Kassidy shook her head. “Thank you, no. I will just wait here for my husband. Perhaps you should find him and have him come to me at once. I am not at all well.”
Lavinia looked at Kassidy’s white face. “Is it the baby?”
“Yes, I believe so. Please hurry.”
Lavinia took Kassidy’s hand and pulled her forward. “I’ll just help you sit down. Come a little farther. That’s good. Lean on me.”
“No,” Kassidy said, trying to pull her hand free of the woman’s strong grasp. “I won’t go near the edge. I’ll just remain here until my husband returns.”
Lavinia’s eyes glistened with madness. “I’m afraid that won’t do, dearie. You see, Raile isn’t coming. No one will come to help you.”
Kassidy struggled as the servant pulled her toward the edge of the scaffold. “What are you doing!” she cried in fear.
Lavinia smiled maliciously, her evil laughter reverberating around the tower room. “You should know who I am. Search your mind, your grace. Can’t you guess why I brought you here?”
Kassidy swallowed a lump of fear. This had to be Raile’s stepmother—the woman who had imprisoned her in Newgate.
“You must be Lavinia DeWinter—but I don’t know why you are doing this.”
“I’ve been waiting and planning for this day for a long time. Pity Raile isn’t here to witness your death.”
“No, don’t, please. Think of my baby!” Kassidy cried, her hand going to her abdomen. Pain ripped through her body, and she knew Raile’s child was about to be born.
She held a pleading hand out to the woman. “Mrs. DeWinter, please think about my baby. You cannot want to kill an innocent child.”
“But that’s exactly what I want. Raile will not have an heir to put my son out of his rightful place.”
Lavinia grabbed both of Kassidy’s wrists and seemed to have inhuman strength as she pulled her toward the gaping hole.
Kassidy tugged and twisted to escape her, but it was useless. Lavinia was pulling her nearer the scaffold that projected out the arched window.
There was no escape.
“Was all this worth the passion you found in Raile’s bed?” Lavinia taunted. “Raile, always so arrogant, always so sure of himself. Women love him, and he cruelly pushes them aside. 1 could have loved him, but he never looked at me.”
Her laughter sent chills down Kassidy’s spine. Lavinia gave her a hard shove, and Kassidy went flying to the edge of the scaffold. She closed her eyes to keep from looking down.
“My fondest hope was that 1 might witness Raile’s torment when that which he wants most in his life, lies crushed on the stones below.”
Kassidy almost lost her balance, but she grabbed a slim rope and held on tightly.
“I just wanted you to know I have nothing against you.” Lavinia seemed to take pleasure in torturing Kassidy. “Pity you just happened to get in the way of what I wanted. You have to die, you know.”
Kassidy raised her head and looked at the woman who had already caused her so much pain. “You are mad.”
“Perhaps. But that isn’t your worry, is it?” Lavinia moved closer to Kassidy. “It will be over in a moment. Don’t think of the pain.”
35
Thomas Creag had unloaded the cart and looked in irritation for Betty Daniels. “You seen the woman that came with me?” he asked the cook. “She surely wasn’t much help with the unloading.”
Cook looked at Mr. Creag with indifference. “Now, what would I be doing keeping up with your duties? You’d best find her though, and leave at once. His grace don’t want anyone not from the castle staying around these days.”
“I seen the guard at the gates. What’s the trouble?”
“Can’t say for certain. The haughty personal servants know what’s happened, but they don’t inform us about nothing. The best we can tell is that some woman’s causing mischief for the duchess, and we’re told to watch out for any strange women hanging about.”
The cook’s face whitened. “You said your servant was missing?”
“She wouldn’t be the one you’re looking for. She’s been working for me for a fortnight.”
“That don’t mean you know her well,” the cook declared, wiping her hands on her apron. “You best find her at once.”
“I tell you, this woman wouldn’t harm no one. She even looks after my little ones.”
Cook pushed Thomas Creag toward the door. “You look for her in the courtyard, and I’ll get help searching for her inside.”
