“I suppose.” Francis said, growing a bit more relaxed.
“We might have to use you again in the future though, doc, don't get too comfortable.”
“That was never–” Francis reacted, flabbergasted by the proposal, but Nash cut him short.
“I don't know what proposal you're talking about, doc.” Nash quickly stepped to meet him, pressing his ill-looking face towards Francis'. “You owed me a lot of money. You took care of this for me, so now you don't owe me any money, eh? Sound good?”
“Yes, but–”
“But nothing, doc. That's that story. All tied up with a bow. But there are other stories waiting to be told, doc, maybe loads of them. In the future, maybe the money goes the other way around, do you hear me doc?”
“I hear you.” Francis whispered. Four months ago, this offer into the underworld would have been exactly the spiral Francis needed to completely self-destruct. Now, after Leah's beating and his brush with attempted murder, he wanted nothing to do with it.
“Run along then doc, why don't ya.” Nash called, giving him a friendly shove back towards the street. “I think you'll find traffic's been cleared up!”
Francis turned and watched the two thugs disappear into the darkness of London's crannies. It was a world wide apart from his, one that he had once ventured to know a piece of; one that had chewed a piece of his soul to pieces.
Doctor Fowler walked back to his coach, seeing that the carts had indeed been cleared. Just who are these criminals really? he pondered, and why did they want her dead so badly? What lengths would they not go to? Will they believe Nash? What have I done?
Chapter 16
Leah had resolved to keep the incident with Doctor Fowler a complete secret. If she were to tell anyone, it would be Kenneth, but telling him was certainly the wrong idea. No doubt he would react poorly – that is extremely poorly – to such news. Such an emotional reaction would undoubtedly be followed by thoughtless actions, and those Leah could not abide by on her account.
Leah could only hope that this might put the hunt off for a time. She had no confidence that she would remain dead in the eyes of Nash and Riphook; such things might last a week or two at best before word leaked out. While she believed she could trust Dr. Fowler with the mission, she did not doubt that the truth would come out of him in a matter of time.
That would bring retribution down upon him, but that was not Leah's concern. It was nothing he hadn't earned for himself, the way she saw it.
These events had set in motion the need for her to abscond. She needed to get to France before Riphook figured out she was still alive. She needed to walk.
Leah lingered for several hours after the doctor left and gave a fair accounting of how he walked into the door to Mrs. Redford. The housekeeper had a difficult time concealing her laughter at the agreed-upon lie and left her in peace.
After Leah was quite sure that the house had settled down again, and that she was once again in her own strange sphere of a box, Leah gingerly got to her feet. She sucked in air strenuously as she planted herself squarely on the floorboards. She was up.
Walk to that basin.
Leah took slow, even steps towards the water basin. She quickly found that the pain in her abdomen was not so great if she controlled her speed and limited the range of her legs. By taking small, measured paces with a straight back, she could move around the room fairly freely.
It still hurt a bit to breathe, but it was nothing that she couldn't manage. Then she heard Mrs. Redford's carrying voice sound from somewhere near the stairs, shouting out something.
Whatever it was, it got the house a bit of a bustle. Leah could hear feet pattering about on the floor boards and could only assume that the house's staff had suddenly swung into action.
Leah knew this could mean one of two things: either the Duchess had ordered a new painting and it was arriving, or Kenneth was back from London. The latter of the two thoughts gave her stomach the briefest flutter.
* * *
Kenneth came up his steps in a single bound, giving Daniel a brief start at the door.
“Good evening, Your Grace.”
“Evening, Daniel, don't always be so proper.” Kenneth shot back, tipping his hat as he handed it to his footman.
“A pleasant trip to London then, Your Grace?”
“It was, indeed.” Kenneth handed off his coat and cane. “Would you do me the courtesy of informing the kitchen and my Mother that my Uncle, Lord Wilson will be joining us for supper?”
“Of course, Your Grace.” Daniel bobbed his head. “Is there anything else?”
“Is our guest well?”
“From what I hear, Your Grace.”
“She is awake then?”
“Your Grace would have to see for himself.” Daniel nodded a bow and retreated with the news that would throw his mother into a complete frenzy. Unexpected dinner guests were not one of her strong suits, especially distinguished members of the family.
“So, I shall.” Kenneth uttered. He checked his appearance in the mirror hanging adjacent, and brushed back a few loose hairs around his ear. Then he proceeded to leap up the stairs two at a time as if he were on campaign.
Kenneth drew to Leah's door, composed himself, scolded himself for appearing too excited, and then knocked briskly.
“Leah?” he called out.
“Wait a moment, Kenneth.” she answered. Kenneth had expected to hear, come in, then, or something of that nature, but instead he fumbled over this road bump.
“Of course.” He stepped back from the door, grasping his hands behind his back.
