Chapter Fourteen
Augusta wished she had brought a candle into the root cellar, because it was as dark as pitch.
With the quilt wrapped tightly around her, she crouched, trying not to put too much pressure on her sprained ankle, since there was no room to stand upright.
The cellar smelled of damp earth and mold, but it was certainly cool enough to store the food. Where was the hamper?
She moved forward slowly, and her foot made contact with something.
Augusta froze. Could it be a rat? Whatever it was, it rolled.
She followed the sound and found the hamper.
Feeling in the dark, she located the object on the ground.
It was a jar. Exhaling with relief, she picked it up.
Something Duncan had missed during his inspection?
Where was Duncan?
At least she hadn’t heard a pistol shot, but she was beginning to become worried. The minutes ticked by as her concern grew.
“Augusta! Everything is fine.”
Duncan. Thank heavens.
Clutching the jar, she carefully climbed the few stairs and exited the cellar. “What was it?”
Duncan pulled his coat open, revealing a trembling ball of fur. “A dog, maybe an older puppy. It is hard to know.”
She came closer. “What breed is he?”
“Her. I believe a springer spaniel, at least partly.”
The dog lifted her head and gave Augusta such a sorrowful look, her heart melted. “What a perfect little lady. She must be starving. Look at her paws!”
“Yes, she is quite dirty. I assume that when the storm started in earnest, she dug her way under the barn and squeezed through. She must have hidden in the shadows, but come daybreak, she was discovered by the hens. They had her cornered.”
“Did she attack you?”
“No. I think she was relieved to be rescued.”
Augusta showed Duncan the jar before setting it on the trunk. “Another jar of carrots. Even though they are pickled, perhaps Dawn will eat them.” She put her hand out for the dog to smell, by way of a greeting. “She’s probably freezing. Let’s put her by the fire.”
Duncan lowered the dog to the floor, and she immediately tucked her tail and cowered.
Augusta tossed the quilt onto the chair, then sat on the floor in front of the shivering puppy.
“Be careful,” Duncan warned. “She’s frightened and may lash out. Being cornered by a flock of hens can be quite alarming.”
Augusta held out her hand again, and the dog took a tentative sniff. Then she sniffed again. The dog huddled near the fire, casting wary glances between Augusta and Duncan.
“We should wash her paws,” Augusta mused.
“Not now. Leave her be. Let her become acclimated to the situation.”
“She’s so thin. I’ll cut up two sausages with a little cheese.”
Duncan chuckled. “So, we will be sharing our rations with a dog, will we?”
“She won’t eat much.” Augusta tried to stand, and Duncan rushed forward to assist her. “I would like to keep her as a pet.”
“We should see if she accepts us first.”
“Of course. I am getting ahead of myself. You see, I always wanted a dog.”
“You didn’t have one in Kent?”
Augusta sighed plaintively. “Southen wanted no animals in the house. After the earl stopped coming around, I thought about it, but I did not want to give him any reason to evict us. I knew we had to leave sooner or later, but I kept putting off the decision. His sudden death left me no choice.”
Duncan slipped his arm around her waist, then grimaced in pain. “You have no such concerns with me. If the puppy accepts us, she has a home.”
Augusta rested her head gently on his shoulder.
“Thank you.” She held that position for several minutes, admiring his solidity and the way he radiated strength combined with forbearance.
“My father would not allow me to have a dog, either. ‘Animals should not be in the house’ was his response to my girlish pleadings.”
“You have a dog now. Your perfect little lady.”
“That’s what I will call her. Lady. Now, you must sit by the fire and put your sling back on. You are still in considerable pain. I will make us fresh cups of tea with more willow bark. Then I think I will have a lie down.”
Duncan turned to face her and softly stroked her cheek. “Your courses?”
“Yes. The cramping is particularly fierce today. It comes in waves, on and off.”
He kissed her forehead. “Allow me to make the tea, and I will prepare a plate of sausages for our guest. Now, come sit.”
Sitting in her chair, she watched as Duncan went about his duties.
