A Thin Line (48 page)

“I love you, so much,” she whispered as a lone tear fell.
 
She felt as if she had cried more since marrying Gabe than she had her entire life.
 
It felt as if her heart were being ripped from her body.
 

“Love you, too” he whispered in his sleep.

She choked back a sob, wishing he could tell her those words when awake and healthy.
 
She had to leave to keep him safe.
 
I would die if I lost him
, she thought sadly, her heart breaking.
 
At least this way I know he is not in harm’s way
.

Kala went back through her door and gently closed it.
 
She made her way down the servant’s stairs and slipped down the hall.
 
A snuffling sound startled her and she saw Mack asleep in her husband’s study.
 
She would love to be present to see how Gabe reacted, when lucid, to all his half-brother had done for him.
 
Judith had certainly welcomed her grandson with open arms.
 
Would Gabe do the same?
 
Mikala traveled down the hallway and slipped outside without being seen and disappeared down the sidewalk appearing like any other housemaid going home for a visit.

***

Riding in the mail coach had been a horror.
 
There were too many unclean bodies pressed in one small space.
 
The only consolation had been the longer she stayed on it, the fewer people there were to share the space.
 
Most of the people believed her to be going the wrong way, wishing aloud they were going to London.
 
Before leaving London, she had stopped to visit with her solicitor.
 
The little cottage he had purchased on her behalf should be ready.
 
For some reason she had not stopped the purchase of it, and now felt glad for it.

The mail coach came to a stop at the village of Cheddar and she disembarked.
 
She stretched, easing her sore and aching muscles while the driver tossed down her baggage.
 
Kala picked up her small cases and let the brisk, cool breeze revive her.
 
She knew that it would take a good half-day of walking before she reached her new home and darkness had begun to descend.
 
Looking around she found an inn that looked to be decent.
 
Mikala took a room under the name of Mrs. Smith.
 
After eating a hearty meal, she trudged the stairs to her room and collapsed on the bed, exhausted.

The next morning she awoke to a queasy stomach and asked for toast and tea.
 
It looked as if she might truly be carrying a child.
 
The thought still scared her.
 
Especially now that she had struck out on her own.
 
Too much still remained unfinished for her and Gabriel to bring a child safely into the world.
 
Pushing the thought far from her mind, she looked out the window, surveying the scene below.

People moved to and fro, going about their daily routines.
 
The sun shone brightly today and it looked as if it might even be somewhat warm.
 
No one looked remotely familiar to her, thank goodness.
 
Kala pulled a piece of paper from her reticule and read the directions the solicitor had quickly written down.
 
She picked up her bags and walked down the stairs.

“Pardon me,” she asked the innkeeper.

“Aye, missus?”

“Is there some place where I can hire someone to take me to a cottage?”

“Aye, missus.
 
Me boy would be glad to do it.
 
If you don’t mind riding in the wagon.”

“I don’t mind.”

“He be outside.
 
Name’s John.
 
Just tell him where ye want to go.”

“Thank you, sir.”

Mikala walked outside, found John and told him where she would like to go.
 
She waited while he hitched the wagon to two sturdy horses.
 
In less than ten minutes, Mikala left the small village behind.

“How far is Glastonbury Tor from here?” Mikala asked John excitedly.

“About a half day’s drive from town.
 
Less from your cottage.”

“They say it is where Arthur is buried.”

“Aye,” the boy sounded unimpressed.

They rode alongside a large gorge for quite a while before turning.
 
She promised herself she would come back and explore it.
 
They followed a winding path through a copse of trees before finally seeing the lane that would lead her to her new home.
 
A sliver of chimney smoke waved at her welcomingly.
 
John stopped the wagon and helped her down.

“Is this it?”

“Yes ma’am.”

“Here,” she placed a coin in his hand.
 
“Thank you for your trouble.”
 
John handed her the bag and climbed back into the wagon as she walked up the path.
 
She started as a boy about eight years of age darted in front of her, running into her.

“Goodness,” she exclaimed as she dropped her bag and put her hand to her chest.
 
“Where did you come from?”

“Didn’t mean ta startle ya, miss.
 
Me and me brother were playin’ in the trees.”

“Do you live around here?”
 
His blonde hair hung disheveled over his bright blue eyes.
 
Despite all that, he had the promise of being a right handsome lad.

“Yes ma’am.
 
Just through that copse of trees and over the small hill.
 
Me mum is tidying up the cottage for the new owner.
 
Mum says she’s a right fine lady who wants her privacy.”

“So your mum is Mrs. Fisher?”

“Aye, I’m Tommy.
 
Who’re you?”

“I’m Mrs. Smith,” Kala said.
 
She held her hand out to the lad.
 
He returned her handshake with a nice firm grip.
 
“I’m the lady who bought the cottage.”

“Me mum is the best cook around.
 
You won’t want to eat anything else once you’ve tasted her food.”

“Tommy, leave that poor woman alone.”

“Mum, this is the new lady, Mrs. Smith.”

“Oh,” the thin woman with the dishwater brown hair and non-descript eyes wiped her hands on the apron tied about her waist, then held a hand out to Kala.
 
“It’s nice to meet you.
 
I just put the finishing touches on your cottage and left you enough to eat for supper and breakfast.”

