by Jerri Hines
Cathryn fell silent. Her hand went to her enlarged stomach. She was overtaken with the inevitability that he was correct in his assumption. She was in no condition to look after the twins. She caught his eye. He knew he had won.
Chapter Twenty-Four
“Why on earth, Miss Cathryn, would you allow your children to leave?” Tacy reprimanded her mistress when she discovered Cathryn’s intent. “Do you n’ver listen to me? You have just lost your children. You mark my word!”
“What is wrong with you, Tacy? Why are you in such a mood? I would have thought with the children leaving it would ease your workload. You have constantly told me that you have too much on you. Can’t you see that I don’t need another worry on me? They will be safe at Longwood.”
“Says I to you, I says, says I,” she responded flippantly. “It is the way it is. Is it not, Miss Cathryn? I’m only a servant to do as I am told. I ask you though. How do you know it wasn’t His Grace himself that set all in motion? He hired Fanny. Mr. Nicholson saved the little ones in the nick of time. Then His Grace shows up, I swear, before he had even the time to receive the note!”
“Tacy!” Cathryn scolded, but she was too overcome with sadness at the children’s departure to chastise her maid longer for talking to her in that manner.
No, it was Tacy’s nerves as it was hers as well. She did not need to justify the duke’s actions to her maid. Over the last few months, a trust had developed between the duke and herself. Even at his worst, he had been honest with her about his intentions.
Cathryn’s heart ached when she said goodbye to her children. The twins needed little persuasion to depart their teary-eyed mother without a scene. The duke had only to allow Charles Philip to ride with him on his horse; while Her Grace let Lucy wear her shiny bracelet once they were inside of the carriage.
“Don’t come at me, Tacy,” Cathryn warned her maid. “I’m in no condition to look after them. If nothing else, I know he will. I have not the strength to constantly worry about their safety. I have lived in fear since that night.”
“Well, mark my words, you will have another fight upon your hand over your children and will have only yourself to blame,” Tacy said curtly. “Was I not right about that Fanny lady?”
“Yes, Tacy. But all will be different when Jake returns. You’ll see. Sumner would never lie to me.”
“No, Miss Cathryn. I know, I know—a better brother there never has been.”
Tracy’s sarcasm was not lost upon Cathryn. She wondered only why Tacy felt so strongly about the children departing.
* * * *
Most nights, she had found a restful sleep after the children departed. Gone was the worry about their well-being. Most nights…this night a storm brewed outside.
Cathryn woke to the night sounds. The rain beat against the windowpane and the wind howled. Suddenly, the window blew open.
Rain swept into the room. Cathryn pulled her cord for Tacy before climbing out of the bed. Struggling fretfully against the wind, she finally locked the hatch to the window shutting out the elements.
Drenched, she turned. Strange, her room sat in darkness. Where was Tacy? She pulled the cord again. No Tacy.
She walked into the hall. Darkness. All the house was breathlessly still. This was madness. She called out in the silence. Something was wrong…oh, ever so wrong.
Every instinct within her told her to run. She did not ignore it. She got to the foot of the staircase.
A figure moved in the darkness. Strangely familiar…short in stature, the wig, the hat with the brim. Out of a nightmare he stepped—Lord Blankenship!
She stared at him aghast and he laughed bitterly. Immediately, she realized she was in acute peril. Frantically, she sought an escape, but it was too late.
An arm gripped hers. She screamed and pushed fervently against the assailant. She was aware of heavy breathing. Suddenly a fearful premonition came to her, she was going to die. The next instant, Cathryn felt force against her head…then excruciating pain ebbing her away from consciousness.
* * * *
Cathryn’s head throbbed. Bewildered and shocked, she couldn’t think clearly. Slowly, she opened her eyes.
Where was she?
Pushing back with her hands, she glanced around. Blinking several times, objects came into focus. She lay in the middle of a bare floor. Where, she didn’t know.
This was a bad dream…one in which she couldn’t awake.
