Finally the clock in the hall chimed two and Rose requested that Williams fetch her light weight gig to be brought around. At just that moment, Benedict arrived home.
Rose was standing in the foyer with the dogs running circles of excitement about her feet, they were all ready to depart, when Benedict came stomping up the front steps covered in snow. He handed his hat, great-cloak and gloves to Roberts and continued to brush snow from his breeches as he removed his boots with the aid of the iron boot pull.
"You're dressed ready to go out, my dear, but by Hades it is blowing hard outside and it is extremely cold. Wherever are you planning to go in this snowstorm?"
Rose was so aggravated. She had so hoped to be away before he returned home. Now she would have to explain her plan to her husband. "I have an appointment with a dear friend, a Miss Emily Jones. She is a fellow American I met aboard The Gwendolyn and we are meeting in Kensington Gardens at two-thirty, while I exercise the dogs this afternoon. I assure you, sir, that I will only stay a moment and will be home well before dark."
"Don't be ridiculous, Rose; my heavy coach struggled through this blizzard. The sky looks as if snow will continue well on into the night. Your light gig has no business being out in this weather. I am afraid you'll have to send word to your friend that you won't be able to attend and rearrange your walk with her for another time."
Rose was furious. He just had to take this away from her…. She gave up. Why bother saying anything at all to him? He quite obviously thought her utterly ridiculous and immature, and she obviously annoyed him as well.
"Very well… if you insist, my Lord!"
Benedict's eyebrow lifted at her icy tone. He was taken aback by her quick capitulation but before he could reply, Rose had turned and already disappeared up the stairs.
The-the… autocratic bastard! She would meet Emily if she had to walk there! Rose dug through her wardrobe and found her warm fur boots. She discarded her fashionable cape and wrapped herself in a warm fur robe. Peeking over the carved wood balustrade, she watched until Benedict, the dogs and the servants were clear of the hallway and front door. It would be easier to exit there than to go around to the back entrance. The kitchens were full of servants and there was no telling where Benedict might be.
Rose slipped across the hall, down the stairs and out the front door as quietly as a mouse.
Chapter Nineteen
The bluster of a strong winter snow storm met her and nearly blew off her hat. She snuggled deep inside her robe and tied her hat on tighter. Rose had studied a map of London that she had discovered in Benedict's desk drawer. It should only take about half an hour to reach the gardens on foot. She would be a little late but she was sure that Emily would understand. The walking wasn't as difficult as Rose had expected.
The snow had kept most people at home. Indeed, there were very few carriages and the odd hackney struggling through the ever deepening snow on the roads. This was an advantage to Rose as she didn't have to dodge horses or people. However, she found the deepening snow more and more difficult to walk through. Thank goodness she had thought to wear her practical fur boots. Her soft kid leather shoes wouldn't have lasted a minute in such conditions.
Rose walked ever onwards around the higgledy piggledy streets of London and it seemed to her that she got no closer to her goal. She looked to see how far she had come and saw something struggling through the snow a few yards behind her. It was some kind of animal, no, two animals. What in the world? As soon as she heard a familiar deep throated bark accompanied by a little sharp bark she knew instantly. Holly and Pippin had both followed her! How in the world had they gotten out of the house?
She stopped right where she was and waited as they braved the deep snow to catch up with her. The little rascals! Both dogs panted from their exertions but happily greeted her. Pippin ran in circles and Holly stood still as Rose rubbed her soft head.
"Oh, you dear ones, what shall I ever do with you two?" Home was much too far behind her to return the dogs and after all they did need some exercise. She looked down at the pair. "Well, I guess as originally planned, you shall have your walk after all!"
Rose had no idea how much time had passed but she was getting tired. She could see Kensington Palace in the distance. Perhaps if I sit here and rest, just a moment, I shall be able to go on. Rose found a bench covered with snow. She swept off what she could and settled down. Holly and Pippin curled up beside her. She pushed her freezing hands deep inside her fur muff. If only Benedict had lent her his coach but he would never have done that. He would have insisted on accompanying her and she wanted to be alone with her thoughts and with her friend.
