Page 18 of Jaxon (Gentlemen of War #4)

Amelia

Inspecting more closely the condition of the papers and books that had sustained varying degrees of water damage, I moved from floor to bed to desk in a methodical rotation spreading them out and desperately hoping the warmth that the hearth provided would dry the contents effectively.

A scratch came to the door.

“Come in,” I responded, recognizing Daisy’s identifying approach.

She entered. “Mrs. Gentry asked me to come and help you with your trunk and wardro—” she gasped putting a stop to her words. Her eyes scanned the room. “Where are your dresses and gowns?”

I lifted my hands while simultaneously shrugging my shoulders. “This was the trunk they found and brought in.” I couldn’t resist a wide smile. “While I could certainly use a change in clothing…” I glanced at my lady’s maid who wore her borrowed dress from Anna and swallowed. “I am more pleased my papers and books were saved.”

She tiptoed around the room and lifted an occasional parchment to inspect it herself. “I imagine it had been retrieved right after it fell to the water for if it had been in there any longer, none of this would have survived.”

“Yes, and I don’t know who to thank for that.” I tapped my finger to my lips, then my eyes shot quickly to hers. “Have you seen Mr. Duncan this morning? How is he?”

“Yes, he is resting. I understand he woke up during the night and our host placed him in the guestroom on the other side of you to recover.”

“Well, that is most gracious of him.” I tilted my head curiously. “Who remained with him overnight?”

“I’m unsure. Perhaps, Mr. Jack.” Daisy said this so nonchalantly as if the act was the most conventional thing for a man to do. “He was there this morning when I checked, but Anna is in there now.”

I could not prevent the image of Mr. Jack surfacing—the man who uttered very few words the night before. In my recollection of him, piercing blue eyes peeked through long strands of dark wet hair that curled slightly at the ends as it dried. For some strange reason, I could not escape the niggle in the back of my mind that I had seen him before. Surely, we would not be acquainted, and the confusion only intensified due to the trauma of the night before, for where would I have met this hermit of a man living in a lodge in the middle of a forest?

“What vexes you, Miss?” Daisy asked.

“Oh, it’s nothing.” I swiftly brushed it off. “Has everyone assembled downstairs?”

“Yes, most everyone. Mrs. Gentry said the master and Mr. O’Keefe are outside assessing the carriage now, but I believe they will come back with the news that it is entirely destroyed. It split into pieces when it hit those rocks. She shivered. “And we would have been inside it if not for your quick thinking, Miss Amelia.”

I waved off her praise. “I only broke the window open. Our host and his staff are the ones who managed to pull us from the wreckage and provide us with shelter.” I picked up a book of Thomas Amyot’s collection of parliamentary speeches and cradled it in my hands. This was one of Peter’s favorites and, fortunately, the only damage came to the spine. Brushing the brown leather cover with engraved gold leaf lettering, I whispered, “But now the greater conundrum plagues my mind…” I paused deep in thought. “It will take time to locate a suitable replacement coach and time is what we do not have. It’s the 10 th of May, after all.”

Daisy quirked her brow. “You still wish to go to the lecture?”

I blinked in her direction. “Why would I not wish to go? That is why we made such a drastic alteration to our travel plans.”

“But what if Mr. Duncan is too ill to travel?”

“Yes.” I placed the book down on the desk and drummed my finger along the foredge. “That is a possibility.” I peered out the window like before, searching for anything that resembled rooftops of a village. “We might be able to hire another driver.”

I heard Daisy gasp behind me. “And leave Mr. Duncan… here?” the squeak in her tone led me to rethink my words. Groaning aloud, I sounded entirely selfish. The battle that waged in my heart and head proved tumultuous. I may never have another chance to meet this man that Peter had respected so. Especially chained to an inconsequential seaside village like Bridport.

I took a breath. “I will think of something.”

“Well, until you do, you must eat. Do you wish to go down for breakfast?” Daisy asked, then eyed my bulky shift. “Or prefer to have a tray brought up here.”

I chewed on the inside of my cheek. “I don’t suppose this is the type of residence that provides dining-in trays.” From what little I had seen last night, nothing in my observations led me to believe this particular home offered the luxuries we were accustomed to. Though I took note of the sizeable house and the ability to allow us rooms for the night, the morning light shed a fine layer of dust on the sparse furnishings and fixtures confirming this man did not host often.

