by Sahara Kelly
“On his way,” answered Jeremy. “And yes, I believe the time has come to talk about what has occurred.”
“Are you all right, Jeremy?” Adalyn tried to keep her concern out of her voice, but failed. If something was wrong and judging by the faces around her, something definitely was, she had to worry.
Trick rushed in. “Sorry, I had to check on the mare. She kicked out a slat in her stall last night. No damage though, just a broken panel. She’s fine.”
“Well, at least something is going right.” Adalyn buttered her toast, trying to ready herself for whatever lay ahead. “And Jane Barnsley has joined our staff. She arrived early this morning.”
“She is acceptable?” Giles glanced at Adalyn as he took his seat at the table.
“Indeed yes.” She nodded. “I’m sure you’ve seen her though. And you understand why she cannot work elsewhere?”
Trick spoke. “Jane is a lovely girl. I used to see her quite frequently before she left the Barnsley cottage. It’s a damned shame what was done to her…pardon my language, Adalyn.”
“No pardon necessary. I feel the same way, Trick. And I’m glad she will be able to work here because I know we can cope with her wounds without comment, and with friendliness. I could not vouch that she would receive either at other houses.”
“Indeed.” Giles nodded in approval.
The others settled themselves, and a brief silence fell.
“It’s time, Jeremy,” said Adalyn quietly. “Please. Tell us what is happening?”
His shoulders rose and fell with his deep breath. “Very well. You’re right, Adalyn, it is time.” He looked around. “Giles, you and my friends here know that I was at Cambridge for several years. I’d hoped to become a Fellow…”
Adalyn gasped. “Goodness. What were you studying?”
He smiled briefly. “The classics, Adalyn. Always a passion of mine.”
“I see,” she swallowed, struggling to equate a Cambridge Fellow with her footman.
“My family was sufficiently well-to-do that this was an acceptable plan. They raised me to be kind and courteous and gave me a good foundation from which to approach the world.”
“What happened?” Evan asked.
“One evening, I was returning to my rooms quite late. I’d lost myself in a new translation of Homer’s Iliad and stayed longer than usual. It was well past midnight, as I recall, when I set out.” He reached for his tea and took a long swallow, as if fortifying himself.
“It was no more than a ten minute walk, but halfway there, I heard what I thought was a dog whimpering. Or perhaps a cat…it was one of those noises that makes you stop, but you’re not quite sure what it is?” He glanced at them.
“Yes, I can imagine,” said Adalyn. “Go on…”
“I followed the sound around a corner and into an alley. It was so dark, but the noise got louder and…and as the moon came out from behind a cloud, I saw them.”
“Saw whom?” Daniel leaned forward.
“A man. And a woman. He had his hand over her mouth and was pulling up her skirts…” Jeremy’s voice tapered off.
“Oh God,” said Adalyn. “He was attacking her?”
Jeremy nodded. “Yes, Adalyn. Clearly he was intent upon rape. There was no doubt about it. Forgive these details, but it’s important you know everything. He had his breeches loosened and although she was struggling, his strength had overwhelmed her.”
His hand shook as he reached for his cup, but then changed his mind. “I didn’t think, I just acted. I remember grabbing for his collar and getting some of his hair as well. I pulled hard, almost lifting him off the woman, and then I threw him backwards. I suppose I was so angry that I used more force than I realised. I didn’t even look at him, I just wanted to get the woman out of there before he did the unthinkable and suffocated her.”
“How brave of you, Jeremy,” Adalyn whispered. “You saved her life.”
“But at a high cost,” he replied. “I got her to her feet and she was able to reach the end of the alley, and then…and then I turned to deal with the man.” He swallowed. “He hadn’t moved. And his head…it was at an odd angle.” Jeremy wiped his hands over his face. “I realised that I’d thrown him backward with such force that his skull had smashed into the brick wall behind him. I saw the dark stain of blood dripping down over the bricks…”
His voice faltered and Adalyn reached out to lay a hand on his arm. “Jeremy…”
He drew a shaky breath. “I tried to find a pulse. There was none. He was dead. I’d killed a man.” He stared at his hands as silence fell around the table. “I took a life. Something I would never have done in a thousand lifetimes, but that night…”
“You saved the girl, though,” said Giles. “You did the right thing there, Jeremy.”
