Chapter Four #3
Millie told of her husband leaving to join his regiment, followed by Millie discovering she was pregnant. When she paused, Pippa picked up the thread of the story, with the devastating missive received a few months later containing news of Roarke’s death.
“After we received that missive was the first time my brother-in-law insisted Roarke would want him to raise our babe.”
Pippa was quick to add, “When Millie refused, the veiled threats started, but when she ignored them, they quickly became outright threats.”
“That is when Pippa began to plan our escape,” Millie explained. “There was no other way to avoid my brother-in-law unless we disappeared.”
When she launched into the particulars of how they’d avoided Trentchester, the baroness’s expression changed from interested to incensed.
She rose from her seat, walked over to the corner of the room, and tugged on the bellpull.
A few moments later, there was a heavy knock on the door.
When bidden to enter, the footman stepped over the threshold.
“Please send someone to fetch my dark-blue reticule,” Lady Phoebe said. “I left it on the bedside table.”
The footman bowed. “At once, your ladyship.”
She returned to her seat and glanced from Millie to Pippa. “Now then, where is your blunderbuss?”
“Flaherty grabbed it from me,” Pippa replied. “Everything happened so fast after that, I’m afraid I do not remember what happened to it. He could have tossed it in the carriage. Why?”
“Do you have any smaller weapons?” The baroness seemed intent on discovering if they were armed. Was Lady Phoebe afraid that Millie and Pippa were a threat?
“Your ladyship,” Millie began, “we mean you no harm.”
“Of course you don’t,” Lady Phoebe retorted.
“I should have just asked a more pertinent question. What weapons are you proficient with? My very good friend Aurelia is a crack shot with a dueling pistol. Our friend Calliope’s aim has vastly improved with one, now that she’s been able to resume her lessons. ”
“With a pistol?” Pippa inquired.
“And a rifle,” the baroness replied. “A few of the O’Malleys’ cousins went to America. On one of their last visits to London, they brought a Kentucky long rifle back as a gift for Patrick—he is the eldest of the Cork O’Malleys and head of my brother’s private guard.”
“I see,” Millie remarked.
“Rory was the first of the Flahertys to get his hands on the weapon,” the baroness continued. “He is the duke’s sharpshooter.”
Pippa marveled at the way the baroness spoke with affection about Rory. “How many Flahertys are there?”
“There are four Flaherty brothers,” Lady Phoebe replied.
“Rory is stationed at Wyndmere Hall in the Lake District—and was very recently married. My brother’s estate is lovely.
I grew up there, but we were constantly on the move between the Lake District, London, and Sussex.
We hardly ever went to Penwith Tower in Cornwall. ”
Pippa noted the way the baroness stiffened as she spoke of being on the move, and noted the way her voice lost all inflection. “It must have been a trial moving such a great distance between locations. Days of travel and staying in coaching inns.”
Lady Phoebe agreed.
Millie cooed to the babe in her arms, who was waking up and making his presence known. “Do you have homes in all of those places?”
“My brother does. Ever since the night Jared and Persephone held a ball in my honor—and that the madman burst into our family’s London town house—he and my sister-in-law have been living exclusively in the Lake District.”
Pippa shook her head. “Apparently Millie is not the only one who has encountered a man with malintent toward her.”
“I am quite sure what happened to me, and my family, would shock you. To tell the truth, I do not speak of it often. But…if it will aid you in any way on the journey that led you here, I shall bring myself to speak of it.”
The babe began to fuss. “I need to change Roarke—is there anywhere I can do that?” Tears welled in Millie’s eyes.
“What is it?” Pippa asked.
Lady Phoebe rose from her seat. “I believe I know what is wrong, and what you need, Millie. Please do forgive me for not suggesting it before now. Allow me to show you to the nursery. It is quite large and consists of a number of rooms, including the schoolroom where the twins have their inside lessons. We realized early on that they needed outside lessons as well—they are quite boisterous. Marcus and I want to have a separate room for our babe when he or she arrives. Then there is the nursery sitting room. We have been gathering supplies for our babe and the others who will be using our nursery.”
Millie blinked back her tears. “I’m afraid I don’t have anything for my son.”
Guilt filled Pippa. It was because of her reaction to Flaherty that Millie was without the trunk she had hurriedly packed with blankets, clothes, and clouts for her babe.