I reached for my soiled dress off the backside of the chair and held it up. “Daisy, you mentioned that this can be washed and repaired. Might you be able to begin right away? I’m hoping there will be a nearby village and I will need something suitable to wear.”

She took it from my hands. “Yes, I believe so.” Studying it carefully, she sighed. “But it won’t appear nearly as nice as before.”

“I don’t mind; I just need something to cover me adequately.” I next held up the maid’s borrowed dress and before Daisy could gather my underthings and stays from the back of the chair, I stopped her hands. “I do, however, need to wear those beneath this dress, regardless of their condition. I cannot go outside of this room without them.”

She concurred and set them down to help me fashion a smidgeon of respectability. While she worked, I strategized. One thing was undeniable, we needed to figure out a solution to our clothing situation quickly. I could not arrive at the Chipping Campden School in this attire. “Hopefully we will have time to shop before—” I stopped and held up my fingers, calculating the days before the lecture. Only three . Still, three days is better than none.

I decided that once I had a better understanding of where we were and the distance we must cover, I would have a proper grasp on our travel plans. A lightness bloomed in my chest over the possibility that our trip might yet be salvaged, and I smiled genuinely at the thought. This is only merely a delay.

“You look as though you have a secret, Miss Amelia.” Daisy adjusted my underthings over the spacious shift before she lowered the maids borrowed dress over my head and let it fall down my figure. It only reached above my ankles and my stockings were in ruin.

“No, no secret,” I answered. “Just hopeful. Now what am I to do about my ankles? I cannot prance around here bare skinned and barefoot.”

Daisy took a slow turn around the room and certainly saw what I did. No suitable solution. “Give me a few minutes and I will make due,” she said.

It took more than a few minutes, but somehow, when Daisy returned, she held a pair of well-used thick stockings in her hands. They were nowhere close to something I might wear in public, but I could not fault her, we were desperate… I was desperate. Once she pulled them up over my feet, a stark reality emerged… they did not fit adequately. She had to use the only two pins I had to attach them to the hem of my shift to keep them upright. I looked like a ragtag doll dressed entirely out of patchwork cloth. Yet, I appreciated her efforts and only prayed there would be little reason for anyone to look down at my feet until my half boots were cleaned and restored.

Lastly, Daisy used her fingers to tug through my tangled hair and managed to plait it off to one side. Without additional hairpins, we could do little else.

Before Daisy led the way down the stairs, I cracked Mr. Duncan’s door open and found Anna sitting in the chair beside his bed. She swiftly stood up and curtsied as her eyes perused my dress. Her smile revealed a slight hint of pride, most likely from the idea that I did not reject her clothes… as if I had a choice. Then I saw her bare legs inside a pair of slippers and a flush came over me. Daisy had procured my stockings from the maid. Oh, how I owed this dear girl for all she has sacrificed and, once again, the circumstances humbled me.

“How is Mr. Duncan faring this morning?” I inquired.

“Mr. Jack said he ‘woke last night, so he’s mighty hopeful, but Mr. Duncan hasn’t opened his eyes yet this mornin’.”

I pursed my lips. I wondered if our hosts would allow him to stay the length of his recovery after our departure, or was this a facetious thought? I wanted so willfully to be on our way, but not at the expense of Mr. Duncan’s health.

“Thank you, Anna.”

She smiled again.

As I closed the door, I convinced myself that it was a disservice for us to continue to trespass on our host’s graciousness. Surely if Mr. Duncan required a week or more of recovery, Mr. Jack did not expect to host our party for that entire time. Did he?

Daisy and I descended the stairs and with daylight now breaching the windows, I viewed the lodge in a whole different perspective. Indeed, its rustic ambiance had not disappeared overnight and remained a far cry from a luxurious town home in London, but it was spacious and warm, and with the massive hearth that spanned a substantial portion of the wall, it made the great room feel cozy as well.

