Healing the Captain's Heart: A Clean Regency Romance (Resolved In Love Book 2)

by Penny Fairbanks

  When they were far enough away that she was sure Lord Neil would not hear, she turned to face them. Captain Jessup stood tall and regal and certainly did not look as though he’d been asleep less than an hour ago. Frank did his best to appear alert as he leaned heavily against the crutch propped up under his arm.

  “There has been some unfortunate news,” Violet started, hoping the courage she’d sourced from Lord Neil’s kind words overtook the nerves she still felt. The captain’s brow furrowed and her brother instantly perked up.

  “In addition to keeping Lord Neil distracted, you must not tell him that we cannot send for the doctor. Mrs. Baird informed me that it is snowing too heavily and I can tell by the chill in the house that it must be so. Dance around the subject as much as you need to. He is already in a fragile state and he will surely go to pieces if he finds this out. We will not worry him unless it is absolutely necessary.”

  “But how is the baby to be delivered then?” Frank asked.

  Violet swallowed as she gave voice to her imminent future. “Mrs. Baird and I will deliver the child ourselves.”

  “Are you sure that is a wise idea?” Captain Jessup interjected.

  Violet was indeed not sure at all, at least of her own capabilities, but she did not let this show. “It is the wisest idea we have right now. We can’t very well ask Her Ladyship to wait until the snow lets up. Mrs. Baird has assisted in a few deliveries before.”

  She failed to mention, however, that Mrs. Baird had only acted as an assistant to a doctor and the last baby she’d helped deliver had been Lord Neil.

  “You should hurry back,” Frank said as he put an encouraging hand on Violet’s shoulder. “We can handle things in here.”

  Violet took a deep breath and took one last look at Lord Neil sitting by the fire, leaning forward with his elbows on his knees and his face in his hands.

  She said her goodbyes to her brother and the captain and resumed her frantic pace through the house.

  But just as Violet reached the next landing, a clatter of hurried footsteps caught her attention. She turned toward the sound to see Captain Jessup rushing up the staircase on the opposite side of the house toward the guest wing.

  A surge of annoyance flooded through Violet, stinging all the more due to her already nearly snapped nerves.

  What could possibly call Captain Jessup away from the library at this critical hour? She had specifically asked both he and Frank to assist Lord Neil during what surely must be one of the most frightening nights of his life.

  But Violet did not have time to ponder any further why the captain would abandon his post. She raced to Lady Neil’s room and rejoined Mrs. Baird, any other thoughts slipping her mind as she heeded Mrs. Baird’s commands and found herself working to deliver a baby.

  A few hours into labor and Violet found herself wiping away at her own sweat with the sleeve of her dress. Her other hand wiped away the sweat dripping into Lady Neil’s eyes with a handkerchief.

  Despite the freezing temperatures outside, the flames in the fireplace and the sheer tension in the room kept Violet from feeling even remotely cold.

  Mrs. Baird’s voice rang continually through the room, encouraging Lady Neil through each contraction and telling Violet what to do next. Her voice was steady, a welcome calm amongst the anxiety in the room. But Violet could see past the sharp focus in her eyes to the worry within.

  The baroness’s labor had gone well so far, but all three women knew that the tides could change at any moment.

  Numerous nightmare scenarios whirled through Violet’s head constantly and she could see the same happening to Mrs. Baird.

  Sharp footsteps against wood and the heavy front door opening and closing and urgent voices coming from downstairs caused Mrs. Baird and Violet to look up at each other in surprise. Lady Neil rested in between contractions elsewise they likely would not have heard the commotion.

  Even the baroness was curious about the sounds. She propped herself up on her elbows and said through shallow breaths, “What could possibly be going on at this hour downstairs?”

  Violet quickly hid her small smile. That was her mistress. Always worrying about the goings on in her household, even when it was the last thing she should be worrying about.

  “Violet, go on and see what all the fuss is about. If you need to, alert Mr. Taylor and have him see to whatever it is,” Mrs. Baird instructed.

