Regency Romance: The Earl’s Unexpected Journey Of Love (The Fairbanks Series - Love & Hearts) (Historical Romance Fiction)

by Jessie Bennett

  “It must have been an incredibly large animal to do this kind of damage,” Joshua said. He walked to the prone man. “Come. Help me.”

  “I will continue checking around the area,” Cain said. “I have my pistol. I am not worried about a wolf.”

  “Be careful, my lord,” Juliette said instinctively in a worried voice. Cain smiled at her.

  “Do not worry about me, my lady,” he said gently.

  “It is not necessarily only wolves out there to be afraid of, my lord. You must be cautious.”

  “You know that I will be, my lady. Go with Joshua into the hut. We all need to stay together.”

  “Don’t be long, Uncle,” Joshua said, tucking his hands under the armpits of the fallen man while James took hold of Charlie’s legs. “I want to go back to the shore and retrieve our things. It is a much better idea to have everything here.”

  “I can go back to the-”

  “No, Uncle! I would much rather you allow me and James to go with you.”

  James’s face took on a look of reluctance. Juliette could tell he didn’t want to go back out into the woods, not even to retrieve their things from the shore. She wondered if there was more to what the man had seen than a mere wolf. As Joshua had pointed out, the claw marks on the man’s chest seemed to indicate something else. A wolf would surely have killed the man and dragged his body somewhere for the pack to chew.

  The thought gave her chills. She shivered. Cain was correct – they needed to stay together in the hut. “Come, Betts,” she said, taking her maid’s hand.

  The two women hurried towards the dwelling. It was a log building, set low to the ground. Its presence there showed the presence of people – a fact that bothered Juliette more than she dared admit. The place seemed deserted, though, and James had seen no-one when he was first there.

  Joshua and James carried their fallen fellow to the hut, Joshua looking down the body to check for the signs of shallow breath. As they did so, he looked at James who was staring after the two women, a strange look on his face.

  “You are hiding something, James,” he said. “Please tell us what you know.”

  James stood, frozen in place. “No…no, sir. I am hiding nothing.”

  “I don’t believe you.” Joshua’s voice was stern. “These marks…they do not indicate a wolf attack. Charlie would be injured in a more severe manner, I am sure of it. Not just a mere swipe across the chest. Wolves do not do that, and you know that as well as I do.”

  James said nothing. The young Earl turned his eyes to Cain, who was standing on the edge of the clearing.

  “Take the man inside,” Cain directed. “And we will all have a discussion as we head to the shore.”

  “Yes, my lord.” James's voice was a low whisper.

  As they walked with Charlie’s unconscious body toward the hut, Joshua thought about the situation for a moment. Having a discussion with James would mean leaving the women behind with the two officers while he, Cain and James went back for the supplies from the shore. That would never do. He glanced at his uncle, swivelling his eyes to the two women. His uncle nodded.

  “Ladies? Will you join us here?”

  Betts did not need to be called – she was already walking towards the hut, refusing to let her patient out of her sight, and Juliette followed her inside. They went through the front door of the hut together.

  They set Charlie’s body down on the floor, where Betts laid out a cloak for him. She was now sitting beside him.

  Juliette glanced around the place, seeking any information she could glean about its creators. The walls were crudely made of logs, and there were two small piles of belongings in the rear. She went over cautiously to inspect, feeling sure she would not be missed as Betts and the major worked together on the fallen man.

  She bent down to look at the piles, noticing that they seemed to be two distinct sorts: one of cotton items, and one of tins and jars. She lifted something from the pile of cloth – it was stiff with salt, but otherwise clean. It seemed to be a tapestry-work cushion, almost identical to one they had at home. Seeing it here was so incongruous it was almost shocking. She dropped it, then lifted it again, holding it closer to her eyes. It was certainly from Europe – the scene of flowers and leaves exactly like something she herself would render. It, like everything else, was covered in dust and just slightly moist, and she laid it down after a close inspection. She inspected the rest of the hut quickly. The tins and bottles must once have contained foodstuffs, and it seemed likely they had been salvaged from some wreck. They were also undoubtedly of European origin, though no lettering remained to help her guess the country.

