To Release an Earl

by Ilene Withers

  The next day a well-respected young physician arrived at the estate. He was introduced to Willa as Dr. Lead. Since he arrived shortly before tea, he did not do an examination right away. Instead, after John and the viscount joined them for tea, the doctor asked them all about how she had been found at the scene of the accident, the position in which she was lying, and the location of where her back had hit the tree roots. Then he moved on to the level of pain she had experienced.

  "Right after the accident it was quite bad but still tolerable without laudanum," Willa told him.

  "Am I to understand that it has decreased somewhat?" he asked her.

  Willa contemplated her answer. "Yes, yes it has," she replied. "It is always present, but tolerable. More like a dull ache I only notice when I concentrate on it. There was a storm recently, and it did flare up that night. In fact, it was bad enough I agreed to be dosed with laudanum."

  "When you go upstairs to prepare for dinner, I would like to examine you if you will agree to it. Of course, I would also like to speak with your maid and your nurse, so let us make sure they are present."

  Consequently, Willa had John carry her up to her room a bit earlier than usual. Molly and Nancy assisted her in unrobing and, as Dr. Lead asked, she was laid on her bed, face down in only her chemise. While Willa suffered from minor embarrassment as she was rather quite exposed to the doctor despite his efforts to be discreet, she did feel he was thorough. He tested at what point she lost sensation. Dr. Lead ran his hands down her spine, he examined it for abnormalities and any remaining bruising. At the completion of that, she was rolled over by Nancy and Molly, and the physician moved her legs, tested them for feeling, and afterwards moved on to her feet. At last he stood back.

  "I will take my leave now, Miss Dutton, and let your maids prepare you for dinner."

  "What is your diagnosis?" she asked him with a small amount of hope in her heart.

  "I am going to review the information tonight. I will tell you in the morning."

  "That must mean I am forced yet again to be patient," she mumbled to herself.

  John and her family, too, seemed anxious to hear the physician's opinion, for they questioned him at dinner. He held firm, however, and refused to speak of it until he had time to muse upon it. The night seemed long as a result. Willa laid next to her sleeping cousin and realized how long each day seemed to stretch. She had decided not to speak to John about releasing him until she found what the doctor had decided, but she would need to do so soon.

  Not long before he took his leave, Dr. Lead asked for her fiancé and her family to gather. Once they were all in the drawing room, he spoke.

  "Unfortunately, we do not understand much about spinal injuries. We do occasionally see a miraculous recovery, but I am not sure we can count on that for Miss Dutton. That doesn't mean it won't happen, it simply means you should prepare for the paralysis to last a lifetime."

  It was John who asked what Willa wished to but was afraid of the answer. "What about children? Dr. Saunders said she dare not risk it."

  "I would not rush it, in case there is a chance of recovery. Pregnancy can put stress on the body at the best of times. With a spinal injury, if it were something like spinal swelling, a pregnancy might severely exacerbate it. However, once a year or so has passed, certainly there is no reason why she could not carry one or two children to full term and deliver healthy babies. You would, of course, require a nursemaid to assist with them, but it is to be expected in any case."

  After the doctor bade them all goodbye and was escorted to the door by John and Lord and Lady Amhearst, a footman arrived almost immediately with the Bath chair. It had been cut down and remodeled, and Willa was thrilled. Sitting in it she could now propel it forward or backward by pushing the wheels with her hands. The only thing she noticed was how it irritated the tender skin of her palms. Looking up at Fayre she said, "Would you mind running upstairs to fetch one of my older pairs of kid gloves? If Molly is there, she will be familiar with which pairs I wear for every day."

  "Of course," Fayre said as she leapt up and left the room quickly.

  "Should we have Dawson adjust the other chair in the same manner?" her father asked.

  "My first reaction is yes, but to be sure, let's give me until tomorrow to decide."

  Nancy, who had been summoned for a few words with Dr. Lead about Willa's care before he left, spoke up. "If I may say so Miss, it is a good idea. You may find trying to push yourself around becomes too exhausting for you, though."

