by Vikki Vaught
“Well,” Maynard glanced over at him and then continued, “His lordship’s cleared out of his rooms, but he did leave something behind in the alley.”
Taking a sip of his water, Alex looked over at him expectantly, but his clerk did not continue speaking. “So…what did he leave behind?”
“A dead man. Frank Justice, a small-time thief. Word has it his lordship hired him to do a job.”
Rage rushed through Alex. This Justice had to be the one who had hurt Anissa. “I would lay my money on this Frank Justice being the one who shot my wife. Lord Howard probably double crossed him, and rather than pay him, killed him instead.”
“I’ve got your crews out searchin’ for news,” Maynard explained. “Cap’n Merryweather has sworn to leave no stone unturned. If anybody can find the boy, it’s him. Listen, I’m beat. I’ve barely slept in the last couple of days. I’m goin’ to get some sleep. I’ll be back first thing in the mornin’.”
Sitting down behind his desk, Alex stretched out his legs. It had been a grueling trip back. He could understand why Maynard wanted some sleep, so did he. “Thanks, Maynard. I appreciate you organizing the search. Go home and get some rest. I’m goin’ to stick around here for a few hours, and then head home myself. Goodnight, my friend.”
Over the next five days, Alex had very little sleep. No one had heard anything further regarding Lord Howard, and there were no sightings of Harry, either. He sent daily missives to Anissa, and she had written back as often. She assured him she was doing much better. Fortunately, he did have one possible lead. He had a meeting with a disgruntled worker from Bronson’s Shipping later.
That night, he dressed in his oldest clothes, including a battered old hat that hid most of his face. He did not want anyone to recognize him in the seedy place he was going to meet this man.
At ten o’clock, he entered the Salty Dog, a tavern down by the docks frequented by many of the stevedores and sailors in port. Spying a scarred table in the back of the room, he grabbed it and slouched down, pulling his hat low over his eyes. He did not wait long before a big, beefy man slid into the chair across from him.
The dockworker leaned over the table. “The word on th’ street says yer willin’ t’ pay if somebody’s got news of Lord Howard and a kid. How much ya willin’ t’ pay?”
“If the news is what I’m looking for, a five-dollar gold piece.” Alex prayed this man had some worthwhile information for him. “How do I know if you’re telling me the truth?”
“Well now,” the man sat back and grinned at him, “I have proof Lord Howard left on the Endurance five days ago, bound for London, England and…he had a young boy with ’im.”
Hope blazed a path to his heart. It appeared that Lord Howard had done exactly what he had told Anissa he had planned to do. Please let this be real. “What is this proof you have? This is important, I have to know.”
“I’ve got a copy of the ship’s manifest,” he replied, “and both Lord Howard and the young boy’s names is on it.”
Alex crouched over the table. “How did you get a copy of the manifest? Let me see it. There’s a child’s life at stake here.”
“Now wait a minute,” the man declared, “Ya show me th’ money. And that‘ll be a ten-dollar gold piece, not five. Then I’ll show ya th’ manifest.”
Not trusting the man, but desperate to see the manifest, Alex reached into his pocket, pulled out the gold coin and showed it to him. “Now, give me the manifest, and I’ll hand you the money.”
The dockworker dug in his pocket, pulled out a crumpled piece of parchment and spread it out on the table. Alex read the top of the paper. His heart thumped. Definitely a ship’s manifest. Laying the gold coin on the table, he picked up the parchment. The man grabbed the gold coin and took off, weaving through the crowd, and disappearing from sight. Holding the document up to the light, he read. Halfway down the page, he found Lord Howard and Harry’s names listed as passengers on the ship.
A surge of adrenaline rushed through him as he read the names again. He prayed Lord Howard would keep Harry alive until he could get to him. Once out of the tavern, he rushed back to his office.
He burst through the door. His clerk and Merryweather looked up when he exclaimed, “I know where he is. He’s on the Endurance headed for London. How soon before the Intrepid is ready to sail?”