He looked up. “That’s not quite how the authorities saw it.”
“Oh dear,” Trick winced. “Trouble?”
“Yes.” Jeremy shrugged. “I was arrested and tried for murder.”
Gasps of surprise echoed around the table.
“What?”
“I don’t believe it.”
“That’s outrageous…”
He waited until the outburst died down. “It is true. I went immediately to the authorities and told them what had happened. The young woman, a brave and courageous girl, corroborated my evidence.”
“I sense there’s a but coming…” Evan frowned.
“Yes, you’re correct. The man I killed was a senior diplomatic attaché, assigned to the Prussian Envoy in London. The matter was kept quiet, but the trial was a political necessity, you see. The Prussians were most insistent. It was held and I was convicted.”
“Jeremy,” whispered Adalyn. “How awful for you.”
He stared at her, his eyes deep with remembered anguish. “I was sentenced to death, Adalyn. They found me guilty of murder.”
“No, no, that’s wrong…” she ached for him.
“My parents were distraught, but there was nothing they could do. The entire business was kept buried beneath the diplomatic rules of secrecy.”
“You escaped?” Daniel asked.
“In a roundabout way,” Jeremy replied. “My lawyer was a canny fellow. He poked into some dark corners, and found that the man I killed had a reputation for assaulting unwilling women. He was also quite highly positioned in the Prussian circle of diplomats and aristocrats. To have such an affair broadcast outside the inner workings of Prussia House would have been devastating and a huge black mark against the entire Prussian contingent in London.”
“He was a miserable excuse for a man and deserved what he got,” said Adalyn through clenched teeth.
“Hear, hear!” Evan added his endorsement.
“Well, with my lawyer’s information in hand, we were able to petition for a reduction in sentence, and wiser heads prevailed over angry politicians and diplomats. Probably from the upper echelons of Prussia House. It was blackmail of a sort, but I suppose that the other side had more to lose than we did. I don’t know. But within a week of my sentencing, I found myself quietly released without any fuss, bother or explanation. All I received was a note instructing me to leave London and never return. Wales was suggested, quite strongly. I was also to remain silent, and told in no uncertain terms what would happen if I broke that silence. I have not. Until now. When you and I met in Cardiff, Giles, I knew it was time for me to move ahead with my life. But as a new person, and not the Jeremy who had blood on his hands. Your offer was just what I needed. And I’ve never regretted it for a minute. Being here, at Wolfbridge, gave me back my humanity.”
“God, man. That is a terrible tragedy indeed.” Giles leaned back. “I knew a little of it, but the details are quite shocking.”
There were other comments as Jeremy reached the end of his story and the men exchanged opinions freely, all of which were in support of their friend and condemning the system that had created such a miscarriage of justice.
“Let me hazard a guess,
Jeremy,” she said, attracting everyone’s attention. “The young woman you rescued? Might she be Miss Susanna Brockford?”
Silence fell as every man stared at her with varying amounts of surprise.
Jeremy recovered himself first. “I’m not quite sure how you arrived at that conclusion, Adalyn, but yes. You are correct. Yesterday was the first time I’d seen her since our last meeting in a courtroom somewhere in London.”
“Is she going to be a problem for you?”
“I’m not sure,” he answered. “During the trial we crossed paths quite often. I think…” he blushed a little, “It’s possible she might have developed an affection for me.”
“You were her saviour. I cannot say that it would be surprising,” mused Daniel.
“But so much time has passed. It’s been over six years, and many changes have taken place during that time. Truly I am surprised she recognised me.”
“Some things are indelible on one’s memory, Jeremy. I can believe the fateful events of that night would be a permanent fixture in a woman’s mind.”
“So where does that leave you now?” Giles asked.