Before the cook could enlist help from the servants, Thomas Creag came rushing back inside, his eyes wild with anxiety. “Get the duke at once—the tower, quickly!”
Kassidy felt the scaffold dip under her weight as Lavinia forced her farther from the safety of the tower. She stared straight ahead, too terrified to look down at the courtyard below.
Lavinia’s frenzied laughter froze Kassidy’s blood. “It seems I have been discovered. It won’t be long until your husband comes charging to your rescue.” She toyed with several ropes that secured the scaffold in place. “I’ll just wait till he gets here to cut these ropes.”
“Please don’t do this,” Kassidy pleaded. “You have a son, so you know how much I love my unborn baby.”
Lavinia whipped out a knife from the folds of her gown and slashed through two of the seven ropes that secured the scaffold. The board swayed dangerously while Kassidy tightened her grip and held on tightly to keep from falling.
“Such small threads that holds your life, don’t you think, your grace? When I cut these others, you’ll fall to your death.”
Kassidy bit her lip to keep from crying out. She would not give the woman the satisfaction she seemed to derive from torturing her. “Go ahead—do it if you must.”
For a moment, there was a grudging respect in Lavinia’s eyes. “You should have been my son’s wife instead of Raile’s. You would have been worthy of him.”
They heard rushing footsteps on the stairs—they both knew it would be Raile.
“My wish is about to come true.” Lavinia’s laughter was uncontrollable. “Raile will witness you falling to your death.”
Raile reached the tower room crying out for Kassidy to hold on. When he would have rushed forward, Lavinia grabbed hold of the only remaining ropes, her eyes gleaming with triumph as she applied the knife.
“Don’t come too near, Raile. If you do, I’ll slice these ropes, and your wife will fall to her death.”
Raile watched Kassidy struggle to keep her footing. He knew if he rushed Lavinia, she would do what she threatened and cut the ropes. When Kassidy lost her footing and fell forward, he held his breath as she grabbed hold of the board, saving herself at the last moment.
Kassidy’s feet dangled over the sides, and she held on with all her strength.
“Kassidy!” Raile cried out, enraged that he could do nothing to help her. “Hold on, my love. Don’t let go.”
A new pain ripped through Kassidy’s body and her grip on the ropes slipped. “Raile, I’m sorry. I can’t hold on—I can’t. The baby ... is coming!”
He took a step toward her, but when Lavinia sliced through several ropes, Raile stopped, hardly daring to breathe, watching as the scaffold dipped and swayed. “Don’t do this, Lavinia. My wife has done nothing to you. It’s me you want. Let her go.”
“Are you hurting so bad you feel as if your guts are being ripped apart, Raile?” Lavinia asked in a hard voice, searching his face for evidence of his suffering.
“Yes, damn you. I am hurting like hell, if that’s what you want.”
Lavinia’s eyes danced eagerly across Raile’s face. “Is it more than you can bear to watch the woman you love struggle for her own life even as she is in pain to deliver your baby? Which will come first, Raile,” Lavinia taunted, “the fall or the baby? How long do you suppose she can hold on? See how her life’s blood drips onto the cobblestones below?”
“Allow me to change places with her, Lavinia. Then you ca
n do with me what you will.” Raile realized he was pleading, but he would do what he must to save Kassidy.”
Lavinia’s eyes hardened. “Do you think me a fool? I don’t want you to die, Raile—not yet. I want you to live in torment, to cry out in the night because you saw the mangled body of the woman you love crushed beyond recognition.”
Kassidy looked at Raile, and she wanted to cry out at the agony she saw in his eyes. He was such a proud man, how it must pain him to be at Lavinia’s mercy. She wanted to tell him many things, but her strength was ebbing and it was all she could do to hold on.
Raile had not heard his brother come up behind him until Hugh spoke. “Let me take care of this, Raile,” Hugh said hurriedly. “Move aside.”
Raile couldn’t be sure if Hugh had come to help his mother or if it was his brother’s intention to help Kassidy, so he barred his way. “I’ll deal with your mother, Hugh.”
“Don’t be a fool, Raile. She’s gone beyond reason. Only I can handle her now.”