“Will you send Mrs. Redford to me, Kenneth?”
“Mrs. Redford? Why?”
“I need to get dressed.” she said back rather curtly. “You have promised me a walk through the gardens.”
Kenneth, already thrown off guard by her refusal of entry, took a moment to put together the information she had just presented. Once it had all fallen into place, he took off at an alarming rate to find the housekeeper.
Mrs. Redford was found in the kitchen, where the staff had gone from preparing a simple meal to an extravagant one. There were vegetables being cut, birds cut open, and large pots being set onto burners.
“This is a rather jolly amount of food.” Kenneth remarked as he caught up with Mrs. Redford.
“Oh! Dear me, Your Grace, you startled me, pardon me.” she ruffled her garments and got her bonnet straight.
“There, it's only me.” Kenneth laughed. “Now I must insist that you abandon whatever task you had at hand and go fetch some appropriate clothing for Miss Benson.” Kenneth smiled as he finished his sentence. I must continue to refer to her as Miss Benson.
“Clothing, Your Grace?” Mrs. Redford seemed confused.
“Yes, clothing, Mrs. Redford.” Kenneth clapped his hands. “She desires to go on a walk.”
“Oh!” Mrs. Redford's face lit up like a paper lantern. “A walk!”
“A walk, Mrs. Redford!” Kenneth laughed out heartily and Mrs. Redford shared in his joy for a spell, then she bustled off to attend to Leah.
Kenneth took in a strong smell of the kitchen's workings. He could detect rosemary, and a number of other things that made his mouth water.
“Well done.” He clapped out again for the kitchen staff, and whisked his way back into the main hallway. His mother turned the corner just as he exited and was directly in his path.
“You're awfully glad,” the Duchess mentioned as Kenneth reached her in the hall.
“Why shouldn't I be?” Kenneth responded.
“You have thrown our dinner plans awry.” Juliet said, crossing her arms. “You cannot continue in this fashion. There is an order to things.”
“Can my uncle not stop by for a meal?” Kenneth challenged. “Regardless, you have time to prepare. He insisted he take his own coach, the old crotch. We had a lovely afternoon at the Ten Drums, and I indeed convinced him to accompany me.”
“The Ten Drums?”
Juliet goaded. “Business indeed. Your father was the same way. A rather wet lunch, I take it?”
“A fine enough lunch as it were!” Kenneth shot back, growing hot with his mother's attitude. “Now I have an appointment if you would excuse me.”
“An appointment?” his mother looked appalled. “We have set to supper now! You cannot go back to the city!”
“Not the city, Mother, no.” Kenneth threw up his hands in exasperation. “Here.”
“Here?” she asked incredulously. “Who else is arriving?”
“Our guest is well enough to walk, dear Mother.” Kenneth began to walk away. “Lest you had forgotten her. I should like to see a place for her at the table this evening as well.”
“A place at...” his mother fell short as he walked through a door to one of the balconies.
Kenneth had known that all of this would upset his mother, but frankly he didn't much care. He knew that nothing bad could come of anything, and so in his mind there was no harm in letting her ride out whatever bitterness she may hold because of it.
* * *
Leah was honestly a bit confounded by the dress that Mrs. Redford brought for her. It was an elegant thing, clearly made from expensive materials, and there was so much of it. It was everywhere. It was nothing like the simple trousers or wool skirts that Leah would romp through White Chapel in. What on earth do I do with all of this?
Yet she found it elegant. There was something in the way the light streamed in from those great windows and hit across the blue and gold threading.
At first, she had insisted she be left alone to change. However, after a brief time of fussing with the dress and not being able to do the job herself, she had to call on Mrs. Redford. The housekeeper was more than happy to oblige the process.
“Oh, how wonderful you look, darling.” Mrs. Redford exclaimed, fastening up the last of the cords.
“I'm not sure it's me under there.” Leah breathed out, turning to view herself in the mirror. “It's just, so awfully much, isn't it?”
“Oh, not at all.” Mrs. Redford clapped her hands a bit. “Don't you think you look wonderful?”
“I suppose.” Leah continued to admire and scrutinize the dress' workings. “Although it doesn't seem at all practical.”
“Practical for what, dear?” Mrs. Redford looked confused. “That's what a lady is supposed to wear.”
“Not sure I'm a lady,” Leah scoffed.
“Oh, come now.” Mrs. Redford began to steer her towards the door. “Are you going to come downstairs?”
“Yes, here I come.” Leah checked the standing mirror once more. After affirming once more that it was indeed her inside the dress, and not some magical body double, Leah left her room.
Mrs. Redford led her down the hall and then carefully down the stairs. Leah took each step an inch at a time, not wanting to overextend herself. By the time she reached the bottom she found that, in fact, she had far more mobility than originally suspected. How eager they are to keep a woman on bed rest.
