Chapter Three
Lady Rosalind moved from the table and sat in her rocking chair by the great fireplace. She picked up her mending basket and pulled out a pair of gray woolen stockings with holes in the feet. From the basket, she procured two knitting needles and a ball of woolen yarn. She inhaled a deep breath.
“My parents died in a carriage accident when I was ten years old. My mother had no family, and Lord Edmond was my father’s only surviving relation, so the king awarded Uncle Edmond guardianship over me.
When I came to live here, I was scared and alone, and it didn’t take much time for me to realize that Lord Edmond held no affection for me at all.
Rather, he was only interested in the modest monthly stipend he received from monies collected from my father’s estate. ”
As Devlin listened, he related to Rosalind’s story, which in some ways was much like his own.
“Marta and Benton immediately took me in and loved me as much as any parent would. Years ago, before my uncle ran off all the servants, Marta had help in the kitchen; a young girl named Agnes. She was about thirteen or fourteen years old. From nearly day one, we were inseparable. I had always wanted a sister.”
Devlin noticed a slight smile on Rosalind’s face as she reminisced. She dropped a stitch in her knitting and didn’t continue until she had picked it back up on her knitting needle.
“A few years later, Agnes married a young man who lived nearby, but she continued to work here in the manor. It wasn’t long before Kaylyn was born, and then little Luella four years later.
Agnes was so happy upon finding herself pregnant again.
She was blessed with Kaylyn but didn’t want her growing up as an only child. ”
“It seems you were all a happy family,” Devlin said.
“We were. But Lord Edmond’s drinking got worse, and Agnes caught his eye. His unwanted advances became commonplace, and one day, her husband, Tom, walked into the kitchen and Agnes was trying to ward off Edmond’s unwelcome attention.”
“I understand this didn’t end well?” Devlin inquired and tears welled up in Rosalind’s eyes. She worked another stitch into the foot of the stocking in her hand.
“No, not at all. An altercation broke out, and Edmond was left bloodied on the kitchen floor. Tom fled, knowing that he would be punished and jailed, and he was never seen again.”
Devlin still waited patiently for the answer to his question.
“I know what you are thinking. But the girls were Tom’s, Sir Devlin. No question about that.”
“So where is Agnes now?”
Did Edmond have her tucked away somewhere? Did he have her jailed?
“Agnes was broken-hearted after Tom’s disappearance. She held out hope that he had gotten away. But after several weeks and no sign or word from him, she wondered if he was actually dead.”
“What do you think? Do you think he got away?” Devlin asked softly.
“No. I think Edmond had him killed. He would not stand for an underling to insult him in such a way.”
Rosalind’s voice grew softer, and the sadness in her eyes was evident. “Three months later, Agnes became ill. We did all we could, but the fever took her life.”
Rosalind was quiet for a moment. “She made me promise to raise her girls… and keep them safe. I’ve kept my promise. The girls are mine now.”
After a brief but heavy silence, the sadness in her face was replaced with resolve. She added, “And I’ll do whatever it takes to keep them safe.”
Devlin didn’t doubt for a moment that she would.
Rosalind cleared her throat and stood from her chair. She carefully folded her mending and placed it back in the basket. “Are you ready for Ridley now? I think you’ll find him a bit more manageable.”
Devlin nodded, and Rosalind left the dining hall to fetch Ridley.
****
Rosalind entered the kitchen through the swinging door. Marta sat by the kitchen hearth, peeling carrots. Marta appeared to be concentrating on her work, but Rosalind knew the expression on her face was one of concerned curiosity.
“Kaylyn… Luella… how did they fare being questioned by that black devil?” Marta stood quickly and asked worriedly, “Was he cruel? Did he scare them?”
Rosalind placed her hands on Marta’s plump arms. “They were fine. They are fine, Marta. The girls were not intimidated at all.”
Marta sat back down and sighed in relief. Her tense expression disappeared and a small smile tugged at her edges of her mouth.
“Answered prayers!” she announced. “I couldn’t bear for the little ones to be frightened more than they are day to day here.”
Rosalind nodded. “I had concerns too, but Marta, I think there is more to this man than we know. When he questioned the girls, he was calm. His voice was almost soothing. I think the girls trusted him right away.”