  "I doubt it," Willa replied. "I am strong and will develop more strength by doing so, but I will wait until tomorrow."

  Nancy curtsied and slipped from the room just as Fayre returned, holding out a pair of soft, gray leather gloves. "These are the ones Molly said are the oldest but still in good condition."

  After slipping them on, Willa discovered propelling the chair was much easier. Willa smiled up at them all, needing time alone to go over what the physician had said, as well as her thoughts about John and their engagement. "Perfect," she said. "Now, if you don't mind, I would like to be alone to practice wheeling this about a bit. If I should need help, I will call for Abbott."

  As they all left the room, albeit reluctantly, Willa did indeed practice moving around the room. It was work, especially turning, as she had to adjust the steering handle and then move her arms back to the wheels. But she was successful, and she would not again be unable to move at all when alone. As she remembered the attempted poisoning, she once again became angry about her situation. She forced her now-tired arms to move the chair to the window where she could look out upon the beautiful countryside while contemplating her future.

  Less than an hour had passed when Willa came to a firm decision. She would release John and would play matchmaker to her own fiancé before telling him. Then, when he had come to realize she was a poor choice compared to a woman who could walk, dance, and ride, she would have a heart-to-heart talk with him and bow out of their relationship. Her parents would be stuck with her forever, but she was sure they would not mind so much. As soon as she had made up her mind, she wheeled over to the door and leaned forward to open it. Abbott was posted outside the door, listening for any calls of distress.

  "Can I help you, Miss Willa?" he inquired with fond formality.

  "Yes, I was wondering if you would send for my cousin. We are going to have a small house party just as soon as it can be arranged. It is imperative we begin our planning now."

  ****

  John had been secretly glad when Willa had dismissed them all. He walked out to the stables and demanded Pirate be saddled. After swinging up on Willa's horse's back, he rode out of the paddock and headed for open land. He needed to let his mind go over all the doctor had said.

  As the wind rushed past him and Pirate seized the opportunity to run at a full gallop, John realized how angry he was. John was beyond furious for Willa and for himself. While he loved her like he had never cared for any woman, it angered him that she could no longer walk, or dance, or ride. Willa had a thirst for life many young women did not and because of a nameless, faceless assailant, she could no longer enjoy those things in life. They could no longer enjoy them together. And to know one of her fondest wishes – to become a mother – should be postponed made his heart ache. Indeed, as an earl he needed an heir. While it was not that important to him, it was his duty, and it might be questionable if Willa could provide one for him. He had to find out who was attempting to harm her and bring the perpetrator to justice. He remembered when his friend Noel had put an end to the man who was threatening Claire. John likewise had a desire to put a bullet in the person trying to harm his fiancée.

  An hour later, Pirate was running out of steam, and John was ready to return to the estate. John pulled an apple from the basket of kitchen rejects and fed it to the horse as Brooks removed the tack and groomed the horse. Then John strode to the house and found Willa and Fayre busy in the drawing room. He kissed Willa on the cheek and smi
led at Fayre as he settled into a chair near Willa.

  "How did the wheeling practice go?"

  "Good," she replied. "The gloves do help a lot, and I need to gain strength in my arms, but I will eventually need no one else to push me."

  "We'll have Dawson do the same thing to the other chair if you still like it tomorrow. And then we'll have him get to work on a lifting device."

  "That would be nice," Willa said

  "What are you two ladies doing this morning?" Fayre had paper and pen and sat at a small escritoire. Willa was nearby.

  "My cousin and I are planning a house party," came his fiancée's reply. "It is time I have a bit more of a social life, and this seems like a good way to start."

  "Who will you invite?" he asked.

  "I will keep it small with only 15 guests who will stay. That is all the room we have, and it includes some sharing, although I know those invited won't object. Then I will ask some of the neighbors in as well for certain events." Willa fell silent and then looked up. "I am inviting your particular friends, the Earl and Countess of Tabor."

  That was good. Thomas was about his age and his younger wife Melinda was a delight to spend time with. "I appreciate it. Who else?”