Such a capable man. As the water boiled in the pot, he set the plate of meat and cheese near the dog.
Lady’s nose quivered, but she stayed in her spot.
By the time Duncan passed her the mug of tea, Lady was already eating the food.
That showed a modicum of trust and boded well.
Oh, how she could get used to this. A man seeing to her needs, a beloved pet sitting nearby. Perhaps, at last, she would achieve the life she had yearned for this past decade.
It was late afternoon, and Duncan sat by the fire, lost in thought.
As for Lady, she had eaten the food but still kept her distance, watching Duncan with suspicion.
He could tell the animal was exhausted as her eyes grew heavy.
Duncan looked at Augusta, who was lying in the tent. She had fallen asleep.
It surprised him that he had spoken about his wartime past, and he was just as grateful that she had stopped his narrative when she did, as if she instinctively understood how hard it was to relive it.
Could they make a success of this cobbled-together, mutually beneficial marriage?
Why not, indeed. Staring at Augusta, he had the most astonishing thought.
He knew, deep in his soul, that the Allenby dukedom would endure into the next century and perhaps the one after that.
A satisfying warmth curled around his heart.
For the first time in years, his heart had stuttered to life. He was falling for this lovely woman.
But first, they had to see their way clear of this predicament.
What outcome was possible? Duncan had every faith in Patrick’s ability, but this deep snow would be difficult to traverse.
If the sun came out tomorrow and the temperature dropped back to early November climes, enough snow could melt to make travel possible.
Better yet, a heavy rain would also do the trick.
“My, you are deep in thought,” Augusta said.
“How are you feeling?” he asked, concerned.
She sat across from him. “A little better. Lady is asleep.”
“Only just. She kept her wary gaze firmly fixed on me.” Duncan passed her the plate. “Here, some cheese and a scone. I retrieved them a short while ago.”
Augusta took the plate and tore off a corner of the scone. “What were you thinking about, if you do not mind me asking?”
“How we are to get out of here. I believe horses and a carriage are not logical.”
Augusta stopped chewing, then swallowed. “Then how are we to escape?”
“Patrick will find a way. The only conclusion I can come up with is a sleigh.”
“In such deep snow?”
Duncan nodded. “It will be slow going, but it can be done. It may take a few days to arrange the travel, and hopefully, sun and warmer weather will melt some of the snow in the meantime. I’ve been doing the calculations in my head.
With deep snow, a sleigh could travel three miles per hour.
I gave Patrick enough money to buy or rent sleighs and horses to pull them.
He’ll be here in a few days. I’d bet my life on it. ”
Augusta exhaled shakily. “That makes me feel much better.”
“After seeing to Dawn, I brought in enough firewood to do us for the next two days, and there is still more outside. We will keep the fire going constantly. We have heat, food, and—”
“We have each other?” Augusta interjected softly.
The adoring look she gave him caused his heart to tumble. “Most especially that.”
Their gazes locked. “I wish I had met you sooner. I wish we had more time together.” God above! Had he said that aloud?
“Whatever time we do have, we will make the most of it,” Augusta replied gently. “I know we will.”
Perplexing emotions overwhelmed him, and he stood so suddenly that he nearly knocked the chair over. “I will light the candles.”
“Lady is by the door. Does she want to leave?”
“I believe she has some business to attend to.”
Augusta laughed. “Of course, how silly of me. But what if she runs away?”
“Here’s the test: If she returns, Lady has accepted us. If not, it is her decision to move on.” Duncan stepped to the door and cracked it open. Lady vanished into the twilight.
As several moments passed, Duncan could see the anxiety grow on Augusta’s face. He was about to close the door when he heard scratching on the wood. Duncan opened the door wider, and Lady bounded inside, her tongue lolling. “Good evening, my lady.” Duncan smiled as he closed the door.
Lady replied with a soft woof as she settled near the fire.
Augusta smiled. “She came back to us.”
“We are a family now.”
Truer words never spoken, and it filled his heart with joy.