Regency Romance: Fallen Duchess (A Historical Victorian Murder Mystery Love Regency Romance)

by Tracey D Morgan

  “Tell her, Lucius,” Ambrose urged.

  “It’s about your friend. The one you know under the name Ruth Rigdon, if I’m not mistaken.”

  “Ruth?” Eliza jumped. “You know something about Ruth? Is she all right? Where is she? What happened to her?” She showered him with questions.

  “I assure you the lady is perfectly safe, though I’m sorry to say not perfectly fine.” He hesitated to continue.

  “What do you mean?” Eliza was shocked. “What happened to Ruth?”

  “Miss Rigdon, the name we’ll call her by, though her real name is apparently Alice Brookley, is lying in a hospital in Oakley Bridge, just a few miles out of town,” he stated formally.

  “So, why don’t we go get her?” Eliza was eager to act immediately.

  “Well, things aren’t that simple.” Lucius looked at Ambrose, as if he wasn’t sure how to proceed. Ambrose simply nodded. “The thing is Miss Rigdon has lost her memory.”

  “She what?” Eliza couldn’t believe her ears. That wasn’t possible. It couldn’t be.

  “We recognized her from a photo of her and the baby she had on her. Their names were written on the back. After Ambrose contacted me to let me know that you were looking for a woman of a similar physical description, I knew there was a possibility that we were dealing with one and the same woman.”

  “She doesn’t remember anything?” Eliza asked, sadly. “What about her baby?”

  “Unfortunately, she doesn’t seem to know who she is, let alone anyone else. We were actually hoping that perhaps if she sees someone she knows, someone who is dear to her, her memory might be triggered and might return to her. Otherwise, our hands are tied.”

  “Ambrose, we have to go.” Eliza approached him quickly, placing her hand firmly on his shoulder. “We have to.”

  “Calm down, Eliza. We’ll go,” he said. “But you need to brace yourself. There is a possibility that her memory never returns.”

  “What happened to her?” Eliza turned back to Lucius.

  “Well, from what we gathered, one of the ruffians used her as a human shield as he was trying to ride away on his horse. She was sitting behind him. The horse was startled by all the gunshots and propped itself up, throwing off both Miss Rigdon and the ruffian. She seemed to have gotten the worse end of the stick because as she fell, her head landed on a sharp rock, and she was left unconscious for several days at the hospital. Upon waking up, she had no idea who she was or where she was going.”

  “Poor Ruth!” Eliza started crying.

  “There, there, dearie.” Ambrose tried to console her. “We’ll go immediately and see what we can do for her. Go get ready. I’ll keep an eye on the little one in the meantime.”

  Eliza quickly packed the bare necessities she would need for this short journey, and within the next hour, the threesome was traveling to Oakley Bridge. There wasn’t much talking going on. Both Eliza and Ambrose seemed to be lost in their own thoughts. The only calm person was Ruth’s little baby, who seemed at ease knowing that she would get to see her mother again.

  Eliza was thinking about the possibility of Ruth not remembering her own child. What would happen then to Ruth and to the baby? Ambrose, on the other hand, was afraid that such a tragedy could mar their future happiness, but he dared not voice his fears. He just kept looking at Eliza every once in a while, admiring her beautiful face, which appeared calm even though he knew that there was a storm of emotion brewing underneath.

  Upon their arrival at Oakley Bridge Hospital, the nurse led them to a big room that housed several patients, all of whom were bandaged severely. Ruth, who seemed to be the only one with a bandage on her head, was calmly lying in her hospital bed looking at one blank point across from where she was reclining.

  “Hold the baby,” Eliza told Ambrose at the doorway. “I’ll go first, and see how she’s doing. When I call you, then come and bring the baby with you.” Ambrose nodded in agreement.

  Eliza approached Ruth’s bed slowly. The smell of chloroform was heavy, permeating the air. The other patients were talking, but they were not too loud. Before finally reaching Ruth’s bed, Eliza said a quick prayer.