  "I have selected three young women who have not taken yet. With such short notice it might insure their acceptance. Miss Grace Clarke and her parents, Miss Kathryn Matthews and her aunt, Miss Lucinda Matthews, and Miss Caroline Russell and her parents."

  John had a difficult time placing them. "Who are Miss Clarke's parents?"

  "The Earl and Countess of Baddock. And Miss Russell's are the Baron and Baroness Macey."

  "Ah," he nodded in recognition. "I am acquainted with the Baron as he is almost always in town, so hard is his wife trying to fire off their daughter. I have only met the Earl a few times this past season."

  "Yes, this was Miss Clarke's first season, as it was mine."

  "Well then, she cannot be as wonderful as you or she would have taken right away."

  Willa laughed, "She is quite nice, but unfortunately her father is not wealthy and is somewhat of a known gambler. In fact, I thought twice about inviting them. No doubt he will be begging my father to offer horse racing so he can place a bet on the outcome. Then I decided I cannot take it out on poor Miss Clarke. So instead, I have added Mr. Henry Hart to the invitation list. Mr. Hart inherited a fortune and both his parents are deceased so he must miss having a family. Furthermore, he has three younger sisters and no doubt needs the assistance in raising them."

  John chuckled. His beloved was playing matchmaker, he noted. "Do go on with the list," he prompted.

  Willa continued, "I am inviting the Earl of Shelton as he is a friend of yours and, quite frankly, it is time he settled."

  John did not argue, knowing Shelton was looking for a wife, if only half-heartedly.

  "The Viscount Gage and Mr. William Webster will round out my list of younger gentlemen, but I am also inviting Mr. Donald Miller as there has been much gossip about his interest in Miss Matthews’ aunt, Miss Lucinda Matthews, who always accompanies her. Mr. Miller, as you no doubt are aware, is a widower with a good half dozen children who need a mother."

  "Ah yes, I remember hearing that," John remarked. He waited patiently until she spoke again.

  "Locally, I will invite much of the same group which came to dinner recently. Except for Mr. Patton. While I dearly love him, a party might be too much activity for him, although we may throw our numbers off and have him come for one of the dinners. Everyone finds him most entertaining, particularly the gentlemen."

  "Yes, he is. I enjoyed his stories the night of the dinner party."

  "Now Fayre and I are planning the activities," Willa said.

  "Perhaps you should have a horse race," John prompted. "For the men only, of course. With your permission I will ride Pirate and show them all what a well-bred horse is capable of doing. I took him out on a run this morning, and I have never covered so much ground in such a short time."

  As soon as he said it, he regretted it, for Willa's face fell. "I miss riding him so much," she said. "I feel that perhaps I should ask Papa to sell him so Pirate has the opportunity to run daily with his new owner, but I cannot bear to as I am already giving up so much."

  John knew she spoke of her freedom of movement. "Do not," he practically demanded. "I am taking turns exercising him and my own horse. Pirate gets his daily exercise in," he assured her. Then he broached another subject. "The only thing I worry about with a house party is your safety and the safety of the other guests."

  "There is safety in numbers, you know," Willa replied. "And I cannot quit living because of a few attempts to harm me. I also feel sure Mr. Parker will find out soon who the perpetrator or perpetrators most likely are."

  John chose his response carefully. Willa’s life had already been made so small compared to what it had been and he was finally beginning to see glimmers of her normal lightheartedness showing through when she was planning a social event. "You're right," he said at last. "You should have the house party."

  "In that case," Willa announced, "we will write the invitations."

  "I have the cards right here," Fayre said.

  John stood up, "This is my cue to leave. I'll see you at tea time." He walked out the door and spoke quietly to Abbott, "Do you know where Mr. Parker is?"

  "Mr. Parker is coming up the path at this exact moment." The butler looked out the pane of glass near the door.

  John's gaze followed to see the investigator walking toward the door slowly, head down, as though deep in thought. He reached for his coat, sliding his arms into it as the butler assisted him. Buttoning the coat as he stepped toward the door, John waited as Abbott opened it and then strode out.