The midwife had warned that newborn babes may need as many as a half a dozen clouts a day—or more!
Who knew a babe would soil that many in one day? “It is because of me! If I had not—”
“If I have learned anything in the last few years, it is that it does no one any good to bemoan what one does not have control over,” Lady Phoebe interrupted.
“While the Irishmen in my brother’s private guard are equally intimidating upon meeting them—did I mention that there are sixteen of them?
—the Flaherty brothers are the most intense. ”
“If they are so protective, and skilled with weapons,” Pippa asked, “why are you asking about weapons, your ladyship?”
“There are times when we women must be prepared to protect ourselves. We discovered that when Wyndmere Hall was attacked by the same madman who injured my brother Edward and held me at knifepoint…” Lady Phoebe trailed off, and Pippa felt responsible for the worried look in the baroness’s eyes.
“I am so sorry for reminding you of what had to have been a frightening experience.”
“It’s always there in the back of my mind,” Lady Phoebe replied.
“I have worked quite hard to quell the noxious feeling that used to overwhelm me whenever the memory resurfaced.” She drew in a steadying breath.
“Now then, let us proceed to the nursery. I’m certain that Prudence and Caro should be available to keep you company.
They have become dear friends in the short time they have been living at Summerfield Chase. ”
“Didn’t you mention someone had twins?” Millie asked.
The baroness inclined her head. “It is an unusual circumstance, but Marcus and I have offered to care for Prudence’s twin cousins, who are scamps,” she said with a smile. “They can usually be found in the stables this time of day.”
Pippa needed to find some way to atone for injuring Flaherty, while at the same time ensuring that Millie and her babe were well protected.
The sudden realization that she could use herself as bait filled her.
She could entice Trentchester to follow after her, while leaving Millie and Roarke behind, safe, protected, and well cared for here at Summerfield Chase.
If the opportunity presented itself, she would take it!
“As we have had to shelter women before,” the baroness continued, “Mrs. Green and Mrs. Chauncey developed a routine and will have begun the task of heating water for your baths not long after you arrived.” Turning to Pippa, Lady Phoebe suggested, “Why don’t you enjoy a nice, hot bath while Millie is feeding Roarke? ”
“If you are certain it’s not a bother, I would appreciate it, because I will not be able to help Millie take care of Roarke until I scrub the dust from our journey. I landed on my, er…posterior earlier.”
A young woman was rushing toward them as they approached the entryway.
“Ah, Beth, I’d like to introduce you to our guests. Beth is far more than my lady’s maid,” the baroness told them. “She is my right hand, and at times my left as well. Mrs. Millicent Trentchester, and her babe Roarke, and their stalwart protector, Miss Phillipa Stanhope.”
“It’s a pleasure to meet you, ladies. Have they met Prudence and Caro yet?”
“We’re hoping to do that now.” Roarke let out a wail, and the baroness soothed him, “Soon, little one. We’re headed to the nursery, Beth, so that Millie can change Roarke while Pippa enjoys a long soak in one of our copper slipper tubs.”
“If it is too much trouble, I can certainly make do with a pitcher of warm water, sliver of soap, and a bowl,” Pippa interjected.
“Nonsense,” Lady Phoebe said, leading the women up the main staircase. “You will no doubt start to feel aches in places you did not realize had connected with the ground as the day goes by. Soak now and enjoy it.”
Walking down the hallway, the baroness continued, “We will need to discuss our plans for how we will protect ourselves—without my husband or the duke’s men finding out.
They are insistent that we all follow their edicts as far as our safety is concerned.
And they do not hesitate to tell me, and the other women under their protection, what to do. ”
She paused to open a door halfway down the hall. “This is your room, Miss Stanhope—”
“Pippa.”
The baroness smiled. “The tub is waiting for you in the dressing room on the other side of that door, Pippa. Take your time.”
Pippa glanced into the room and was immediately drawn to the soft hues of green and cream. “It looks lovely, your ladyship, but—”
“We’ll discuss whatever is weighing heavy on your mind after your bath. But first, I thought you’d like to see the nursery so you won’t worry about Mrs. Trentchester’s comfort.”
“Please call me Millie,” Pippa’s friend said.
“Of course, Millie.”
“Thank you for your understanding and kindness to us, your ladyship, after we barged into your life,” Pippa said. She swallowed against the lump in her throat and continued, “After I injured one of your guard.”