  “Ruth?” she addressed the reclining woman. There was no sign that she understood or even heard her.

  That was silly, Eliza thought to herself. Maybe I was supposed to call her by her real name? Maybe she forgot that she had introduced herself to me under a pseudonym?

  “Alice?” A slight stir. Did she hear her?

  “Alice, it’s me, Eliza. Remember?” Alice moved her head a little toward Eliza, but she still wasn’t looking at her.

  “We met on the train. Remember?” She spoke softly, afraid to speak up.

  “Train?” Alice finally spoke up.

  “Yes! Yes, in the train. I’m Eliza,” Eliza repeated.

  “Eliza?” Alice turned to her. Her eyes didn’t show any signs of recognition but rather of curiosity. “Eliza.”

  “Yes, Eliza. Do you remember me, Alice?”

  Alice shook her head.

  “We were attacked on the train, remember?” Eliza hoped that drawing specific images in Alice’s mind would trigger her memory.

  “Attacked?” Alice echoed.

  “Yes, by a cowboy gang. You were taken as a hostage.”

  “Taken?” Alice was simply echoing. It didn’t seem like the two were having an actual conversation at all.

  No, this isn’t working, Eliza thought to herself. She turned around to Ambrose and gestured him to bring the little one. Taking her from him, Eliza tried to place the baby gently in Alice’s arms.

  At first, Alice seemed shocked. She didn’t move, she simply allowed her arms and hands to be positioned in the best way possible to receive a sleeping baby. Her eyes revealed shock and confusion.

  “It’s your baby, Alice. Do you remember?” Eliza was hoping that this would be it. Otherwise, there would be nothing else left to try. They would have to give up and return home.

  Alice was quiet, even with a baby in her arms. She was motionless, her eyes frantically traveling from the baby to Eliza and then back to the baby.

  Then, in an effort to return the slumbering little bundle to Eliza, Alice moved too quickly, and the baby started crying. Suddenly, Eliza noticed what she had come all this way to see: a spark of recognition. It wasn’t the sight of her child that triggered Alice’s memory but rather her cry, the baby letting her know how much she was missed and how much she needed her back.

  “Oh, my little one!” Alice finally spoke up and hugged her baby tight. She rocked her gently, and in a matter of seconds, the baby was happy and calm once again, as if nothing bad had ever happened to any of them.

  When she lifted her gaze back up, Alice recognized Eliza as well.

  “Eliza!” Her eyes teared up with joy upon seeing her unlikely friend. “Eliza, you came to find me!”

  “Of course I did, Alice,” Eliza smiled, purposefully accentuating the name.

  “Oh, that.” Alice seemed slightly embarrassed by the fact that she was caught in a lie. “I’m sorry I didn’t give you my real name. It’s just … ”

  “It doesn’t matter.” Eliza placed her hand gently on Alice’s. “And besides, I like Alice much better than Ruth.” She winked at her.

  “I don’t know how to repay you,” Alice started but was interrupted by Ambrose.

  “Well, you could honor us with your presence at our upcoming wedding.” He kissed Eliza’s head lovingly.

  “Really?” She looked at both of them, earnestly happy. “That is wonderful news. Of course I’ll be there, —with bells on!” All three laughed merrily.

  The following arrangement was achieved: Alice was to stay with Ambrose and Eliza until she could get back on her feet and continue her journey. In the meantime, her husband to-be was informed of everything and was expected to come for her any day.

  Ambrose and Eliza’s wedding was one to be remembered, not simply because it was a big deal for everyone in their little town or
for the fact that Eliza looked like an angel sent from the heavens themselves. It was actually because this was the holy union of two truly magnificent people who laid their lives not only for God but also for their fellow man. In return, they received a truly just reward: the return of that same life, only improved.

  Yes, God is sometimes mute, but he is always watching and pondering. The harmony of his ways teaches His children to be gentle with one another, just like Ambrose and Eliza. Because blessed is the person who has love in his or her heart, for true love has the power to affect the lives of ordinary men and women and send them on a righteous path to their eternal destiny.

