by Jerri Hines
Cathryn had wanted so desperately to tell him how foolhardy the adventure would be if he went back into South Carolina. Without question, he was familiar with the landscape and community. He had served there before escorting her to England. It was for that same reason she worried...what if someone recognized him?
Cathryn thought back to when she had first seen Lieutenant Leckie, unkempt with a full beard...running for his life. Oh, whatever would she do if Jake was ever caught! She would never be able to live with herself if anything happened to him.
No...she reprimanded herself. She refused to contemplate anything other than the fact that Jake would soon be home with her. She needed only to take care of the matters at hand. Her children.
A cutting wind above deck made her draw her cloak more closely about her. Only the night before, Lieutenant Colonel Campbell had assured her he would see that a message was sent to the Duke of Eversleigh about her arrival and arrange a stay at a respectable inn until a carriage was sent. To Cathryn’s surprise, she found there was no need.
Lieutenant Colonel Campbell, a middle-aged gentleman who Jake held with the utmost respect, greeted her warmly. Over the time she spent with him on board, she, too, gained admiration for the man. She learned he had been responsible for the victory in Georgia. Though he had been a prisoner of war for two years prior before being exchanged for Ethan Hale, in his conversations he never mentioned any of his miseries nor indicated any animosity toward his captors. He had expressed only his excitement of coming home.
“Ah, Lady Pennington, I had planned to escort you to an inn, but as it turns out I believe you have adequate transportation,” Lieutenant Colonel Campbell said. “There was a message anticipating your arrival. It seems you have a carriage waiting for you. Let me escort you.”
Cathryn took his arm in stunned silence. Who would have known she would have arrived this day? Then she caught sight of a sleek, elegant carriage, bearing a proud, bold coat of arms. The Duke of Eversleigh.
Cathryn wanted to slap Bonnie’s hand to close her mouth for it stood gawking at the sight. She pushed her maid forward.
The footman immediately opened the door for the ladies. “His Grace foresaw your arrival, my lady. Everything has been arranged. I’m to take you to Longwood.”
“My children are there?”
A small smile emerged on the footman’s face. “I believe they are happily anticipating your return, my lady. The young lady asked me to give you a kiss, but I assured her she could do much better than I.”
Cathryn could have cried. Yes, that was her Lucy. She thanked Lieutenant Colonel Campbell profusely and departed toward her children.
* * * *
The journey to Longwood required a night at an inn of which Cathryn was thankful. She needed to compose herself. She would need all her wits about her when she arrived at Longwood.
A soothing bath and sleep upon a stable mattress helped regain a semblance of her former self. She had discovered the extent of the duke’s influence. All her immediate needs had been attended to by the duke, from the carriage to the inn.
She had long ago allowed Bonnie to sleep. The girl’s nervousness wore on her already frayed nerves. She sat brushing out her hair, staring blankly into the mirror. A wave of melancholy swept through her. She pushed the feeling away. There was no time for self-pity.
Memories flooded her...reminding her that she had never recoiled from life. She wasn’t a coward. She wouldn’t fail those that depended upon her—Jake, Philip, Lucy and the little one growing inside of her.
She had suspected before she left Savannah; now she was certain. She was with child...Jake’s child. She wanted nothing more than to give him his heart’s desire for a child of his own, but he wasn’t here to share her joy.
No, she would keep all to herself for a while. The promise of life renewed her strength to face the Duke of Eversleigh.
* * * *
The wheels of the carriage slowed at the entrance of Longwood. Sudden apprehension gripped Cathryn. Despite her marriage to the heir of this magnificent estate, she had never been to the mansion, the home of the Duke of Eversleigh and final resting place of the twins’ father, Philip.
She exited the carriage at the foot of the steps. All her fears were alleviated the moment when the massive front doors opened. She heard them before she saw them. Running rapidly, she could hear Lucy reprimand her brother.
“It’s not fair. Your legs are longer!”