Hugh saw Raile’s agonizing indecision. “No matter what you may think of me, brother, I could never hurt you or anyone you love.”
Raile stepped aside with desperation in his voice. “I have to trust you, Hugh. I don’t know how much longer Kassidy can hold on—make it quick.”
The brothers exchanged glances, and in that moment, they both knew what had to be done. There was hope in Raile’s eyes and sorrow in Hugh’s. “I’ll not let her harm your wife, Raile.”
Lavinia saw Hugh, and she smiled at him. “You are just in time to witness our triumph, my son. Come, stand beside me.”
Out of the corner of his eye, Hugh saw Kassidy struggling—she could not hold on much longer.
“You knew I’d come, Mother,” he said soothingly. “I have searched for you everywhere, but couldn’t find you.” He talked to her as if she were a child, each step he took bringing him closer to her. “Then, when the cart pulled into the courtyard today, I didn’t recognize you at once.”
“I’m doing this for you, Hugh. I had John killed for you.” She looked at Raile. “You’ll have to admit it was clever of me to have the actress come to Ravenworth Castle. Bet that caused you trouble, Raile.”
Hugh moved closer to Lavinia. “Give me the knife, Mother.”
“Yes, you can cut the rope.” Her eyes hardened, and she pulled the knife back. “I don’t know that I can trust you. You never wanted to take Raile’s place. You always had an admiration for him that I couldn’t rid you of, no matter how I tried.”
“Come, Mother, give me the knife and I’ll take you away with me.”
“No.” Lavinia whirled around and slashed out at the remaining ropes. The scaffold teetered, and Kassidy slipped farther to the edge.
Hugh leaped forward, his body slamming against his mother’s. The force of his thrust took them both through the gaping hole, and a loud scream pierced the air, as they fell downward into the courtyard below.
Kassidy cried aloud as she heard their bodies thud against the cobblestones. Her grip slipped, just as Raile caught her hand and pulled her into his arms. He held her tightly against him, kissing her eyelids, her cheek, her mouth. “Dearest,” he whispered, “it’s all over. You’re safe now—thank God, you’re safe.”
Kassidy laid her head against his shoulder as her body was shaken with tremors. “The baby, Raile.”
He lifted her gently into his arms and carried her down the winding stairs where they were met by anxious servants.
Oliver and Elspeth ran ahead of Raile to open doors. When he reached Kassidy’s bedroom, Raile placed her on the bed and dropped down beside her. “Elspeth, help her,” Raile said, glancing at the maid for guidance. “The baby is coming.”
Elspeth nodded before rushing to the stairs calling out for hot water and bandages.
Raile spoke hurriedly to Oliver: “Go by the fastest means and bring the doctor. Send someone to the village to fetch the midwife to help until the doctor arrives.”
Kassidy’s body twisted with pain. She bit her lower lip to keep from crying out. “Too late ... for… doctor, Raile.” Her eyes were soft with acceptance. “Will I die giving birth as my sister did, Raile?”
“Kassidy, don’t talk nonsense. Hold on to my hand and draw on my strength. I will help you through this.”
Her grip on his hand tightened. “You have to make me a promise, Raile.” She smiled sadly, now knowing what Abigail had felt in her last moments.
“Anything, Kassidy.”
“If... I don’t make it, Raile, please allow my baby and Arrian to spend time with Aunt Mary. I want them to know her and love her as I do.”
“Nothing is going to happen to you. I won’t let it.”
For all his assuring words, she saw the uncertainty in his dark eyes. “Don’t be distressed, Raile.” Suddenly she was hit by another pain, and she twisted her body. All Raile could do was hold her hand, wishing it was him suffering and not her.
“The baby . . . it’s too soon, Raile.” Her eyes fluttered, and she lost consciousness.
Raile dropped to his knees, holding her tightly against him. “I don’t care about the baby, Kassidy,” he cried, “I only care about you.”
Kassidy did not hear Raile’s declaration of love, nor did she feel the next pain that ripped through her body. She was in the shadowy world between life and death.
