Realm 05 - A Touch of Mercy

by Regina Jeffers

  “What?” Aidan shoved the man to the side and was running through the shadowed passageways

  “Break it down!” he heard Hill order as he turned the corner.

  “What happened?” Aidan caught Mary’s arm and dragged her from Mr. Hill’s way.

  Her lip trembled, and she looked uneasily toward the half broken door. “Someone…someone took Aaron. I could not reach the boy in time.”

  “Stay here,” he ordered. “Hill, the servants’ stairs.” Aidan did not wait for Lucifer to respond. Instead, he entered the empty room adjoining the burned ruins and flung the window wide. He climbed through the opening and precariously perched upon a narrow ledge and a protruding hunky punk. Thankfully, he had had no time to don his boots. They would not have served him well in such precarious matters. His toes dug into the soft mortar between the bricks. From behind him, he could hear his men hit the door again. By the sound of it, someone had found an ax.

  Aidan took a deep breath to steady his next move. Surprisingly, it took only three long loping straddles to edge through the shell of the charcoaled rotting timbers. Edging about the corner, he scanned the area, but saw nothing unusual. Then a movement to his right announced he was not alone. He swung wildly to cuff his attacker on the chin just as a solid chunk of wood hit him firmly in his chest; thankfully, the blow did not dislodge him. Aidan swung through the crumbled window and chased his attacker, who nimbly outdistanced him. He attempted to ignore the many nails and splinters upon which he stepped, but they slowed his progress.

  A light suddenly cut the darkness as his men breached the door. “Aaron!” he heard Mary call as she followed the men through the opening. “Aaron, answer me!”

  “Mar!”

  Aidan looked up to see the child perched upon a charred crossbeam. “My God!” He halted his chase. Aidan jumped from the burned platform, which had once been part of the flooring of the second level. He landed in a pile of broken boards and debris, but he scrambled to find his footing. “We need more light,” he demanded. “Easy, Boy,” he said softly. His nephew’s eyes announced the boy’s terror. “Do not move.”

  “Kared,” the child whined.

  Aidan swallowed hard. How could he reach the child? He looked around frantically for something upon which to climb. Above him, he heard Mary’s soothing voice. “Do not move, my Darling,” she cooed. “I am coming for you.”

  “No!” Aidan hissed.

  Miss Purefoy hung precariously over the edge of a scourched section. “There is no other means, my Lord.”

  Aidan stared up at her perfect countenance. “I am not certain the wood will hold your weight,” he said as he examined where the boy clung tightly to his perch. “I will catch Aaron if he falls.”

  Mary argued, “But how do we convince the boy to jump to the safety of your arms, my Lord? Master Aaron is but a babe.” Tears misted her eyes. “And his gait is too unsteady to cross the wood on his own.” She hastily shoved away the tear crawling down her cheek. “The wood held long enough for our intruder to place the child in such a perilous situation. Surely, it will hold for a mere woman to rescue the boy.”

  Aidan hated this. He did not want Miss Purefoy in danger. “Move slowly,” he said, at last.

  With a nod of agreement, Mary edged toward a connecting crossbeam. Despite the close proximity of his men, she caught the hem of her gown and gave it a good tug, which rent the material. She took the ends and wrapped them about her legs creating a pair of short Cossack style pantaloons. His men blushed, but like him, they looked on in admiration. “Magnificent,” he murmured.

  “Do not move, Darling,” she encouraged as she worked on her creation. “I am coming after you.”

  “Kared,” Aaron continued to sob.

  “I know, my Pet, but I mean to assist you. Just remain still for a few more minutes.” She knelt to crawl along the beam on all fours. The wood was likely six inches in width, and Aidan prayed it would hold her weight.

  His men held their lanterns and candles high to light her way. Hill appeared beside Aidan. “What is Miss Purefoy doing?” he whispered.

  “Rescuing the boy,” Aidan said on a soft exhale. “We must catch them if they fall.”

  Hill nodded and sidestepped the clutter scattered about the floor. “I have the girl,” he said softly. “You take Master Aaron.” It made sense. Hill was heavier and taller than he, but Aidan wished to be the lady’s hero. “Your reflexes are faster than mine, and the boy is unpredictable,” Hill said as if his man had thought to soothe Aidan’s pride.