Cathryn didn’t care. Her children were once again within her arms.
* * * *
Breakfast was served on the veranda. Cathryn sat with the duchess while the twins romped in the garden. It did her heart good to see her children happy and carefree. They had been well cared for and loved.
There were signs she had been greatly missed. Both children had smothered her as if she would disappear once more. Lucy had become overly affectionate with hugs and kisses, but it was Philip who seemed the most distressed. He constantly ran back to check to see if she was where he had left her. God love her little man!
“I hope you wrote Martha that she is welcome to visit. I wrote to her this morning also. I know she is anxious to see you in different circumstances than your last meeting.” The duchess broke the silence of the morning.
The Duchess of Eversleigh had aged since Cathryn had last seen her, but this day she looked quite relaxed and lovely in a plum colored day gown. She wore no elaborate headdress as was fashionable. She chose instead to simply pull her hair high on her head with a large silk hat adorned with a matching ribbon.
“I sent my letter off last evening,” Cathryn responded warmly.
It amazed her that the duchess’ caring manner toward her remained unchanged. The duchess held to her word and had not pressed Cathryn about the past. She had shown Cathryn only compassion.
“I hope you don’t mind that I sent for one of the seamstresses within the village. I understand from Jake’s letter that you had to leave rapidly without your clothing.”
“I appreciate your kindness, Your Grace, but I’m unsure about my situation at the moment. I want to talk with my solicitor before I spend any money,” Cathryn said plainly. “I couldn’t and wouldn’t impose. I expected to hear back from Mr. Hamilton shortly.”
“Cathryn, I know, my dear, I do,” the duchess said, patting Cathryn’s hand gently. “I have hesitated about discussing the matter because I wanted to give you time to adjust. I wouldn’t want to dishearten you, but, my dear, you need a change of clothes. I understand you being prideful to a certain extent, but dear, you’re not desolate.”
Releasing a pensive sigh, Cathryn responded, “I have been told the government is trying to confiscate my property. If they are successful, I will be desolate.”
“Nonsense, child.” The duchess shook her head. “Charles has said you have never tried to touch a penny of what Philip left you, and from what I understand they are trying to confiscate only your inheritance from your father. Above all, you are my daughter. Can’t I see that you are properly dressed?”
“I appreciate your generous offer, but I cannot in good conscience accept,” she said with stubborn pride. “To be honest, once all this is behind me, I will have to make different arrangements. I don’t know how long Jake is going to be gone. General Durham has him upon some awful mission that can well get him killed, all because he set to rescue me. I was thinking of taking the children and going to Cornwall with Jake’s mother.”
“Take the children away!” the duchess exclaimed. “Oh, Cathryn, we have become so attached to Charles Philip and little Lucy. You well know how desolate I was...we were. To have known you left because of my husband’s actions was unbearable...not only losing Philip, but knowing his child was across the ocean. I feared I would never know my own grandchild.
“My heart soared when on the wings of a miracle they appeared. Twins! Little Lucy is her father...I see him in her every time she smiles...and Charles Philip...”
Cathryn let the du
chess’ words fade. She needed not to be told that Charles Philip reminded her of the duke. She saw it too at times.
“I call him Philip after his father,” Cathryn said after a time.
“I know. I know.” The duchess nodded in an apologetic manner. “I’m ashamed of myself for I know it was my husband who started calling him such, but it is now set in my mind that way. I will try hard to correct myself. I will confess, though, his mannerism, the way he looks when he hears something he doesn’t want to, he is so much like his grandfather.”
Turning her head, Cathryn hoped the duchess would not notice the tears welling in her eyes. She did not know why the thought made her so emotional other than the fact that Philip was her child. Had she no control of her life, not even over her own child?
The duchess leaned over and reached for Cathryn’s hand. “You have been so strong for so long, my dear. To have given life to those two beautiful children and the happiness you gave to their father, I have thanked God daily. I know Philip saw within you your strength. He lay heavily upon it. I will forever be grateful.”
