn’t pay attention to the chaperones.

“She works while I stay here and watch Teddy,” Hattie continued. “Did she tell you about him?”

Again, Kitty shook her head.

“He wasn’t born like that,” Hattie confided. “Up to the time he was two, he was like any other lad. Our sister had him from an affair she had with a married gentleman. We didn’t know she was his mistress until she was expecting Teddy.” She took a deep breath as if she needed a moment to compose herself then continued, “The gentleman refused to have anything to do with her after he realized the child was his. She was heartbroken. We tried to console her, but she wouldn’t have it.”

Again, Hattie paused, but this time she dug out a handkerchief from her pocket and dabbed her eyes. “She tried to kill Teddy to get rid of him. I don’t know what madness took over her to want to do such a terrible thing. Gretchen and I caught her trying to suffocate him with a