  THE END

  Return to the TOC for Bonus Content

  A Mother's Eternal Love

  Chapter 1:

  I didn’t care how the wind ripped through the valley this night—my son and I were done. My son, Thomas, wouldn’t see his ma get battered by a man anymore. I wouldn’t allow it.

  I carried my son as we hurried through the train station while the rain poured and the wind howled. It wasn’t the best night to be out, but it was the only chance I had. I tried to cover my face so no one could see the bruises and ask questions. I simply didn’t have the time and couldn’t risk the delay as we escaped to what I hoped would be a life of freedom.

  In hand I had a suitcase, filled with the letters written to me by David Copland. He and my husband were comrades in the war. They’d gotten close during the hard times and stayed good friends until the end. When my husband passed away from a gunshot wound, he told David to take care of me. He’d never come in person, but his letters hold power over my heart beyond measure. The tales he told captivated me. He and my husband braved everything together.

  I was used to Jacob being a tough man, but those stories reminded me how strong he really was. After all, he joined the Union even though we were from the heart of the South. We moved up North as a family at the start of the war, and my son and I counted the days for him to finally come through the door and greet us with open arms. That day never came, and I had to muster up the courage to move on for the sake of my son.

  To make things worse, his brutish older brother, Nathan, took his inner frustrations out on me. He’d been in love with me, but I chose Jacob over him. That never sat well with him. Once Jacob died, Nathan tried his hand at having his way with me. I prayed to God that He would keep me safe from Nathan. All we had was one another. The three of us were all that was left, and Jacob always thought Nathan would take care of me. Little did he know about the evil that lurked in his brother’s black heart.

  Beatings were more common now than trying to sexually assault my body. I presumed this was because he got interested in another woman, but he liked to punish me for all of the suffering I put him through for not choosing him. He also was blaming me for Jacob’s death. I don’t know how it could be correlated, but somehow he’d worked it out that way.

  The only thing that mattered now was that we were leaving. Thomas clung to me as I guided him through the busy station among the other people. This poor child. I had enough of him being subjected to the wrongs of our world at such an early age. I feared he would age well before his time because of all of the things he’d witnessed, but what could I do? I was only one woman, and no male figures he could accurately remember had ever shown him how to be a man. It was left to me to raise him to be better than his uncle and more like the good descent man his father was, the man my son would barely remember when he grew. Such thoughts brought tears to my eyes.

  He whimpered a little. I knew he was aware that something was different. “Hush now, Thomas. We’re going to meet a friend,” I said after some hesitation. I wasn’t sure how to put it to him. I knew I was taking a chance following my heart to be with a man I’d never met, but there was no way to explain that to my 2-year-old son..

  At first David’s letters were cordial and businesslike. But with each story, we started to open up to each other. Things changed. Suddenly I could feel his desire to be near me. I knew he hesitated—I thought because he was a descent man—but somehow I felt like in his last days my husband might even have suggested this to David.

  I held Thomas closer to me as we neared the train headed out West to Montana. I had never been to a place like it, but that’s where this retired military man had planted his roots. It was all I knew about him these days. Just a couple of weeks ago, his letters stopped coming.

  I knew when they got here and had timed it down to the second. As pathetic as that sounds, it was all I had. It happened so suddenly that I feared the worst. Surely David hadn’t met the demise my husband had. I could only hope and pray. That was all that I had. If I got there and he wasn’t alive, I would only have my son and my faith to keep me stuck to this world.

  Everything seemed to be going smoothly, though I was still worried Nathan would catch up to us. I didn’t let Thomas catch on to my fear. My heart pounded in my chest and sounded like a thousand galloping horses in my ears. My palms were clammy. I knew he had already caught on to the fact that we were gone. I only hoped I was right about my timing.

  Thomas got giddy when he noticed the train—now in all its glory. To me, it sat there like a chariot to freedom, and to him, it was an adventure. We both had similar smiles plastered on our faces.