“I can have her ready in three days,” the captain assured him. “With her speed, she should make up the time, even with the Endurance having a sizable head start. I would deem it an honor if you allowed me to captain the ship for you. You will have your wife to take care of. I, on the other hand, can give my full attention on getting you there as fast as possible.”
Alex met Merryweather’s weather-beaten gaze. “You know the ship better than I do, and you’re right, I’ll be too concerned for my wife to command the ship. Get her ready while I go get her. I want to thank you for finding that man. I’ll leave at dawn. Maynard, you’re in charge. I know I can count on you.”
“Aye, aye, Cap’n,” he saluted, “I’ll keep ever’thin’ runnin’ smooth. Don’t ya worry ’bout a thing.”
When Alex arrived home, Kathleen had waited up for him. After greeting him with a hug and a kiss, she asked, “You have news, don’t you? I can see it in your eyes. Have you found Harry?”
He hugged her close, relieved to share something positive for a change. “Not yet, but I know where he is. He set sail five days ago with his uncle. Captain Merryweather’s getting the Intrepid outfitted for the voyage. We leave for England in three days. I’m leaving in the mornin’ to get Anissa. I hope the doctor thinks she’s strong enough to travel.”
“Even if she’s not,” Kathleen looked at him, “you know she would never let you go without her. I wish I could go with you.”
Shaking his head, he declared, “This is not a pleasure trip. Harry’s life is at stake. The last thing I need is to worry about you, on top of everything else. You’ll stay here with Ma and help her take care of Melanie.”
She sighed. “I know I can’t go. I said I wished I could go. Don’t worry, I know that’s not going to happen. Melanie’s going to be terribly disappointed when she finds out you’re leaving again so soon. Well, it can’t be helped. When do you think you’ll return?”
Alex dreaded telling her, but she would figure it out anyway. “Probably next spring, at the earliest. By the time we arrive in London and find Harry, the weather will play a factor. Besides, I don’t want my wife onboard a ship in the winter, especially in her condition.”
Kathleen raised her eyebrow. “Now what condition would that be, brother? What haven’t you told me?”
“All right,” he tensed his shoulders, “you’ll know soon enough. Anissa is going to have a baby. Now are you satisfied?”
Kathleen squealed as she squeezed his arm. “Oh, how wonderful. Melanie will be so excited when she hears the news. Oh no, that means you’ll be in England when the baby is born. None of us will be there.”
Oh, Lord, she is right. None of them would be there for the baby’s birth.
His daughter would be heartbroken. It would be hard enough on her having him gone for so long, but to miss the birth of her new baby brother or sister would devastate her. His mother would be upset as well.
God, what a mess. I can’t take them with me. But, how can I leave them behind?
In an instant, he made up his mind. “You’re coming,” he blurted out. “All of you are coming. It’ll mean a lot of work for you. You’ll have to pack for yourself and Melanie. Tell Mina she will be in charge while we’re gone. Wilma can help her. Rufus and Harvey will take care of the barn and animals. Do you think William could keep an eye on the place while we’re gone?”
Obviously stunned, Kathleen stared at him. “I’m sure he will, but Alex, are you sure? As you said, this isn’t a pleasure trip. It’s about rescuing Harry. I mean, don’t get me wrong, I want to come, and I’m sure Ma and Melanie will want to come as well. How do you think Anissa will feel
regarding all of us coming? After all, we would be going into her world. She might be embarrassed by us.”
“Never. She loves all of us. I’m sure she’ll understand why I need to take y’all with us. Now, enough discussion—I have made up my mind. You have a lot of work to do over the next three days, and I have a trip to make. We can make this work. I’m going to bed. Since I’m leaving at dawn, I won’t see you in the mornin’. Remember, I’m counting on you to pull this off.”
Alex hit the road as dawn broke, anxious to get to his wife. While it was good news that Harry was still alive when Lord Howard had set sail for England, he could still do away with him on the voyage. He counted on Lord Howard wanting to keep Harry alive until he could return him to England. After all, he had told Anissa he would do that. The man would want everyone to know his nephew had returned, so when he did kill Harry, there could be no obstacles to keep him from inheriting the title right away.