  She nodded quickly and set aside the handkerchief next to the bowl of water on the bedside table. This time Violet did not hide her smile when she heard Lardy Neil offer a quiet “thank you, Violet” as she left the room.

  But as soon as Violet closed the door behind her, her sense of urgency and curiosity returned. She rushed downstairs as quickly as she could without tripping and nearly skidded to a halt when she entered the foyer.

  Captain Jessup stood just inside the door, brushing a layer of snow off his shoulders.

  Next to him was Dr. Slaterly.

  Mr. Taylor, still in his robe and nightcap, commanded two groggy footmen to take their coats.

  “Good Heaven!” Violet cried out. “What on Earth possessed you to go out in the freezing cold and snow?”

  She marched up to the captain, half wild with relief and half cross at the risk he had taken.

  Captain Jessup only laughed at Violet’s harshly spoken question. “If I see someone in need, I do everything in my power to help. Besides, it wasn’t terribly dangerous. I’m an excellent carriage driver and I took extra care on the roads. The trip took longer but we travelled as safely as can be expected.”

  Violet was stunned into silence. All she could do was stare into the captain’s warm, sweet eyes. He took a step closer and she noticed the tiny snowflakes caught in his eyelashes and melting on his lips. She desperately wished she could reach up and brush them away.

  Violet’s hand twitched as if to carry out her wishes when the doctor interrupted.

  “Please, someone, bring me to Lady Neil!”

  Captain Jessup coughed and the spell was broken. He nodded gently and whispered, “Go to your mistress.”

  “This way, Dr. Slaterly.” Violet went off with the doctor behind her. She updated him on the lady’s progress and answered his questions about her general health and her labor thus far.

  Halfway up the stairs, Violet cast a glance over her shoulder. She had just enough view of the foyer to see Captain Jessup take off his coat, shivering slightly.

  Violet vowed to thank the captain as ardently as she could at the first opportunity. He had braved the cold he hated for a woman he did not particularly know nor had any meaningful connection to.

  But Violet knew what Captain Jessup had said was true. This was his nature. He helped those in need regardless of his own safety or what they meant to him. If the risk held a chance of making all the difference, Captain Jessup would take that risk.

  Violet’s heart swelled with deep admiration. She was immensely lucky to have the captain in her life, however briefly.

  Anyone would be immensely lucky to have such a man in their life. Violet found herself hoping that her luck would hold on for a while longer.

  Chapter 10

  The heat from the fireplace did not thaw Owen quickly enough. In fact, he felt like he could step into the very flames. But he would settle for sitting as near as possible without catching himself on fire.

  The sound of the crackling wood was accompanied by the baron’s rapid footfalls on the thick rug and Davies’s many unsuccessful attempts to calm the man down. Every suggestion to sit or read was ignored or waved away. Every question about books or the estate or the baron’s life were answered as briefly as possible.

  Owen laughed quietly as he listened to the lieutenant behind him ask Lord Neil how many books were in his library and he simply responded with “many.” He shook his head and wondered how he’d ended up in this situation—riding out into a snowstorm to get a doctor for a woman he barely knew.

  But despite the stiffness in hi
s fingers from clutching the reins and the chill that had settled into his bones on the long ride to and from the village, Owen knew he would do it again in an instant.

  He may not be an active soldier anymore, but protecting and helping others would always be his highest calling. Uniform or not.

  He’d known immediately that he needed to bring the doctor to Gatherford Park as soon as Miss Davies had announced the troubling news that she and the housekeeper would attempt to deliver the little one on their own. He’d barely given it a moment of thought as he’d told Davies his plan and rushed up to his room to change for the journey. He’d barely noticed the cold as he readied the carriage and hopped onto the box, spurring the horses into the darkness.

  Now that the urgency was over and the mission safely completed, Owen noticed the cold in abundance.

  The door creaked open and Owen turned around in his chair to see Miss Davies enter the room with a tray of tea and biscuits. The lieutenant greeted his sister from his own chair but Lord Neil kept up his incessant pacing, eyes locked onto some unseen objective.