  “Train! Train!” he shouted excitedly, bucking in my arms as if to hurry me along toward it.

  Even though I was excited, I felt a pang of fear as we stepped forward. I couldn’t be certain why, but it didn’t stop me from moving on. “That’s right. But you know you’ve been aboard one of these before,” I said, smiling down at him.

  He paused for a moment while he contemplated my words, but his excitement resumed. “Train!” he shouted once more.

  I giggled, but it was cut short when I heard a familiar voice ordering people to move out of his way.

  I turned around quickly and saw him standing there. Nathan had the ugliest scowl on his face.

  My heart froze. I wished to God right now that He would deliver me and my son safely away. If we could just make it to that train, we would never have to look back on this again. We would be free—if I could just get to David.

  “Woman, you really think you can just walk out on me? Where you going with all my money?” he asked with a sneer as he approached.

  No one seemed to be moving to help us. I always thought the one thing the North was missing was a little sense of morality. I could have just been thinking in the moment, but I was scared and alone with my son, and obviously this man wasn’t stable. I knew people heard that last comment about “his” money and assumed I had made my own bed with this situation. If only they knew he’d just confiscated all the funds Jacob left me.

  “This ain’t your money,” I hollered back at him.

  “You know it is, and you’re going to hand it over. You need to bring yourself back home and stop this nonsense,” he said.

  He was a nasty man, and people seemed to finally get this. No doubt they finally saw the marks and bruises on my face. A few men seemed to be closing around us in the event he acted out.

  “You need to leave this young woman alone,” a man said as he stepped forward. He wasn’t nearly as big as Nathan, and I feared for his safety.

  “Get the heck out of my way,” Nathan said in a dangerous growl as he stepped forward and pushed the man.

  He was moved aside easily, and I knew at that moment I was done for.

  “Ma,” Thomas said in a quivering voice.

  I held his hand tighter as I took a step back toward the train. I could feel the warmth of people behind us, though, and wondered why they hadn’t cleared a path. I was sick to my stomach thinking it was just to see a little domestic drama.

  “You know Jacob would have your head for this, scaring up a widowed woman and her child,” I said defensively as I glared at him.

  “Jacob ain’t here no more. I’m the one that’s responsible for feeding you, keeping you clothed and maintaining the roof over your
head. I’m the one that makes sure that little waste of space gets to have an education. I even sacrifice my social life for you,” he said angrily.

  “Nobody told you that you had to be in love with me,” I spat back. “I’m not holding you back. You are! You know you’re wrong for keeping that girl on the sidelines,” I said.

  I could barely see straight. “And I couldn’t love a man that beats his woman.”

  Women gasped, and men murmured among themselves—except for the ones who grabbed Nathan up. “I knew you hit that woman,” one of them said in a low tone.

  Nathan was pulled away while he cursed and kicked. “I’mma find you and get my money back, Wendy. I hope you don’t forget because you’ve done it now,” he threatened as he was pulled off.

  People were staring at us, and Thomas was clinging to me even harder as he felt the burden and pressure.

  I could only stare back at them, wondering why they were treating us like some kind of circus act. Luckily, somebody had some compassion in his heart.

  “OK, OK, break it up, and let the lady on the train,” one of the patrolmen said as he broke up the crowd. He looked over at me and frowned. “Are you OK, Miss? You look like he socked you a good one in your eye there. I hate to send you and the boy alone after something like that,” he said.

  I nodded my head. “Everything will be fine. As long as he isn’t near me, we’ll be fine,” I said to reassure him, though my mind was drifting. I was worried about that threat. Would David agree to put me and my son up when a madman might be after us?

  The patrolman nodded. “I won’t take up any more of your time then. You should definitely keep yourself nearby someone in case he comes looking for you. I’m sure he’ll be spending a few nights away from home, though,” he said with a smile.

  I thanked him for his help and got on the train with my son. Once we were on board, I cuddled him close to me and draped my shawl over his shoulders to warm him.

  “Bad man?” Thomas asked as he looked up at me with teary eyes..