To Take Her Pride

by Anne Brear

  “Noah Middleton.” Reid searched his memory for any recognition. “No, I don’t know the name, Gilbert. Should I?”

  “I don’t rightly know, sir. Only that he wanted to know if the mistress had arrived home and whether she had a baby with her.”

  Reid jerked in surprise. “A baby?”

  “Yes. I told him of course the mistress didn’t have a baby with her. The very thought of it. Perhaps the man is simple? Although he didn’t look like it.”

  “Where is he now?”

  “I’m not sure, sir. I told him that he’d best be on his way and I came inside.”

  Reid walked to the door and yanked it open. “Stay here, Gilbert, and tell no one of what you just told me.”

  “Yes, sir.”

  On the landing, Reid saw Matthews in the hall below, checking the front door locks and turning down the gas candelabra on the side table. “Matthews!” Hurrying down the stairs, Reid pointed to the doors. “Open them.”

  Matthews did as he was told. “Can I help you, sir?”

  “Yes, come with me, quickly now. There’s a man in the grounds. I want him found.”

  “A poacher?” Matthews grabbed Reid’s coat and flung it around his master’s shoulders.

  “No. He mustn’t be harmed. Go and get some men from the stables and have my carriage brought around.”

  “Yes, sir.” While Matthews ran off around the corner of the house, Reid took off down the drive, the snow crunching beneath his feet.

  “Mr Middleton! Sir, I need to speak with you,” he called through cupped hands. An owl hooted, but other than that the grounds were cloaked in white silence. “Mr Middleton, you are in no danger. Are you there?”

  He ran all the way down to the big black iron gates and opened one enough to slip out and onto the road leading to Leeds. The moon went behind a scud of cloud, darkening the shadows to nearly black. “Mr Middleton!”

  “I’m here.” A voice spoke in the night gloom and ahead a dark figure loomed out of the trees at the side of the road. He jumped a small snowdrift and stood in the middle of the road. “And who may you be?”

  “Reid Sinclair.”

  “Ah, Aurrie’s man,” said the shadowy figure, coming closer.

  “Aurora?” Reid’s heart seemed to somersault. “You know of Aurora Pettigrew?”

  “She’s Aurrie Sinclair now. I’m her stepfather, Noah.”

  The man stopped within five feet of him, and with his eyes adjusted to the murkiness, Reid could see the details of a well-dressed man of about fifty years. “Did Aurora send you? Do you have news of her?”

  “Not good news, I’m afraid. Her baby was stolen today.”

  “Her baby was stolen?” The air left Reid’s lungs in a whoosh, which had him reeling. His mother!

  “Yes. A woman, your mother I’m led to believe, visited our home today and while she was there someone took the baby. We believe your mother is involved with the kidnap. The police will likely be here in the morning to talk to her, if she was stupid enough to return home. Or did she give the child to that monster in York? Do you know?”

  “Sorry, what?” Reid shook his head mindlessly. “A monster in York?”

  The fellow sighed despondently. “I’ve come here to find Aurrie’s baby. If she’s not here then I must be going. I’ve a train to catch to York. I can’t tarry. The hired cab wouldn’t stay for me. Bastard.”

  “The baby is here.” The words came out clipped, as though chipped from ice.

  “Thank God.” Middleton lifted his head sharply. “You are involved?”

  “No! Definitely not. I only just found out a short time ago that a child was in the house.” Reid’s legs were wobbly as he stepped towards the gates. How was any of this possible? Did his mother really have Aurrie’s baby upstairs, and if she did, it meant that child was also his! He cleared his dry throat. “Please, come with me. I’ll take you to her.”

  Unable to speak further for the emotion clogging his throat, Reid led the silent man up the drive and to the house. Matthews stood on the front steps, issuing several men with lanterns as the carriage came out of a side archway. “Matthews, send the men to bed, but I’ll still need the carriage.”

  “Yes, sir.” The butler eyed Middleton curiously, but did as ordered.

  Reid turned to Middleton, who, now standing in the gaslight, could be seen more clearly. Reid liked the decent look of the man, a man who you knew you could instantly trust, and wondered why such thoughts came into his head at this crucial time. “Come this way.”