If that bastard had killed Harry here or he died on the trip back to England, some of the members of the House of Lords would want proof of his death. The courts could tie up the succession for years. Lord Howard wanted to be the marquess too much to let that happen.
Yes, he was sure he would keep the lad alive, at least for a while, but once he had established Harry’s well-being, he would probably use his original plan and poison him. They had to make up that time and try to beat him back to England or at least arrive right on his heels.
* * * *
Each day, Anissa gained back more of her strength. She still experienced morning sickness, but the rest of the day went along fine, and she definitely had her appetite back. Her wound looked much better, but she still had some signs of infection in her left breast where the man had bitten her.
When Doctor Murphy visited the next day, he told her the infection had at last cleared up. He did suggest she continue to rest in the afternoons throughout the rest of her pregnancy.
As each day passed without news of her son, fear ate at her soul. Her mind tormented her with images of Harry struggling to get free and his uncle subduing him, then of her child falling limp in his arms. Alex tried to be encouraging in his letters, but the longer they went without locating Harry, the stronger her anxiety grew that they would not find him unharmed.
A litany of prayers drummed in her mind.
Keep Harry safe. Return my son, o Lord.
She clung to the belief that she would sense it if he were dead.
Lying in bed all day gave her time to think of the issues still facing her and Alex. One thing she knew without any doubt, she loved her husband with every fiber of her being and refused to be separated from him. If…no, when… they found Harry, he would be far better off with Alex as his father than without him. All the characteristics Harry needed to grow into a good marquess someday, he could learn from her husband.
Anissa did not know what she would do without Georgia. She had contributed greatly in her recovery from the ordeal. She listened to her when she needed to talk and assured her, as Alex had, that she had done the right thing by not fighting her attacker. Horrible images plagued her dreams, and most nights, she awoke with her shift plastered to her skin, drenched with sweat. That was when she missed her husband most. His presence would have helped comfort her when she woke up in the wee hours of the morning, terrified it was happening all over again.
When she awoke on Thursday, she felt immeasurably better. When the doctor had examined her the evening before, he had removed the stitches and told her she could bathe again. After she ate breakfast, she went to the bathing room and enjoyed a nice long soak, then washed her hair. At last, she felt truly clean for the first time since the horrific event.
Refreshed from her bath, she planned to spend the entire day downstairs. She spent the morning with Georgia doing needlework and talking. After luncheon, Mary Lou and Melissa came to visit.
Once they took their seat, Anissa handed them a cup of tea. “It’s so good to see you again. I have missed you so much and the people at church as well. All the cards and flowers have been much appreciated.”
Mary Lou patted her hand. “We’re so relieved you’re doing better. The whole community has been praying for your speedy recovery, and of course, the safe return of your son. Have you heard any news of his whereabouts from the captain?”
Anissa brushed a tear from the corner of her eye. “No, not yet. I’m relying on my faith in God. I have to believe He will protect him and keep him safe. My husband assures me that he shall not give up searching for him.”
This conversation had started the images of Harry’s abduction playing in her mind again. With tears pushing against her eyelids, she had to get to her bedroom before she broke down in front of her friends.
She stood. “As lovely as this has been, I’m feeling a bit tired. I hope you will understand if I leave you and go upstairs to rest.”
Mary Lou replied, “Of course, my dear. Georgia will see us out.”
“Thank you again for coming.” Once behind closed doors, she broke down and sobbed. She sank to her knees and prayed for Alex to find her son before his uncle could harm him. As she had told her friends, she must depend on her faith to see her through. Exhausted from her first foray downstairs, she climbed into bed and fell into a deep sleep.
When Anissa awakened a few hours later, something tickled her forehead. She opened her eyes, and struggled to sit when she saw her husband. “Alex, you’ve returned. Have you found Harry? Where is he?”
