Chapter 19
Chapter 19
23rd of December 1814
While the weather outside was frightful, the fire in Henry’s study had been built up well enough that the room was comfortable and warm. At his insistence, his beloved Jane sat on the sofa near the fire, her feet propped on a hassock and a much-loved copy of The Romance of the Forest in her hand. Her attention was absorbed by what she was reading, but at the same time, one hand rubbed her swollen belly in even circles. She was beautiful, even great with his child.
Even though he would have preferred his heir to be born at Clitheroe, Charles and Lord Richmond had convinced him to return to Hemel Hill well before Jane’s expected February confinement. Aside from a greater selection of midwives due to the estate’s proximity to London, he would also be closer to town for Parliament. Rumour had it several important laws would be debated this year, so his brother and Richmond had determined he needed to be present so he could vote, although as far as he was concerned, Parliament could go hang. His priority was Janey and his children.
Unable to deny the lure of his wife, he set his pen in its holder and made his way to her side. She was too powerful a draw to resist. He enjoyed her presence while he worked, but he accomplished little with her in the room. She was a distraction to say the least!
“Is he active?” She had closed her book when he sat and extended one arm along the back of the sofa.
“I keep getting kicked or elbowed in one place.” She placed his hand where she had been rubbing and within seconds his hand was jabbed three times in succession. “They are good strong movements.” Aside from a cold she had last month, his wife had been healthy and at the advice of the midwife, had walked the gardens at Clitheroe as well as made the circuit of the lake here when the weather was fine. She was well. His gentle Jane would survive her confinement as would the child in her womb.
She laid her head back on his arm. “I just wish he would learn what night is, so I can sleep.”
“I fear that will not come for a while—even once he is born. Jules had her days and nights confused when she was four months old. The nurse was beside herself.” He bent and kissed her stomach near the belly button. The babe made himself known again with a jab to Henry’s nose. He could not help but grin, and when he lifted his head, Jane welcomed his lips with a gentle smile.
They spent countless minutes sharing languid kisses before his hand began to wander from her stomach to her breast. The midwife had indicated they could continue loving each other, so they had not ceased that activity—even if they had to be creative now that Jane was so enlarged.
“I do not know how you could want me like this,” she said after drawing back. Darcy had warned him of this possibility when they had travelled north in July. From what Hatton’s letters contained, Darcy and Greene both had offered him the same advice since Fiona had suspected herself with child before they had departed for Ireland. The crossing had been as bad as her first from what Hatton had claimed, despite the lack of storms on this voyage.
Henry’s hand returned to her stomach. “Dearest, you are stunning. This child is a part of me as well, and you are in this condition because of me. How could I find you repulsive? I would be a lout indeed if I was so callous.” His palm returned to her breast. “I have mentioned how much I enjoy these of late, have I not?”
She laughed and swatted his hand away. “You are incorrigible.”
At a disturbance from the hall, he straightened. “What is that about?” He hastened into the hall where Simon stood just inside the doorway. What the bloody hell was he doing here and who had the temerity to let him inside?
“Thank goodness you are here to talk sense into this man,” said Simon with a hand flown up in the direction of the butler.
After Henry crossed his arms over his chest, he threw out one foot. “About what, pray tell?”
“I was to return to town to attend the Twelfth Night masquerades, but this horrid weather has my driver insisting we stop for the night.”
“And you passed three inns between the north road and here. Why did you not stop at one?”
“Why should I stay at an inn when a family property is so close?” The ease of Simon’s demeanour and expression was irksome. He could not truly believe Henry would let him stay, so he had to have some scheme in mind.
Henry’s eyebrows surely shot up on his forehead. “Family property? Perhaps when my father was alive, you could consider it as such, but Hemel is now my estate, and you are not welcome—as you well know.” Although Simon did seem to conveniently forget often enough.
“You would turn me out into the ice and snow?” As it had been last year, this winter had been frigidly cold.
“Henry,” said Jane. He sighed at the pleading tone of her voice. She would not turn out a rabid dog in this weather, but his younger brother was more dangerous than a rabid dog.
