My Saving Grace

by Harmon, Danelle

  “Are those the famous Norfolk thoroughbreds, milady?” asked Polly, peering out the window.

  “I don’t know,” Grace answered. “I’ve never seen one. Captain Lord?”

  He was looking, too. “I wouldn’t know a thoroughbred, let alone a Norfolk one, from a Shetland pony.”

  She laughed. “I guess you’re probably not the best person to invite out for a ride to explore the local countryside.”

  “Not a ride, but a walk would do nicely.”

  “That’s boring,” Grace said, and grinned.

  A smile played at the corner of his mouth. His eyes were warm again, as though he had resolved whatever had been so heavily on his mind. “I have found, Lady Grace, that when you are involved, nothing is boring.”

  “Hairs in soups and spills in ponds and tears in dresses and all that?”

  “All that. And let’s hope there is nothing more.”

  25

  Just outside the window two horses trotted along the fence-line, keeping pace with them. And then the wheels of the coach were crunching on gravel and they were pulling up in front of a fine home of sun-washed brick. It was a charming house, with ivy crawling up its walls, fat red roses blooming under tall leaden windows and gables in its slate roof. Several black and russet chickens scratched beneath one of the rose bushes, then settled into the dirt, fluffing it over their feathers.

  “My brother seems to have done quite well for himself,” Captain Lord said, smiling. “Even if he did leave the Navy to become a veterinarian.”

  “A what?”

  “Animal doctor. And he’s very good at it, I’m told. His patients adore him.”

  “I look forward to meeting him. And, your family. What a beautiful home!”

  “Yes, it is,” he mused, studying it from the window.

  “You’ve never been here?”

  “First time.”

  “How exciting!”

  The coach rolled to a stop. Captain Lord got out, quickly turning to help Grace and Polly down. Grace was embarrassingly aware of her dishabille as she prepared to meet these perfect strangers and determined to hold her head high. She was grateful for Captain Lord’s coat and steeled her resolve, ready to respond to raised eyebrows or anyone who might question such an odd fashion with a laugh to cover her mortification— after all, she was well-used to being mortified— and an explanation that she was trying the newest style from London. Or Paris. Or the wilds of the Americas. Or... well, she would think of something, wouldn’t she?

  She always did.

  Just ahead of them, Sir Graham was already out of the carriage, the twins pulling impatiently at his hands in an attempt to get to the two horses whose dark eyes watched them with curiosity. One had its neck over the fence, stretching to get closer. And then the door to the manor house opened and a pack of dogs poured out, all racing to meet them.

  “Doggies!” cried little Mary, and would have run right toward them if her father hadn’t had a good grip on her.

  “I want doggies!” yelled Anne, not to be outdone, and suddenly both girls were howling, their cries to be set free rising over the dogs’ frenzied barking as the canines attacked the twins with slobbery kisses.

  “Papa, I want to play with them!” cried Mary, going red in the face as she struggled against her father’s grip. “Let me go!”

  As the twins’ shrieks began to drown out even the dogs’ barking, it was young Ned who came over to where Grace, Polly and Captain Lord stood and said wryly, “I daresay Papa’s hopes for a relaxing visit are doomed.”

  Anne and Mary were now both sitting on the ground, faces red, tiny feet planted against their father’s shoes as they stretched and pulled and writhed in their attempts to get loose.

  “I want to play with doggies!”

  “I get the white one!”

  “I want the white one!”

  “I asked first!”

  “That’s not faaaaair!”

  A man appeared in the doorway, put his fingers to his mouth and gave a shrill whistle.

  “Bow! Marcus! Nelson! Come!”

  His voice was full of authority. Immediately the dogs left off their wild greeting and raced back to him, winding themselves around his ankles before sitting obediently at his feet, tongues lolling as they gazed up at him in adoration.

  The twins screamed in protest.

  “Papa, he took our doggies!”

  “I want them back!”

  “I’m still getting the white one! Tell Mary she can’t have the white one, it’s mine!”

  Ned cupped a hand to the side of his mouth, cut his eyes to the man who’d ordered obedience from the dogs, and stood on tiptoe to better reach Captain Lord’s ear. “I wonder if he can perform that trick on my sisters.”