“That was very kind of you.
 
I hadn’t really given much thought to a cook, and goodness knows I’m horrible at it.”
 
The woman clucked softly.
 
“Tommy here told me you are the best cook around.”

“Tommy, were you carrying tales?”

“No, mum.
 
Everyone thinks you’re the best cook.”

A blush spread across Mrs. Fisher’s cheeks.
 
“Go find your brother and head home.
 
I’ll catch up with you.”

“Yes, mum.
 
Nice meetin’ ya, Mrs. Smith.”

“You too, Tommy,” Kala waited until the boy was gone before continuing her conversation with his mother.
 
“Mrs. Fisher, would you consider cooking my meals until I can learn to cook enough to get me by?”
 
The woman seemed to ponder the situation a bit.
 
“I can pay you for your trouble.”

“All right,” the woman nodded.
 
“I’ll send one of the boys with your food for tomorrow.”

Bless her for not asking about her lack of cooking skills.
 
“Thank you.
 
And perhaps sometime you can teach me the basics of cooking?”
 
The woman nodded, shook hands with Kala once more, and left for her own home.

Kala picked up her bags and carried them into the cottage.
 
Whoever had built the cottage must have been slightly wealthy, because when she began to tour it there were more rooms than she had originally thought.
 
You first walked into a large room that housed a sitting area, small dining area, and the kitchen.
 
Down the hall, a bedroom lay on each side.
 
A water closet seemed to have been added on.
 
Kala found herself pleased with the idea of not having to use an outbuilding.
 

She stood in the middle of the largest bedroom and saw the large bed, thinking how big and empty it looked.
 
Instead of putting her bag down, she turned to the other bedroom that contained two smaller beds. She thought perhaps if she didn’t have as much room, she wouldn’t think so much about Gabe.
 
After putting down her bag she wandered back into the living area.
 
The cottage looked cozy enough for a small family.
 
Kala, however, thought it huge and terribly lonely.

Chapter 35

The next morning, Gabriel woke asking for Kala.
 
Judith soothed him, telling him she merely rested in the next room after having spent several long nights watching over him.
 
She then quickly fed him laudanum-laced broth before he could ask any more questions.
 
Once he had fallen back asleep, she paced his bedchamber, chewing on her thumbnail.
 
She had not chewed on her nails since in the schoolroom.
 
Not even when she had buried a husband, a son, and grandsons.
 
But this was different.
 
Judith had to tell Gabriel she had misplaced his wife.
 

The bedroom door creaked open and she turned to see Hamlin peeking around it.

“Hamlin, he’s asking for her.
 
What are we going to do?” She stepped into the arms of the man she most trusted and cared for since her husband’s death.

“We will find her, Judith,” the handsome, older man said, gently rubbing the back of the only woman he had ever loved.
 
They knew they would never be able to marry, but these stolen moments were enough.

“Easier said than done.
 
Who might we contact?”

“The young master would know.”

“Yes, he would, but then he would know that she is not here.”

“Could we contact her brother?”

“Again, not a good choice.
 
What are we going to do?”
 

“Do about what?” A deep voice asked from the hall door.
 
The older couple sprang apart, blushing.
 
Judith turned to look at her grandson sleeping peacefully.
 
“Grandmother,” the voice prodded.
 
After many hours spent talking and sharing, she had coaxed Mack into calling her Grandmother and it thrilled her soul.

“Mack, we have lost Mikala.”

Why, Hamlin, you sly devil,
Mack thought before his grandmother’s words penetrated his brain.
 
“What do you mean?”

“She has left.”

“Did she leave behind a note?”
 
Mack took the proffered paper from Judith’s hand.
 

Mack studied the letter, noticing some of the words were smudged as if by tears.
 
This had been hard for her to do, but it had also been very naïve of her.
 
Did she really believe she could take on the man alone?
 
One thing rang true, something had to be done before Gabe found out.
 
Mack had a feeling that would not happen.
 
One, they could not keep drugging Hawke.
 
Two, he may be the only one that knew how to find his missing wife.
 

“I will stay and tell him when he wakes up.”

“No, Mack.”

“He already hates me.
 
Better to give him one more thing to dislike me about than for him to turn on you, but no more drugging him with laudanum.
 
We are just prolonging the inevitable, and she is in more danger every hour that passes, and she is alone.”

“Yes, Mack,” his grandmother replied, sounding subdued.

“All will be well,” he said, accepting her hug.
 
He still felt strange at the showing of affection she felt compelled to do.
 
He gently handed her over to Hamlin, hoping the older man would know better how to take care of her.

Mack settled in, ready for the fight he knew would be coming while the man that looked so much like him slept peacefully, unaware that his wife had left him.

***

“She’s what?” Gabe yelled at his half-brother late that night when he finally came out from under the laudanum.

“She’s gone.”

“Why the hell didn’t you tell me sooner?
 
I could have had people looking for her.
 
I
could have been looking for her.
 
Dammit,” he tunneled his fingers through his hair, wincing as the movement pulled at his wound.
 
He rang for his valet after an unsuccessful attempt of trying to find clothes to wear.
 
His valet ran into the room quickly gathering everything Gabriel would need.
 
He ignored the pain in his shoulder as he pulled the shirt on, all of his thoughts were on his wayward wife.