  "Mr. Parker," he greeted the investigator. "You are just the man I wanted to see. Do you have a few minutes?"

  The other man looked up, "I do indeed, my lord."

  John swung into step beside him, redirecting the man to a small path leading around the side of the house. "How is the investigation going?"

  "Well, my lord. I am still waiting on the reference letters to confirm my suspicions."

  "And do you mind sharing those suspicions?"

  "There is one person in the stables and one in the house who may be trying to kill your fiancée, my lord. What I cannot determine is why. I don't believe they are anything but hired thugs, so to speak. Perhaps once I expose them they will be willing to talk."

  "Who are they are?"

  "I am reluctant to say until I have confirmed my suspicions. It is too easy to ruin a person's life with unjustified rumors, my lord."

  "The viscount and I ought to know, Mr. Parker. We can be trusted not to jump to a judgment."

  The investigator continued walking, but finally stopped and looked up at John. "In the stables, I suspect that Jenkins has caused the accident and the other mishaps."

  John thought back to the stable employees and nodded his head. "I, myself, wondered about him. How did you come to this conclusion?"

  "When questioned, he did not look me in the eye. Jenkins had the means to do so and was working in the stables each time something occurred. I am anxious to know if he has worked where he stated he has."

  "And in the house," John said, "who do you suspect?"

  "The new nurse, Nancy," Mr. Parker stated easily enough. "She has been employed since the incidents in the house began. Again, she has the means to do so and, as a nurse, has knowledge about the amount of laudanum needed to cause Miss Dutton to be sleeping soundly when the fire began. Also, she is often in the kitchen, and the cook said the day of the poisoning, Nancy was hovering around the tea tray. It is my understanding, she has been seen talking to Jenkins on more than one occasion. In fact, the stable hands have teased Jenkins about Nancy being sweet on him.”

  "I cannot like her," John confided. "From the moment she arrived she has unsettled me somehow. Even my valet, Martin, has said she seems shifty eyed."

  "Yes, I sp
oke to your man. He, after all, could not be a suspect since he was not here when the earlier incidents occurred. Martin confided in me that he suspected Nancy and how you had asked him to keep an eye on her."

  The two men continued to walk side by side. "I do believe I will hear back soon on the inquiries, my lord."

  ****

  When it was time to prepare for dinner, Willa was carried upstairs to the Bath chair which had been returned to that level. It was nice, she mused, to have mobility on each floor. Fayre accompanied her to the second floor, but it was Molly who came outside to push the chair into the girls' bed chamber.

  "Did you want to change or just freshen up, Miss Willa?" the maid asked her.

  As it was quite a bit of work to change clothes, Willa had taken to only freshening up most evenings. Her family and John did not expect her to dress for dinner each night in her condition. "I'll freshen up, Molly."

  Molly assisted her in washing up and was finishing doing her hair when Nancy walked in the door. "I can take Miss Willa out to be carried downstairs, Molly. That way you can help Miss Fayre with her dinner preparations."

  "That's alright," Fayre said from behind the dressing screen. "I'm used to doing things myself. Molly, why don't you take Willa out?"

  "I insist," Nancy said as she pushed the Bath chair toward the door of the bed chamber. Before anyone could act, Willa was being pushed rather wildly down the hallway.

  "Nancy, please stop. You're frightening me," Willa commanded.

  The nurse ignored her and picked up her speed. Footsteps sounded behind them, and Willa looked back to see Fayre, scantily clad in a dressing gown and Molly pounding down the hallway toward them.

  "Stop this minute!" Fayre demanded.

  "Nancy, please stop," Molly pleaded.

  Willa realized the speed with which the nurse was pushing her was quite intentional. That was when she realized Nancy was the person who was attempting to kill her. It all fit into place. "Nancy, you are fired!" she stated emphatically.

  It mattered little because Willa was given a shove toward the stairs and was soon careening down the steep stairway in a three wheeled chair. Not knowing what else to do, she screamed at the same time as did Molly and Fayre.