Secrets of the Heart (34 page)

Madeline hurried past the stables and the gardens blooming on this side of the estate. How could such beauty hide such terror behind its walls? The daffodils and tulips in all the colors of the rainbow brightened their walk. If only Mother could regain her strength. What if Vale had done irreparable harm?
Lord, show me a way to defeat him.

She entered through the kitchen, catching Cook by surprise so that she spilled the flour she’d been measuring out. “Lady Madeline!” she shrieked. “God be praised, you’re back!” Cook tried to wipe some flour from her face but only succeeded in making it worse.

“Cook, where is my mother?”

“In her room, my lady. She isn’t well. Agnes is with her.”

Although Cook tried to control her expression, Madeline could tell that the situation had worsened since she’d been taken to the asylum three days ago. Fear wrapped its long tentacles around her. Giving way at last to her alarm, Madeline lifted her skirt and raced from the room and up the stairs to her mother’s room.

Suddenly the door flew open. There stood Agnes.

“Lady Madeline. Praise God.” Agnes threw her arms around Madeline and began to sob.

Madeline gently stepped back and studied the old woman, noting the black circles under her eyes and the way she wrung her hands, a nervous habit she’d never seen Agnes exhibit before.

“Agnes, Cook says Mother remains ill.” Madeline stepped forward to enter the room but Agnes blocked her way, reached behind her, and pulled the door closed.

“Agnes, I wish to see my mother.” Madeline desperately fought off the wave of panic that threatened to overtake her.

“Prepare yourself, Lady Madeline. Your mother never got a bit better after ye were taken away. She’s worse.”

“Agnes.” Madeline fell into the old servant’s arms. She needed comforting, perhaps even more than she’d been aware of the need. “I must see her.”

“I know, dear.” Agnes gently pushed Madeline back. “Your mother is very sick. It’s as though she’s willed herself to die. Perhaps seeing ye will be the best medicine she could receive, but ye must prepare yourself.”

Madeline nodded.

Agnes turned and opened the door, waiting for Madeline to enter. Madeline’s feet felt heavy. Maybe she wasn’t as prepared as she’d first thought.

Grace was in bed, apparently sleeping, but as Madeline drew closer, she could see that she was awake and staring out the window.

“Mother?”

Grace did not move.

“Mother? It is I, Madeline. I’m home.” She reached for her mother’s hand lying outside the coverlet.

As her mother turned toward her, Madeline fought to hide her alarm. Her mother looked as though she’d been fighting off death.

“Ma–Ma–Maddie.” Her mother struggled to say her name.

“Keep talking to her, Lady Madeline,” Agnes cried in surprise. “’Tis the first word she’s said in days. Look at her eyes. Why, they’re shining with life!”

Her mother’s reaction to her, and Agnes’s words, bolstered Madeline’s courage. “Mother, I’m here now. I’m going to help get you well.”

Fear filled her mother’s eyes. She tried to sit up but was far too weak. She gripped Madeline’s hand with amazing strength. “No. Danger here. Go.” She collapsed. Her courageous attempt to rally—gone.

Madeline pulled the coverlet up and tucked it in around her. “I’m not leaving you, Mother. No matter what.” Madeline removed herself from the bed and motioned to Agnes to meet her in the hallway.

“When was the last time a physician saw my mother, Agnes?”

“She’s not seen a physician. Lord Vale forbids it.”

“She’s not been examined? He forbids it? That’s outrageous! Vale will pay for this. And in his absence, I’ll just see what can be done to remedy that situation.” She felt better already at having some recourse to take for her mother. “Agnes, do you know when Lord Vale will return? I spoke with Donavan in the stable, but he had no idea.”

“It’s hard to tell with that one. Wherever he is, I’d say he’s up to no good.”

“Indeed, Agnes. And I intend to do something about it.”

Madeline ran to the stables. “Donavan, I need you to ride into York. Find a physician who will come and examine my mother. I want to get her out of here as soon as I know she can travel.”

Donavan nodded. “I will leave immediately. Is there a special doctor you want?”

Indeed, there is a special doctor
, Madeline thought, wishing Ravensmoore was present. Guilt ate at her for going against his wishes. “Yes, go to the Guardian Gate Hospital. Dr. Melton is there. Tell him it is urgent. Ride Samson.” Donavan disappeared into the stables.

She turned to Wiggins. “Stay here, Mr. Wiggins. You may familiarize yourself with the stables.”

He nodded.

“And Mr. Wiggins, stay alert.”

Madeline went back inside. “Agnes, I want you to help me move Mother and anything she may need to a guestroom in the east wing of the house.”

“Yes, Lady Madeline. But why move your mother?”

Madeline wearily sank into a chair. Thoughts of Vale and fear for her mother continued unabated. “Because Lord Vale will return.”

C
HAPTER 23

Be not afraid, only believe.

—M
ARK 5:36

D
EVLIN FOUGHT OFF
the demons in his dreams, easily slaying each one. Then a vision of his mother appeared before him; he tried to heal her, using all of his ability and knowledge. The vision began to shimmer and fade.

He awoke with a start. The morning sun had gone behind the clouds, deepening the gloom in the already shadowy room. “Mother.” He looked at her and feared the worst.
Was the dream a premonition, or have I already lost her?

Elethea sat in the chair, her head forward, resting on her chest. They had loosely tied her to the chair to keep her upright, and her body hung weakly against the restricting band.

“Mother?” Devlin repeated, and gently touched her shoulder. “Mother?” He held his fingers against her neck searching for the heartbeat.