  Captain Lord let out a helpless guffaw before quickly recovering his aplomb.

  Sir Graham was beginning to reach the end of his patience. And then Lady Falconer was out of the coach and marching to the rescue, yanking each screeching, red-faced young lady to her feet and giving them The Look.

  Instantly the children quieted, as obedient to the former Pirate Queen of the Caribbean as the dogs were to their master.

  “That is enough.”

  And it was all she needed to say.

  Sir Graham let out his breath, put his fingers to his temple in relief, and turned, a grin lighting up his handsome face as the man with the dogs approached. He was tall and blond and wore little wire-framed spectacles, and he walked with a decided, hitching limp.

  “Sir Graham! Lady Falconer! It is ever so good to see you again. Welcome to our home.”

  “To hell with the damned Sir This and Lady That,” snapped Maeve Falconer, and releasing the twins, embraced the man in a ferocious hug that forced the formality from his bearing and released the dogs from their invisible hold. They immediately set to barking and jumping up at the new arrivals and to add to the clamor, the door to the house opened yet again and two little boys came running out. In their wake was a petite woman with bright red-gold hair dressed in a riding habit and boots. She had dark, lively eyes that danced with delight as she hurried forward to join them.

  “Colin,” the admiral said warmly, as his wife stepped back from the greeting and allowed him the chance to make his own. He extended a hand. “I say, it’s damned good to see you again after so many years. How’ve you been, eh? Life treating you well?” He pulled little Mary up from the grass, where she lay giggling as the long pink tongue of one of the dogs swept her face and its tail beat at Anne’s chin while the child, shrieking in delight, tried in vain to grab it. “I hope you don’t regret a Falconer onslaught! And it is an honor to finally meet you, Lady Ariadne,” he said, bowing deeply to the woman as Colin quickly made introductions. “I can see that you’ve taken very good care of my old flag captain.”

  “The famous Sir Graham! The honor is mine, surely.”

  The admiral beckoned his son forward. “You remember Ned here, don’t you, Colin? Hard to believe he was just a baby when you last saw him.”

  “Hello, Captain Lord,” said Ned, drawing himself up to his full height.

  “Ned! My, but how you’ve grown!” He laid a hand on the boy’s shoulder. “And please, it’s Mr. Lord, now. I’m no longer a captain in His Majesty’s Navy. I heal animals now. Dogs and cats and horses and pretty much everything else.”

  “Horses!” squealed one of the twins, and bolted toward the nearby fence, nearly reaching it before Ned could grab her.

  “I want to ride the horsie!”

  “I get to go first!”

  “I daresay you’ve got your hands full, sir,” said Colin Lord, with a twinkle in his eye. “A spirited duo, those two!”

  “Aye, the minute one turns his back, they’re in trouble.”

  Colin Lord watched with amusement and took the hands of the two children who were quietly watching the twins with something like horror. “And here are our boys, Jonathan and Aaron who will be, I’m sure, quite happy to lead them into
even more of it.” He smoothed the bright hair of the youngest, who looked pale and tired. “Poor Aaron has a cold, so he’s a bit out of sorts. You know how it is with children. They seem to catch everything that makes the rounds, don’t they?”

  The initial greetings complete, the small party moved to where Grace, Polly and Captain Lord stood patiently waiting beside their carriage. Grace tensed, painfully aware of her dishabille and grateful for the captain’s coat that covered it.

  “Del!” The tall blond man’s eyes warmed with unfettered joy, crinkling at the corners behind his spectacles. “It is so very good to see you after so many years.”

  “Hello, Colin.”

  The two began to formally shake hands, and then the older drew the younger into his embrace and slapped him affectionately on the back. “I almost didn’t recognize you out of uniform. Why, I’m surprised you even own civilian clothes!”

  “You can blame your cousin Connor for that,” Sir Graham said, coming over to join them. “He was the one who finally got Del here to relax a bit. I’m sure he’s itching to be back in full rig though!” He took Grace’s hand. “Colin, Lady Ariadne, this is my niece, Lady Grace Fairchild. I thought it fitting to get her away from my sister for a few days. Nothing more oppressive than a mother enjoying the early days of her nuptials, even if it is the fifth time she’s tied the knot.”

