A Bride for Lord Esher (15 page)

Chastity, had scrambled to the edge of the bed, screamed as her love fell to the ground. Her chances of salvation gone, and worse, she feared Lord Esher would die.

The aggressor was also aware he had struck a lucky disabling blow, rose slowly to his feet, the blood-stained knife still dripping in his hand. He grabbed Lord Esher’s hair, pulling his head back and exposing his Adam’s apple for the kill.

Then several things all seemed to happen at the same time. Chastity lunged forward to the end of the bed, removing her gag, hoping to make one last plea to save the life of her Lord, married or no.

Outside, the sun finally crept above the horizon, sending an unusually strong light into the room. The two men locked eyes upon each other.

Chastity watched in horror as the one hesitated, his knife raised ready to strike. Yet something stayed his hand, it was a look of forlorn love which passed over in a single moment, only to be replaced by a peculiar mixture of anguish and hatred. The door burst open, and the young gardener stood in the doorway, a shaky flintlock in his hand.

Finally, a look of sadness and recognition flashed across Lord Esher’s eyes. His mouth dropped open, just as the dagger fell for the killing blow. “Oh Tom,” he cried. But as the name of his childhood companion escaped his lips, they all heard the roar of the flintlock as the gardener’s bullet was discharged, and Lord Warren fell dead into his friend’s arms.

As the gunpowder smoke settled, the room filled with a shocked silence. Chastity grabbed a blanket to cover her exposed nakedness, and dashed to Lord Esher. He still cradled Tom in his arms.

Gently, Robert removed the mask from his old friend and let it fall to the floor. The man’s face looked beautiful and peaceful in death, and despite his anger and pain, Lord Esher held him for a moment and looked on his face, and then anxious for Chastity, pushed him away and onto the floor.

The valet, Zachariah, had heard the commotion and had run half-dressed to protect his master. On seeing Lord Warren he fell to his knees beside him in astonished silence, cradling his belly as he fought the anguish and despair within. Somewhere inside, Chastity recognized the misery of lost love, but her own ordeal was too fresh, and her hands shook violently as she used the neckerchief that had once gagged her to bind her husband’s leg.

Lord Esher grabbed her wrist and ignoring the pain in his leg, pulled her tightly to him. He showered her with kiss after kiss, and for a while she returned them, and then she recalled her position, and pulled herself away. He didn’t know, she realized suddenly, that their marriage wasn’t good. And yet, now was not the time to discuss it.

“Come, stop, we must tend to your wound before you lose much more blood.”

As she tied the knot tightly, she looked over to the gardener who still carried the fired flintlock in his hands, transfixed by the scene within.

“You must fetch the sergeant-at-arms and bring him here at once.” The boy turned at once to obey her command. Chastity turned back to Lord Esher. “Come, my love, can you rise?”

Lord Esher tried to stand, but his left leg could not support any weight and he was forced to support himself with his right. “I fear I shall not have the use of this one again, my love. The wound will heal, but the fiend has cut my strings and I’m not hopeful for its recovery. I’ve seen such wounds before.”

“Then I shall support you, my darling, whatever lies before us, I will always be at your side.” Chastity wrapped the blanket around her like a towel, and then slipped under her husband’s arm and felt his weight as he leaned upon her. Now that the danger had passed, she saw more clearly how wasted he had become since she last saw him, and his frame was much lighter than she recalled. Her heart ached at the realization he had suffered as much as she had. In that instant her own suffering was forgotten, replaced by her concern for him.

As she led him out of that awful room, she realized that married or not, she could never leave him. They were married in spirit, if not in fact, and though a man of his rank would not take a tavern girl for a wife, being with him was enough, and she vowed to find contentment in that.

***

They spent a few more days in Hastings before the journey back to Surrey. The number of witnesses at the House made the inquiry swift, but there were affairs to settle, including the future management of Wisteria House. Zachariah Moore was taken into custody but was swiftly released. It became clear he was ignorant of the extent of his master’s intentions, and had done nothing more than deliver his master’s message for Chastity to dine with him.

Dazed by events, the poor boy wrote to his half-brother, William Speares, who came down from London to help him master the management of the house.

As soon as it was clear he was out of danger, Chastity told Lord Esher the issue with the banns and the invalidity of their marriage. Esher said nothing but closed his eyes and stared thoughtfully at the ceiling.

As she ladled the broth into his lips he gave her a look of such profound affection it took her by surprise. “Is something the matter, my love?”