Warmth trickled down her face. Reaching up, she felt a cut on her head. It bled down her face, blinding her eye and matting her hair. She wiped it away. Her throat was dry; her arm hurt.
Fear swelled within her. She felt loss and desperate loneliness. She didn’t want to die. She wanted so badly to live, to give life to the babe which lay inside of her, to lie in Jake’s arms once more.
“It’s about time,” a voice called to her. “Get up, we don’t have long.”
The voice, she knew the voice. She turned toward the light. It was Tacy.
“Oh, Tacy, thank God! I’m hurt and need help,” Cathryn cried.
“I believe you might, Miss Cathryn, but it won’t be from me.” Tacy scowled, glancing over her shoulder. “He should be back here momentarily. Afraid we don’t have much time left, Missy. Shame really. Did care for you. Wanted you to know that. Just things happen.”
“You are talking nonsense, Tacy.” Cathryn’s voice faltered. No…no, Tacy could not be involved! “You are family. Have I not treated you like such?”
Tacy gave a forced laugh. “You, Miss Cathryn, can’t see past your own issues. You are so trusting. Aren’t ya now, Miss Cathryn? Did it not once occur to you that it could have been me? Of course not. We have been through so much. But really, ma’am, it was you, not me.”
“I don’t believe you!”
“See, that’s your problem. Thinkin’ everyone thinks as you! I’m certain Heaven will open the door for you. Heaven’s leac na teine is reserved for your soul,” she said. “I’ll admit I’ve gone back and forth time and time again. Walking a thin rope, I have. But now, I got no other option, Miss Cathryn.”
“What is it, Tacy? Money?” Cathryn asked in disbelief. She did not know the woman before her…this cold-hearted woman.
“Of course, it is,” Tacy mocked. “You cry and whine that you don’t want your money. You want only Jake back, your children, but, really, ma’am, you don’t know what it’s like to have nothing.”
Tacy paced back and forth. Her hand ran through her loosened hair numerous times. “Don’t look at me like that. High and mighty. Think you’re better than me! Growing up, days would go by and nothin’ would I put in my stomach. My dad was a drunkard; my momma, a whore who couldna’ have cared less about any of the multiple of children she bore. I swore I would never go hungry again and would do whatever I had to. And I have and will.”
“Tacy, I don’t believe it. I would have given you anything you wanted. But the children, it was you? You were going to kill my babies?”
“You still don’t understand, ma’am. Don’t want your sympathies or pity. I hate the British. Always have. Since the day I was thrown into prison accused of stealing when I only had a little romp with the lordship’s son. Set me up they did. How do you think I ended up in Charles Town? How do ya think a lady’s maid ended up in the wilds? But your father, he paid my indenture payment for you. To give you a semblance of England. Men always underestimate women.”
Tacy smiled contemptuously at Cathryn.
“Tacy, I see you have made our friend welcome.”
Lord Blankenship had returned. Her doom was upon her.
“This is my moment. My redemption. Your luck has run out, my dear. You will finally face your fate.”
Terror seized her. She had to think clearly. She would not simply accept…a sharp pain halted her ability to reason. Oh, no! The baby! Her hand covered her mouth to contain a scream. The baby! The baby was coming! Oh, Mother of all!
She breathed in deeply and waited until it p
assed. She had to attempt an escape from this madness. She had no more time to contemplate a plan.
Her gaze caught Tacy’s. She saw only contempt.
“We need to finish this quickly,” Tacy demanded. “Before someone unexpected shows up. Do it. Do it now. I want to get out of here.”
“Shut up, Tacy. I’ve taken care of everyone,” Lord Blankenship said. “Everything is quiet at the house. We shouldn’t be disturbed. Only a minute more. You will have your money and I, my revenge and my home.”
“I don’t understand,” Cathryn cried, gripping her stomach once more. Thunder roared, seemingly shaking the walls. She could feel the walls close in around her. “Your home?”