  While Juliette was investigating, lost in musings, Joshua and Cain had left.

  “Uncle, “ Joshua was saying, “you and James go back to the shore, to salvage what we can from the boat. Bring the food and the medical kit.”

  Cain nodded. James stared at Joshua with a look that could easily have been mistaken for anger.

  Joshua looked back equably. “I believe you have more to tell us about what happened here, James,” he said calmly. “But I do not wish you to frighten the women. I expect you will tell my uncle exactly what happened here on your way back to the shore.”

  The man seemed rooted to the spot, staring down at his companion. He was white, his pale skin contrasting sharply with his dark mustache and beard. Joshua was afraid he would faint, the shock catching up with him, and nodded to his uncle, who stepped forward in response to him.

  Cain took James’s arm and helped him back out through the door.

  Joshua turned to the women. Betts was already peeling back the torn shirt, her previous horror given way to a ruthless competence.

  “Let us look through the hut for anything we might be able to use,” Joshua said to Juliette. He turned back to Betts, who had finished peeling back the shirt. The major and Sir Oliver were engaged in making a construction over the fire, and boiling water in a tin mug which one of them luckily had. “That blood has begun to dry,” he said, and knelt to examine the wounded man. “And his head is wounded. Look here,” he said, calling Juliette from her inspection of the tins and boxes.

  “He fell?” Juliette asked, looking at where the back of the skull was swollen in a thick mass, the center damp with blood. Looking at the wound, she knew it was a poor explanation – the lump looked as though the man had been struck with some force.

  “It would not have caused an impact wound such as this,” Joshua said, echoing what she had already concluded. “I don’t know what happened, but I don’t think it was a wolf.”

  “Why would James lie to us? Why would you not he just tell the truth?”

  Joshua looked angry. “I have no idea. It is not a good thing, though. He can’t be trusted.”

  “You didn’t trust him before,” Juliette pointed out, knowing he was aware that she had heard some of his conversation when she had woken up earlier in the day.

  “No. But that was with you and your maid. Not with his own crewmate.”

  “You did not trust them with us? If any of them get funny, I'll show them.” Betts’ jaw visibly clenched and she pulled back a little.

  “You have nothing to fear, Betts,” Juliette tried to reassure her. “These men will not let them hurt us.”

  “We will certainly protect you both,” Joshua said, nodding. “You do not have anything to fear. That is why I was not going to leave you alone here to go back to the shore and retrieve supplies. My uncle and James are capable of getting what is needed.”

  Betts still looked uncomfortable, but she maintained her work, carefully cleaning the dried blood from around the wounds. The men outside were almost finished with their water, and she called to them to bring it to her as soon as it had boiled. It seemed to Juliette that the two officers were slightly in awe of the slight, blonde-haired woman, for they obeyed with out question, and she bit back a smile. Her maid, it seemed, had two admirers here now.

  She sighed. Her own feelings for
Joshua were deep and complex. All she knew was that she trusted Joshua and his uncle with her life. She wished she could speak to Betts, sure that the older woman could help her understand the wild mix of emotions that possessed her whenever Joshua was near, but her concentration was focused on the wounded man, and Juliette knew she would have to wait for days before they could give thought to things other than the wounded, and survival. She resumed her search in the boxes and tried to be as helpful as she could to the team around the wounded man.

  When the two men returned, they had brought as much of the supplies as they were capable of bringing. The day was growing warm. The trees surrounding the small hut held in the cool moist air. Juliette surmised it was about midday, which would explain why her stomach was rumbling for food. It seemed Cain had a similar thought, for he rolled forward a barrel succinctly, setting it in the middle of the floor.

  “Here are the provisions.”

  “I will see to readying something for us” she said, and Cain smiled at her gratefully. “There must be something I can use here.” She fell silent as she opened the barrel, glancing back to see Joshua and Cain discussing how to bring the wounded man to consciousness. Joshua was showing Cain the wound on Charlie’s head. Betts and the two officers were cleaning the wounds on his chest, deep in concentration.