  “Fourth,” said Del, hands clasped dutifully behind his back.

  Colin beckoned his two boys over and introduced them to the newcomers. Their eyes widened as they met their Uncle Delmore for the first time as though trying, and failing, to envision him in a naval uniform. Behind them, the twins were reaching through the fence to touch the horses and seeing it, Lady Ariadne sent her sons to go supervise them.

  “They are gentle, but I do worry about little fingers,” she explained. “Perhaps they’ll enjoy a ride on our old pony, Thunder. He’ll keep them safe.” She turned to study the two brothers. “My goodness, it’s hard to believe you two are siblings!”

  “You’d never know it, would you?” Grace concurred. “Though they do both have the same eyes and are of similar height.”

  “And that, along with a love for the sea, is where those similarities end,” said Colin, leaning down to scratch the ear of one of the dogs, now sitting on his foot. “I take after our father in coloring, as do our sisters. Del is the only one of us to inherit our mother’s looks.”

  “And hair,” Captain Lord said somewhat resignedly.

  “It’s the Irish blood,” said his older brother. “Has to come out somewhere.”

  The other two dogs ran over to join the one sitting on Colin’s foot, bumping against his knees as they got carried away in their play with the giggling Falconer twins, who’d left the horses to follow them. Colin reached down to seize the collar of the biggest one, a white-and-brown-ticked gun dog whose exuberance with the girls he was obviously worried about. “Easy there, Marcus. You don’t want to knock them over.”

  “Don’t worry sir, they bounce,” said Ned, spotting his sisters’ frowns as their host held the dog back.

  “Aye, let him go, Colin,” added Sir Graham. “They’re having fun.” And then, in a lower voice, “We don’t have a dog of our own, though I suspect that after this visit that will be the next thing these two will want.”

  “Oh, Papa! Can we get a doggie?”

  “Yes, can we?”

  “I asked first, so it will be my dog!”

  “Mama! Mama, she can’t have the dog, I want it!”

  “I asked first!”

  “I’m the one he licked first so I should get the dog, obviously they like me better than you!”

  “Papaaaa!”

  Vice Admiral Sir Graham Falconer, Knight of the Bath, Hero of England, and once part of Nelson’s famous Band of Brothers, made a V of his fingers and pressed them helplessly against his forehead as the fight ramped up and the noise became deafening.

  “I think it’s time we go inside for refreshments,” Lady Ariadne said cheerfully, and grinning, led the procession toward the house.

  26

  Servants tended to their trunks and a groom came to take the horses. Jimmy Thorne vaulted down from the box, plucked a yellow dandelion from the verge and gallantly presented it to Polly before heading off with the driver to partake in offered refreshments in the kitchen. Once again Captain Lord offered his arm, forcing Grace to pause for a moment so that they could bring up the rear.

  She looked up at him and cocked her head, wondering why he had chosen to tail the others. He just smiled and glanced at his own coat, still covering her.

  Of course. He didn’t want anyone walking behind her, where her torn gown would be obvious and cause her even more embarrassment.

  Gratitude swept her. Was there no end to this man’s thoughtfulness?

  They climbed the steps and found themselves in a cool and shadowy entranceway. Hats and coats were taken, more pleasantries exchanged, the Falconer nanny taking the baby upstairs for a change and a nap. Grace had further opportunity to subtly compare the two siblings. Their features were similar, but Colin had a kind, relaxed gentleness about him whereas his younger brother was reserved and somewhat stiff. But as Lady Ariadne had noted, both had the same eyes and both were tall, broad across the shoulders and lean through the torso. It was not hard to imagine either of them standing on the quarterdeck of Sir Graham’s mighty flagship, commanding hundreds of men.

  Grace sent Polly to unpack their trunks and gave her the afternoon off, knowing it was likely to be spent with the roguish Jimmy Thorne. Little Jonathan Lord and his brother Aaron, sniffling, shyly invited their boisterous young cousins out to see the horses though Ned, yawning, declined to join them. Shrieking in excitement the children raced outside, taking chaos with them, and the adults made their way to a small parlor. There, open windows let in a cooling breeze from the not-so-distant sea, and potted plants bloomed on deep windowsills. The walls were papered with yellow silk, and above a marbled fireplace mantel hung a painting of a proud bay stallion.