The streets were becoming deserted and the sun was dropping behind Westminster. Rose was sure it was far past two-thirty, and she knew that at this time of year, it would be dark by four p.m. Emily had surely given up on her and returned home. A tear trickled down her face and angrily, Rose wiped it away. I refuse to return home. I would rather spend a night in a common boarding house. At least there I shall have some time to myself for reflection. Rose had brought her coin purse with her. She had plenty of money to pay for a night of meal and board.
She felt herself becoming very sleepy, and shaking her head to clear it, she announced to her canine companions, "Come, you two, we shall have to find a place to stay. We cannot sleep out here tonight in this bitter cold and snow."
Rose stood once again and began the difficult trek through the accumulating snow. All she could see were houses with the streets of London snaking in all directions. Rose was tempted to simply knock upon a door. There was no boarding house that she could discern anywhere nearby and she had no idea how to go about finding one.
The snow continued to fall and was coming down fast in thick fluffy flakes. The wind blew in sideways making her squint as she attempted to see as she trudged ever onwards. Rose became so tired that she couldn't be bothered to look too far ahead; she simply stared at her feet and struggled to place one foot in front of the other. Surely soon she must come upon a place to stay.
Rose stumbled and fell into a crumpled heap. She had fallen beside an alley that offered some protection from the cutting wind. She pulled herself along the ground, around the corner of the alleyway wall. Rose curled her feet beneath her as Pippin snuggled in close. Holly lay across her tucked up legs at the back of her knees. With the two dogs almost covering her, Rose almost felt warm. She struggled to stay awake but her head nodded forward until she sunk into a deep, unhealthy sleep.
Benedict was beside himself. Rose could not be found anywhere in the house. After his return, Benedict had retired to the sanctuary of the library to work and had spent the entire afternoon buried in books and ledgers. When four o'clock came, Benedict expected to take tea with Rose as he usually did when home but she did not appear in the withdrawing room.
Benedict climbed the stairs to their bedchamber but Rose was not there either. Calling the servants together he questioned them as to when they had each last seen their mistress. They had each and every one replied that they had not seen her for the entire afternoon. In anger, Benedict strode to the coach house only to find all the horses and carriages in their rightful places. Perhaps she is in a huff and is simply hiding from me. Benedict recalled that she hadn't been as easy with him since he had strapped her. Well, that won't stop me from teaching the naughty besom a goodly lesson when I get my hands on her!
In the meantime, Benedict decided the best course of action was to simply ignore her. Rose would come out when she was good and ready and he had no intention of feeding her little fit of temper by giving her any attention over it.
After working another hour, he noticed that Holly was not in her usual place under his desk. He knew it was time to feed her and she was not begging for her meal. He glanced around the room, Pippin was also missing. By this time of day, the dogs would have been notifying him and all the staff, that it was time for their supper. A feeling of unease began to creep over Benedict.
Benedict quickly arose from his desk and made a thorough search of the house. No dogs and no Rose to be found. "Roberts! Have my carriage readied and brought around front immediately!" He hastily donned his heavy great coat, boots and a fur lined hat. Real worry began to gnaw at him and guilt ate into him as he realised that he should have looked for Rose earlier in the afternoon. It was growing so dark outside. Surely she would not have been so foolish as to try and walk to meet her friend in this dreadful weather? Benedict only hoped that the dogs were with her.
He stepped out the front door and was met by a blanket of silent snow. Every path and footprint was completely covered. Only a very few stragglers were still out and about. Where did she say she was going? Ah yes, to Kensington Gardens, but by Hades, in this snowstorm? Rose, you sweet little ninny!" Benedict jumped to sit up beside his coachman Williams. The added height would help him to spot Rose and the dogs if they were about. Giving his coachman directions, Benedict scanned the area with quick and alert eyes. There was no sign of Rose anywhere. The carriage moved slowly onwards through the deep snow. There was no way to track which direction Rose had taken.
