Sinful Duty (The Bentons and Northcutts 1) ✅

Chapter Eighteen

July 3rd, 1666

Diana and Henry had been brought to a small two-room shack in the middle of the countryside. An unknown man had awaited them and had paid the highwaymen who had kidnapped mother and son before they were off. Then Diana and Henry were pushed into the second room and locked in. It looked like a small bedroom with bars on the windows. The bars were on the outside. Diana set Henry down on the bed and tried to force the door open, but it didn't budge. She pounded on the door and and screamed, demanding answers. But the unknown man did not respond to her.

They were left alone for the rest of the day into the following morning. Henry fussed constantly; he was hungry as babies were wont to be, and he needed changing. As they had been taken Diana had no linens to change Henry with, and was left tearing fabric off the hem of her dress to make a new diaper for him. Thankfully the room had a bucket of water, but as the window was sealed the smells could not travel. It made Diana ill, but she was more worried than anything else.

What's going to happen to us? Will they find us? Gavin...Gavin, please help us!

Diana greeted the following morning exhausted and full of dread. She couldn't get the awful images out of her mind of all the people who had died to protect her the day before. Just remembering Apple falling dead beside her, and Phoebe being struck down...Diana had spurts of nightmares and would wake up sobbing. Her sobs in turn made Henry cry, and all she could do was cuddle her baby while tears streamed down her cheeks. She prayed to God that they both be kept safe, and that they be found.

Please Lord...Please keep my baby safe! Please let Gavin find us in time!

She only slept for a short amount of time...but then awoke with a start when the front door slammed open. Henry lay beside her and started crying, and Diana quickly pitched up her baby. Not knowing what else to do she opened her dress and had him latch, and he quickly silenced.

"I was about to ask if they were here, but there's my answer."

Diana stiffened, and a cold chill swept over her body as she recognized the voice. Lord George.

She quickly stood up and pressed her back against the opposite wall, clutching Henry to her as George had a short conversation with her captor. Moments later the front door slammed shut against, and the lock on the door to her room rattled. Diana's breath quickened in alarm, and she looked around the room for a weapon, but other than the bucket of water there was nothing. And she was holding Henry in her arms. She couldn't risk setting him down.

The door slammed open, and she was greeted by George. George immediately made a face and waved the air in front of him. "Ugh—the air reeks! What have you been doing in this room?!"

"I had to change Henry," Diana said quietly.

George looked queasy when he heard it. "Well—get the soiled linens and get them out of there!" he snapped. "We have a lot to discuss, Lady Diana."

Diana grabbed the soiled linens and followed George into the main room. "Toss them out the window and wash your hands with soap," he said sharply, directing her to a barely cracked open window above the kitchenette's sink. Diana complied, and was glad to see a bar of soap on the counter. Washing her hands proved to be difficult while also holding Henry, but she still was too scared to put him down. She didn't know what George would do if she left Henry unattended.