His Shadowed Heart ((Books We Love Regency Romance))

by Hazel Statham

  Chapter Nine

  Bradshaw stood uncertainly in the earl’s office. He had requested an interview with his employer, and he waited nervously for his arrival.

  His Lordship came quickly into the room and took the seat behind his desk. “You wish to see me, Bradshaw,” he said. “Is something amiss that you make this request? What is it that will not wait? Were we not to have had a meeting on the morrow?

  “Aye, my lord, but I thought you would wish to hear my news immediately.”

  “Then no doubt you will reveal all to me in your own good time,” replied the earl, leaning back in his chair.

  “The boy, Peter, is gone, sir, even the dog. His cottage is empty and no one has seen him this week past. At first I thought he had been visiting the house, with my lady as before, but he seems to have disappeared from the face of the earth.”

  The earl considered the information for a moment. “I had half expected it,” he said thoughtfully. “The boy must not be pursued. If he is to return, it must be of his own accord. We must wait and see.”

  “There is a problem then, sir?” asked Bradshaw hesitantly.

  “Not one that you need be made aware of,” stated the earl. “You must continue as before his arrival, nothing has changed.”

  *****

  “Your protégé has disappeared, Caro,” informed His Lordship, after going in search of his wife and finding her with Julia in the nursery. “Bradshaw informs me that he has been missing this week or more.”

  “Then we must try to find him,” cried Caroline with great concern, hastily putting Julia from her knee and rising to face her husband. “He has nowhere else to go, and I can’t believe that he would return to his former life, I won’t allow it.”

  “Whether you allow it or not, my love, there will be no search made for the boy. He is free to make his own decisions, and if it is his desire to leave the estate, then so be it. He probably acts for the best. Surely you must understand his reasoning and desire to be elsewhere at this time?”

  Caroline resumed her seat, automatically accepting the toy Julia brought for her approval and drew her into her arms. “I feel responsible for his present state of mind, Richard,” she said quietly, as she looked up at her husband. “This whole situation is attributable to me, and I should have perceived the dangers and sought to avoid them.”

  “It’s not always possible to be wise. Circumstances arise and one acts as one sees fit at the time, with no thought to consequences. I am confident this state of affairs will resolve itself, there is no need for self-reproach.”

  “Even so, I am concerned for his welfare. Couldn’t some search be made for him? I hate to think of him living rough again, and the weather turns so cold.”

  “Very well, I will tell the men to keep a look out for him, but be aware that even if he is found, he may have no desire to return, in which case you must accept his going. It really is for the best.”

  Reluctantly, seeing the sense of her husband’s words, Caroline attempted to divert her thoughts from Peter’s plight, but they would not be dismissed and she found herself ever watchful whenever she rode out with her husband or drove the governess cart with Julia.

  However, a few days later a strange occurrence pushed Peter to the back of her mind.

  Waking to the earl’s angry tones outside their bedchamber door, she pulled herself up on her pillows, listening to his raised voice.

  “Hell’s breath,” he swore forcibly, and then in more urgent undertones, “have it removed before my wife should see it. I will not have her distressed. Remove it.”

  Rising hastily from the bed and throwing her wrap about her shoulders, Caroline ran to the door, flinging it wide to see the cause of the commotion, but the earl immediately pressed her back, determined that she should not see.

  “Go back inside Caro,” he commanded. “You would not wish to see this,” and he followed her into the room, closing the door firmly behind him.

  “Whatever is wrong, Richard,” she demanded attempting to reach round him to open the door, desiring to witness what had disturbed him so.

  “You must not see, my dear,” he said in a quieter tone. “It will only upset you. Though how it appears in the house I know not.”

  “What has appeared? Why were you shouting? You must let me see,” she cried. “Is it so terrible?”

  “If you would but sit down, I will tell you.”

  She sat on the edge of the hearthside chair as she was bid and he came to stand before her, his face showing a great perplexity. “Now I will tell you,” he said, confirmed that now she was seated, she would not try to open the door. “As you were sleeping, I did not wish to disturb you, but as I left the room I found that someone has laid the mutilated carcass of a fox across our threshold.”

  Caroline gave a startled cry, taking her hands to her mouth. “Who would do such a thing?” she asked with great concern.

  “More importantly, how did they gain access to perform the deed?” said the earl. “The house is well-secured at night. I am certain of that, and I would not suspect any of the staff of such a foul deed, so how comes it to be there?”

  “But why should they do such a thing, Richard? Of what purpose is it? Why should it be brought to our bedchamber, of what significance could it be?”

  “I have no idea, my love,” he said, laying a calming hand on her shoulder, “but I can assure you, questions will be asked, enquiries made. I will not rest until the matter is explained.”

  “Perhaps it is naught but a vulgar prank.”

  “Who is there to play such a prank Caro, when there is only the three of us at Lordings? Who would you suggest?”

  At that moment there came a knock at the door and when the earl bade her enter the nursery maid appeared much agitated, her countenance ashen.

