Chapter Nineteen #2
“Pardon,” the girl said when she came to sit with her brother.
Benjamin knew if it was up to Theodora, only she would be permitted to sit with Alexander.
However, Duncan had said otherwise, and so the girl who had been identified as Alexander’s younger sister had been brought to Duncan Place.
Reportedly, they had been separated since they were children.
Though Benjamin had originally been one of those who had watched Lord Honfleur’s house and this particular girl, it had been several weeks—nearly a month—since he had been called upon to continue his participation.
Naturally, he should have asked someone what was going on, but he had been too consumed with his own life to care about Honfleur or John Yates beyond his actions early yesterday morning.
Benjamin felt a bit guilty, but he would have taken his turn at observing the comings and goings at Amgen House if someone had insisted.
He supposed, after Alexander learned of his sister’s existence, he wanted to be close to where she was being held by a man who claimed to be her uncle.
Benjamin assuredly would have lived in the house across the street to watch over a sister, if he had been fortunate enough to have one.
According to Duncan, in the last few weeks, it had been only Alexander and Beaufort and Lionel Carter and James Kepper, one of the new agents, who had watched the house with any consistency.
Naturally, from what Graham had shared, Alexander’s interests were familial, but Beaufort’s were something more like desire.
The girl’s red hair and fair complexion reminded Benjamin of many of the Irish living in London. He could easily understand Beaufort’s attraction to the lady. They would make a striking pair.
“I had hoped to sit with my brother,” she told Benjamin.
He rose to his feet and bowed. “Assuredly. Marksman specifically asked for you when we transported him to London. I am, as someone has likely told you, Lord Thompson. Alexander and I were the last two boys that Duncan brought to live with him.”
She nodded her head in understanding as she placed her hand lightly on her brother’s leg.
“I admit I am at a loss as to what should be done for my brother,” she explained.
“But I am not afraid to tend a wound. I did so quite often on my uncle’s—I suppose he was never my uncle,” she said with a sigh.
“I have tended many wounds in the past.”
Benjamin had heard bits and pieces of the young woman’s story, but this was the first time he had interacted with her. “Permit me to show you what I have been doing,” he said encouragingly. “Come sit in this chair.”
The lady did as he instructed.
“You will take the cloth from this bowl of water, wring it out, and wipe your brother’s face, neck, and arms. He has a fever we must manage before he can begin to heal properly.
Just do not permit the bandages covering his wounds to become wet,” he explained.
“Though others do not believe it to be so, I am one who thinks though Marksman is not conscious, he can still hear you. Tell him of your gladness at his survival and encourage him to fight the fever and come back to you. Remind him of his promises to you and yours to him. Provide Alexander a reason to live and he will latch onto it and come back to all of us.”
“Then I should talk to him?” she asked with a bit of shyness.
“Alexander asked for you several times, so I think it might calm his mind to know you are near. I believe he can hear you even if he does not respond. Tell him how you survived the day. I understand you were quite formidable. Speak of the joy you feel at being reunited. Anything and everything a brother and sister might share. It is important for him to hear your voice and realize he must set himself the goal to survive.”
“Thank you.”
“If you do not mind, I will slip to my room along the hall and claim a robe instead of this jacket. I will not be more than a quarter hour.” She appeared a bit frightened, but he said, “My room at Duncan Place is only two doors removed. I will hear you if you call out. By the way, have Orson and Beaufort returned from the scene?”
She shook her head in the negative. “Lady Emma says her husband sent a message that he is not likely to arrive until early morning, and I understand Lord Beaufort has joined Lord Liverpool’s men in a search of John Yates’s home in some shire to the west.”
Benjamin made no comment, for he had heard how Beaufort was quite besotted with Alexander’s sister, which more likely meant Navan Beaufort required time to decide how to proceed, just as did Benjamin.
Instead of commenting, he nodded his gratitude for the information.
“I will hurry my steps,” he promised and disappeared.
“Have we received news from Duncan Place?” Victoria asked as she took her seat at Lord Thompson’s table. She had thought to claim a place in the kitchen instead, but she knew such would bring a frown to Lord Thompson’s features when he discovered her doing so.
“Lord Marksman survived the night, which is always a good sign, though I suspect it will be several days until we see his lordship at his own table again. He spent five days at the Lyon’s Den when Lord Duncan was shot outside the place.”
“Such is why his lordship still searches the grounds,” she said, feeling quite foolish for not putting all the “bits” together to know the full story.
Patterson poured her tea. “After university, Lord Duncan sent our Lord Thompson to Edinburgh to study medicine. He is often called upon to assist Mr. Harlan Rheem, a renowned London surgeon. I suspect his lordship wishes he could continue his studies further, but his responsibilities to the earldom must take precedence.”
“He still has a ‘healing’ touch when he assists so many he encounters. Neither the child nor I would have survived if he had not come to my rescue. People would have kicked me from the way when I collapsed,” she confessed.
“I was valet to the previous Lord Thompson,” Patterson confessed, “and I can honestly say Lord Louis Thompson’s nephew will exceed his uncle.”
Though it was Sunday, Victoria did not attend church.
She did not feel safe in doing so without his lordship.
Today, it would be just her and the boy, for she had presented Mrs. Sullivan with an additional day off to attend to the lady’s own family.
The child would be back to pap for his meals, which meant he would not sleep so long or so soundly, but they would manage together.
They had survived because of Lord Benjamin Thompson’s most excellent heart.
She would honor his lordship with a prayer upon his behalf and enjoy the child and know the hand of God had moved over them when Lord Thompson acted kindly and saved them.
Sunday came, but none at Duncan Place attended church services.
They had all gathered in the morning room, but not all at the same time.
Orson finally made an appearance, but his lordship did not come to the table.
Instead, Orson had presented Duncan with a quick report of all they had accomplished and all that still needed to be addressed and then he sought his bed and his wife.
Orson had been awake for nearly fifty hours straight, and none of them thought to detain him a minute longer.
When Benjamin made it to the table, he sat with Aaran Graham. “How is Marksman fairing?” Graham asked softly.
“His fever still rages. I will be thankful when Rheem arrives. In my opinion, the fever should have lessened by now.”
“Thompson, you should listen to your instincts. There is no reason for you to doubt yourself with Marksman or even with Miss Whitchurch. You are a man worthy of your title and your convictions,” Graham declared.
Ignoring Graham’s comment about approaching Rheem, for Benjamin had already set himself the task of questioning the surgeon, Benjamin asked, “You truly think I should actively pursue Miss Whitchurch?”
Graham smiled widely. “As the lady was the only thing of which you heard, yes, I believe you should pursue her.”
Benjamin frowned. “Miss Whitchurch would not consider a proposal until she finds her sister and reunites Miss Cassandra with the child.”
“Beyond what I already know, what else has been executed to assist the lady?” Graham asked in serious tones.
Benjamin explained in more detail what the letter left by Miss Cassandra said when the woman abandoned the child, of how Cassandra Whitchurch had been employed for a short time at the Lyon’s Den, and then of an unknown position in a grand household, and the girl’s final return to the Den and being denied new employment by Mrs. Dove-Lyon.
“That is when Titan sent her to The Red Rooster for a cook’s position, but Miss Cassandra never applied.
Duncan and I spoke to the owner of The Red Rooster.
His lordship was to ask Hartley to contact the local constables along the route the girl would have taken, but I cannot say with confidence that such occurred in the midst of all this madness with the forged bank notes and Honfleur, as well as Theodora’s brief kidnapping. I should have asked, but…”
“I will see to it,” Graham declared. “I have contacts that even Duncan cannot claim.”