“Well, my dear, you have only yourself to blame. It would have been so simple if you had only married Edmund. None of this had to occur. Before you die, I want you to understand all I have endured because of you.” “You’re as mad as your son!” Cathryn screamed. “Do you not think you have signed your death warrant with this action?”
“See that’s where you’re wrong.” He shook his head. “You’re not as smart as you think you are. Edmund and I had such a simple plan. It wasn’t that complicated. It came to me upon the discovery that your mother and brother had died. At first, I had naturally thought your father would have sent you directly back over without issue. You have no idea of my own childhood, having been raised by my grandfather. Constantly hearing about the high character and make-up of your father. My father, Grandfather constantly reminded me, disgraced the family by dying in a duel over his mistress! Moreover, the estate wasn’t entitled!”
He got up and walked around Cathryn. Cathryn’s eyes followed him, but then her gaze fell on Tacy, who seemed greatly nervous…impatient. He went on.
“The funny thing about it is the public didn’t know why, but it was enough that my grandfather did. He could do nothing about the title, but he left everything, money, and estate to your father! Your father! When I proposed an arranged marriage between you and Edmund, John Rolf would have none of it. Said you could choose who you wanted. He wasn’t even going to send you to England. I fixed that problem.”
“You had him killed!” she uttered in astonishment.
“Of course I did. It was easy enough to write letters threatening you. He thought you endangered in Charles Town. He sent you to England quick enough. Anything to protect his beloved daughter!” His eyes gleamed with hatred. “Everything was set. Your grandparents consented. Who would deny their granddaughter an Earl? But you, you had to have someone to love you. Did you not realize that Edmund did? It surprised me, but I was so happy he was content with you. A challenge…but why…why did you press him so?”
“He tried to kill me!”
“Only because you made him. If not for that damn Pennington, you would have married. Even then, your maid was conspiring with me.”
Stunned at his utterance, Cathryn shot Tacy a look of disbelief. Only then did she grasp the magnitude of betrayal.
“You had to know, Miss Cathryn, that Reggie and I were lovers for a time.” Tacy smiled contemptuously. “When you sent me over to the Eversleighs, I went instead to Reggie. He told me he would handle everything. You don’t think that fool got you into the carriage that easily. I was the one that told them they had to move quickly…that your Lieutenant had declared himself to you.”
“Oh, Tacy, how could you?”
“It ended for a time. With everything that happened. You took us by surprise by marrying your Philip. Wasn’t much we could have done, except of course, Lord Blankenship wanted revenge, but you had control of the estate and wanted him kicked out.”
“Then you arranged your little maneuver to save that little murdering whore. I had Eversleigh eating out of my hand. Oh, my God. He hated you!” Lord Blankenship interrupted, laughing an evil, sinister laugh. “A conniving little vixen. Scandalous. Bringing down the Eversleighs’ good name. But once more, you ran back to that Godforsaken place.
“Tacy, though, came up with her own plan with that Frenchman. He didn’t want to go against that bastard brother of yours. But eventually, when it looked as if you were coming back to England, I made him an offer he couldn’t refuse. If you could have died within the raid, I could have easily confiscated your property, but once again you were saved…but not this time.”
“What do you hope to gain now, Lord Blankenship?” Cathryn asked. Her words were uttered slowly as another pain surged through her. Slowly she rose and felt liquid flowing down her legs. She reached back, feeling for the wall to lean against.
In the dim light she could see Tacy egging the deranged man on. Her mind raced. Was it possible to get away from here? If everyone had been taken care of at the house, why the hurry when the man obviously wanted her to suffer greatly before she died. Was Tacy in some way merciful toward her? Not wanting her to suffer?
No, Cathryn thought. The pain eased once more. Her mind cleared with the realization that Tacy panicked when she talked!
Cathryn looked out the window. She knew where she was—the guest house. If she could only get outside and back to the house!
She called out to Lord Blankenship, feeling reckless. “I know well they have issued a warrant for your arrest. So again I ask, what do you hope to gain?”