  “My lord, such a disturbing thing has happened,” she cried, wringing her hands nervously before her. “I opened the nursery door and there was a brace of dead crows hanging on the latch.”

  “Julia did not see them?” demanded the earl starting forward.

  “No, sir. I removed them directly and threw them out of the window.”

  “Well done,” approved His Lordship. “Now you must return to Julia immediately. She is not to be left alone for one moment, not one moment, do you hear? I will not have the child frightened. If necessary, employ one of the kitchen maids to share your duties with you until I can get to the bottom of this.”

  Even more startled by His Lordship’s urgency, the girl bobbed a curtsey and left the room to return at once to her charge.

  “What shall we do,” cried Caroline, rising once more to her feet.

  “You, my love, will get dressed whilst I check the house,” replied the earl with an evenness he was far from feeling. “We might yet find the solution.”

  *****

  “Everything is as it should be,” stated the earl when he joined his wife in the nursery some while later. They spoke in hushed voices so as not to alarm Julia who, unaware of the tensions within the house, was happily chalking on her slate. “We have checked from attic to cellars and nothing can be found. No forced lock or window can account for our perpetrator’s entrance. One would almost suspect him of having spirited himself into the house. However, I have arranged for the servants to keep vigil with me tonight. We will each take a room, and if our man should return, then we shall have him.”

  “Then I will keep the child with me tonight if you have no objections,” said Caroline. “I would feel so much more at ease if we were together.”

  “An excellent idea,” approved the earl. “Even though our intruder must have gained entry on the ground floor, I will post a man at your door. Should he once more find his way to the upper rooms, your safety will be assured.”

  *****

  “There is no need for you to agitate yourself, my love,” stated the earl as he dropped a kiss on his wife’s brow later that evening while preparing to leave her safely ensconced in their bedchamber. Julia was
already installed in the large canopied bed and appeared peeping mischievously from beneath the covers. “I can see by the look on that little imp’s face that you won’t have much sleep this night,” he chuckled, attempting to divert her thoughts.

  Catching his hand to her cheek, she smiled. “I will certainly not have much sleep if you’re not with me. I beg of you—should the intruder present himself, don’t take risks. I cannot be easy knowing you may be involved in some kind of confrontation.”

  “There is no risk involved,” he assured. “From all appearances, I seem to have a small army with me. You may be perfectly easy on my account. Now I will leave you, but promise me that if you should hear anything, anything at all, you will remain in your room until I come for you.”

  “I will,” she assured. “If you in your turn will promise to take care.”

  “That promise is easily made,” he said, smiling, before once more kissing her brow and leaving the room.

  *****

  The house was in darkness, all candles had been extinguished and the only sound was that of the earl’s boots as he strode across the marble tiles of the hall, going from room to room to ascertain that each held a retainer armed with a weapon. Finally, he installed himself in the garden room, which with its open aspect, he felt to be the most vulnerable. The whole house remained quiet with only the occasional chiming of a clock invading its apparent peace. A sharp frost descended on the surrounding grounds, the cloudless sky making the moon seem even brighter, casting its light through the large casements to illuminate the room. The earl rose from the chair he had placed near the casement to overlook the grounds, but nothing untoward was to be seen. For a moment, but only a moment, he thought he saw a shadow cross the paved walk outside the window, but throwing wide the casement and stepping out it revealed to be nothing more than the ivy, which grew so vigorously, bending over the path. He took a moment to look around him and then returned once more to his vigil.

  Dawn arrived with no further aberrations and the earl was about to relinquish his post when a young housemaid ran hysterically into the room.

  “You must come, sir,” she cried, her eyes wide with fear. “You must come,” and she ran from the room. As he gained the hallway, several of the servants were already gathered there also having heard the young girl’s cries.

  “What is wrong?” he demanded of the girl who stood before him, feeling a desire to box her ears to rid her of her hysteria.

  “The picture gallery,” she cried, pointing up the sweeping staircase, and the earl took the stairs two at a time, the men following in his wake.

  When he achieved the gallery he came to an abrupt halt, all the portraits with the exception of two were slashed, and hung from their frames. The two that remained whole were those of himself and his former wife. He slowly traversed the length of the gallery to stand before them; Elizabeth’s face gazed down upon him totally unmolested, her enigmatic smile seeming to mock him. His own was daubed with blood, blood that he assumed to have come from the butchered fox the night before as a stone jar, which still held its macabre contents, lay at an angle on the floor, seeping some of its scarlet liquid across the carpet.

  “’Tis demons or ghosts,” cried one of the under-butlers. “Naught could have passed us last night, we had the house covered.”

  “Nonsense,” snapped the earl, turning sharply to face the youth, “unless I am very much mistaken, that is a human footprint in the blood,” and he knelt to examine it. “A very human print,” he reiterated, straightening, “and a booted one at that. Our man is no spirit, I assure you, but he appears to have been disturbed before he could complete his task. But why this?”

