The Sanctuary (A Spencer Novel) (11 page)

Chapter 19

Anthony gaped. That Clairece could so easily dismiss what was happening between them, left him stunned. Notwithstanding her relationship to James and the Earl of Windsford, she was not the sort of woman to dally with and set aside. Neither was she a woman a man could forget. Whether Clairece realized it or not, she was his, and Anthony had no intention of letting her go.

“Let’s take one thing at a time, shall we? We need a safe place for you to recover, and I believe it to be Harding Hall.”

“As long as you understand how important my quest is to find those responsible for killing Roger, I’ll accompany you.”

“Sweetheart, they’ll come for us. They’re not going to stop until we stop them.” He raised her hands to his lips. “I’ll call your maid to help you into bed and inform Mrs. Dobbins I’ll be leaving for a short time. My men are posted both inside and out of the house, and Caesar will be in the room with you. Cook will mix hot brandied milk for you and I want you to drink all of it.” Anthony came to his feet and went to the bell pull, giving the cord a quick tug.

Anthony strode through White’s to the table in the alcove. To a waiting attendant he said, “Coffee and a sandwich of beef and cheese, if you would.” Dropping his gloves in his hat, Anthony handed them and his overcoat to a nearby footman.

His food arrived and he dug into the thick sandwich with gusto. Finally replete, he pushed the empty plate aside and downed the rest of his coffee. About to leave, he glanced up to see James approach. “Thanks for meeting me. I wasn’t certain you would.”

“Damn it, Tony.” James grabbed a chair and sat. “How did this mess between you and Ree happen? I understand she didn’t tell you who she was, and you thought . . . well, it’s obvious what you thought. But, Tony,” he lowered his voice, “she isn’t as worldly as she pretends.”

“I know that. I must tell you, it’s not over between us.” Anthony took hold of his friend’s arm as James started to rise. “Let me finish. I won’t deny I want her, but whether you believe me or not, when she’s ready to listen, I will ask her to be my countess.”

James settled in his chair. “I appreciate what you offer, but her happiness is more important to me than making this situation acceptable. Ree would not survive another disaster of a marriage, especially after—”

“After . . . what?”

“If she wants you to know, she will tell you.” James held a steady regard. “You’re like a brother to me, Tony. I would love nothing more than to see the two of you wed. However, I would have you end it and walk away if you cannot promise not to hurt her.”

“People hurt each other all the time, James, but I can promise it would not be intentional. If you’re asking whether or not I’d be faithful, the answer is yes. I would never break her trust.”

James nodded.

“What do you know of her relationship with her late husband?” Anthony ventured.

“She spoke about it after she was attacked this last time.”

“Then you know it was a hell of a lot more complicated than anyone thought. You were right in your assumption she is driven by guilt. Nothing either of us says will change it. To protect her, I need to keep her with me.”

“I don’t like it, but I understand,” James conceded.

Anthony rose. “I could use a walk. Care to join me?” It was a routine they’d established early in their friendship as a way to relieve the stresses of the day. At James’ nod, Anthony gave a sigh of relief.

Although not considered the safest thing for gentlemen to do after dark, they were both large, strongly-built men. They’d been watched with interest from narrow alleyways before, but never accosted.

“I’m sorry, Tony. I never expected Clairece to show up at your place the way she did.” James stuffed his hands in his pockets.

Anthony placed his hand on James’ shoulder and squeezed reassuringly. “There’s nothing to be sorry for.”

“She’s always been high spirited as well as beautiful. To prevent her coming to harm, her parents and Uncle Adrian kept a tight rein on her. However, to someone like Ree, such control was like smothering the life from her. They didn’t understand that facet of her nature until it was too late.”

“What is her father like?” Anthony sidestepped a raised brick in the walkway.

“Uncle Joel is a brilliant, highly-respected man. He positively dotes on his wife. He’s helped Uncle Adrian throughout the years with political and other business matters.” James cut a glance at Anthony. “Don’t be misled. Although some might expect him to be bookish and soft, he’s tough as they come.”

Anthony slowed. “Four men in the alley ahead.”

“I, for one, could use a distraction. What say you?” James quirked a brow.

In answer, Anthony grinned and snugged his gloves on his hands, flexing his fingers. “Hell, yes.”

Chapter 20

Anthony reached for his key and found it dangling from the remains of a torn pocket. Before he could use it, the door swung open.

“Good evening, my lord. Fisticuffs, I assume?” Hodges accepted the dusty hat and torn coat without a blink and laid the clothing across the back of a chair.

“No such thing, my good man. ‘Twas an out and out mill. James will be sporting a black eye by morning, but we left four louts lying in an alley. We had a splendid time.” Anthony grinned, then winced and gingerly touched his split lip. He headed down the hall toward the green baize door.

“May I inquire as to where you’re going, sir?” Hodges trotted quickly behind.

“Where do we keep the ointments?” Anthony marched into the kitchen.