Marta blinked once and then stared wide-eyed at Rosalind in disbelief.
“Yes, it’s true. And since they trusted him, the conversation got away from him. But you know what? He never lost his patience. Not once!”
Marta looked heavenward. “Perhaps we have misjudged this man then, milady.”
Rosalind hoped so, and then she sent up a silent prayer that Sir Devlin would be their advocate and not their adversary in the days to come.
****
A few short minutes later, Ridley raced around the corner and plopped himself in the chair across from Devlin.
Devlin looked at the lad sitting in front of him.
His homespun trousers and oversized linen shirt swallowed his slight frame.
Devlin noted that despite being a servant, he wore shoes, which was unusual for a child of his station.
His hair was clean, but too long, and the child had a way of flipping his head to the side to get the longer tresses out of his eyes.
His face and hands were clean, but there was dirt under his fingernails.
“So, Ridley. Were you in the manor house the night Lord Edmond was last seen?”
“Yes, sir. Yes, I was.”
“Tell me what you saw and heard that night.”
“That night, I helped Marta in the kitchen like I always do. I fetched water and kept the cooking fires hot. Marta had fixed chicken stew—it’s very good—one of my favorite things she cooks.
” Ridley smiled. “I had already carried out the bread and bowls and such, but when I took the soup pot out to Benton to serve, Lord Edmond was already deep in his cups and swearin’ and carrying on. ”
“What did he say?” Devlin asked.
“Something about not having enough money and how taking care of milady and her ‘two brats’ was breaking him. He told her he’d found a way to recover his losses.”
“What do you think he meant by that, Ridley?” Devlin sensed he was getting somewhere.
“I… don’t know,” Ridley said hesitantly.
But Devlin was sure Ridley lied. “What did Lady Rosalind say in response?”
“Milady. She’s no mouse, you know. She stood right up and called him a drunk sot and told him he’d have plenty of money if he didn’t drink so much and piss it right in the chamber pot,” Ridley said proudly.
“I don’t guess Lord Edmond took this well?”
“He sure didn’t. He reached right across the table and slapped her hard across the face.
I got so angry. I started to reach for a knife, I did, but Benton said he would handle it and pushed me toward the kitchen.
He said to get Kaylyn and Luella and go hide and not to come back until Benton said it was all right to do so. ”
“What did you do?”
Ridley’s eyes grew wider and his freckles stood out in sharp contrast to his pale face. “I ran to the kitchen and told the girls we had to hide. And that’s what we did. We hid. We hid until Benton said it was safe to come out.”
“And when was this?” Devlin asked.
“It was late. The girls and I had fallen asleep. Benton came and woke us, and we went straight to our rooms and crawled in bed.”
“Did you have to take the girls and hide very often, Ridley?”
“More often than I’d like. But we had the perfect hiding spot. We only had to wait until the old lord passed out, and then it was safe to come out,” he explained matter-of-factly. “I only wish milady would have hidden with us.”
“And what of Lady Rosalind? Did you see her before you went to your room?”
“No, no, I didn’t. The girls sleep upstairs, and I sleep down here in a room off the kitchen. She wasn’t in the kitchen or great hall when I went down, but she was up in her chamber, I’m sure.”
Devlin thought for a moment and began to see a clearer picture of what life was like here at Capell Manor—and it was not a pleasing picture at all.
“Ridley, that will be all. You can return to your chores.”
It seemed to Devlin that Lord Edmond was losing money and turned his angst toward Lady Rosalind.
His blood boiled at the thought of Rosalind being struck by her guardian.
But what did he mean when he said she would have to earn her keep?
Titled ladies did not work, not as servants, nannies, or anything else; that would be scandalous.
But the children were orphans. They lived here only because the lord had allowed it, so why did he? So far he had learned nothing of Edmond’s character that would suggest he would support two orphaned peasant children.
There was much to think about, but Ridley appeared and told him Mr. Danby had arrived back and was unsaddling his horse in the stable.
Oh good. Maybe Alden learned more than I have today.
Benton met him with his cloak at the door. Devlin donned the garment and walked out into the brisk, damp air.
The sun was shining, but its rays did little to cast warmth into his body. He looked at the manor house that once stood proud but now looked tired and neglected. Edmond didn’t spend money on the upkeep of his home, that much was certain.