  He turned abruptly as he heard slippered footsteps running down the gallery to see his wife, robe flying, in a state of anxiety. “What are you doing here,” he demanded sharply, catching her in his arms to turn her away from the scene. “Did I not tell you to remain in your room? Where is Julia?”

  “She’s with her nurse. I had to come. The whole house is in uproar. I could not fail to be aware of what has happened.”

  “Then you must return to your room Caro, and remain there. I will come to you.”

  Reluctantly, Caroline withdrew herself from his arms and with lagging step returned to their apartment.

  *****

  The vigils were repeated over several nights but nothing was found and there were no further occurrences. However, dark mutterings of ghosts and spirits were heard throughout the staff, none being convinced that the perpetrator was of human form.

  “’Tis Her Ladyship returned,” one parlor maid was heard to utter to her companions below stairs. “Was not her portrait the only one undamaged?”

  “Why should she choose to return now, after four years?” queried the scullery boy scornfully.

  “Why of course, because the master brings his new wife to Lordings and she has everything changed,” she replied with some aplomb.

  “You talk utter rubbish,” stated the upper butler, but he was too late, the seed had been set and none went about their business with an easy mind. The east wing was avoided, even when duties necessitated that it should be visited, none were easy to traverse its corridors alone, their imaginings running riot.

  News of the disquiet came to the earl through his valet who thought it his duty to apprise his master of the situation as he eased him into his well-fitting riding coat of olive leather.

  “I will not allow such foolishness,” snapped the earl, turning abruptly so that the valet was obliged to execute a neat side step to avoid being overturned by his employer. “If such was the case, why should she leave a brace of crows hanging on her daughter’s door? The child is innocent enough. I will not have this talk of specters—it only serves to increase the disquiet in the house. You may inform them that anyone perpetuating the rumor will be dismissed. Some attempt must be made to return the house to normal.”

  Caroline had also heard the rumors, and whilst being of a sensible turn of mind, could not help but feel a slight unease, which she attempted to explain to her husband when they rode out together later that morning. “Have you heard the rumors?” she asked tentatively.

  “I have,” he replied shortly, confining his gaze to the road ahead.

  “Do you think…?” she began.

  Turning full in the saddle, he barked, “I do not!” and she recoiled at the fury on his face. “Whoever it may be, it is certainly not Elizabeth. I still affirm that it is of human form. Such imaginings are beyond the realms of belief and I would have thought you at least to have had more sense,” and he urged his horse forward, leaving Caroline to follow as she may.

  When she finally drew abreast of him atop the hill that overlooked the house, he turned toward her and held out his hand. “You must forgive me, my love,” he said in a tone of appeasement as reaching out she clasped his fingers. “I had thought to put Elizabeth entirely from my mind, but even now, she is forced upon my thoughts. It is insupportable,” and he raised her fingers to his lips. Looking down at the house, his face hardened. “You said I had a pride in it,” he said in a harsh tone. “I begin to hate the very thought of it, to believe it to be somewhere to avoid. Will we ever be allowed our happiness?”

  “Nothing can destroy that, only your own imaginings,” she assured, wishing to alleviate his mood.

  “I have a mind to demolish it,” he continued as if she had never spoken.

  “You must not! You cannot!” she cried, disbelieving it to be his true desire. “It has been your family’s home for generations. This mystery will resolve itself, and your feelings will change. Elizabeth is gone, and have you not told me that for some while now, you have felt yourself free of her influence?”

  He smiled ruefully. “As always, you are perfectly right, my love. I have allowed my mood to overtake me and I shall not do so again, but these bizarre happenings irk me and I am mindful for you and Julia. I would that I could get to the root of it all.”

  “You will,” she assured.
“Whatever has been the cause seems to have disappeared as quickly as it came and do not Julia and I fare very well? We have not been harmed in any way.”

  “Even so, it does well to be cautious. I have been thinking it would be wise to send you both back to London until all is resolved. I will write to Victoria, she will bear you company I am sure.”

  “But what of you? I will not return alone,” she cried, turning a pleading look upon him. “I cannot bear to be separated from you again. Will you not come with us?”

  “I stay here—for a while at least,” he averred. “Neither is it my wish that we should be parted, but I must know that you and the child are safe. I will write to Victoria on our return, it is more important for me to be assured that you are out of harm’s way.”

  The letter was duly written and a reply received. Victoria would be only too pleased to stay at Waverly House with her sister-in-law and but awaited further instructions on the matter. Penning his reply, the earl sent the letter with one of the servants, arranging for his wife’s departure for London within the week.

  *****

  “Mr. Eaton awaits you in the library my lord,” informed the footman, when the earl returned from a visit on the estate.

  Quite taken aback by this revelation, the earl gave a brief nod in reply and repaired immediately to the library, a slight frown marring his brow, for he had not looked to see his secretary and wondered at his arrival.

  “Ah, John,” he said, entering the room. “There was no need for you to hurry down to Lordings. I but required Waverly House to be made ready for Her Ladyship. I have no further duties for you at this moment in time.”