“If you’ll take a seat at the table, my lord, I’ll gather the required items.”

Anthony plopped onto a chair at the long deal table and flexed his fingers. “Did I ever tell you how indispensable you are, Hodges?”

“On numerous occasions, my lord.” A flicker of amusement lit the servant’s eyes.

Anthony glanced down at his dinner jacket with its torn pocket and ripped sleeve. “Beetles will not be pleased with me.” He fingered the tear. “This is a new coat, and one of his favorites.”

“He will be overcome with grief.”

“Truly?” Anthony glanced at his trousers with its lacerated knee, and to his badly scuffed shoes. No amount of polish could rectify the damage.

“He takes the care of your wardrobe seriously, my lord. Your appearance reflects on his standing as a valet.”

“I hadn’t thought of it in such a way,” Anthony considered. “Well, the next time I’m set upon by ruffians, I shall first remove my outer garments, taking all due precaution against them being damaged or soiled in any way. Will that suffice?”

“It would indeed be a start, my lord.”

“Were there any incidents this evening?” Anthony asked, studying one of the lesions on his knuckles.

“The only disturbance involved Mrs. Dobbins and Caesar. The poor beast cannot set a paw right around her.”

Anthony’s lips twitched but he refrained from commenting.

Hodges placed a collection of medicinal items on the table. “Apparently, Caesar began to carry on and the nurse started to scream.”

Anthony frowned. “Would you have a maid send for Mrs. Dobbins? It’s not so late she should be abed.” He picked up a clean towel and dipped a corner into the basin of water Hodges had provided. He touched it to his lip—and sucked air in through his teeth.

Within moments, a harried Mrs. Dobbins scurried in. She gave a startled glance at Anthony’s face and knuckles, uttered a ‘tsk,’ and rushed forward.

“Let me have a look at you.” She pinched his chin between her thumb and index finger and lifted his face. “Not a spark of sense among you lads. Bickering and brawling like a common bruiser.”

Anthony gave an astonished snort, but before he could respond, Mrs. Dobbins dabbed his scraped cheek with an alcohol-moistened towel.

Anthony bodily lifted from the chair. “Bloody hell, woman,” he swore, completely forgetting himself.

Unaffected by the outburst, the nurse pushed him back down and laid the cloth against his damaged knuckles. “Quit your bouncing around so I can tend to your wounds. We don’t want them to fester, now do we?”

Anthony sucked in another breath. “Heaven forbid. I can only imagine what torture you would inflict upon me were that to occur.” He glanced suspiciously at Hodges who now faced the sink, his shoulders moving in a most uncommon way.
Jocularity at my expense, no doubt.

“There now.” Mrs. Dobbins dabbed some salve on his abused appendages. “How about your knee? Just slip your—”

Anthony’s hands rose protectively. “My knee is fine.” He lowered his hands as Mrs. Dobbins laid the ointment on the table. “Would you tell me what happened with Caesar this evening?”

“I was reading the paper while the dear lady dozed. Suddenly, your canine started pacing and growling like to raise the dead. I feared he might be goin’ mad, so I called for the footman who was supposed to be outside the door.”

“Supposed to be?” Anthony asked carefully.

Hodges turned to face them, all signs of mirth leaching from his face.

“Yes. A maid and some other footman came running.”

Anthony straightened. “Can you describe the first footman?”

“Oh, aye. Big, he was, but most are. Brown hair and a scar just here.” she drew a line down her left cheek.

Anthony’s chair tipped backward as he bounded to his feet. “Hodges, I want all the men called in. Have the grounds and the house searched.”

“Yes, my lord,” Hodges called as he ran from the room.

Anthony turned to Mrs. Dobbins. “If I’m correct, you may well owe your life, and Mrs. Griffin’s, to Caesar.”

Anthony stepped around the startled woman and took the servant’s stairs to Clairece’s chamber, bursting through the door with a resounding thud. From the bed, Caesar’s head popped up.

“Good lad, Caesar, good lad,” he whispered.

Anthony crept across the room and peered at Clairece, her face flushed in slumber. He reached for an errant curl and brushed it behind her ear before glancing at the empty cup on the nightstand.

Mrs. Dobbins eased forward while keeping a watchful eye on Caesar. “Good beastie.” The hound’s tail thumped against the mattress and his tongue lolled out as he panted. She carefully held her hand out toward his large head, and Caesar reciprocated with an affectionate swipe.

“Stay with Clairece while I go back downstairs. I’ll send a maid up to attend you.”

“He wasn’t one of your footmen, was he?” Mrs. Dobbins asked quietly.

“No, he wasn’t. I’ll be moving the entire household to my estate in Somerset. It will be safer there.”

“I see.” Mrs. Dobbins looked down at her hands and sighed.

He studied her for a moment. “Do you have family here, Mrs. Dobbins?”

“No, my lord. My husband passed a good many years ago, and my sister and I don’t get on. I haven’t heard from her in well over twenty years.”

