Authors: Annette Blair
Vincent was on his way.
She had not stepped foot below stairs for some time, due to her condition, which allowed the household to assume her patient could not do without her. Now, she adjusted her velvet pistachio cloak to make certain her girth was concealed, took a breath, and stepped onto the topmost stair.
Two footmen carried her patient’s litter, and despite his closed eyes, smudged with kohl, his face dusted with rice powder, and the swaddling to conceal his vigour, Faith knew his heart skittered apace with hers. She’d felt his quickened beat when she kissed him before she opened the door to the footmen. That kiss had come from a nervous man, but surely not from a sick one.
Of everyone, Faith supposed she’d miss Hemsted most. He’d provided conversation when there was none to be had in the sickroom, and offered his hand in friendship. Justin’s man or not, there was something about him that she liked.
He stood as if waiting for some last minute reprieve.
Faith stopped, but under the circumstances, kindness would be heartless. Best say good-bye and be done.
He surprised her by taking her hand. She’d appear rude if she snatched it away, though she was uneasy, given the fervour of his grip. “I think you know how sorry I am to see you leave, Miss Wickham. I shall miss…your smiling face. I hope you find your mother fast recovered and that you come back to us soon.”
Faith retrieved her hand with decorum. “Thank you, Mr. Hemsted. I appreciate your offer to apprise His Grace of my actions, and my reasons for them, though I cannot think it matters where I care for his relatives.” The near-censure in her words caught her unaware. “As long as they are cared for, that is.”
Hemsted gave her a wan smile before he looked to Justin, and Faith stepped between them and offered her hand for the last time.
He took it almost gratefully. “I’ll make his Grace see that you had no choice. I know that Beth and her father are better off with you.”
He was playing into their hands and she was a witch for enticing him. “You’re too kind.”
“Perhaps I’ll come to visit you in Arundel, and see how they fare, if that’s all right with you?”
Faith hesitated. To say no would be suspect. “If you wish.”
He kissed her hand. “Until I see you next, then.”
She was glad Justin had not seen the kiss. “I…look forward to your visit.” Faith turned to Mrs. Tucker and leaned forward for a hug, lest her child make itself known.
Mrs. Tucker wiped her eyes with the corner of her apron. “Good bye, Miss.” She looked at Justin. “Take care of him. I don’t expect it will matter where he…sleeps.” The woman sobbed as she turned away, and Faith felt terrible for the deception.
This was taking so long, Justin must be ready to jump up and walk out on his own. And Beth must be champing at the bit for that ride they’d promised her this morning.
Sally and Jenny would bring her down to their own carriage, after they saw from an upstairs window that Faith and Justin were inside the first.
Toby had been shut inside Beth’s room, so he would stop licking the rice powder off Justin’s face. At the very last minute, Jenny would convey Faith’s order to let him out.
The coaches left in tandem. Faith couldn’t believe she was going home with her husband and daughter.
She only wished her parents had some notion they were coming.
Inside their private carriage, Justin’s litter sat corner to corner, cutting the cab space in half. When she looked over at him, he lay there watching her. “Close the curtains, will you, so I can quit this trap.”
Faith examined the interior, split as it was by his stretcher. “Well, there isn’t much room. Unless you sit on the opposite side of your pallet.”
To her surprise, Justin did sit in the far corner, arms crossed, expression arrogant.
Faith guessed her farewell to Hemsted had rankled as much as she expected.
“I shall miss your smiling face,” Justin mimicked.
“Justin, I—”
“I’m looking forward to your visit! Are you daft? What if he comes to your parents’ house? What will he think when he finds you large with child and me walking around?”
“I didn’t know the polite way to—”
“You should have said good-bye!” Justin snapped, but as soon as he saw her face, he climbed over the stretcher to take her on his lap. “I’m sorry, that was unkind. I wanted to plant him a facer. It wasn’t your fault. You had no recourse but to accept his offer of a visit, else he might have been suspicious. You have become such a watering-pot.”
Faith accepted his handkerchief and blew her nose. “It’s not so much that I’m sensitive, Justin.” She sniffed. “It’s more that you’re insensitive.” She placed the crumpled handkerchief in his hand.
He looked ruefully at it, placed it in his pocket, then settled her against him. “Forgive me and be done with it. You know you’re fond of me, faults and all.”
“Yes, well, that’s what…marriage is, being aware of your partner’s faults and caring as much because of those faults, as despite them.” She had nearly said, “that what’s love is.” Would the pudding-head never learn?
“I’m certainly fond of you with all of your faults,” he said.
“I shall be eternally grateful,” she responded dryly.
“Good. Now, I believe I’ve figured out how to investigate Vincent and the carriage accident myself.”
“You, investigate? How?”
“I should die. Ouch. What did you pinch me for?”
“For speaking of dying when you’ve come so far.”
He kissed her then and she wished it didn’t feel so blasted good. “I mean, it should appear I have died. Vincent would feel as if he had accomplished his task and, perhaps, get careless about covering his trail.”
“I’m listening,” she said.
“Moving away from Killashandra gives us the perfect opportunity to put my plan in motion. Introduce me to neighbours and such as your husband, under a fictitious name, of course, for it has occurred to me that you must arrive with a husband.” He patted the evidence of their passion.