  “Look at me, Darling. Do not look down.” Miss Purefoy edged closer to the child. “I am almost there. Be my brave little man.”

  “Want my room,” Aaron bawled.

  “I know, Darling,” she said softly. “Soon. You must know I shall permit nothing bad to happen to you.”

  The boy nodded, but the tears streamed down Aaron’s face. Aidan heard the board groan as she neared the middle. “Slower,” he cautioned as he centered his weight and extended his arms above his head in case the child shifted before she could reach him. He watched anxiously as she sucked in a quick breath before starting forward again.

  “Just a few more inches,” she told the boy. Aidan admired how she never looked away from the child. As she neared, Mary said, “When I reach you, you must not move, my Pet. Not until I tell you. We must practice care.” As Aidan watched nervously, Mary lowered her weight upon the beam so her legs hung over either side of the wood.

  Aidan breathed a bit easier, but the ordeal was far from over. Mary slowly extended her right arm. “I shall touch you, Darling. Do not be frightened. Permit me to see to your safety.” Keeping her balance, Miss Purefoy carefully scooted forward on the beam as if she were on a tittering board. “Mary loves you, Darling,” she coaxed. “I shall permit nothing to harm you.”

  The child’s eyes grew even larger, but thankfully, Aaron listened carefully to what the woman’s said. The boy remained perfectly stationary. Finally, she was close enough to capture Aaron into her embrace. “Oh, my Pet,” she comforted the child as she lifted the boy to her. Mary kissed the side of Aaron’s head. “You were so brave,” she repeated. “I am so proud of you.”

  “Kared,” the boy said on a sharp squeal.

  “I know, Darling,” Mary said encouragingly. “Now, I must assist you down from here.”

  The idea had not occurred to the child before that instant. Aaron turned his head to look about him in fear. “No!” he demanded and tried to squirm away, but Miss Purefoy caught him tightly to her.

  Aidan’s breath hitched when he thought they would both tumble over backwards, but she had smartly countered the child’s move with a shift of her weight, just as he had seen her do when riding sidesaddle. “Yes!” she demanded with a slight shake of the child’s shoulders. “Your Uncle Aidan is below us, and he means to have us both down safely.” As she spoke, Mary’s gaze lingered on the far corner, but Aidan assumed she settled her own fears. He had no time to take a proper analysis of what had caught the lady’s attention. Aidan was too busy judging the child’s descent for he held no delusions Miss Purefoy intended to drop the boy into his arms.

  As predicted, before the child could send up another alarm, the lady lifted Aaron by his arms and swung the child over the edge of the beam. The boy shrieked in fright, but Miss Purefoy ignored Aaron’s protestations. “My Lord?” she called over the boy’s loud cries.

  “I am here,” Aidan declared. “Release him on three. One. Two. Three.”

  As if in slow motion, the child dropped from the height. Aidan looked on in amazement as only a screech of surprise broke the night’s silence, but in a split second the boy’s weight hit him hard enough to knock the air from Aidan’s lungs. Nevertheless, he wrapped his arms about the child and held on for all his might. “I have you,” he repeated several times before the child went silent. “I have you,” Aidan said again for good measure. From above a round of cheers broke the night.

  From the shadows, Mr.
Payne appeared by his side. “Give me the young master, Sir,” his butler said. “You and Mr. Hill must assist the lady.”

  Aidan kissed the boy’s head. “We must see to Mary,” he said as calmly as possible. “Permit Mr. Payne to hold you for a few minutes.” He wiped the child’s tears away before handing his nephew to the elderly butler.

  With a deep sigh of relief, Aidan returned to where Miss Purefoy remained perched on the beam above him. “I do not suppose you could crawl back along the wood the way you came,” he said in concern. The lady held perfectly still, and her expression had turned to one of dread.

  “I doubt such a scenario is possible, my Lord,” she said without looking in his direction. “The wood is split in the far corner.” An unbecoming hint of dismay laced her tone.

  Aidan’s eyes followed hers. He briefly considered the peril. “Damn!” he growled. “Mr. Hill!” he said urgently. He cursed himself for permitting the ruins to stand as a silent tribute to his late wife. His former foolishness never ceased to amaze him.

  “I am here, my Lord,” Hill said softly from behind him. “You catch the lady, and I will brace you.”

  Aidan chuckled, “You were always the stable one.” He did not remove his eyes from the precarious position in which Miss Purefoy found herself.