  They went upstairs silently as the clock chimed the half hour of ten o’clock. The long corridor to the west wing seemed eternal to Reid. With every step his heartbeat slowed until he thought it would stop altogether.

  Without knocking, he opened the door and walked into his mother’s sitting room, Middleton was right behind him. Going through into the bedroom, he noticed his mother asleep in the bed, and the door to the dressing room stood open. A low burning gas wall lamp set above a small range of drawers broke the darkness. In the corner of the dressing room was a carved wooden cradle, one he knew used to belong in the nursery. Gavet slept on her trundle bed beside the cradle.

  Middleton pushed past him, bent down and lifted the sleeping child into his arms. His eyes were full of hate towards Reid. “She’s nowt but newly born. ‘Tis a disgrace,” he whispered harshly, and headed for the door.

  Reid quickly followed him out and they left his mother’s room without waking either woman. “Wait.”

  Not slowing down, Middleton dashed ahead towards the staircase. “I’m taking her home before owt else happens. Aurrie’s beside herself with worry. Your mother should be hanged for taking an innocent babe.”

  “Listen to me. I have my carriage waiting. I’ll come with you.”

  Halfway down the staircase, Middleton stopped and faced him. “I thank you for your help, but its best you not come with me. Your mother has caused enough worry and I don’t think your presence will help matters. All Aurrie needs is her baby.”

  Reid looked down at the precious bundle in the man’s arms. From within the white wrappings he could only see a soft curve of a small cheek. “She’s my daughter, too.”

  The other man’s eyes narrowed. “She belongs to Aurrie. I’m taking her home.”

  “This is her home.”

  Middleton straightened his back, his face hardened ready to fight. “I said, I’m taking her home to her mother. And if you are a decent enough fellow, you’ll let me.”

  Reid nodded, tears hot behind his eyes. “Yes, take her to Aurrie.” He followed Middleton down the stairs and out to the carriage. “Matthews, is there a blanket on the seat?”

  “Yes, sir, two, and a hot brick for your feet.”

  “I’m not going, but this gentleman is.” Reid held the door while Middleton climbed into the carriage and sat down, the baby held close to his chest. “Hebden Bridge is it?”

  “Aye.” Middleton nodded.

  He directed the driver where to go and then turned back to Middleton. “Tell Aurrie I…I… Tell Aurrie…” As he faltered, one of the horses snorted loudly into the night air and pawed the frozen ground. The cold seeped into Reid’s bones. He closed the door and stepped back as the carriage lurched forward. “Tell Aurrie I’m sorry,” he whispered.

  Chapter Twenty-Six

  Reid read over his father’s will once again to make certain he wasn’t going against his wishes. Content, he folded the document and put it in the bottom drawer of the desk before locking it with a key.

  Taking a deep breath, he added his signature to several other documents on the desk and then sat back and waited. The rising sun streaked through the window, glinting off the snow and blinding those foolish enough to stare outside.

  Matthews entered the study, carrying a breakfast tray, which he placed on the corner of the desk. “Shall I pour, sir?”

  “Please.” Reid reached over and took a plate of warm buttered toast and ate without thought to the food. He
wasn’t even hungry but he knew his body would need fuel for the day ahead. “Will you have my mail sent out first thing?”

  “Yes, sir.” Matthews passed him the cup and saucer. “Anything else, sir?”

  “My mother will require the second carriage today. See that is ready for her.”

  “Yes sir.”

  “Has Forthby returned from his journey last night?”

  “I believe he has, sir. He’s having his breakfast as we speak.”

  “Good. Have him write down the address where he dropped the man off last night, will you? And I’ll need the carriage to take me to the station in an hour.”

  “Very good, sir.” Matthews bowed and left the room.

  Reid finished his breakfast, still waiting for the inevitable. Then, as he was about to pour a second cup of tea and the clock struck six o’clock, he heard the commotion. Within minutes his mother was hurrying through the house calling his name. When she finally entered the study she was wearing her dressing gown and slippers, her dark hair straggling about her shoulders.