  The cold in Owen’s body melted away when he caught the maid’s eye and she smiled at him.

  It seemed that she too had not been blind to the intoxicating current that had passed between them upon his arrival with the doctor. He had replayed the way her eyes had darted over his face, from his eyes to his lips, since she’d walked away with Dr. Slaterly in tow.

  In fact, Owen could have sworn that Miss Davies had been about to reach up and touch his face when they were reminded of the only situation that should matter to either of them.

  Miss Davies placed the tray on the small table near Owen and her brother and poured each of them a cup of steaming hot tea. She handed the lieutenant his cup first before turning her attention to Owen.

  Suddenly the heat from the fireplace felt far too close as Owen’s fingers brushed over Miss Davies’s when she passed the cup to him. Their eyes locked for a moment though that moment felt almost infinite to Owen. He could see the way the firelight flickered against her green eyes and the way she gazed at him with something that looked perhaps like longing.

  But Miss Davies pulled away and carried the last cup to Lord Neil. He held his hand up when she offered it to him but she persisted, trying a few times to put the cup within his reach but the baron continued to sidestep her.

  “My lord, please sit and drink,” she commanded, her light voice turning firm.

  Lord Neil, surprised by the determination in the maid’s voice, and perhaps at being spoken to so frankly, stopped in his tracks and stared at the young woman.

  “Everything is going well. Your wife is in excellent hands. Between Dr. Slaterly and Mrs. Baird, the baby will be delivered in the best conditions. I am sure they will still do their best even if you sit for a few minutes to have some tea.”

  Without a word, Lord Neil sank down into the nearest chair and accepted the cup from Miss Davies. He sipped and the warm liquid seemed to instantly soothe his tense shoulders.

  Owen chuckled quietly to himself as he watched the exchange. He found it amazing that such a petite young lady could put a grown man in his place, especially a grown man who was many times her social superior.

  But considering the circumstances and knowing Lord Neil’s kind and generous nature, Owen doubted that he would even remember this incident tomorrow and if he did surely he would not mind that Miss Davies had taken the initiative to see to his care.

  After watching Lord Neil closely for a moment as if to ensure that he would not flee his chair, Miss Davies disappeared behind one of the large bookcases.

  Owen craned his neck to see where she had gone but he suspected she must need to go back to Lady Neil’s room and continue assisting with the delivery. He deflated slightly and sank into his chair, the high wings of the chair back acting as blinders to the rest of the room.

  After a few minutes of staring glumly into the fire, Owen heard light footsteps nearby. He looked up just in time to see Miss Davies approach with a bundle of thick fabric in her arms. The maid gave her shy smile again as she unfolded the plush blanket slightly before pausing. She looked like she had wanted to spread the blanket over his lap but thought better of taking such a familiar action.

  “I thought you might need a little extra warming up.” She laid the blanket on the arm of Owen’s chair.

  “Indeed, thank you. Will you have a seat? Or do you need to return to Her Ladyship right away?” Owen asked as calmly as he could, trying not to reveal his sudden desire to keep Miss Davies nearby. He set his cup down and unfolded the blanket over his lap.

  Miss Davies sat in the chair next to Owen and poured herself some tea. “Dr. Slaterly and Mrs. Baird have everything well under control so I have been relieved of my duties for now.”

  “And Lady Neil? Is she well? Do they expect a safe and healthy delivery?” Owen asked as Miss Davies took a sip. Though he might not know her well, Owen would certainly never wish any harm to befall such a kind and admirable woman.

  Miss Davies smiled with relief. “The doctor says she is doing very well. Her pains are great but she will not allow them to defeat her. But labor came uncommonly hard and fast on Her Ladyship and Dr. Slaterly expects that the baby could be here in just a few more hours or even less.”

  Owen was relieved, too. “I am so very glad to hear that. Your mistress is a strong woman.”

  Miss Davies’s eyes locked onto Owen’s and he saw a sudden urgency in her gaze. He started to ask if she was alright but her words began flowing too quickly for his query to materialize.