“Devlin,” she said, slowly raising her head and looking at him. “My son.”

Tears flooded his eyes, and he dropped to his knees. She was alive. His mother was alive!

Her hand rested on his head as he gave way to years of pent-up emotion, shaking with grief and anger and exhaustion. “Mother,” he said again and again. “Mother.”

At last the crying subsided. Wiping his eyes, he lifted his gaze to her and found her watching him, weak yet calm.

“My back hurts, son. Can you help me out of this awful chair?”

Devlin scrambled to his feet, and with his good side he helped her out of the chair and back into her cot. Elethea sighed and turned her head toward him. “I believe I could eat something.”

Devlin smiled with joy. “You
are
better!” He looked about for an attendant to send to the kitchen, but none was in sight. “I’ll see what food I can find,” he told her. “Rest, and I will return as soon as I can.”

Devlin went straight to the kitchen and ordered that some broth and a pot of tea be taken to his mother. He then made his way to Madeline’s room.

Strange—the door to Madeline’s room stood open. Where did she go? He forced himself to remain calm. The room was empty.

“Now what?” he mumbled to himself. Then he spotted the piece of paper on her bed. Crossing quickly, he opened the paper and read it.

Forgive me, Lord Ravensmoore. I couldn’t just sit here and do nothing to help my own mother while you so diligently attended to your mother. You know how tenacious I can be. I will be safe. Do not worry.

She must have left soon after he saw her last. Of course Madeline would be desperate to save her mother—as desperate as he’d been to save his own.

“Blast it all!” Anger and frustration boiled within him as he returned to the infirmary, where he found Langford attending a patient.

“Lady Madeline has gone to her mother,” he explained to Langford. “I’ve got to go after her. But Lord knows where I’ll find a serviceable horse at such short notice.”

“Perhaps I can be of service, Ravensmoore.” Charles Melton stepped into the room, a cocky grin on his face.

“Melton,” chorused Devlin and Langford.

“Where did you come from?” Devlin asked, relief spreading through him. “How did you get here?”

“I rode my horse. That is a common means of transportation these days.” He strode forward, gripped Devlin’s hand firmly, and then greeted Langford. “I told you I would return to check on you. It sounds as though Lady Madeline has escaped you yet again. I suggest you borrow my horse and go after her.”

“I owe you a debt, Melton; thank you. Dr. Langford will fill you in on what needs doing. And about a special patient who needs your attention.” He gazed meaningfully at Langford, who nodded his understanding.

“I’ll take excellent care of your patients, Ravensmoore. Now go, before you lose more time.”

Madeline picked up the brush and comb on her mother’s dressing table. She hadn’t thought she’d relax at all, wondering when Vale might return and discover his wife missing, but the familiarity of the surroundings somehow put her at ease. After moving her mother, she ate a few bites of toast and sipped a strong cup of tea.

Agnes rapped on the door and entered. “I’m sorry to say, Lady Madeline, that Donavan returned without Dr. Melton. Apparently he is at Ashcroft as well, and no one could return with him to help the countess.”

“Oh, no.” Madeline allowed herself one moment of despair, then rallied. “Agnes, stay here with Mother.” She returned to her mother’s room on the other side of the house to gather a few more essentials and think out her next steps.

Catching her appearance in the mirror, she sat down at the dressing table and pulled the brush through her hair, smoothing it into a tight knot at the back of her head, then securing it with pins. She thought it wise that she and Agnes had moved her mother out of this room to the east wing. She did not want her mother easily available for Vale’s abuse when he returned.

A door slammed below.
Vale!
Madeline dropped the brush and held her breath. Where were Donavan and Wiggins?

Measured footsteps on the stairs panicked Madeline.
He is here already
, she thought.
Lord, help me to be strong.
Slowly, she stood, bracing herself.

Vale entered the room, still wearing his greatcoat and hat, and the moment he spotted her, his face reddened with anger. “What the deuce do you think you’re doing? How did you get out of Ashcroft? And where is my wife?”

“Where you can no longer hurt her,” Madeline snapped.

Vale reached her in two long strides and grabbed Madeline’s shoulders, shaking her. “You tell me where she is right this moment.”

“Let go of me.” Madeline struggled against him. “You’re hurting me.”

“Release her at once!” It was Ravensmoore’s voice, cold as steel and razor sharp. “You will be the only one leaving, Vale,” he said. “And it’s straight to prison you’ll be going.”

Vale dropped his hands from Madeline’s shoulders and whirled around. “Ravensmoore. I should have guessed you’d be skulking about.” Vale glared at him with unmistakable loathing. “However, it makes no difference.”

Ravensmoore stepped forward. “I know what you have been doing, Vale, and you will pay for your crimes.”

“You have no proof of anything. You’re more the lunatic than the ones behind the bars of Ashcroft.” Vale tried to walk past Ravensmoore.

Ravensmoore grabbed his arm. “You sound very sure of yourself. Why is that?”

Madeline watched a thin muscle in the side of Vale’s neck pulsate and tense.
He’s nervous
, she thought, glad to think that maybe he was beginning to squirm.

“Get your hand off of me!”

“Not until you agree to leave. And if you think Sullivan or those two apes he’s with are going to help you, you are sadly mistaken.”

Vale’s mouth twisted into a strange, absurd grin. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.” He pulled away from Ravensmoore and straightened his coat. “I don’t need anyone’s help. I have nothing to hide. Get out of my way.”