  Hill said with an easy taunt of familiarity, “One of us must wear the cloak of immovability.”

  “My Lord,” Mary called. “Did it hurt when you broke your arm falling from the oak?”

  Aidan smiled easily. She was incomparable. “Absolutely!” he said firmly. “But I promise you will know no pain, my Dear. I will guard you with my life.”

  “I trust you, my Lord,” Mary declared for all those who looked on. “On three, Sir. One. Two. Three.” With the count, Miss Purefoy swung her left leg over the beam just as it cracked under her weight. Aidan positioned himself beneath her. Unlike the boy, Mary dropped quickly, a muslin-clad bullet. When she hit him, he fell backwards, but Hill’s bulk took the impact. A loud grunt announced Hill’s sturdiness as the three of them collapsed in a pile of legs and arms.

  A swish of cool night air had deposited her in his arms; but despite the exquisite feel of Miss Purefoy’s bare legs brushing against his, Aidan could not enjoy the moment. First, his staff peered over the edge of the burned sections of the flooring as his hands automatically searched Mary’s body for any broken limbs, and secondly, Lucifer Hill was not a comfortable mattress upon which to bed a lady.

  From everywhere at once, people surrounded them. Mrs. Osborne and Miss Chadwick lifted Miss Purefoy to a standing position and wrapped a blanket about her. “You poor dear,” Mrs. Osborne said as she caught Mary about the waist to lead her away.

  The warmth had disappeared with the lady’s retreat, and Aidan rolled to his side to check on Hill. He made it to his knees before he said, “Are you injured?”

  Hill groaned and stretched his arm above his head. “Next time I catch the girl and you become the one on the bottom.”

  Aidan’s lips turned up in a smile. It was this man with whom he had shared countless adventures and schemes. He pushed himself to a crouched position and extended his hand to Lucifer. “Come, my Friend. I owe you a drink.”

  “Make it two.” Hill’s fingers closed around Aidan’s hand.

  “Anything you want. I am forever in your debt,” Aidan said heavily.

  Hill permitted Aidan to pull him to his feet. Always in the past, Lucifer would have reminded Aidan of his own debt, the one where Hill had promised to serve Aidan for ten years. The man had meant as an actual servant, but it was not in Aidan’s nature to place such a fierce fighter in a menial role, so he had made Lucifer Hill his companion, his friend, and his confidant. Hill had become the “eighth” member of a seven-man team, and when Aidan had returned home to his personal demons, Hill had traveled with him. Henry Hill had put his own life in limbo to be Aidan’s most trusted associate. Now, he regretted his dependence upon the man. It was selfish of Aidan to keep Hill from knowing Hannah as his wife; therefore, he silently vowed to set his life to right as quickly as possible and then say farewell to Lucifer Hill.

  “We should see to Miss Purefoy and the boy.” Hill shoved the hair from his face.

  Aidan laced his arm about Lucifer’s shoulder in companionship. “It was a good night,” he said with a laugh.

  “Being a hero is hard on a man of my advanced years,” Hill declared good-naturedly.

  Aidan confided, “I am not certain the lady requires a hero. Did you see her? As calm as the smoothest sea. I have never known anyone like her.”

  “Miss Purefoy suits you, my Lord. In the past month, I have heard you laugh and have observed your contentment.” Hill halted their steps. “Grab happiness, my Lord. Grab it with both hands and hold on for all you are worth.”

  Aidan’s heart lurched with anticipation. “According to your own tongue, the lady is my sister.”

  Hill’s eyes spoke of mirth. “The woman is more family than you have ever known, Lord Lexford.”

  Before Aidan could reply, his men surrounded them. “The dang’us thing I’ve ever seen,” Deland declared. “I thought all three of you be dead.”

  “Wunkle Waden,” the boy reached for Aidan, and he accepted the child’s embrace. Each time he did so, Aidan wondered why he had denied himself such moments. Aaron was not his child, but it did not mean he could not love the boy.

  “You were very brave.” He ruffled Aaron’s hair.

  “Have cakes?” The child patted Aidan’s cheeks.

  Aidan smiled as the boy’s singular thoughts. “As soon as I set some men to search for our intruder.”

  “We have it, my Lord.” Deland lifted his gun in response.

  Aidan asked Hill, “Did you see which way the person ran?”