  “Captain Jessup, I can never explain how thankful I am that you risked yourself to fetch the doctor in this storm. And I am so thrilled that you did not suffer any harm because of it. You have saved us a great deal of worry and you brought Lady Neil the expert care she requires. Perhaps Mrs. Baird and I could have managed on our own, but these things are just so mysterious.

  “I so wish there was some way I could properly thank and repay you, Captain. As you know, my mistress means so very much to me, as does her family. I know you did not do this for me but your actions have affected me, too, very deeply. Lady Neil and the child will surely fare much better thanks to—”

  “Hold on now,” Owen chuckled as he held up a hand to pause Miss Davies’s rapidly expressed thoughts. “You need not thank me. Truly. It is my honor to offer assistance whenever I can and I would happily do it a million times over.” He smiled reassuringly at the maid who still stared at him so urgently and earnestly.

  “I know you do not like to accept thanks, but I will give them anyway, as sincerely as I can. You very well may have just spared us all a terrible fate. But would you really do it a million times?” Miss Davies asked, a hint of tease in her voice and her narrowed eyes. “Even in this weather that you hate so much? Surely even you must have your limits.”

  Owen laughed, the sound vibrating through his chest and down his back.

  “Careful!” Miss Davies warned as Owen threatened to spill tea on himself.

  “I certainly like to think that I would. But let’s not find my limit tonight, shall we?”

  Miss Davies smiled, her face lighting up in the warm glow of the flames. “I think you would, Captain.”

  “Perhaps you have more faith in me than you ought to.” Owen sipped his tea to hide the blush that threatened to travel up his neck and into his cheeks.

  “I don’t think so, Captain.” Miss Davies smiled before giving a heavy sigh. “I must admit I was quite terrified. I’ve never attended a birth before and I know little of the experience. And seeing Her Ladyship in such pain and distress.... It was very upsetting, especially knowing there was nothing I could do to ease her suffering.

  “But I am so thankful that she has proper medical care now. She, and now Lord Neil, are like family to me. As close to family as a servant can be. If I may be so bold, Captain, you are my hero and angel for what you did tonight.”

  She cast her eyes down to the cup in her hand
and Owen did the same. He could hardly bear such glowing praise, especially not from Miss Davies. To be thought of as a hero and angel.... Owen had been called a hero on a few occasions, and his mother often called him an angel, but coming from Miss Davies, the sentiment carried a different weight.

  “Oh dear, your cup has run low. Let me refill it for you,” Miss Davies quickly insisted, setting her tea down so she could attend to Owen’s and the other men.

  She did not linger long enough for Owen to thank her but instead immediately carried the pot over to Davies and Lord Neil who both sat on the other side of the large fireplace.

  “Violet, wait,” Lord Neil called as Miss Davies finished filling his cup and went to resume her seat. Miss Davies turned back to her master with a slight tilt of her head, concern in her eyes.

  “Yes, my lord?”

  “Cecilia.... Are you sure she’s quite alright? How long do babies take to...come out? When do you think we will hear from the doctor?”

  He rattled off his questions in a low, nervous voice and kept his hand around the maid’s wrist. He looked up at her imploringly, as if Miss Davies held the answer to every mystery in the world.

  Perhaps, Owen thought to himself, the baron wasn’t far off in that assessment. The more time he spent in her company, the more Owen realized that Miss Davies might be the answer to one particular mystery buried deep in his own heart.

  A comforting warmth spread through Owen as he watched Miss Davies smile down at Lord Neil with patience and kindness. She put her other hand over the baron’s which was still attached to her wrist and patted it a few times.

  “I assure you, my lord, Her Ladyship was doing a wonderful job when I left. As are Dr. Slaterly and Mrs. Baird. Unfortunately, babies heed no one’s schedule but their own. They can take quite some time to make their appearance. But the doctor is confident that your little one will be here in a few hours and maybe even sooner. And remember, no news is good news. For now, let us continue about our evening as normally as we can and pray for a lovely healthy baby and mother.”