Seacrets (28 page)

With a blur vision, Daniel finally began to awaken. The sun streamed in through the French doors leading out to the balcony. Daniel raised his arm up to shield his eyes from the sun. The French doors were slightly ajar and there was a cool midday breeze coming in off the pond. He tried to rise up and then he let out an exasperated groan, realizing he was unable to move very well and that he was in a great deal of pain. “Oh bloody hell!” he collapsed back down onto the bed.

Mary enter
ed the chamber just at that precise moment. “Daniel, son, ya are finally awake!” Mary was at his side in an instant. “I’ve not slept a wink for worryin’ ya would not make it through the night, son.” She wiped the sweat from the side of his brow and kissed him atop his forehead. She immediately noticed he was in a different position, telling her that he is now able to move his legs independently. “Praise God above! Ya will walk again! I must send Godsey ta fetch Doc right away.”

Daniel had no clue what his mother was babbling about. What does she mean, I will walk again? Why would I not be able ta walk? He thought, through his groggy haze.

“What has happened ta me, mother? His voice strained and his face distorted from the immense pain to his shoulder and upper back.

Mary wasted not a moment in administering the opium Doc had left for Daniel, upon his awakening.
“Here Daniel, do not speak. Swallow this liquid first and then we’ll talk.” Her tone was that of a worried mother, but at the same time was commanding and firm.

Daniel did not argue. His pain was unbearable.
Once the opium took hold, he was able to turn to his back.

Mary placed a pillow behind her son’s upper right shoulder and neck, for support. She held a glass to his lips and instructed him to swallow. “Drink this and do not argue with me boy.” Her voice held an uncompromising tone Daniel recognized as strict and unyielding.

She assisted him to take a few more sips of cold water to sooth his dry mouth.

Daniel had not heard his mother speak to him that way since he was in knickers.

Daniel did as he was told, without argument and then began to cough a bit as some of the cool liquid made its way down into his lungs. The opium made him a bit drowsy, but at least now, he was able to move a little easier without feeling as though someone were taking a dagger and carving it into his upper back.
Finally able to speak he questioned his mother. “What has, argh, happened to me, mother, and where is Maura?” His voice was weak and shaky.

“Daniel I had better go after ya brother and have him tell ya the whole of the matter. He’ll be able ta shed more light than I will, dear.”
Mary called out the chamber door for Aiden to come. She let Aiden know his brother was asking questions. Mary left to go to the kitchen to brew more opium tea.

Aiden approached Daniel
with caution, as he did not have any information to convey. He also knew the lack of information would surely anger his headstrong older brother.

“Good lord, man, I thought for certain we were goin’ ta lose ya, last night.” Aiden’s voice was filled with relief that his brother appeared to have survived his ordeal.

Daniel was beginning to lose his temper, at this point. No one seemed willing to explain what had happened to him and, ultimately, that they were keeping Maura’s where a bouts from him, as well. “Good God, man! Stop all this sidestepping and just tell me what has happened here and where the hell is Maura?” Daniel’s voice bellowed so that Mary could hear him all the way down to the kitchen.

Mary looked toward the ceiling, as she was preparing Daniel’s opium tea
. “Oh dear, I’ll never get him ta settle, this time.” Mary blurted out to Cassie, her housekeeper. Cassie’s eyes grew wide with worry as she nodded her agreement.

“Look Daniel, the last thing I recall was that Demon returned to the main house, riderless and you jumped up upon him and raced toward the guesthouse in search of Maura. Do
ya naught remember? She made off with ya horse, after yet another one ya stubborn arguments?” He prodded Daniel’s memory.

“Barely…Go on
.” His head, still foggy from the opium tea.

“Well when ya took off on Demon, I was on the
porch awaitin’ ya return. That is when I heard a shot ring out. I jumped up upon my horse and made my way ta the guesthouse and found ya just inside the gated area faced down in a pool o’ ya own blood,. I dragged ya inside and then went ta find help.” Aiden stopped briefly to give Daniel’s mind time to catch up with his accounting of the events. “Then Godsey, myself and Mother managed ta get ya inta the carriage and up ta the main house, where Doc then carved ya up like a prized turkey, extracting the bullet lodged in ya right shoulder. As for Maura brother, she was nowhere ta be found. I checked the house and the surroundin’ grounds, but no Maura.” Aiden’s tone was of extreme worry for Maura’s fate. “The scoundrel that made off with her is probably the same brigand that took her the first time she went missin’.” Aiden surmised.