Lord Blankenship abruptly stopped his conversation with Tacy. His distorted face eyed her intensely. Already in Cathryn’ view she could see Tacy recoil from Lord Blankenship. Her eyes twitched rapidly. He boomed vehemently within the room. “What did you say?”
She laughed, hysterically! He didn’t know. “All this is for naught! They haven’t been over-viewing my case for this long. They had dismissed it almost instantly. Caring for the injured isn’t treason against the crown. What it did though was open up questions about the past. What you just confirmed with me, the death of my father! They have gathered all the evidence. That was why His Grace left Mount Gevlyn! How could you not have known?
Why would Tacy not inform you?”
Cathryn immediately halted. Lord Blankenship drew up a pistol from his coat and whirled around at Tacy. He asked coldly, “Is it true? Why would you not give me that information?”
“She’s lying, my lord. She has only cried about her children.”
Cathryn backed up. She had seen the look before from his son. His temper lost upon his illogical thinking. Tacy saw it well, also.
“Think, my lord. You need me. If you are to make your plan work…to get to the children after you kill her. It all will be yours, but you need me…you need me.”
“You think my money will ever be yours…or Hestershire? If I die and my children, all will be Jake’s. It will never be yours. And Tacy knows Jake is alive!” Cathryn reached in her night robe’s pocket. It was there. She kept it with her always, even when she slept. She held it out to him. He snatched it, quickly reading it over.
“A letter from my brother telling me Jake’s alive. He’s on his way home! You, my lord, have been used,” Cathryn said fiercely. “She has not told you all she knows.”
Cathryn’s breathing quickened; pain once more gripped her. She ignored it. “She wants only the money and will leave you to pay for your crimes. And make no mistake, you will pay!”
His eyes widened with not a sane thought within them. All he had planned, the loss of his son, trying desperately to hold to his heritage, destroyed! His attention was drawn upon the retreating Tacy.
“You knew and said nothing?”
Cathryn cringed back. Time was of the essence. He was on the edge and falling fast. His eyes simmered at Tacy. Cathryn saw all too well his intent. She eased toward the door and bolted when a shot rang out.
Thunder roared. Lightning lit up the sky. She didn’t look back. Her feet hurt, her arms ached. Her stomach cramped greatly. She couldn’t see a clear path. She was soaked, cold, trembling. She felt someone grab hold of her arm and drag her down.
She screamed a futile scream into the deafening storm. Lightning lit up the sky again. In the distance she
thought she could make out figures running at her. She could feel a weight being lifted from her. She fought back, not knowing who or what had her. But strong arms refused to let her go.
She heard a scream in the distance, fading rapidly. She heard voices, muffled by the rain. “He ran blindly right off the cliff!”
“Oh, my God! She’s bleeding.” She remembered nothing else.
* * * *
Cathryn was ill. She knew she was sicker than she had ever been. Her mind was too tired to think except for the fear she had felt. Her baby…Jake’s baby! She felt her stomach. She cried out, for she felt nothing.
Frightened and ever so weak, pain racked her body. She was hot, sweating. The whole of her body hurt when she took a breath. She tried to focus her eyes. She could see forms, hear voices, but could make out none.
Bewildered, she closed her eyes. Is this what it is like to be dying? She didn’t want to die, but there was no strength within her to fight off the death that stood within the room.
She wanted Jake. Her heart called out for him. She wanted her father. Faintly somewhere in the remoteness of the dark she heard someone say, “Delirious.”
Faint memories began to surface…running away from Lord Blankenship…the rain beating down upon her…someone picking her up off the ground. She could see his distraught face and the fear in his eyes…Jake!
She had known he was alive! Wasn’t he? Someone carried her up the stairs. Oh, she hurt, so badly. Had she heard a cry?
Dreams haunted her. She was back at Elm Bluff, but she hadn’t wanted to be. She wanted to be with Jake. And Jake wasn’t there.
A cool wetness on her forehead soothed her. Somewhere in the darkness beside the bed, a voice called out to her, calling her back, not letting her let go. Then, like a blinding ray of sunlight, she could see his face, hear his voice clearly.