  Juliette found some cured, salted meat in the barrel, and more of the ubiquitous biscuits. She tried to contrive sandwiches, hacking slices off the cured pork with a knife retrieved from one of the men. At the bottom of the barrel she found limes. She handed one to each of them, and sat down with her own sandwich next to Betts, who was keeping her eyes on James, as if daring him to try anything with her.

  Juliette had noticed that when Cain and James came back from their retrieval mission, Cain looked angry.

  She wondered what James had confided in him. She hoped he would tell them soon, and subtly resented the fact that they did not wish to frighten her by divulging the information when she or Betts were listening. Far from being frightened by knowing what had happened, she was more likely to be frightened by her own imaginings!

  Patience, my girl, she thought to herself. Patience. She was certain all would become clear soon. Until it did, she, like Betts, would keep a wary eye on their fellow crewman. There was more to this situation than met the eye and she did not like it. Not at all.

  CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

  CONFLICT

  CONFLICT

  The night was eerily quiet. Juliette noticed right away that the sounds that she typically heard in the woods were not there. The only sound she could hear was the rustling of leaves as the breeze blew fitfully through them. She stepped out of the small hut, a blanket wrapped around her shoulders. She and Betts had spent most of the evening warming water in two tin buckets Cain had found among the things salvaged from the ship. It was a relief beyond measure to be able to bathe themselves and wash away three days of dirt.

  Some other things had washed ashore, one of which was a loose cotton night-robe, which she had dried in the sun. She was glad to have on clean clothes, however outlandish they might be. She was delighted by how the soft fabric felt brushing against her skin.

  The stars were bright in the night sky above. She stared at them, wondering if her father might also be looking up at them at that moment, wondering how she was and if she was safely in Africa. How would he find out what happened? How would anyone know they had not gone down with the ship?

  No one would know.

  Her heart sank and she tried hard to find a silver lining, to find something positive about the situation on which to focus. A shadow moved in the doorway behind her, and Juliette turned to see a dark shape there – tall, with the back slightly bent, the firelight outlining pale hair, making it a halo. Joshua. He bent to retrieve a lantern, and the flare of light illuminated his fine features, making her gasp.

  She stood just below the roof, looking up at the sky. He came up behind her. She was aware of his presence, but he did not touch her. It made her skin tingle, knowing he was so close, yet would not lay a hand on her.

  “You cannot sleep?” he asked.

  “Yes,” she whispered, voice thin on the breeze. When he said nothing in reply, only stood behind her, she turned to him. “Will you tell me what is going on?” she asked in a low voice. “Has Cain spoken to you about what happened earlier today?”

  Joshua said nothing at first. He stared out into the darkness, setting his lantern to hang on a nail attached to one of the load bearing wooden poles.

  “My lord, please tell me? I need to know.”

  Joshua pressed his lips together. “I am not sure it is a good idea to give you details, my lady.”

  “I will not be afraid,” she said stoutly.

  “There is no need to involve you, my lady,” Joshua said quietly. “Uncle Cain suggested that it was best not to tell too many people.”

  Juliette frowned at him. “Sir, it places me in far greater peril to keep me in ignorance of the danger,” she remonstrated. “If I know, I shall be better prepared to protect myself, and Bette.” She indicated the sleeping woman, who was stretched out beside the prone man, sleeping a sleep of utter weariness.

  “I cannot think of anything you might be able to do to defend yourself, Miss Juliette.”

  “Then you do not know me very well!” Juliette said, feeling a sudden rush of anger. “I am perfectly capable of handling myself in the face of danger.”

  Joshua raised his eyebrows. “May I ask when the last time was that you were required to handle yourself in a time of danger?”

  Juliette could not answer. She had never been in real danger in her life. She looked away, feeling stupid.

  “There is no need to be ashamed of that,” Joshua said quietly. “Until a month ago, I could not have said I had, either.”