Faith chuckled. “How will Vincent think you dead, when everyone at Killashandra knows full well that you left with me.”
“That’s why it’ll work. Away from home, we can stage a fictitious funeral. About a week after we arrive, I’d say. You can notify the staff at Killashandra and send a note to Vincent through Hemsted. Tell him you’ll care for Beth for as long as need be. Gabe, my friend, your vicar, can help with funeral arrangements.”
Faith shook her head. “But surely Beth calling you, Poppy, will seem odd.”
“She’s my child from my first marriage. No one need know she was in your charge at Killashandra. I, for one, will be happy to see the last of this sham, but it must continue for a short time. Meanwhile, I’ll be free to come and go as I please.” He placed his hand over this new child of theirs.
Faith’s eyes closed. She murmured, “Nice,” and fell asleep.
Sometimes he wished he could say he loved her, because sometimes he could almost feel her yearning for the declaration. If only love were within him to give.
But he must be as true to himself as to her. She would want nothing less. After all, self-respect must be part and parcel of mutual respect, as well as trust and understanding, which he wanted as much as she. Hell, what he wanted was to love her. He simply didn’t know how. Weary to the bone, he closed his eyes.
Before he knew it, Faith was kissing his ear. “Wake up. We’re nearly there.”
“You’re feeling better, aren’t you?” he asked, enjoying the playfulness that had been missing since her pregnancy.
“I am.” She played with the hair at his nape and kissed him with lingering passion.
“Of all the times for seduction,” he groaned as he returned her kiss. “We’re about to descend on your family, and I fear we’ll never be alone again.”
Faith giggled. “As wonderful as this is, I’m afraid it’s time you became an invalid once more.”
“It’s deuced difficult to look the invalid in this condition, Faith. You’re a heartless wench. Do you know that?”
She laughed as she covered him with the blanket. “The outriders will carry you to the third-floor bedroom, and I’ll come to you as soon as I settle Jenny and Sally with Beth, and explain everything to my parents. My brothers and sisters won’t be up this late, so we can deal with them in the morning.”
Soon enough, the coach door opened. Faith gave the outriders instructions and let herself into the house. “Carry him up to the third floor, first door on the right. Leave him on the bed then see to the luggage. The large trunk goes upstairs with the patient. Leave the rest here.”
Faith motioned Jenny and Sally, with a sleeping Beth, to the small parlour. “Wait here. I’ll bring you up in a minute.”
Her parents emerged from the library in response to the noise.
“My Lord, it’s Faith,” her mother said.
“Yes, Mama,” Faith said, and kissed her mother on the cheek, also by leaning toward her.
“Is something wrong?” her father asked.
“No. Yes. Mama, Papa, I’ve brought my patient and little Beth. We need to stay here for a while. Jenny will help with the work, and Sally will care for Beth. I thought they could stay in the spare room, and since Matt and John are at school, I could take their room with my patient.
Her parents could hardly send her away, and though they blustered and asked questions for which she gave no answers, they ultimately agreed.
After tucking Beth in, Faith went back downstairs, exhausted after three flights of stairs. When she got to the library, she found the two most lovable people in the world waiting for her. “It’s wonderful to be home. I’ve missed you.”
“You’re looking a bit peaked, Love,” her mother said and as she bemoaned Faith’s appearance and need for rest. Her father helped her remove her cape.
“Thank you Papa,” Faith said, only to be met with the most ludicrous expression she had ever seen on his face. “Papa?”
“Good God, Missy, you’re increasing!”
Faith had always prided herself on her ability to handle any situation, but nothing could have prepared her for this moment. She’d taken such care when she first arrived but being home had simply disarmed her.
Her mother fell into the nearest chair and began to fan herself. “Faith, what have you done?”
Faith began to laugh.
Her father bristled. “This is no laughing matter!”
“I know it’s not, Papa. It’s just that…well, you see, the patient that was neither alive nor dead…he’s definitely alive.” She laughed at that too. “Oh, don’t be angry. It’s just that I’m so tired and you look so funny.”
Faith understood her parent’s surprise, but not their anger, not without allowing her to explain. Why hadn’t she prepared for this?
“Young lady, how did this happen?” her father demanded.
“Good Lord, don’t you know?” She was so tired, she amused the daylights out of herself.
Her father reddened. “What have you to say for yourself? You should be ashamed coming here like this to flaunt your…your…In front of your brothers and sisters. After all we taught you…but I see we failed.” He lowered his head, shaking it sadly.
Faith’s eyes filled with tears, though she willed herself not to become a watering-pot. “Papa, you’re condemning me without inquiry. I’ve never known you to be so unjust.”
Her mother lifted a hand. “Do be quiet, both of you. Else we’ll have the entire household to answer to.”
Just when Faith thought her mother was about to bring order to their confusion, she fixedly regarded the doorway in shock.
Justin, now dressed in his most lordly attire, and silently commanding the respect due any indecently handsome peer of the realm, walked unceremoniously into the silent library, stopped to arrange the cuffs of his starched white shirt and gave her a wink.
Lord, he looked fetching. With a look, she told him how happy she was to see him, and her parents didn’t miss the exchange.