A stab of fear now clenched Benedict's heart. A person could easily freeze to death in weather like this extremely quickly. He again swore at himself for sitting at home and not looking for her sooner. On they went, trying to follow the general path, always keeping the direction of the Gardens in front of them, hoping beyond hope that soon he would spot sight of Rose or one of the dogs.
A familiar sharp bark echoed down the street just ahead. Benedict squinted but could see absolutely nothing in the dark. Again the sharp bark of a small dog sounded. Benedict looked at Williams. "Do you hear that, man?"
"Yes, sir, I believe there's a small dog up ahead but for the devil of me, I can't see a very thing."
"Stop!"
Benedict jumped down from the carriage and ran through the deep snow which crunched under his feet as he ran awkwardly toward the barking and yipping that came from somewhere up ahead. The animal was visible but unrecognizable, snow clumped its fur and all Benedict could just make out were a pair of coal black eyes and a small pink tongue. The snow was as high as the dog's stomach. Benedict followed the small creature; it took off with difficulty, struggling through the snow drifts. It kept stopping, seeming to wait for Benedict to catch up, then gave a little bark and continued onwards, finally stopping at what appeared to be a heap of rubbish lying in the snow.
As he drew near, Benedict could just make out what looked to be a rumpled heap of clothing with a brown and white fur lying atop it, Benedict knelt down. Sad green eyes gazed up at him. "Holly, by gad, what the deuce are you doing out here in the cold, girl?"
The little dog who had led him here gave a sharp bark. "Pippin, so that is you? Oh my God… Rose?"
Benedict quickly reached down and brushed the mound of snow away and saw Rose lying there, as still as death but breathing shallowly, slumped against the wall of the alleyway.
He quickly reached down and lifted her against his chest. Tears of dread tracked their way down Benedict's cold face. "Come on dogs, good dogs… wonderful dogs!" The dogs followed as Benedict carried Rose to the carriage. He opened the door and with Williams' aid, managed to lift Rose into the carriage where she now lay against her husband who was busy chaffing her arms and legs in an effort to bring some warmth back to her extremities. The two dogs shook the snow from their coats before settling at Benedict's feet.
"Home," Benedict shouted up to Williams, "as fast as you can go, man!"
Chapter Twenty
A dark forbidding shadow knelt over her bed and Rose could not escape. She thought it was her father and then the shadow turned into the frowning image of Benedict. She tossed her head from side to side on the pillow. "I must get home, I must get home, I cannot find my way!" Rose clawed at the sheets.
Benedict leaned down to take her gently in his arms. "Hush, my love, you are home, you are safe now." Rose tried to pull away. "Easy now, Rose, easy, my love." Benedict placed his palm upon her forehead. She was burning up. The doctor had already been in today, the sixth day. He had told Benedict that it was fortunate that Rose had survived the exposure at all. Any further delay in finding her would have meant certain death.
Rose gave a congested cough as he laid her gently back upon her pillows. Pippin watched over his mistress as he sat guard on the end of the bed. Holly was ill and was bedded down in the warm kitchen where the devoted staff attended her.
Benedict rinsed out a cloth with cool water and gently patted Rose's forehead. He was beside himself with worry. When he'd arrived home that night, Rose was completely frozen from the cold. He had stripped her and placed her into a warm bath. It had brought some colour back to her white and frozen flesh but she had talked nonsensically as the fever gripped her. Benedict was sure that he had lost her—that his Rose would never come back to him.
He kept vigil beside her bedside remembering their quarrels but mostly remembering the joy Rose had brought into his life. Before he met his little colonial Miss, his life had been well ordered but extremely dull. The thought of losing her sent waves of panic coursing through him.
Rose tossed her head again and mumbled. "I want to go home, I want to go home." Grimly, Benedict wondered if Rose was longing for Virginia. His only desire now was for Rose to return to him. He would show her that England was her home now. She would want for nothing, including his love. He grasped her hand and bought it to his lips, kissing it tenderly.