Simon chuckled in a way that raised Henry’s hackles. “Well, you wasted no time in getting her with child. When is the joyous event to occur?” His brother seemed entirely too happy. What was that about?
“That is none of your concern.” He waved over the butler. “Are there enough servants to man the dower house? No more than a few should be required, just enough to start the fires and serve the earl and his servants a meal. Whatever Cook has in excess will do—week-old mutton if necessary. Lord Bath and his servants will depart as soon as the weather warms in the morning.”
“Thank you, Brother,” said Simon as the butler hurried off.
“Should your coach not manage the roads in the morning, my driver will take you and your servants to the nearest inn. I shall send your horses and equipage when the weather permits.”
“You are ever the gracious host.” Simon’s sarcasm was not missed.
“I trust you remember where the dower house is?”
Simon bowed to Jane. “Your Grace, I hope we meet again soon.”
As soon as he departed, Henry could have growled. “He has some nefarious deed in that mind of his.”
“He likely thought we would be at Clitheroe, and he could persuade the servants to let him stay.”
Henry shook his head. “I do not like the way he looked at you.”
Charles entered and looked between them. “What is amiss?”
“Simon was just here,” said Henry with his hands.
His brother’s eyes widened. “What did he want?”
This time, Jane came forward. “Somewhere to stay in the weather.”
“Simon never just appears without reason,” said Charles. Since losing his hearing, his brother’s voice had increasingly become more monotone and a little slurred. With the exception of his valet, he used it less and less around the servants.
After clenching and unclenching his fists, Henry gave a guttural exhale. “I agree. At least this ice and snow is keeping Jane inside. He cannot try anything without getting into the house.”
“The footmen should be staggered so some are patrolling the house at night,” said Charles.
Jane sighed and propped her hands on her hips. “Do you think he would walk from the dower house to this one in the freezing cold just to harm me?”
At the sight of a footman, Charles pointed towards the study. Once they were behind the closed door, Henry ensured Jane was seated and her feet on the hassock before they both stood in front of her.
“Simon would have never acted against Marina when my father was alive,” said Charles, “although pursuing her was different. She would have never revealed their affair to my father. Any attention she received from him was based on my father’s ire that she had not given birth to a son.”
Henry scoffed. “I do not believe he would have cared if the child was Simon’s. He would have likely considered it superior to one from me and insisted he be the heir.”
“I suppose you are correct,” said Charles. “I had not considered it from that view. If Father had not died when he had and Marina had survived her confinement, who knows what he or Simon may have done.”
“But Simon would need Henry to die to inherit the title,” said Jane. “Are you saying he would try to kill him?”
“Do you think he has not tried?” Charles sat down across from Jane and leaned forward with his elbows propped on his knees. “Granted, he has never made an earnest attempt in my opinion.”
At Jane’s bewildered countenance, Henry sat down next to her. He would have taken her hands if not for wanting Charles to know what he was saying. “When we were younger, the girth straps of my saddle would be cut, but high under the flap where it was not easily seen. I was thrown from my horse once when I was sixteen. The act was uncharacteristic for that mount, so we removed the saddle and found several small thistles embedded in the padding. It was when my girth straps were tampered with that both of us began saddling our own mounts, which allowed us to conduct a more thorough inspection of our equipment.”
“That poor gelding had a couple of raw spots from those thistles. If you remember, you were forced to use another mount until he healed. Truth be told, I never had reason to suspect Simon would harm me since I am the youngest but given that I would seek justice for Henry if Simon harmed him, I never doubted Simon might try.” Charles rubbed his face then dropped his hands back down. “I do not want to frighten you, but Simon’s greatest threat is that child you carry. If anything, Simon is a lazy conspirator. He knows Emmeline is the heir to most of the property, yet as far as we are aware, he has made but one attempt to take the girls—and that is our assumption; we have no proof. I believe he thinks Henry will die before he needs to plan further against him—although if he can quicken the process without incriminating himself, he will do it. Now, if Henry gains a certain age, and Simon believes Henry will outlive him, I have no doubt that my brother will need to protect himself further against him. That child, however, and any male child who follows, means Simon’s claim to the dukedom and the entire Albemarle estate is moved further from his grasp.”