  “Good morning, Mother.”

  “Reid, something horrible has happened. The baby is gone!”

  “Stolen?” He was all mock innocence.

  “Yes. Taken in the night.” She looked distraught but he remained unmoved.

  “Who would do such a thing?” He held up the teapot. “Tea?”

  “Don’t be absurd, we must find her. The baby—” She stopped mid-sentence, her eyes widening as she understood he wasn’t in the least worried. “You have the baby?”

  “No, I don’t.”

  Her lips thinned in irritation. “But you know where she is?”

  “My daughter is back with her mother.”

  “Oh!” She gasped, fumbling for the nearby chair. “You had no right!”

  He leapt to his feet, thumping his fist onto the desk. “No right? You steal a baby and you tell me I have no right to give her back? Are you mad?”

  “Reid, the child is better off with us. Don’t you see?”

  “How did you know Aurora was pregnant with my child? Did you go through my papers? Did you find that letter from Tom explaining why he married Aurora?”

  She raised her chin, her eyes narrowing with spite. “How else could I know? As always you keep everything from me. You make me snoop through your things like a criminal.”

  He couldn’t believe what he was hearing. “You are incredible.”

  “That baby is your daughter, my granddaughter. She needs to be with us. She’s yours! A Sinclair.”

  “Yes, but unlike you, Mother, I won’t simply take without giving something back.”

  Two red spots of rage blemished her cheeks. “You are too soft. Be a man and go and get what is yours. That little slut thinks she’s won, but I won’t allow it.”

  “Oh, I will go and get what is mine, but I don’t mean just the baby, I mean Aurora, too. I want to make her my wife, as I should have done last year.”

  “No.” His mother shook her head. “No, not that. Pay her off and bring the child back. The Pettigrews will never know she is Aurora’s. We’ll go abroad, to America.”

  He shook his head. “You aren’t listening to me. You never do. I love Aurora. I want her as my wife.”

  “Please, no, Reid, don’t do this.” Shakily, his mother perched herself on the edge of the chair, she looked old.

  “Why are you so against Aurora?”

  “She’s bastard born. She’s not good enough for you, for this family.”

  He stared at her, the pieces falling into place. “You were the one who told Aurora about her birth. You made her run away. Why? Why hurt her in such a manner? The Pettigrews are supposed to be your friends.”

  “They think themselves to be better than they are!” she scoffed. “I’ll not have some jumped up trades people associated with our family. Aurora whored herself to you to trap you so you’d marry her. She knew I wanted better for you than her lowly family.”

  “You’re wrong. She didn’t whore herself to me. I loved her and she loved me. I was going to marry her anyway. But then her letters stopped and she went away…” The warmth seeped from his face. “Tell me you didn’t take her letters also. Is that how you knew about us?”

  “I had to do something to make you see sense!”

  He jerked towards her, ready to strangle the life from her. She stifled a scream, terror in her eyes, and he pulled back just in time. Fist clenched, hatred in his heart, he turned away, unable to look at her.

  “Reid, I-I … Please understand I was only doing what I thought best.”

  “It is indeed a shame that my own mother has no idea of what is best for me.” He laughed hollowly, staring blindly out of the window at the sun-dazzled white drive. “Your scheming caused me only pain. Does that please you?”

  “Absolutely not. It wasn’t my intention. I thought you might be a little hurt at first, but that you’d soon get over her.”

  “But I haven’t.” He kept staring out the window. One of the gardeners was shoveling snow off the path. The scraping sound grated on him. He turned back to his mother, who sat huddled in her chair, defeated, though it gave him no joy.

  She gazed at him, tears in her eyes. “I am sorry for the hurt I caused you. I didn’t think Aurora was good enough for you.”

  “No, Mother, she’s too good for me,” he said softly. “I will never be happy with anyone else, but her. Can you not understand that?”

  “You’ll be the laughing stock of all your friends.”

  “How little faith you have in our class, Mother.” He picked up the documents from the desk and held it out to her. “If Aurora agrees to marry me, I’ll bring her home to the Hall. If you cannot be civil and welcoming then you are to leave here today. I’ve made provisions for you to live in the dowager house on the Kent estate, or buy a townhouse in London. The decision is yours.”