  Juliette turned away, about to go back inside.

  Joshua shook his head, unable to formulate any words to say to her. She was very angry with him, he could see, and he regretted offending her.

  “I am sorry, my lady,” he began, feeling helpless.

  “Please tell me?” Juliette said a little desperately “I do not like being treated like a child.”

  Her eyes were wide and they seemed as much angry as they were beseeching.

  The thought crossed Joshua’s mind that the lady was beautiful even when she was angry and before he could stop himself, the trace of a smile crossed his lips. It was gone in an instant, but Juliette had seen it.

  Her heart sank. He was not going to tell her. He did not trust her. She felt constrained by his care for her, and almost wished he would retract it, would treat her as her father would have, instead of cossetting her so against the world. She felt a tear trickle down her cheek as she thought of her father.

  “My lady..?” Joshua said.

  She whirled away from him, the anger and sadness swamping her so that, in that moment, she wished only to be alone.

  “My lady, don’t! Don’t go out there alone!” Joshua called after her, immediately following.

  She turned around again to face him. “Why not?”

  “My lady, I don’t think…”

  “Then I am going! And you can’t stop me! I will sleep on the beach!”

  “That’s ridiculous! Stop, my lady! Please!” He sounded desperate, and a small part of Juliette wept for him even as she walked resolutely ahead. “Don’t go out in the dark alone,” he called. “There are animals: snakes, insects, rodents, and other dangerous creatures. There could be island natives. Who built this place? There are too many dangers and unknowns.”

  She turned around again, almost thirty feet from the hut along the trackway they had followed. She did not relish the thought of being attacked by wild animals or hostile humans. Nevertheless, she did want the truth. “Tell me what attacked Charlie and I will come back,” she asked.

  Joshua hesitated. When she spun around to run away again, he stopped her, reaching out and grabbing her arm. “Wait, Lady Juliette! Wait
.”

  There was something in his voice that made her stop. She turned slowly this time, looking up at him. His voice had changed. He was no longer patronizing her. He was not amused or confused. He spoke gently. She could hear his passion in his voice. It made her want to hear him speak that way more often.

  “I am sorry I offended you, Miss Juliette.” His smile was gone and he looked contrite and concerned. Juliette walked towards him slowly.

  Joshua watched her approach, heaving a breath of relief. If telling her the truth would keep her safe, in the hut and near to him, he would tell her.

  “My uncle and I agreed that it would be best to keep the information from you,” he began, “but I agree. You are not only entitled to the truth, you are also fully capable of processing it without fear. Correct?”

  She inhaled deeply. “You are, my lord.”

  Joshua let go of her arm. The space where he had been touching her was instantly cold and she wanted him to take hold of her again. She moved instinctively closer to him and looked up directly into his eyes.

  “You will tell me the truth?”

  Joshua glanced back at the hut before turning back to her. “I will tell you the truth.” He pressed his lips together, trying to process how he could tell her without sounding foolish.

  She waited patiently, saying nothing. He blinked a few times, glad that he could at least see her beautiful face in the moonlight. She was giving him a loving look, a look that told him she wanted to trust him with her life. In order for her to do that, he had to trust her, as well. He took a deep breath, trying to contain the rush of feelings that was stirring his blood and flooding his thoughts, and told her.

  “James told Uncle Cain that he did not believe what his eyes had shown him.”

  Juliette frowned, her eyebrows furrowing together in her confusion. “Whatever do you mean?”

  “He said that the wolf that attacked Charlie was the size of a man, and that it stood on two legs. Its claws were longer than that of an average wolf. Its head was larger as well. James was in front of Charlie, and they were cutting away at the brush. They saw the hut and were making a path to it when it happened. James said he turned when he heard Charlie cry out. When he turned to look, Charlie was falling to the ground. The beast – that is the word James called it – grabbed Charlie and held him up. It looked up at James and ran away. James had to cut out the rest of the path to the hut. Once he reached it, he was so terrified that he could not bring himself to come back out and carry Charlie to the hut, and instead he ran back to find us.”