Henry’s heart clenched as Jane wrapped her arms around her stomach. “Janey, do not fret for now. You will never be alone in the house, and I shall keep you in my arms all night every night. He cannot touch you that way.” He had no care that Charles was sitting so close and knew all that was said since Henry now used his hands out of habit. Jane’s comfort was more important. Besides, Charles would never betray their privacy.
His wife nodded and leaned into the arm he wrapped around her shoulders. “You could not let me avoid that knowledge, could you?”
“We have mentioned it, but you never seemed to believe us serious. We had to ensure you knew what we feared,” said Charles. “The investigators found nothing from the abduction, and the footman who aided in the attempt has disappeared. He could still be alive and working for Simon. We have no way of knowing.”
If only Simon would vanish as easily as that footman! Then they need not worry ever again.
28th of January 1815
Although the air was cold, the weather was not nearly as frigid as it had been over the past few weeks. The ability to leave the house this afternoon had been more than welcome, and although Jane’s gait was much slower than before she was great with child, she relished the opportunity for a stroll around the lake. The midwife had told her it might help bring the babe, and she was beginning to understand Lizzy’s frustration when they were at Pemberley in the summer. The heat also had to make matters worse for Lizzy. Thank goodness the weather was cool for her later months! Jane was so hot most nights, she kicked off the coverlet in an effort to find relief. Her husband only chuckled and cuddled her closer. Insufferable man! The heat of his body was part of the problem. How could he not understand that?
Today, Henry and Charles had journeyed to London for a meeting at their solicitors, so without one of them to accompany her, she had the two men Henry hired to protect her walking several steps back. Even when her husband or her brother joined her for a walk, they had the same two men who followed behind. Both carried pistols, which made her uneasy, but her husband had insisted upon the presence of the weapons if she wished to leave the house. The dear man took no chances with her safety.
Simon had departed as demanded on Christmas Eve and had not been heard from since. According to the servants at the dower house, his carriage had been able to navigate through the snow, which had not been heavy upon the ground. Upon word of Lord Bath’s departure, Charles had sent out grooms to enquire at the closest inns, but it appeared as though their troublesome brother had indeed returned to London since he had not been a guest at any of them. The grooms had even returned during the busiest hours of dinner and checked the public and private dining areas to ensure Simon had not provided a false name to the innkeepers.
As Jane neared the grotto, she smiled. The sight of the stone structure always brought a lightness to her heart. The place held such special memories for her now. She loved every bit of it, so she tarried when she stepped inside and took in the circular room, making a circuit along the perimeter. The prospect from the window was different than in the spring and summer, but no less striking, and she visited Zeus in his place of honour. How could she not?
She let her gloved fingers slide along the rocks as she passed Poseidon in the antechamber and neared the exit. The brightness of the sunlight blinded her for a moment when she emerged, but the path was so familiar to her now that she continued until two thuds came from behind her. She turned. The two men Henry hired were laid out upon the ground, while two men advanced upon her, batons in hand.
Her heart began to pound against her sternum, and she backed away step for step as she could. What could she do, particularly in her current state? Her stomach was unwieldy, and she was also not a great runner. The men would have a distinct advantage. After taking one more step up, she whirled around and began to hasten up the stairs that climbed the rise. She had no other options, even if this was a futile attempt to escape.
“Help!” she screamed as she ran. “Help me!” Footsteps pounded behind her as she forced herself forward and through the trees. Her stomach and the aching in her ankles prevented her from moving with the agility she would have wished in this situation, yet she pushed forward with everything she had. She could not let up or stop lest they capture her too easily. She should not have left the house or the gardens near the house. Henry and Charles had been right. Lord, but she wanted Henry to appear right at this moment!
Strong arms wrapped around her as she emerged from the cover of the trees. She flailed, and kicked, and hit whatever she could reach. She even bit one man’s hand as he tried to cover her mouth as she screamed and screamed. A moment later, a sharp pain pierced her skull, and everything went dark.