Chapter 22
Thomas sat in the wicker chair in the corner of the guest room with nothing to do but stare out the window at the back garden.
At least it was a better view than he would have if he were detained in the Tower of London.
He considered it a blessing that parliament hadn’t called for him to present himself for that very reason.
Lord Chilcott’s attempts to frame him for treason must not be enough for that yet.
Bile rose in Thomas’s throat at the thought of his despicable cousin.
The man had been here last night, and Thomas had watched in agony as his enemy of fifteen years took Lady Lavender out amongst the grounds he’d spent weeks making beautiful.
He’d weeded, and trimmed, and planted the gardens for so long, he felt like he knew them as well as a sibling.
And now Lord Chilcott had invaded the precious space.
Thomas’s only consolation was that Lady Lavender hadn’t used the swing with the jackanapes.
That would have been going too far. He might have done something intolerably stupid like challenging the baron to a duel over the matter.
A soft knock came at the door and the duchess peeked in. “How are you, Your Grace?”
Thomas looked down at his hands. “I’m bored. My hands are going to get soft if you make me stay here much longer.”
“Perhaps I am doing you a favor. Dukes don’t typically have rough, calloused hands.”
“This one does.” He motioned to himself, surprised at the pride he felt at the admission.
Miriam smiled at him, but there was mischief in her eyes. “I’ll send Daniel up to you. Then you can’t claim I’ve killed you of boredom.”
“You’d better send up marbles and books as well, then.”
“Books?”
“I like trying to teach people to read. Jack is getting quite proficient. Granted, I can’t take all the credit. Lady Lavender has had a large hand in the endeavor as well.”
“Lovely,” she said with a smile. “Enjoy your peace and quiet while you still have it.”
The door clicked closed, and Thomas leaned his head back against the wall.
What he was experiencing was certainly not peace, but Daniel would help fix the quiet when he arrived.
However bored he’d been, he hadn’t had a single moment of wanting to drink.
He was sure that Samuel or Miriam would have gladly supplied him with something since he was locked up here with nothing to do.
But the liquid didn’t call to him any longer.
He was putting his mind to more important things, like how he was going to create a way for the lower classes to have a better education.
A few moments later, Daniel barreled into the room like a miss-shot cannon ball, the door banging against the wall when he entered. He held up his arms, full of toys and trinkets piled high atop of a book. “Mother said we get to play.” His little eyes lit with excitement.
“Then play we shall,” Thomas replied with a chuckle.
Daniel dumped his armful of treasures atop of the bed Thomas had slept in.
It had been a long time since he’d slept in quarters so comfortable.
The mattress was even long enough for him.
If he hadn’t been so worried about what Lord Chilcott and Lady Lavender had been discussing in the garden, he might have been able to sleep better.
“What would you like to play first?”
Daniel picked up a long string. “What is this for?”
“Ah,” Thomas took it from Daniel and laid it on the wooden floor in the shape of a circle. “This is how I teach you to play marbles.” He found a leather sack full of the heavy glass beads and began teaching the intricacies of the game to the little boy.
After twenty minutes, Daniel still didn’t understand all the rules, but he lined up the taw in his small fist and knocked two marbles out of the circle with one shot.
He jumped up and whooped like he’d just beat Napoleon in battle, and then proceeded to dance around until Thomas picked him up and tossed him into the air.
Perhaps spending a week in the room wouldn’t be torture after all.
Then the duchess came and collected Daniel for his nap, and Thomas realized it wasn’t even supper yet. There were still hours left for him to worry over his future.
“Do you know the definition of torture?” Thomas asked Samuel when he checked in on him after the second day of being locked in the small room.
Samuel’s shoulders shook from laughter. “It’s not like we aren’t feeding you. Two months ago, you wouldn’t have complained half as much about spending some time away from society’s prying eyes.”
“Two months ago, I would have been too far in my cups to notice I needed to be useful. I need something else to take my mind off of things. Don’t get me wrong, I love spending time with Daniel.
But he’s hardly an opponent when it comes to marbles.
And your son won’t allow me two minutes to try to teach him his letters. ”
“He’s three.”
“And he should learn to read.”
“I’ll make sure he does when he’s ready. I don’t think that is where his interests lie right now.” Samuel leaned against the open doorframe. “What else can I do to help you?”
“Have you and your mother decided whether or not I’m able to think for myself yet?
I could talk with Lady Lavender,” Thomas suggested as if that wasn’t the only thing that would keep him from losing his mind.
Then again, having had far too much time to think, he wasn’t convinced that telling her who he really was would be his best course of action.
He didn’t want her to throw away her chances of making her parents happy if his name wasn’t cleared for a long time yet.
Samuel rubbed the palms of his hands down his trousers. “She’s been asking to speak with you. I don’t think the girl knows how to live if she isn’t being useful to someone at all times. I admire her selflessness, but I fear the reasons behind it.”
Lady Lavender had always been more concerned with the needs of others than those of her own.
It was one of the reasons Thomas loved her.
But if she wasn’t making choices that were good for her, he couldn’t stand idly by and watch her hurt herself.
“I trust her, Samuel. But I care for her too much to allow her to suffer because of her connection to me.”
“Precisely,” Samuel agreed. “Once you’ve grown that awful hair back enough on your face, I’ll allow you back out to help Jack. But we are in no hurry. He’s getting along just fine; his hands are doing well.”
“I’m glad to hear that. I have more compassion for him now that I’m not allowed to do anything.”
“Yes, well . . . have compassion on the rest of us by being patient.” Samuel pushed back from the door frame and turned to leave.
“Oh,” he said over his shoulder. “I leave tomorrow to Kent for your estate with the searchers. I’ve asked Lady Lavender to accompany me as a way to keep Lord Chilcott on his best behavior—if you catch my meaning. ”
Thomas ground his teeth together. “No, I don’t. The man is a cad. Why is it that he gets to be part of the party?”
“He has headed the case from the beginning. And as he is your family, he has assured the Prince Regent’s Messengers that he will be more familiar with any hidden doors in the home than anyone else.
It’s quite the to-do. The Prince Regent’s Messengers will be there, as will the high sheriff and a handful of clerks. ”
“They can parade all of London through Everleigh Park, Samuel, just don’t allow Lord Chilcott to plant evidence that wasn’t there when he walked in.”
Samuel nodded solemnly. “I had the same thoughts. Don’t worry, Fenleigh, That’s why I’m taking Lady Lavender. She knows what to look for and to stay beside him throughout the entire search. And I will also be at his side.”
“And keep Lady Lavender safe.”
Samuel nodded and left Thomas to his thoughts.
Thomas ought to have been nervous for the search, but he couldn’t find it in him to care. His conscience was entirely clear. It was only that Lady Lavender and his devious cousin were spending so much time together that made him nervous.
But he trusted Samuel. He had to.
Thomas found his mind wandering again and again to what he would do once he did return to the House of Lords.
A niggling in the back of his mind told him that he could make a difference, and he intended to.
Teaching Jack to read had filled a void Thomas had either been unaware of, or too drunk to decipher before his time as a servant.
If more of the servants could read, he was certain it would improve the whole of the country.
He sat down and began drafting what he hoped would be a new proposal for parliament to consider that would better the lives of the lower classes.