  “Toward where the stream narrows behind the copse.” Aidan noted how Hill rubbed his shoulder. He would have Mr. Jamison attend Hill in the morning.”

  Aidan hefted Aaron higher. To his men, he said, “I must see to Miss Purefoy and Master Aaron.” To his friend, Aidan said, “Hill, you should come with me. We must inform the magistrate of this break in.”

  Hill nodded his gratitude as he fell into step beside Aidan. “My Lord,” he said privately. “Did you notice who rushed to our aid?”

  Aidan caressed the back of Aaron’s head. The child rested his head on Aidan’s shoulder. “The footmen…the kitchen staff…the maids…the grooms…”

  “And who was not among those responding to the alarm?” Hill prompted.

  Aidan stumbled on the graveled path, but he listened carefully to what Hill did not say. His mind raced to understand the predicament, which hung over his house. “The only one I do not recall seeing was Mrs. Babcock.”

  “True,” Hill confirmed. “And Mr. Poley. It seems to me if a man’s master was called out by an intruder under his roof, a valet would respond to assure himself said master required no assistance.’

  Aidan paused briefly before they entered the house. A sharp flare of dread stabbed his heart. “I so rarely think on Poley’s service unless I require a fancily-tied cravat,” he admitted. He looked about to assure privacy. “I reprimanded Poley earlier for his impertinence.”

  Hill said softly, “I will discover where Poley kept his own company. Do not mention our suspicions to the others.”

  *

  Despite his request for his favorite cakes, the boy was asleep by the time Aidan entered the drawing room where Miss Chadwick flitted about an obviously shaken Miss Purefoy. Someone had retrieved her robe and slippers, but Mary hovered close to the hearth as if she could not know enough of the fire’s heat. Aidan wished to catch her up in his embrace and warm the woman with his body. Instead, he placed the boy on a nearby chaise and covered Aaron with one of Susan’s shawls. The item had been reverently left where it had lain since before his wife’s death.

  “Master Aaron appears none the worst for wear,” Miss Purefoy said shakily.

  Aidan glanced at his nephew
’s innocence. “I imagine, on the morrow, he will be full of tales of his adventure. I fear Miss Hanson will find her first day as Aaron’s nurse a challenging one.”

  Miss Purefoy shivered again. “Do you think it best to move the young master so far from where the rest of the household rests, my Lord?”

  Aidan understood her fear for the child. He was not happy with how easily someone had breached the lady’s private quarters, but that particular situation would change with the morning light. He would send word to London for Pennington to assign several of the Realm recruits to Lexington Arms until this matter was settled. “Mr. Hill will see to extra men to secure the entrances into the house,” he assured her. Realizing belatedly this discussion would best be held without Miss Chadwick, Aidan asked the girl to see to Aaron. He instructed a footman to carry the boy to Miss Chadwick’s room and to stand guard outside the door.

  When the shopkeeper’s daughter disappeared into the night, Aidan placed three chairs close together before the fire. He poured Miss Purefoy a sherry, and he and Hill a brandy. “We have much to discuss,” he said as he joined them.

  Miss Purefoy looked about in puzzlement. “I do not understand, my Lord.”

  “We are family,” he said simply. “I cannot have you fearing to sleep under my roof. In order to alleviate your anxiety, you must speak of what will bring you peace. If you think my idea of securing the house’s entrances is not adequate, I wish you to voice your concerns. In this matter, I am your servant.”

  Miss Purefoy blushed thoroughly. “My Lord, it cannot be so,” she protested. “I cannot presume to speak of your responsibility.”

  “Oh, but you must, my Dear.” Aidan smiled easily at her. “Mr. Hill and I find you quite remarkable, and I will not have you relinquish that exemplary quality simply because you do not experience safety at Lexington Arms.”

  “It is true, Miss Purefoy. His Lordship and I have often admired your ingenuity and your steadfastness,” Hill declared.

  The lady’s face scrunched up in disapproval. “I do not appreciate your levity at my expense, Sirs.”

  “What levity?” Aidan said honestly. “I mean what I say. I know few men who would risk what you did to save a small child. The fact you completed an unselfish act speaks highly of the person I have come to know.” He watched as the lady’s shoulders shifted, and she sat more erect. Aidan smiled secretly: Miss Purefoy would recover from her fright.