“I feel just awful, Danny. The bastard was most likely here, at the house tonight during the party
, and we didn’t even realize it!” Aiden ran his hands through his hair in frustration. “Look Daniel, obviously this black hearted son of a bitch, either with an accomplice or alone, has taken Maura for whatever reason. I can only surmise that money is at the root of this whole mess. Does Maura have something of value? Why would anyone want to kidnap her?”

             
Daniel searched the far reaches of his mind, but came up with nothing.

Aiden pushed his brother to think further on the matter. “Think hard Danny. Think!”

“Well she had dowry money that Godsey confided ta me. The money had been sent on ahead to Mary Turlington. Other than that, Maura has no monetary wealth that I am aware of.” There was a worried agitation in his tone. For the first time in his life, Daniel felt helpless. He ground one clenched fist into his other palm.

Aiden placed a hand to his brother’s shoulder to give comfort. “Danny you’ve got to think logically, now. Ya cann
a be losin’ ya head with worry. Ya willna be of any help ta Maura, if ya are scattered in ya thinkin’.” He tried to give solace to his brother.

“I can tell that ya are blamin’ ya self for leavin’ Maura’s back door open, so ta speak, for the bastards ta gain access ta her.
Nevertheless, this is naught ya fault, Daniel. Ya had no control over the situation ya find ya self in.” Aiden continued to talk reason to Daniel, to keep him thinking straight and logically and not thinking with his heart. “I’m feelin’ certain the beggars that have Maura, have taken her for a reason and want ta keep her in one piece or she’ll be of no value ta them. We will be figurin’ this out, brother, that I promise ya.”

Aiden was now the voice of reason because Daniel had lost all of his resolve
.

Mary came to check on her sons, bringing clean linens for dressing changes and medication for pain.
“Daniel ya brother is right on this. Ya must not allow ya feelin’s for Maura ta cloud ya judgment on how ta approach this. It will do her more harm if ya don’t have a solid plan of how ta get her back from these scoundrels.” Mary rationalized. “Let’s see, now, when you and Maura were reunited on the dock, you were at question then as to what had become of her from the day you had docked ship. Correct?” Tapping her forefinger to her chin in thought.

“Yes, yes, that’s correct mother, what of it?”

“Well…when she showed up on that night with a bullet in
her
back and dressed in that attire she was discovered in…?”

“What are ya sayin’, Mother? That Maura is a common tavern whore!?” Daniel
nearly leapt from his bed in rage that anyone would dare to denigrate his sweet angel.

“Calm ya self, Daniel! Mary’s tone was strong and firm.
“I’m strongly suggestin’ Maura had been kidnapped from your ship, that first time of her disappearance, and was possibly sold into sexual slavery. Whoever
owns
her wants
their
property. ”

Mary
braced her hands firmly on her son’s shoulders, keeping him from lunging further from of his bed. The thought of Maura being held against her will and forced into God knows what had him feeling like a caged animal. Daniel’s jaw was tight with anger. His eyes filled with rageful tears, but he would not let them fall. He wanted to hold onto his anger. It would keep him strong.

“Yes Daniel, our mother is correct. We’ve got ta come up with a plan for Maura’s rescue. Running off
, half cocked, will leave her in more danger. Tis possible she is still within our grasp. Whoever has her is most likely hiding her in plain site. Let’s think about this. If tis debauchery and sex driven, tis feasible she’s being hidden in one of the waterfront taverns or mayhap be in one of the ordinaries along the inland, away from the docks. “We
will
find her, Danny.” He assured his brother. Aiden had never taken the front, where his brother was concerned, and it felt good to know he was helping his brother, instead of the other way around.

Daniel did not want to give in to his exhaustion. He tried to ascend from his bed, but his Mother and brother pushed him back down onto it.
“Oh no brother, you are not ready ta go traipsin’ the countryside after Maura…But I am. I’ll start lookin’ about the area for clues and report directly back ta ya. Mayhap tomorrow ya can start ya own search.” Aiden walked toward the chamber door, and then looked back at his brother, with grave concern. He had never experienced his brother in a weakened state. He knew it would take everything he had to keep Daniel down. He closed the door, gently, behind him.

Mary was assisting Daniel to take a few more sips of the opium
-laced tea. She kissed her son on his forehead and looked lovingly upon his sleeping face, before quietly leaving his bedchamber. His breathing was deep and heavy. Fairly certain her son was finally asleep, Mary gently closed the chamber door and headed to the kitchen to begin the plan for the evening meal.