He put his arm around her. “Darlin’, I found out where he is. Lord Howard’s taken him back to England.”
“Oh no! When did they leave? We must follow them immediately.”
Alex pulled her close. “Their ship left on the sixth. I’m having the Intrepid readied as we speak. If you’re up to it, we can leave on Saturday. I know you want to go after him, but I don’t want to endanger your health.”
Nothing would keep her from going after her son. “I’m much better. The doctor took my stitches out and told me I could resume normal activities. He said I have healed nicely, and the infection in my breast is gone. I shall pack, and we can leave immediately.”
He massaged her back as he held her close. “We’ll leave first thing in the mornin’.” He hesitated, then raised her face and looked at her. “I hope you understand. I’ve decided to take my family with us. I can’t leave them here. By the time we arrive in London and find Harry, it will be too close to winter to travel. I don’t want you taking another long voyage in your delicate condition. Ma and the others will be devastated if they miss the birth of our child, especially Melanie.”
Anissa looked at him, understanding why he asked, but this could keep her away from getting to her son in time. “Won’t they delay our departure and make the whole trip more difficult? I love your family, but my attention must be on getting Harry back.”
“Kathleen’s packing and getting our home closed up as we speak,” he explained. “She’ll have everything prepared when we get back to the house. I’ve already spoken to Ma and she’s agreed. They know how important it is for us to leave on time. Ma will help you. Even though you’ve recovered, you’re still increasing. This voyage will be difficult enough, since mornin’ sickness still plagues you.”
Anissa could sense how much her husband wanted to take his family with them. After all, he was willing to leave everything behind to take her to England at a moment’s notice. It was the right thing to do. “It will be nice to have your mother there when I have the babe. And it would be cruel to leave Melanie here when we shall be gone so long.”
“I knew you’d see it that way.” Alex smiled at her. “Kathleen was concerned you might be embarrassed to have them meet your friends. I told her that was nonsense.”
“It certainly is,” she declared, “I shall be proud to introduce all of you to my friends, but first we must find Harry.”
Kissing her forehead, he murmured, “Don’t worry. Nothing is more important than finding him. Now, Lucy is on
her way up to help you pack. Then we will have a quiet supper and go to bed early. I want you well rested for the trip tomorrow. Darlin’ I’m so glad to be back with you. I’ve slept poorly without you beside me. I do have some good news though. The man who attacked you is dead. The authorities believe Lord Howard killed him the night before he left for England.”
The viselike grip around her heart eased, knowing that horrid man could never hurt another woman as he had hurt her. “I didn’t realize how afraid I have been that he would come back until hearing this news. Perhaps my nightmares will stop now.”
A tap on the door alerted them to Lucy’s arrival. Alex called out, “Come in.”
Lucy came bustling into the room with a big smile on her face. “Miz Hawks, I’m heah t’ get ya belongin’s packed, so ya don’t need t’ do a thing. Alfred’s bringin’ up yor trunk and yor valise as we speak.”
Alex turned to her. “Darlin’, I’m going downstairs to talk to Ma. I will return to carry you downstairs when it’s time for supper.”
“I do not need you to carry me. I’m capable of managing without your assistance. I’ve already been downstairs this morning and even had visitors this afternoon. It didn’t tire me in the least.” Perhaps that exaggerated the truth a bit, but she would not let her husband know how her earlier foray had exhausted her. “Go to your mother, and when it is time for supper, I shall come down by myself.”
Grinning, he stood and kissed her nose. “I should have known you wouldn’t let a little thing like a bullet stop you. I shall see you downstairs then.”
After supper, the two of them went outside and sat on the porch swing to find some relief from the warm evening. Alex told her his theory regarding Lord Howard, and she agreed with his assessment.
“That does make sense. It relieves my mind. That man wouldn’t want to do anything that could keep him from inheriting the title right away. I know he told me he planned to take Harry back to England, but nonetheless, your opinion is comforting. Alex, is the Intrepid ready for a long voyage?”