“I don’t know.” Jeremy shook his head. “It has resurrected a past I hoped I’d left behind. It has reunited me with a woman I do not know well, and who is bound to have changed in the past years. She is unwed; she told me she cannot stand the thought of marriage. And yet…”
“And yet?” Adalyn gently encouraged him.
“She seemed…eager to rekindle our acquaintance. She left no doubt that she would enjoy my company.” He straightened in his chair. “I was not comfortable, to be blunt about it. I’m not sure she sees me in the proper light. And I’m certainly not about to accept an improper invitation from a woman I haven’t seen in all these years.”
“Improper?” Daniel’s eyebrows rose.
“Yes.” Jeremy cleared his throat. “She seems to think that if I could spend the night with her and…and…relieve her of her virginity, then she could go forward with a life that has been on hold all these years. Apparently I’m the only man she can trust to treat her properly.”
“Oh dear.” Adalyn’s forehead creased into a frown.
“One has to wonder about the men she’s been associating with over these last years,” commented Evan wryly.
“Where is she now?” queried Giles.
“Staying with her sister, I believe. Over in Little Maddington. She rode to St. Polycarp’s yesterday with a distant relative who had people to meet in the area.”
“Good. That is quite a few miles away. Which precludes the possibility of her dropping in unannounced.”
Adalyn listened as the matter was discussed, with all of them logically laying out the facts, posing practical suggestions and in general being the men she was coming to love.
However, they were missing an important factor.
“If I may…” She cleared her throat. “There is one thing you’re all overlooking. Miss Brockford is a woman. She has her heart set on Jeremy, and not just for one night of physical pleasure. If you acceded to her request, Jeremy, you might either find yourself interrupted by her family and forced to marry her, or she could reappear in a couple of months announcing that she is with child. And once again, you would be forced to marry her.” She stared at him. “I believe her sudden appearance here is far more than a surprise encounter. I cannot be certain, but all the signs are there.”
She rose and went to Jeremy, putting her hands on his shoulders as she stood behind his chair. “I am afraid that she may be obsessed with you, as her rescuer. In her eyes you are the only man for her. And the fact that it’s been so long since you last met, and yet she has proposed this outrageous suggestion…well, that adds to my concern.”
For several minutes, the men were quiet, absorbing her words.
Then Giles rose. “I agree with Adalyn. We must treat this matter with all the seriousness it deserves.” He looked at Jeremy. “It’s temporary house duties for you, my lad. You do not go out alone.” He held up his hand before Jeremy could protest. “I don’t believe you to be in any danger, but for the time being, let us be sensible?”
“I second that,” said Adalyn, moving to Jeremy’s side. “You are too valuable to me. Let us act with caution and common sense. The idea of any of my gentlemen being lost to me for whatever reason…well, it’s untenable.” She ended with a commanding nod.
Jeremy sighed. “Perhaps she will leave the area and we can move past all this.”
“We can but hope.” Daniel rose. “But in the meantime, I will have a quick word with a friend of mine in Little Maddington. He’s an elderly gentleman I met through our mutual interest in history, but he has an ear for gossip. Should anything unusual occur, he’s the chap to know about it.”
“An excellent notion, Daniel,” approved Giles. “In the interim, I suggest you and Adalyn sit down and discuss the whys and wherefores of purchasing Fivetrees. Just in case.”
“With today’s events, I’d forgotten about that,” smiled Adalyn. “But I still think it’s a good idea.”
Daniel looked nervous. “Er…well, I’m not too sure about that, but we certainly can review it…”
“Don’t worry,” she chuckled. “I’m not going to suggest we put in an offer at the end of the week.”
“We don’t even know if there’s an heir yet,” added Daniel.
“I should write Judith a note, too.” She glanced at Giles. “Would it be acceptable to invite her to tea if she’s feeling up to it?”
“By all means,” he replied. “It might do her good if, as you say, she feels up to it.”