"Come back, my love, come back to me." Rose turned her head toward him. Her eyes slowly fluttered open. "I love you, Rose." She stared back at him and for the first time in a week Rose spoke with clarity.
"You do… really?" she croaked.
Benedict squeezed her hand with elation and said gently, "Of course I do, sweetheart, I love you with all of my heart and soul. Oh, my dearest Rose, can you ever forgive my behaviour and impatience?"
"If you love me, I can forgive you anything."
Benedict reached out a hand, testing Rose for fever to discover her forehead was cool to the touch for the first time in a week. He reached across and poured her a glass of water and placing a hand beneath her shoulders, he helped her to drink.
"What were you doing out in the freezing snow, Rose? You nearly died, my darling."
"Oh, Benedict, I wanted to see my friend Emily who travelled over on The Gwendolyn with me. She is residing here in London for the winter. I was so angry with you but it seems so long ago now, I can't even remember what I was angry with you about."
"I think that our Holly and Pippin probably saved your life, my love."
Rose raised a hand to her head. "Oh my goodness, so they did, I remember, they followed me out of the house but I didn't realize it until it was too far to walk back. Did you find them still with me?"
"Indeed, I did. They are both fine, in fact, more than fine. I have a wonderful surprise for you, Rose. Here, let me prop you up upon some pillows. The doctor will be by this afternoon. He will probably order you to lie abed and keep warm and quiet. However, Rose, know this, your disobedience nearly cost you your life and so at some point in the future, when you are fully recovered, you will face a spanking across my knee."
Rose smiled weakly. "That I can cope with, my Lord, but I heartily fear your leather strap."
Benedict gave her a grin. "That is what a deterrent is for, my dear one."
He then fluffed her pillows and gently leaned her back against them. He left the room only to return immediately, carrying a lidded basket.
"Look what Holly brought home with her, for our Christmas present." Benedict brought the basket and set it beside Rose upon the bed. Holly and Pippin followed close by. They both jumped up on the bed to sit on the far side of her. Pippin licked her hand lovingly; he seemed to know that Rose was fully on the road to recovery. Rose peeked over into the padded basket.
Inside were five squirming three day old puppies. Each coloured with the brown and white of Hol
ly but textured with the wiry terrier hair of Pippin. Their eyes were still closed as they squirmed about searching for their mother's milk. Holly gave a whine as she lay on her side; Benedict placed the puppies in a row beside her ready for her to nurse.
"Oh, Benedict, Benedict, I can't believe it, Holly was pregnant and with five puppies!" Rose looked across at Pippin. Ever the proud Papa; he panted happily watching his family as he sat on their bed. "Pippin, you are such a little devil." Pippin gave a happy bark and Rose and Benedict laughed easily together.
"It seems, my sweet, that Pippin was far busier than we both imagined, taking a honeymoon all of his own!"
Rose smiled. "I can't believe Holly would allow such a thing but since I allowed much the same liberties with his master, well, I can hardly blame her can I!"
Benedict chuckled as Rose scooped up a wriggling puppy and rubbed its soft downy head against her cheek. "Ah, you sweet little chickadee," she crooned.
"Rose, I know that you are not happy in London, so would you like us to live at Merriton with a full staff next winter? We need not return to London again if you would prefer. I want you to be happy, Rose, and on that note, I want to say once and for all that I am emphatically not Nancy's father."
Rose tipped her head to one side and smiled. "Thank you. I think I already knew that, Benedict. Does this mean that I can remodel the servant's wing at Merriton too?"
Benedict grinned. "So long as you ask the staff what they would like to be done and then discuss it with me, then yes, of course you may... oh and, Rose."
"Yes?"
"Before you ask me, we can keep all of the puppies at Merriton… but only if you manage to sup a bowl of broth right now."
"Oh, Benedict, I will I promise. I am actually a little peckish."
One of the puppies tugged on a sibling's tiny ear. "Look, they are so very adorable and funny, what a simply wonderful Christmas present they are!"
His Colonial Rose Page 15