Elspeth returned and she drew in her breath at the tears she saw in the duke’s eyes. “I can’t lose her now, Elspeth—I just can’t.”
“Here now, your grace,” she said, wanting to reassure him but fearing herself that Kassidy might die. “I have had some experience with birth. She’s exhausted from fear and pain.”
“Help her,” Raile said, raising Kassidy’s limp hand to his lips. He brushed a golden curl from Kassidy’s face. She looked so pale and defenseless. “I haven’t taken good care of her, have I, Elspeth?”
The maid tapped him on the shoulder. “You’ll have to give way for me to work on her, your grace.”
Reluctantly Raile released Kassidy’s hand and stood up. “Pray God she lives.”
“I’ll do that, your grace. But she’s got spirit, and it’ll take more than this to get her.”
A heaviness fell over Ravenworth Castle. The bodies of Hugh and Lavinia had been removed from the courtyard. Hugh was laid out in the castle church, where he would lie in state, while Lavinia was taken without ceremony to the village for a quick burial.
The atmosphere in the castle was oppressed as the whole household waited to hear news of the young duchess. Servants talked in whispers as they went about their work.
When word reached the village of what had happened to the duchess, men, women, and children arrived to stand in the courtyard below. They would remain there throughout the night. Many prayers went up for the young woman they had come to love.
Dr. Worthington had arrived an hour ago, and still the baby had not been born. Raile stood at the foot of the bed his eyes on Kassidy’s pale face. “It’s been too long. Surely she can bear no more pain.”
“She’s been through a frightful experience. But she’s strong,” he assured Raile.
“What about the baby?” Raile wanted to know.
“This baby will be born within the next few hours.”
Lady Mary hovered near Kassidy. “Her sister died after a long childbirth.”
Dr. Worthington raised Kassidy’s eyelids and then pressed his hand against her stomach. “It’s taking a long time, but that happens sometimes. I’ll do all I can.”
Raile stood at the window of his bedroom, watching the night sky. He went to the connecting doors that led to Kassidy’s room many times and stood there waiting.
Oliver brought his dinner, but Raile refused to eat. How could he when Kassidy lay so near death? He pushed his window open to breathe in the fresh air. There, perched in the branches of the oak tree, was a nightingale. But its song was silent, and when Raile reached out to the bird, it took wing and disappeared among the clouds.
<
br /> “She’s going to die, Oliver. I know it.”
The valet had never seen Raile like this, not even when he lay wounded after the battle of Waterloo.
“God would surely not take her from you, your grace ... from any of us.”
Raile turned to look at Oliver. “You’re fond of her, aren’t you?”
“I don’t know anyone who isn’t, your grace. If you’ll recall, I told you from the first that she was exceptional.”
Raile leaned against the window, thinking back to the first time Kassidy had come to Ravenworth Castle. “I didn’t see her worth at first, or even later, not fully. I do now, when it may be too late.”
“I’m going to think she’ll be all right, your grace.” Oliver poured a pan of water and held a towel out to Raile. “Before long, you will be a father.”
At that moment, they both heard a cry—the cry was strong and lusty, and it drowned out the song of the nightingale that had returned to perch on a branch of the oak tree.
36
Raile drew in a deep breath of fresh air. He didn’t need to be told he had a son. Like Kassidy, he had always felt the baby she carried was a boy.
At the moment, there was no elation in his heart. He was overcome with unleashed grief—Kassidy was dead, he knew it. How could he live without her?
Unmindful of the duke’s agony, Oliver was beaming. “Congratulations, your grace.”
Raile walked to the connecting doors and opened them. He could see the doctor bending over Kassidy, and blood—so much blood on the bed—on the doctor’s hands—on Kassidy!
Lady Mary came to Raile with the baby in her arms. “You have a son, Raile. He’s healthy and strong, and has the look of you about him.”
Raile gazed down at the tiny red face, thinking the child could not possibly resemble anyone. For the son he had craved, there were no feelings at all. He could only stare at Kassidy, who lay so pale, so still.
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