Adalyn nodded. She wasn’t sure of the etiquette surrounding such a dramatic event, but her heart went out to Judith, who would now be alone at Fivetrees, with only the servants for company. At least until an heir, if there was one, appeared on the front doorstep. And even then, there was no guarantee Judith would be permitted to remain in residence.
With that rather perturbing thought in her mind, Adalyn went to pen her invitation.
Chapter Fifteen
Time passed in a strange and uneasy quiet, everyone going about their business, but with half an ear cocked for the slightest sound. Adalyn found herself doing exactly that; waiting for something, but not quite sure what.
Her invitation to Judith had occasioned a brief note from that lady thanking her for her consideration and patience. But she was not yet up to the task of receiving or visiting friends.
Adalyn accepted her excuse, knowing she had done the right thing in asking. Because the weather decided to acknowledge spring was on the way and generously offered the land some warm sunny days along with a shower or two, the household resolved to begin work on the new kitchen garden. Adalyn eagerly joined the men as they started to mark out and clear the area.
It was a busy time for the local folk, what with turning over old crops, preparing the fields, and planting afresh, with the hope that this year’s harvest might survive. But one or two lads offered a hand to the Wolfbridge workers, and so within a week or so the foundations emerged and Adalyn knew it would be exactly how she wanted it.
A large square was taking shape, already marked with rows of bricks about a foot or so high. One wall was in place…the rear kitchen wall, and that formed the basis for the square. But it was much larger than the originally allotted space, and Evan would soon be able to walk from the door into a spacious area filled with herbs and vegetables.
Although many such gardens featured glass roofs, Daniel had pointed out the expense of such a feature. Not just for the initial building, but also for any replacements, should a loose tile decide to smash through in a winter storm. Adalyn had seen the logic behind the argument and agreed. Thus the garden would be walled in, protected from the worst of the winds, and yet free to lap up the sunshine and the rain.
It was a good endeavour, she thought to herself as she weeded a small area that would soon hold a trellis and the vines of peas and beans. It had also brought the househol
d out of doors—another good result.
Jeremy was relaxing, laughing more, returning to his cheerful self. Perhaps revealing his darkest secret had lifted a weight from his shoulders…Adalyn couldn’t know what went on in his mind.
But they’d heard nothing of Miss Brockford, so all hoped that her silence signalled the conclusion of the matter. Adalyn wasn’t convinced of that, but prayed it was so. Her other scheme, the notion of buying Fivetrees, was still being discussed, but only in abstract terms. There had been no word at all from Judith or anyone in the village about the current status of the property. All the Wolfbridge residents could do was wait.
Adalyn wasn’t good at waiting, being committed to the protection and support of Wolfbridge Manor. Fresh peas would be lovely, but adding acreage would be even better.
She pulled more weeds, liking the warmth of the spring sunshine on her back, and heedless of the stains on the knees of her gown. It was one of her old ones; Jane had tugged it out of the rear of her wardrobe when Adalyn announced her plans for the morning.
The two women had settled quickly into a morning routine that suited them both, so Adalyn's mood was a happy one as she sat back on her heels and proudly surveyed the weed-free turned soil. Everything seemed to be moving ahead in a positive direction.
“You have a gift for the land, dear lady.”
Evan’s voice sounded from above her and she twisted around, realising he’d walked up behind while she’d been lost in her own thoughts. “Why thank you, sir.” She grinned. “Would you hire me? I could perhaps make my living weeding gardens…”
Evan knelt on one side and smiled, his eyes gleaming. “I would hire you in a heartbeat, Adalyn. But I’m not sure I’d allow you to simply weed my garden beds…”
Her body heated at his words, and she felt a flush rise in her cheeks as he leaned in and kissed the side of her neck. “There are other beds that need to be tended…”
“I…I…”
He moved away from her and rose. “Lunch in an hour, my dear.”
She nodded, being incapable of doing more than that little movement. Her mind whirled, filled with erotic images, visions of naked limbs and the heat, always the heat, lashing her with bolts of sensual flame. She trembled, closed her eyes and fought the swelling flood of desire.