25. Chapter 25 #2
Any hope of a future with William hung in the balance. If David recovered, he would be free. But if Laura were widowed, Mr Barrington might yet push for William to marry his daughter. Would Kitty have to give him up all over again to save his life? There had to be another way.
“Though we must prepare for the worst, let’s not pre-empt disaster. We will pray he will recover and use the brains God has given us to solve this mystery. If you did not push Mr Jenkin over the cliff, then who did and why?”
William was relieved Kitty trusted in his innocence, but how were they going to prove he hadn’t caused Mr Jenkin’s accident if he never recovered?
If the worst happened and the man died, would Mr Barrington see him blamed for the murder unless he fell in with his plans to marry his daughter?
Even Father might not be able to rescue him from that.
The uncertainty of his future was troubling, but its impact on the woman beside him wrapped his fear with frustration. Until he knew his fate, he could not honourably offer her his hand and his heart.
“Kitty, I wish—”
She put a forefinger to his lips, shooting heat down his body. “It’s all right. I understand.”
He gritted his teeth together to parry the effect she was having on him. What a wonderful woman she was! He didn’t deserve her.
Capturing her hand with his, he curled it around and placed a feather-like kiss on each finger in turn before returning it to her side.
He lifted his eyes to meet hers, and his chest tightened to see hers glowing with unshed tears. “That is for all the words I cannot say. The promises I cannot make.”
Gazes locked, she leaned toward him, her face upturned. All it would take was a slight movement for him to lean in and claim her lips. It took all his willpower not to.
He had given out kisses too casually in the past, and he could not forget that on the last occasion he had almost shared a kiss with a married woman. No. This time had to be different.
He kissed her forehead and stepped back. “I want you to know it’s not because I don’t want to, but because I do.” He wanted to get this right. To make the promise before the kiss.
Kitty sucked in her lower lip and nodded.
“You are an honourable man, William Merry. Don’t let anyone tell you otherwise.
” Looping her arm through his, she led him down the path back to the garden.
“Come and have something to eat. Starving yourself will do you no good, and remaining aloof won’t aid your cause. ”
His stomach rumbled at the mention of food. “I suppose you’re right, but I’d prefer not to face Mr Barrington again after what he said to me.”
“It’s unavoidable—unless you leave.”
Did she think he would desert her now? “Gladly—but I’m not going without you.”
“You know I can’t abandon Laura whilst her husband fights for his life.”
William had expected as much. How like Kitty to put others’ needs before her own. It was in both their interests that the man recovered. “I’ll stay too.”
“I won’t pretend I’m sorry. It would be a lonely business trying to solve the mystery on my own. What do you suggest we do? How can we prove it was smugglers who pushed Mr Jenkin over the cliff?”
“If it was smugglers.”
“What do you mean? You cannot suppose that Hugh would try to murder Mr Jenkin for marrying his daughter. If he even knew. I don’t think he could have faked the shock on his face when he found out.”
“No. Their secret was well kept. The maid must have known, as she was with her mistress on that trip to Weymouth, and presumably the other witness. His mother?”
Kitty grasped his arm and gaped up at him. “His mother? Has anyone told her what’s happened? I need to ask Laura if she’s sent word.”
They hurried back to the house and after eating a hasty breakfast, they visited Mrs Jenkin’s bedchamber. William waited outside the door whilst Kitty went in. He could hear mumbled voices, and a few moments later, the maid ushered him into the room.
The riding officer lay motionless in the bed with his wife beside him. William knew he needed to say something, but what?
“I’m truly sorry for what happened to your husband, Mrs Jenkin, and for my part in the events that…um…led up to the fight. Please believe me when I assure you, I didn’t push him over, accidentally or otherwise.”
She stared up at him. “Then how did it happen?”
“I don’t know. Someone knocked me senseless with a blow to my head.”
“Smugglers?”
“Most likely, given your husband’s line of work. I’m convinced he recognised the person who hit me, because the last thing I remember before everything went black was the shock on his face.”
Mrs Jenkin raised a thumb to her mouth and chewed on the nail. “I don’t like the sound of that.” Her voice dropped to a whisper. “You don’t think my father—”
“No,” said Kitty. “He was shocked when you announced that Mr Jenkin was your husband. Your marriage did not cause his accident, if that’s what you fear.”
“That is a relief. I couldn’t bear to be responsible for him being like this.”
He understood her reasoning, but it would not have been her fault if her wedding had provoked such a violent reaction.
Kitty took her friend’s hand. “Have you told his mother?”
“Not yet. I can’t leave David’s side, and I didn’t want a servant breaking the news to her. He’s an only child and very dear to his mama. Would you visit her and explain what has happened and bring her back with you?”
William exchanged glances with Kitty and nodded.
“If Lord Droxford will drive me, I’ll go at once.”
“Thank you. That would be a great comfort to us both,” said Mrs Jenkin. “Please don’t tell my father unless it’s unavoidable.” She wrote down an address in Charlotte Row and thanked them once more as they quit the room.
“My carriage is at Pennsylvania Castle. I left it there with my man because —”
“Because you wanted to hide the fact that you didn’t have to paint for a living.”
He shot her a sheepish look. “Yes. I’m sorry. Please don’t scold me again. I’ll leave now and get it.”
“No. Let’s walk over there together. There is no need to advertise our trip to Hugh. Wait for me outside the back gate whilst I fetch my bonnet, and I’ll join you shortly.”
William put on his greatcoat and hat and strolled through the garden and onto the path beyond. He wondered how long Kitty would be. Ten minutes? Twenty?
Having waited many times for his sisters, he had learned that fetching a bonnet was an all-encompassing phrase that could mean anything from grabbing a hat if you were Eliza, to a full wardrobe change if it were Georgiana, and something in between for Charlotte and Hetta.