With some difficulty Lord Robert pushed himself up higher on the bed, and then stopped for a moment to catch his breath. “The physician says I was right. The wound has healed, but I will not be able to walk on that leg again. When we return to Surrey, I will set you up in a home of your own. You will want for nothing. I’ll see to it that you are well taken care of.”

Dismayed, Chastity put the broth down on the table. “I don’t understand, I don’t want to leave you, I love you my darling.”

“But I’ll be a cripple. How could I wish that for you? You’ve already endured too much for my foolishness,” he said quietly.

“But it’s all forgotten, my love. I couldn’t bear to part with you now, please don’t send me away,” she begged.

That look of deep affection entered his eyes again, but it brought her no comfort. She knew what he was thinking. She had surrendered her very soul to him as her Lord and Master, and though she knew he only thought unselfishly of her welfare, his superior judgment was about to separate her from the one man she would love forever.

“Chastity, my mind is made up. Fetch me my writing materials. I shall write to my sister at once to make the necessary arrangements. We shall return to Surrey before the end of the month, and then all matters will be resolved for the best.”

Can my heart break twice
? As Chastity took away the bowl of broth she felt weak and ill. She closed the chamber door quietly behind her, dropped the bowl on a sideboard, and walked out to get some air. But for the roar of the waves, the world was silent. And though she did not cry out, the tears fell once more on her flushed cheeks before they were finally carried away by the gentle breeze, perhaps to be reunited with the flowing seas.

Their final week had come. Though Lord Esher could not put any weight on that leg, and never would be able to, he had been off bed rest for some days now. As often as he could he exercised his one good leg, getting about as much as possible to strengthen it while he learned to use the crutch he would need for the rest of his life.

Chastity walked everywhere with him, offering support when he grew tired, listening to his troubles, yet always with a heavy heart, as the day he would leave her forever was drawing near.

One beautiful sunny morning, Lord Esher insisted they set off early for his morning exercise. It had been five weeks since his arrival in Hastings, and in the two weeks he had been out of bed he had come to know the town quite well. At the start of the day, he seemed energetic, but after a while the exertion seemed to fatigue him more than normal, and he searched for a bench to rest upon.

“What day is it today?” he asked.

“Wednesday I believe.”

“Already? Well, this final week draws to a swift close, and I am sad for it.”

“As am I, my love,” she echoed.

“Once I have had my rest, perhaps we should pray for our futures. Shall we walk into the local church? I find solace in such places, and the stone columns will cool me down before we set about the journey back.”

“As you wish, my love.”

There was an ornate carriage outside the church gates, but this was not the time for a scheduled service. “We should be quiet, my love. It looks like the minister had business within. Perhaps we should just sit outside?”

“No Chastity, the warm sun burns me so I need physical solace as much as spiritual peace. Let us go inside. No doubt the good minister will turn us away if he needs to.”

As they entered the church, Chastity saw Able Matthews standing at the altar, dressed in his official vestments, a book of prayer open in his hands. It seemed he was performing a discrete wedding ceremony, for two sole witnesses stood in the front pew, and all waited on the bride and groom who were clearly yet to arrive.

The moment they entered, the two witnesses turned, and to her astonishment she saw Lord and Lady Ashworth smiling at them from the end of the church. In that moment, Lord Esher fell with some difficulty to his knees, leaning heavily on his crutch for support. He took Chastity’s hand in his own, and removed something small from his coat pocket. The large diamond in the setting reflected all the colors in the stained-glass windows, causing Chastity to gasp at its brilliance.

“My darling love, will you do me the honor of becoming my bride, my wife, my soul-mate from now till death us do part?”

Chastity’s eyes brimmed with tears as she too fell to her knees in front of Lord Esher. She thought her heart would burst as she shook from head to toe with pure joy. Even as her tears fell, the words “I will,” escaped her lips, then she kissed her love over and over again.

Lord Esher, supported by the pillar behind him, pulled Chastity close and put his palms to her cheeks. He gazed deep into her eyes. Though it was the same look he had given her before, this time she understood him. There was no dread, and her heart danced as she basked in his pure love.

“This time my darling, you can be sure the bans have been read, and no king or minister will be courted to put us asunder.”

Unable to contain her happiness, Chastity flung her arms around him, and held on as if she had never let go. “With God as my witness, I declare I so love you, Robert Esher. I pray you never leave my side again. I am yours till death us do part.” And then the couple embraced for an eternity until at last, a cough from the front of the church reminded them of the occasion. The soon-to-be Lord and Lady Esher helped each other rise and, one supporting the other they walked toward a future full of promise and hope.

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