Fleeing to the Rakish Duke

by Grace Fletcher

  “Parts,” Georgina said, and perhaps it was the panic, or the fact that she was watching her safety fall down around her, but she clutched at the letter, almost crumpling it in her hands. “I am afraid of him.”

  Norham did not look impressed, though he frowned. “Has he given you cause?”

  Georgina searched for the words, knew that Norham would be harder to convince than Catherine by virtue of not knowing her as well as he might have under different circumstances. “I overheard him talking with his footmen. They plotted the death of my older brother. I fear they meant the same for the twins and Tom.”

  There was a subtle shift on Norham’s face, but Georgina could not pinpoint any particular expression. “Do you have proof?”

  “No,” Georgina said immediately, feeling her hopes deflate. She could not say emphatically what had happened, even though the truth of it had settled around her like a blanket. How could he not see? “Is it not enough that I heard him say as much?”

  “Your uncle is respected enough to be placed in charge of a will,” Norham pointed out, looking impassive, and Georgina hated that she could not parse his thoughts. “It would be your word against his, Miss Adams, and once it is revealed you fled rather than follow proper channels, I do not think they will side with you.”

  It was everything that Georgina had feared, but to hear it laid in front of her by the very man she had hoped would believe her was cutting, and Georgina clenched her hands into fists.

  “Your Grace,” she said, breathless. “Please, you have to believe that I would not lie about this.”

  “You need proof,” Norham pressed, anger bleeding into his tone. The betrayal was back in his expression, and Georgina was terrified. “Accusing a good man of such a thing will only come back against you, do you understand?”

  “I do,” Georgina whispered, and she willed her hands to stop shaking, to stop giving away how terrified she was. Norham calling her uncle a good man made her feel sick, and she wanted to scream that he did not know him, that she did not either—and that was the problem. “With your leave, your Grace.”

  “Please,” Norham said, gesturing for the door. “You are dismissed, Miss Adams.”

  Fleeing the room, Georgina’s mind was racing through her options. It was obvious that Norham was going to contact her uncle and it would only be a matter of time before he arrived at the estate, or Norham would force her to leave, and she could not allow that. Her siblings would not be safe, not while she remained here.

  Heading into the wilderness had not helped them last time, but Georgina was running out of options, and she could think of no other way for them all to stay together. Her uncle would not allow it, now that they had defied him once.

  Georgina hurried upstairs, packing the meager clothes they had brought with them. She would have to take the children in some clothes gifted to them by Catherine and Norham, but Georgina would find a way to pay them back. There was no time to do anything else.

  When the children returned, Georgina had to move through the rest of the lessons preoccupied with everything left to do. She would leave after dinner, when everyone had retired, and sneak into the kitchens for a little food should they need it on the road. It did not look like favorable weather. She would make money somehow and send it back to Norham and Catherine to repay them for their kindness. Until then, it would have to be enough.

  Pulling Jacob aside, as the others raced up the stairs to clean up for dinner, she kneeled in front of him, hands tight. “Jacob, I know that you are happy here, but something has happened, and I need you to be strong for me. Tonight, I need you to get the children up and down to the hall, can you do that?”

  Jacob looked sad, and then something about his expression went hard, not unlike Norham. It was painful, how much he had been trying to emulate the duke. “Do we need to leave?”

  Georgina nodded. “Uncle Red is going to come looking for us here.”

  It was enough to have Jacob straightening up, eyes holding a wealth of fear and apprehension, but he swallowed, head bobbing as he nodded. “Alright, Georgina. I’ll get them ready. I don’t like this.”

  “Neither do I, Jacob, I promise you. I don’t see any other way.”

  Jacob sighed, but pulled away from her, promising he would get his siblings gathered in the hall after everyone had gone to bed that night. Georgina trusted him to keep his word, so she retreated to her own bedroom to change for dinner. She stared at herself in the mirror, hating what she had been driven to when she was trying to protect her siblings.