“I think of Philip often,” Cathryn choked on her words. “I know he did not want me to have run back to Charles Town, but...I felt I had no choice.”
“Oh, my dear, I do not want to upset you. Philip was responsible for his own actions. It took the duke a while to accept the truth. I was trying to say you have held all upon your shoulders far too long. I don’t want you to worry about anything concerning us...” Lady Eversleigh said flustered. “Pray forgive me. I’m not saying this in the right fashion.”
“What she is trying to say, Cathryn, is that I was a fool to have treated you in the manner I did. You have done a commendable job with your children. You are family and should be treated as such.”
Cathryn felt a cold chill surge throughout her body. It took great effort to look over her shoulder. Her heart stilled...there he stood. Tall and intimidating as ever...the Duke of Eversleigh.
Elegantly dressed in a dark button waistcoat and crisp white cravat, his finely powdered wig set firmly in place. His gaze lay upon her and she trembled until it shifted away from her.
Patters of tiny feet distracted her. To her shock, her children ran up to their grandfather. Immediately, he picked Lucy up and swung her over his head. She squealed happily.
“Do you have a kiss for your old grandfather?”
She wrinkled her small upturned nose in a funny fashion and swung her arms around his neck. She giggled and gave him a huge kiss. He placed her down. Philip stood without issue, waiting for his turn for attention. The Duke of Eversleigh reached in his pocket for a treat for the young one.
“Thank you, Grandfather,” Philip said as he accepted his candy, then gestured toward his mother. “Momma’s home.”
His Grace nodded. “I know, Charles Philip. I know.”
* * * *
“I call him Philip,” Cathryn stated emphatically. “I’m his mother. I don’t want him called Charles Philip. If I had, I would have done so at birth.”
Nonchalantly, the duke shrugged. “Cathryn, it is but a small concession. Is not his name Charles Philip? You named him such. I choose to call him by his whole name.”
She fumed. Forgetting for the moment Jake’s request for her to compromise...for her own sake, she allowed her resentment to show. “This is getting nowhere. It is no different than when I left I can see.”
“No, everything is different,” he disagreed. His voice held a remnant of his cool disposition, and underneath the words she could feel the same desire to control as when she left; although, this time he well knew everything. There were no secrets.
Instinctively, she placed her hand upon her stomach. Queasiness assaulted her. She was too upset. Holding her hand against her mouth, she looked up to find the duke staring at her strangely.
“Are you with child again, Cathryn?” he asked bluntly.
A crimson color rose to her cheek. “If I am, it is no concern of yours. It has no bearing on the subject at hand.”
“Of course it has,” he answered curtly. “Appearances are of the utmost importance. I know you married Jake, but I see no ring upon your finger. What are people to think?”
Cathryn straightened herself indignantly in her chair. “How dare you! Yes, we were married. I’m sorry if we had no jeweler to buy from or for that matter the money to do so—which is no concern of yours! He rescued me from a blood-wrenching raid. My sister-in-law and the woman who raised me as her own died from the attack. You have no right to question me in this manner!”
She rose to leave. This was never going to work...staying at Longwood.
“Sit down, Cathryn,” he commanded. “I’m not going to go through any dramatics this time. I am not questioning your marriage. General Durham also wrote of your status. I want only to address the matter at hand. How you are presented in London will matter significantly. We will need to remedy the ring. We can’t afford anyone else to question.”
“What do you mean?”
“Simply, Jake has requested my help in your defense. I will abide by his wishes. He has well served my son.”
“I don’t want nor need your help.”
“There you are wrong. You need to rid yourself of prideful attitude. You have much to contend with concerning the courts. I have already begun working on your behalf.”
“What?” she questioned astonished at his boldness. “Do I have no say? I have walked back into a situation where once more I have no say in my own defense.”