  “Peace and quiet at last,” Sir Graham said, accepting a glass of brandy from his host as he settled himself on a damask settee. “I’m told I’m supposed to relax when on holiday, but God help me, I’m having the devil of a time doing it!”

  A servant came in with tea and elegant little cakes. Grace took a cup and sipped it slowly. Talk droned on around her, of the weather, of children, of boats and horses and the Royal Navy. She was only half-listening because her thoughts were on her odd garb, and finding a way to politely excuse herself so she could go change. She didn’t wish to appear rude. Her distress must have shown because once again, it was Captain Lord who came to her rescue.

  He caught her eye and indicated his coat, still covering her, and then raised a finger as though to point upstairs, his brows raised.

  She nodded briskly.

  “Colin, Ariadne... Lady Grace here has had rather a trying day, and I daresay she might like to go upstairs and rest for a little while. Will you excuse her?”

  Grace shot him a grateful smile and mouthed her thoughts.

  Thank you.

  “Of course,” their hostess said. “Come, my dear. I’ll show you to your rooms. You’ve had a long journey, haven’t you?”

  “Yes, and I was seasick, too. But Captain Lord gave me something that made me feel better.”

  “Did he, now?” And then, lowering her voice and eyes twinkling, “Such a kind and thoughtful man, just like his brother. Come along. Plenty of time for us all to get to know each other after you’ve had some rest.”

  “I’ll join you,” said Maeve Falconer, finishing her tea and getting to her feet. “Best to check on the baby as well as the twins, wherever they’ve gone. I hope they don’t turn your household upside down. They were in rare form this morning.”

  “Not so rare,” said Sir Graham under his breath.

  Maeve shot him the same Look she’d bestowed on her daughters, but her lips were twitching.

&
nbsp; The admiral laughed and blew her a kiss.

  The men rose to their feet as the women headed for the door. Del watched as they exited, thinking that Colin had chosen a spirited and perfect match in Lady Ariadne. He looked forward to getting to know his brother’s family and spending time with his two little nephews. Grace was the last one through the door and there, she turned and looked over her shoulder, her eyes finding his. He smiled. She smiled back and nodded. She turned and followed the others, and his gaze lingered on her until she was out of sight. It was only after the women were gone that he finally relaxed. He was not one to imbibe but the day’s events demanded it, and he accepted a glass of brandy when it was offered.

  Sir Graham looked at him in surprise.

  “Right. You’re tighter than a strained backstay. What is it?”

  Del glanced at Ned, who remained in a nearby chair. The energy had gone out of the boy and his face looked wan. Given the maturity he had for his years, he was too old to go to the nursery.

  And too young for the unguarded conversation of adults.

  “Ned, would you like to go outside and meet the horses?” Colin asked, seeing his brother’s hesitation. “That one in the painting there above the fireplace is Shareb-er-rehh. He’s famous.”

  “I’m afraid I’ve never heard of him, sir.”

  “Well now,” said Colin, kindly, “he’s never heard of you, either, but I’m sure that once you meet him you’ll never forget him. And vice versa.”

  “Actually, Capt— I mean, Mr. Lord, I’d rather find a place to rest for a bit. But after I’ve done so, I would love to meet your horse.”

  “Mitchell here will show you to your room, then,” said Colin, indicating a footman who stood nearby. The boy got to his feet, and followed the servant upstairs.

  Once he was gone, Colin spoke. “Your son does you great credit, Sir Graham. And unless I miss my guess, he’s inherited his mother’s gift. There’s something special about him, isn’t there?”

  “Aye, Colin. He may have the Sight, he may not. But he’s intuitive in ways most of us aren’t, and he’s had some dreams that are damned uncanny. Nearly lost him this past winter. Malaria... it was your cousin Connor who, along with Del here, took one of my ships and in the middle of a raging hurricane, sailed off into the teeth of it to bring back the anecdote.” He looked at his flag captain. “Bravest damned thing I’ve ever seen and I’ve seen plenty of brave things over the years. I owe him and your brother here my eternal gratitude for saving my boy.”