  Dinner was strained, and though Catherine tried once more to bridge the gap, it was futile. Jacob was just as subdued, though he had not said anything to his siblings yet, as they were amiable and laughing gently with Mary and Isabella. Georgina felt a surge of guilt at dragging Jacob into her melancholy, but there were things she needed to do in the meantime.

  “I believe I will take the children for a walk tomorrow morning,” Georgina said to Catherine later, when they were walking back to their rooms.

  Catherine smiled, some tiredness around her eyes receding. “Quality time can do wonders.”

  “Indeed,” Georgina agreed. She stopped Catherine, squeezing her forearm gently. “I don’t think I thanked you yet, for everything you’ve done.”

  “You don’t have to,” Catherine told her, drawing Georgina into a quick hug. Georgina could not tell whether Catherine knew what she was about to do and hoped not. “It was my pleasure.”

  It was only when the door was closed between them that Georgina allowed herself a sob, tears blurring her vision until she managed to blink them back. Catherine was the first friend she had made in years and losing her was as painful as the thought of never accepting the invitation for dinner from Norham.

  It could have been love, she thought viciously, angry at herself for keeping him at arm’s length for so long.

  When she deemed it safe enough that even the staff would have gone to bed, she crept into the kitchens, relieved when she saw Mr. Turner’s retreating back as he closed the door to his rooms with Mrs. Turner. Grabbing the smallest things that she could—she did not wish to deprive Norham’s estate of much—she placed them in the bag she had arrived with. It would be enough, she hoped, to keep them going until they reached the next town. The library had been a great resource, and she had studied the maps Norham had showed her.

  When she arrived out in the hall, their cloaks on her arm, she could see her siblings were gathered, upset and tired in equal measure.

  “I do not wish to leave,” Helena whispered, and Georgina felt guilty once again for taking her out into cold weather when she had only recovered recently, but Georgina was terrified of the consequences of staying.

  “I know, sweetheart, nor do I.” Georgina placed Helena’s cloak securely around her, glad the clothes Catherine had provided were warm.

  “Then why are we?” Tom asked, shrugging into his own cloak, ignoring the dark look Jacob shot him.

  Georgina stood, making sure all of them were wearing cloaks, before hefting the sack of food, and taking hold of Helena’s hand. “Because Uncle Red is coming, and he is not a nice man.”

  Tom didn’t say anything, but Joseph nodded. “I didn’t like him.”

  “Right,” Georgina said, gesturing for them to go towards the kitchen entrance. “We will have to go out the back way and be as quiet as you can.”

  The children did as they were asked and as they filed out into the cold night, Georgina dared not look back at the house, lest she lose her nerve and stay behind.

  Chapter 13

  Confrontation

  “Georgina has gone!” Catherine hurried into Norham’s study, clutching a letter. Frantic, her hair had come out of its intricate bun, and she looked harried and confused.

  “You told me she had taken her siblings for a walk.” Norham had been surprised when only Catherine, Mary and Isabelle were in the dining room for breakfast.

  Catherine fell into the chair on the other s
ide of his desk, and her eyes were wet. Crying, he realized, and felt his heart clench with pain. “She wrote a letter, telling me that she was leaving because she did not wish to be a burden. She knew you would inform her uncle that she was here and was afraid of what would become of her and the children.”

  “Why would she do something so foolish?” Norham asked, looking out of the window at the storm that had blown in overnight. It was set to snow and he could not fathom how Georgina thought she would cope with children—especially little Helena, who was sure to catch pneumonia when she was already recovering.

  Looking at him in disbelief, Catherine waved the letter at him. “What does she mean, she’s afraid you’ll turn her over to her uncle? Did she tell you?”

  Norham shook his head, pushing Rudolph’s letter across the desk. “He wrote to me, asked if she was here. She told me about her suspicions.”

  “You didn’t believe her,” Catherine said almost immediately, disbelieving and upset.

  “She has no proof,” Norham snapped. “It does not matter if I believe her or not.”