“Cathryn, please do be quiet. I am telling you what you need to know. Jake and your half-brother, Meador, were correct in their assumption that there is much more here than an accusation of aiding and abetting. From my sources, the problem stems from Lord Blankenship. Your brother had your solicitor for Charles Town send all the information about your father’s death. I had it examined by a source of mine in his Majesty’s army.”
“Sumner wrote. How? I’m confused. What has my father’s death have to do with any of this?”
The duke sat back in his chair and studied her. “What if I told you, I could make this all disappear? You would have all you need to start anew with Jake and your babe.”
“Do you take me for a fool? At what price? I give my children over to you!” she cried. She raised her chin imperiously. “Never. Now I believe it best I leave, for if you ever believe I would exchange my children for money, you don’t know me at all.”
Her hand clutched the arms of her chair, ready to bolt. He gestured for her to stay. He stood and walked around his desk in front of her.
“Is that your answer for everything? To run away? You can’t run from this.”
“Get out of my way!”
“I will not. I’m not going through this again. Do you know what happened after you left? Do you think I sat back and enjoyed life?”
Fear crept within her. His face tensed; his eyes hardened. Cathryn could well sense his temper raged beneath the surface of his words. She settled back into her chair.
“My son, my hope died. Do you know how it feels to have your heart ripped out from you?”
“He was my husband.”
“Husband, yes. He married you in the most shocking fashion. It wasn’t what I desired for my son. It was difficult to acknowledge that it was Philip’s actions that caused the scandal. He was the one that left his fiancée at the altar, desolate and crying. Her father demanded an explanation. What could I tell him? That my son lusted after his best friend’s girl, one who herself faced a scandal. Do you understand I had to blame you? It would explain Philip’s actions. You caused Lyttleton to behave in such fashion and in turn caused Philip to turn his back on all of Society. You cast a spell upon everyone. You...had to be the one to blame.”
“I don’t want to hear any of this,” she said stiffly.
“But you will. You need to understand. You may not like me, Cathryn, nor do I deserve your respect or admiration, but you will hear me,” he said tersely. He walked over to th
e window and stared blankly outside of it as if reliving a dreadful time.
Abruptly, he turned back to her. Pressing his lips together tightly, he thought for a moment before he went on.
“Besides my son, I love my wife, Cathryn. No, truly love her. There are many in my position who have others. I don’t,” he stated emphatically. “I never have since I married Sabrina. She is...” He hesitated. “It is sufficient to say I love her dearly. After your departure, she left me. Wouldn’t even speak with me. In the midst of my grief for my only child, my wife left me because of my actions against you.
“I blamed everyone except myself until the solicitor read Philip’s will. Philip left me a letter begging me to look after you. My dead son pleaded with me to look after you and it was I who sent you across the ocean.”
“You want forgiveness? Is that what you seek? For I don’t know if I have any to give.”
“I want the children within our lives,” he answered honestly. “Forgive me if I tried to use your predicament, but having them here at Longwood has made it seem like a home once more. Sabrina couldn’t have any more children after Philip. She had always wanted a daughter and—little Lucy...and Charles Philip.”
“They are my children,” she said firmly.
“I do not question that fact, but I also knew my son well enough to know he wouldn’t have wanted his son named such if he hadn’t wanted me involved in the boy’s life. I believe Philip would have it clear to you, also. Tell me he didn’t.”
“He should have made clear to you about me, Your Grace. To have been treated...” She paused for a moment before she uttered another word. Slowly her anger faded, replaced with sadness. “You have told me all you endured, but haven’t thought of what I have done. Do you have any semblance of being kicked out of your husband’s home on the day of his burial? You talk of having your heart ripped out. Do you know how I felt? He loved me and gave to me life again when I felt I had nothing left, to have watched him die in front of my eyes. He wanted nothing more than the child that was growing within me. Do you know what I endured to give my child, my children, a chance to survive?”