  Devastation was written across her pale features. She ignored the proffered papers and turned away, her head lowered. “So I have lost you.”

  “Again, that is your choice, Mother. You can accept Aurora and be included in our lives, or be banished to Kent or London or Paris, wherever you wish to go. I care not.”

  “I cannot live without my boys,” she whispered. “You are all I have.”

  “Then you must learn to live with us, accept our decisions. We are men now, Mother. Let us go or we will grow to hate you.”

  She nodded slightly, a shuddering sigh escaping her. “Go to her then. I will try to accept her as your wife.”

  Snow drifted on the breeze, giving the landscape a fresh coat of white. Aurora held Olivia close, rocking slightly as she gazed out of the bedroom window. Although Olivia had fallen asleep over twenty minutes ago, she was loathed to put her down and leave her. Since Noah returned in the middle of the night, she’d kept the baby in her arms, not allowing her out of her sight, letting her suckle until she was full and fell asleep on the nipple.

  Her mind drifted to Reid and the details of the night before as Noah had relayed them to her. Reid had given back their daughter. He’d gone against his mother. And she knew with certainty that soon he would knock on the front door. But her thoughts went no further than that.

  She turned and smiled when Sophia walked into the room. “This little Miss is so full her tummy is like a barrel.”

  “Unlike her mother then.” Sophia gave her a hard look. “Will you come down and have some of the lovely meal Lily has cooked? You need to eat for your strength and milk supply.”

  “I know, and I will have the meal. But she’s coming down too.”

  Sophia held out her arms for the baby. “I’ll sit beside you with her, while you eat. How about that?”

  “Thank you.” Aurora passed Olivia over and they left the bedroom to go downstairs.

  In the warm kitchen, Lily ladled out the midday meal onto the waiting plates. Noah was outside seeing to the animals, and Jed and Peggy had returned from York an hour ago with the news that after the polic
e chief questioned him, Ellerton had fled abroad somewhere and no one knew where. They were delighted to find Olivia home, safe and well. Sophia had sent them to bed after their sleepless night of travelling.

  “I want to see you eat all of that up,” Lily warned, handing Aurora a plate full of bacon, eggs, mushrooms and toast.

  “Thank you, Lily.” Her stomach rumbled at the delicious aroma and she hungrily tucked into the meal while Sophia sat beside her holding Olivia.

  “I’ll keep some aside for Peggy and Jed. They’ll be hungry when they wake.” Lily smiled.

  “Jed has an appetite the largest I’ve ever seen,” Sophia joked.

  “He works hard,” Lily defended and then blushed when Sophia grinned at her. “Well, he does!”

  Aurora relaxed in their friendly banter and finished her meal before Noah came in through the back door, shaking the snow off his boots and hat as he did so. “A hired carriage has just pulled up.” He looked at Aurora. “It’s him.”

  Her heart banged in her chest like a threshing machine. He’d arrived sooner than she thought.

  “I’ll go and let him in, will I?” Lily gave a nervous smile and hurried out of the kitchen.

  Pushing back her chair, Aurora stood and smoothed down her black skirt. She gazed at Olivia and then at Sophia. “Will you watch her for me?”

  “Yes, she’ll not leave my arms, but do you not want to see him? I can send him away if you wish.” Sophia’s eyes searched her face. “I’ll do whatever you ask.”

  Closing her eyes, Aurora fought for composure. So many emotions curses through her, elation, dread, wanting, fear, hope and despair. “What could he want?” she whispered. “Olivia?”

  “Hopefully both of you, my dear girl.”

  “But what if he doesn’t?” her voice rose on a touch of hysteria.

  “Then we’ll deal with that too.” Sophia reached out and softly squeezed her arm. “Hold your head up, you’re a Barton and we are strong.” She released her and pushed her gently towards the door. “Go now.”

  Taking each step slowly, carefully, one at a time, Aurora went along the hallway. In the entrance hall, she paused, licked her dry lips and straightened her shoulders back. Lifting her chin, she walked into the sitting room.