  “It does to her,” Catherine protested. “You wanted to court her, to show her you were serious about her. Did you even tell her that you believed her?”

  Norham honestly could not remember their conversation in detail, but he was certain he had not. He had been so hurt about the lies, and he could remember yelling at her about proof. He felt guilt and horror settle in his stomach. “What am I to do? If he came for her, I would have to hand them over.”

  Catherine stood up then, shoving a letter in his face. He had assumed it was from Georgina, but when he took it, staring down at the writing, he realized with mounting horror that it was not.

  “When did you get this?”

  “The letters you saw me writing,” Catherine said. “I was writing to friends in town and the city, about whether they knew anything of Rudolph Adams and Peter Adams. There was not much on the former, because he was killed a few years before Peter. Red Adams, Rudolph’s brother, assumed his name.”

  Norham felt cold, could not believe what he was wearing. “How does this person know that?”

  “This letter is from Rudolph’s butler. He was privy to the circumstances following Rudolph’s death, and Red assuming control of the estate. He confesses that he knew of the plot to hurt—and kill—Peter Adams, and that he was there the night of the accident.”

  “Why has he not come forward before now?” Norham asked, anger on Georgina’s behalf that this man knew what had become of her brother and did nothing to help.

  Catherine looked sympathetic. “He has a wife and daughter. Red threatened to harm them if he spoke up. It was only when I offered them sanctuary, that they would be safe from harm if he confessed to what he had seen, that he agreed to tell me.”

  Norham swallowed thickly. He stared back out of the window and thrust the letter back at his sister. “Have the witness brought here. I don’t care if Edward has to ride through the night, I want him back here.”

  “Where are you going?” Catherine asked. “Georgina–”

  “I am going to bring her back,” Norham said, already reaching for his cloak by the door. “Have Jack and Robert meet me at the stables. We’ll ride out and bring them home.”

  “Of course,” Catherine said immediately, hurrying out of the study.

  Norham did not know what would happen, but there were priorities to manage first. Georgina and the children would have to be brought back to the house and kept warm and safe. Then he would deal with the witness—and making sure the constables were caught up on everything that had happened with Peter Adams and Red.

  It was only once he was in the stable, saddling up the horses, that he felt the fear come back full force. The snow was turning into a blizzard, and he cursed that harsh weather only came when there was someone to find. He gestured for Robert and Jack to follow him out into the fields. It would be difficult to find their tracks in the snow, but he had a good mind where Georgina was headed. Jack had thought to bring along provisions in case their journey was difficult, and Norham was gratified he had conscientious staff.

  The horses were well used to traveling in harsh conditions, but as with most animals, they found it difficult to move easily in the snow. It was hard going, and Norham was starting to feel the cold down to his bones. Jack and Robert had stopped talking a while ago, and he knew he should turn back and try looking again when the weather had calmed.

  He knew, however, that if he was as cold as he was, then the children were out here feeling it much more than he. It was this thought that he conveyed to Robert and Jack, both of them nodding and looking as determined as he had hoped they would be.

  Eventually, Norham’s ears could make out cries and shouts, and he urged his mare into a jog. She covered ground as best she could, Jack and Robert following his wake, and eventually came upon one of the twins in the snow, doing his best to shield his little sister from the elements.

  “Here!” Norham shouted, and Jack immediately jumped down from his horse. “Joseph, is it?”

  The boy nodded, looking relieved. “Georgie took the boys to get help, but I don’t know where they went. I tried to stay still, but it got cold.”

  Jack tugged Helena away from Joseph and gave them both a reassuring smile. “It’s alright now. We’ll find ‘er, won’t we, your Grace?”

  “Of course,” Norham said with more certainty than he felt.

  “I’ll have you up here,” Jack said, gesturing for Robert to help Joseph clamber up. Once the boy was secure, he lifted Helena into Joseph’s lap. It was not ideal, having three people to a horse, but it was the best Norham could manage without leading an extra horse along with them. It would have made the journey difficult.