Hmm
. “Would you consider staying on and traveling with us as Mrs. Griffin’s companion and nurse?”

Mrs. Dobbins raised her chin and beamed at him. “Of course, Lord Harding. I can see I’m needed.”

“You are. Now, if you will excuse me, I must check on the others.”

Hodges met him in the foyer. One look at the butler’s face confirmed Anthony’s worst fear. “We found Jacobson’s body behind the evergreen hedges. His neck was broken and his livery missing.”

Anthony swore softly. “Did he have a family?”

“He had the care of a sister and her two young sons.”

“Make certain she’s notified, and Jacobson’s body taken to her. I would go myself, but we leave for Somerset mid-afternoon tomorrow.”

In true butler-ish form, Hodges’ expression changed little. “Tomorrow, my lord?”

“If possible, I’d leave now.”

“May I inquire as to who will be traveling with you?”

“The entire household is to go. I’ll not leave anyone behind and unprotected.” At a gasp, Anthony spun toward the startled housekeeper. The surprised woman clapped her hand over her mouth.

“If I may be so bold, my lord, Inniswood will need protecting as well,” Hodges stated.

Anthony frowned. “You’re right, of course. We’ll leave four footmen, a maid of all duty, a cook, a scullery maid, and a boy to fetch. The house is to be kept locked and closed to all callers.”

Hodges glanced at the housekeeper who bobbed a curtsy and disappeared down the hall.

“Send two footmen on ahead to notify Mrs. Stedman of our arrival. And Hodges”—Anthony lowered his voice for Hodges to step closer—“please make certain all expenses for Jacobson’s burial are sent to me. Inform his sister I will personally be responsible for her care from this day forward, and her two sons will receive a good education.”

Hodges bowed. “Yes, my lord.” The butler pivoted on his heel and began issuing the myriad orders necessary to move a household of sixty.

Anthony retired to the relative privacy of his study. He needed to send a message to James. He briefly toyed with using the candlestick telephone but changed his mind, choosing instead to employ a footman. After penning a short missive, he sealed it with a dab of wax and his signet ring.

“Please see this delivered into Lord Longhaven’s hands. Take someone with you.”

“Yes, my lord.” The footman bowed and hurried from the room.

An hour later, James entered Anthony’s study. “I came as soon as I got your message.”

Anthony motioned him to a seat. “While I was out, one of my footmen was killed. The murderer entered this house wearing livery he stripped from the dead man’s body.”

“Damnation,” James uttered. “Ree?”

“She was upstairs with Mrs. Dobbins and Caesar. Apparently, my wolfhound created such a row, the intruder fled.” Anthony met James’ concerned expression. “He fit the description of the guard at the Metropolitan Museum in New York.” Anthony leaned forward, bracing his arms on the desk. “James, he was brazen enough to walk into this house while everyone was still awake.”

“Why would he take such a risk?”

“He’s desperate. The likelihood of her seeing this man and identifying him is slim. The population in London is over six million people and I doubt seriously they travel in the same circles.” Anthony shook his head. “There has to be something else, or someone else.”

“Your residence is in chaos. Does this mean you’re leaving?”

“Tomorrow afternoon. It’s the soonest we could move a household of this size. The Park is about one-hundred-fifteen miles from here. With the number of conveyances we will need, even changing horses every few hours, it will still take two days to get there. Clairece cannot endure a trip of that kind. Although I’ll have outriders circling the coach, they’ll still have to stop somewhere for the night.”

“Surely the bastard wouldn’t . . .”

Anthony stood and began to pace. “I don’t know, so while we make a great show of leaving, Clairece and I will catch the train to Bristol. She’ll be far more comfortable traveling by rail. Sanctuary is located ten miles from Bristol. With any luck, the blackguards will be far too occupied with following the coaches to notice us leave later in the day.”

“Do you truly believe Ree will be safer in Somerset? You had footmen inside and out of this house and it didn’t stop him.”

Anthony ceased pacing. “Yes. Harding Hall was constructed with protection for its inhabitants in mind. The mansion sits on a rise, surrounded with open lawns and gardens. Even the pastures and tenant farms are on rolling terrain.”

He scrubbed at his eyes, picturing the lay of the place. “Behind The Hall the land slopes down to the Severn Estuary and the cliffs. There’s an orchard and a stand of trees but nothing we cannot patrol. It would be extremely difficult for someone to approach without being seen. A small estate hamlet sits near the estuary. They’re good people, and loyal.”

Anthony resumed his seat. “There’s one thing.”

“What is it?” James questioned.

“I need to secure passage on the train for a man and his wife. If possible, departing after dark. A private compartment would be best.”

“I’ll go first thing in the morning. Did Stallings indicate how long it might take to check the ship manifests?”

“No, but he knows the urgency of the situation.” Anthony met James’ gaze. “You know I will do all within by power to protect her.”

James nodded. “Yes. I just pray it’s enough.” He rose. “Protect yourself as well, Tony.”