She saw Kenneth standing at the end of the hall, illuminated by the radiance of the outside through great paneled windows. Leah had never seen the first floor of the house while she was in her right mind, and now in the early evening light, the beauty that surrounded her was stunning.
Kenneth stood like a statue fallen into shadow, his arms crossed behind his back, his head tilted in a ponderous sort of way; and his knee just slightly bent as to not appear rigid. She watched his face take in her image as she came down the hall towards him; he was clearly having trouble rationalizing what he was seeing, as she had in the mirror.
“Miss Benson.” He approached her, bowing his head politely. “You look absolutely stunning.”
“And you look the same.” she smiled.
“How are you feeling?”
“Well enough now, I suppose.”
“That is all we can really ask for, is it not?” He offered her his arm. She looked at it skeptically; not only was it the first time a gentleman had offered her his arm, but it was the first time she had worn a fine dress. All told, she began to feel increasingly out of place.
“You don't have to make small talk now that I'm not in a sick bed,” Leah said curtly, taking his arm. I hope I am holding it correctly. How else can one hold another's arm?
“You see, I fear it is not so much for my benefit, but my mother's and uncle's.”
“Your mother and uncle?” Leah began to look around. Her eyes danced over the oil paintings and silver chandeliers.
“We will all be dining together this evening.” Kenneth went on as he began to lead her outside.
“You cannot mean it.” Leah shot him a searing look.
“Why ever not?”
“I do not believe they will take kindly to me at their table.” Leah sighed.
“Well if that is the case, they should find themselves out of luck, for it is my table, not theirs, at the end of it all. Never mind that, they will not treat you poorly. My Uncle, you must call him Lord Wilson, he is excited to meet you.”
“Lord Wilson.” Leah chewed it over. “Has a familiar sound to it. I've heard it before.”
“Wilson is also my name.” Kenneth said, clicking open the garden door. “So, there you have it. Here we are, the gardens.”
The sunlight danced over the top of the neatly-trimmed hedges, giving the whole of the space a reflective, energetic feeling.
“It's beautiful.” Leah whispered, taking in the smell and the sight of the open world. For weeks now, she had lain in place, confined for her own well-being, and she had come to hate the restriction of her freedom. Now, standing in the freshly-arranged garden, Leah felt free again.
“Shall we walk?” Kenneth asked, half in a jesting tone.
“We shall.” Leah grinned, and the two of them descended the low steps into the hedge rows and flowers.
“So, what came of your trip to the city?” she asked as they strolled the green grass at a very leisurely pace.
“Well, I spoke with my Uncle.” Kenneth cleared his throat. “Concerning the claim that you advised me on.”
“And? Did he find it a fair conclusion?”
“He did, indeed he did.” Kenneth seemed to trip over his words a bit.
What on earth is he about to say?
“In fact, he was so impressed by your deductive powers, and of course, was I, as you know, that we felt inclined to offer you a position at the firm.”
Kenneth finished his sentence abruptly, smiled weakly, and attempted to continue walking as if he had just let slip a very casual thing.
“Beg pardon?” Leah nearly stumbled. “The firm?”
“As a consultant you see, yes,” Kenneth appeared to pick up confidence. “I found you invaluable when examining the claim and I, well, I suppose I thought you would find some joy in it.”
“I wasn't aware a woman was allowed in that office.” Leah said, baffled by Kenneth's proposal. “Something about it being a man's job?” It was the last thing she had expected him to say. Although, she did not know what it was she thought he would say in the first place.
“Well, not in the office, to my shame.” Kenneth shook his head. “It would not be the most regular of positions, more of a consulting role.”
“A consulting role?” While Kenneth's news astounded Leah, she could still poke plenty fun at him while he bumbled about on his botched delivery.
“Yes, what I mean is that when a case arises in which my services are required, I would be able to call upon you to contribute your opinion on the matter, for a fee of course.”
“I know what a consultant does.” she scolded. “I am poor, not ill minded.”
“I did not mean–” Kenneth stammered.
“Oh, come now I am only playing.” Leah dismissed his minor panic.
“I can never tell.” Kenneth breathed a sigh of relief.
“That's the way I like it.” Leah chided.
“That's rather cruel.” Kenneth protested.
&
nbsp; “Is it?” Leah accepted the challenge.
“I would say.” Kenneth refuted. The lines had been drawn. “It is only proper and polite for one to behave in an honest manner.”
“Is it proper and polite to perpetuate the dramatic inequality of wealth and quality of life?”
“I don't follow that line of argument at all.” Kenneth scoffed. “And I am sympathetic to the plight of the poor.”
The Ambiguous Enigma of the Hunted Lady: A Historical Regency Romance Novel Page 17