  The three of them pushed onwards, Helena’s cries subdued until she was merely asking where Georgina was. Norham was impressed when Joseph told her they would be safe, that she had to be brave. Georgina’s siblings were impressive, and he knew she was responsible for most of that.

  Norham could not say how much farther they traveled when they heard more voices, panicked shouts and cries. When they made it through the next bout of snow, Georgina was splayed out on the ground, Tom and Jacob kneeling over her body, alternating between attempting to shake her awake and calling for help.

  “Your Grace!” Jacob was immediately on his feet. “We can’t wake her.”

  Norham felt panic seize his chest, and he dismounted quickly, glad when Jack did the same. Immediately, the footman helped Tom over to the horse, and Norham was left to shift Georgina into his arms. Jacob was hovering, looking apprehensive.

  “We will get her back to the house as quickly as we can,” Norham assured him. “We will get her the best care. I wish for her to be well.”

  Seemingly satisfied, Jacob allowed Jack to pull him over to his horse and lift him up behind Tom, before swinging himself into the saddle.

  It was difficult for Norham to maneuver himself and Georgina into the saddle with her unconscious, but he managed it easily enough. There was nothing visibly wrong with her that he could see, urging his horse back into the snow storm and towards the house.

  It was hard going, and he was scared by the pallor of Georgina’s skin, the slow rise and fall of her chest. He hoped they would make it back to the house in time, and that the doctor could make it out. He did not want to think of alternatives.

  Chapter 14

  Revelations

  Georgina woke slowly.

  Her first thought was that she was warm, wrapped in thick blankets. It was soothing after being in the cold for so long. Abruptly she panicked and sat up in bed, startled to find herself in a room she recognized.

  “Easy.” Catherine was by her bedside, needlework resting on her knees. She looked tired but relieved. “You’re safe.”

  Georgina’s eyes were wide, heart beating wildly in her chest. “The twins? Helena and Tom?”

  “Relax,” Catherine assured her again, resting a hand on Georgina’
s arm and squeezing. “They are well, playing in the nursery with Mary and Isabella.”

  Falling back against the pillows, Georgina let out a small sob, relief soothing her panic, and she clutched at her chest. “I am so sorry.”

  Catherine touched Georgina’s face until Georgina turned to look her in the eye. There was no anger in Catherine’s face, no irritation or fury. She looked relieved, happy, and sad in equal measure. “I am sorry too, that you could not tell me your fears.”

  “I wanted to,” Georgina whispered. “I am still afraid of what is to come.”

  “You do not need to be,” Catherine assured her, though Georgina could not fathom why. “I promise, I would not lie to you, Georgina.”

  Georgina shifted in the bed until she was sitting up against the pillows, pulling the blankets with her. She was still cold, remembered the fear of being in the snow, getting lost and worrying that she had condemned her siblings to death, anyway. “I was foolish.”

  “Perhaps,” Catherine offered, and Georgina was glad she did not try to make excuses for Georgina’s actions. “However, there were things you did not know because Samuel and I did not discuss them.”

  It took Georgina a moment to realize Catherine was talking about Norham. “He informed my uncle.”

  “He did,” Catherine said, squeezing Georgina’s arm again when she let out a soft cry. “Please do not worry. He was the one who came out after you, brought you and your siblings back here.”

  “Why?” Georgina asked quietly, not sure how to handle such information.

  Catherine smiled, and there was a hint of teasing in there. Georgina found that she longed for that, glad that nothing had changed between them. She did not know what she would have done if Catherine refused to speak to her for her choices. “You must know how he feels about you.”

  Georgina did not want to think on it. She did not know how to take his interest in her. “I am afraid of his advances.”

  “I fear I am to blame for that,” Catherine said quietly. “I told you so many stories that you had a negative opinion of him from the start, and that is not fair to him or to you.” Catherine paused, her eyes taking on a faraway look, and then she was smiling sadly. “He was married once, you know. She was beautiful, kind and happy, but she died after only two years.”