I shook my head in awe over the meticulous wood carved mounts, frames, and furniture. Unfortunately , the posed animal heads had not vanished, but they did not seem to bother me as much in the light of day, and the enormous fur rug that lay across the floor before Mr. Jack’s quaint set of couches and chairs appeared soft enough for me to lie upon and possibly fall asleep. I knew so little about animal hides that I could not identify it or the likely multiple animals responsible for such a size, but oh, what a night that would be, to curl up with a blanket on that rug and sip hot tea before the fire.

“Miss?” Diggs stood before me with his hand out for me to take the final steps. I narrowed my eyes. This man had been trained for a fine house, how did he end up here in a hunting box in the woods? I reached out and let him guide me the last few steps. He pointed to the opposite side of the great room where it led to a majestic dining table. “An assortment of breakfast foods has been laid out on a sideboard for your fulfillment, Miss.” My stomach growled and I winced at the sound, only now being reminded I had not eaten for over a day, at least.

“Would you like me to retrieve a plate for you while you sit?” Diggs asked as he led me toward the food.

“No, thank you,” I said as I perused the options, realizing the variety of pastries, fruits, and sweetmeats were precisely what I was accustomed to at my own home in Mayfair. Interesting . I was certainly grateful for not having to suffer through a wild pig’s leg or squirrel tail or something heathenistic like that.

After I placed fried eggs, pork sausages, baked beans, and some tomatoes on my plate, I sat down beside Daisy only a moment before the door opened and a blast of wind came through alongside Mr. Jack and O’Keefe. Mr. Jack still wore his clothing from the night before.

I sat stock still from their brash entry and studied the man. He had a handsome face when his chin-length hair did not impede it, and the scruff along his jaw, though far from clean shaven, was not unruly nor unattractive. He wore a wide brimmed hat and had a rifle strap slung over one shoulder. His long-sleeved, thick button-up shirt and buckskins were covered nearly head to foot in dirt and he had obvious signs of exhaustion.

Had he not slept? I wondered. Had he watched over Mr. Duncan all night? And why had he not changed? Certainly, he had access to suitable alternatives since he lived here. My jaw tightened. Surely, as our host, he could present himself a bit more genteel if he wished to.

I bit my bottom lip, trying to curb the pretentiousness that rose within my breast. Even most tradesmen had been taught minimalistic propriety. Yet, despite my expected assumptions, I had a strong suspicion Mr. Jack had no intention of altering his rural habits and hosting properly.

And did it truly matter? I had no intention of staying.

His arms were oddly filled with mounds of fabric and, as I studied them closer, my eyes widened with recognition. I felt my cheeks bleed warm as I scooted my chair back and stood up. Stockings, shifts, petticoats, and gowns hung loosely from his grip along with a couple of smashed hats and gloves. “Oh my!” I gasped and rushed to his side to relieve him of the items. “I w—will take th—these now,” I cried out slightly horrified that he held my intimates within his hands.

Though his hat hung low and parts of his face were still hidden behind his lengthy bangs, I was certain the corners of his mouth twitched as if he fought back a smile. Dratted man.

When he finally relinquished the clothes, he added, “You’re most welcome.”

I tensed, then managed to mumble a simple thank you. Daisy joined me and received an additional armful from Mr. O’Keefe, gathering them all together, and heading for the staircase.

“We found the clothes at the river bank this morning before we had a chance to inspect the wreckage more closely,” Mr. Jack said.

“Wreckage?” I repeated. “Is there truly nothing of the coach that can be repaired?”

He looked at me. “Not from what I had seen from afar. Many of the pieces and contents went astray downstream with the rising river. I will attempt to retrieve what I can before the next surge of rain begins.”

“More rain?” I choked and ran toward the windows. I had been teased by the sun with that one ray and hoped more would fight their way through. This day was steadily going from bad to worse.

“Yes.” He looked at me pointedly. “We will have another onslaught of rain within the hour, and possibly all through the night.”

“Well,” I announced, clapping my hands in a rush. “We must prepare to leave before it hits.” I glanced toward Mrs. Gentry. “How far is it into town? And might we borrow a driver since Mr. Duncan has not yet recovered?”

The room became very silent. I sensed Mr. Jack’s stare and when I turned back toward him, both his arms were now folded over his chest and somehow that stance brought my eyes to the breadth of his shoulders. He certainly appeared fit for a hunter or farmer or whatever his occupation might be. I shifted nervously under the weight of his look.

“A driver to drive what , precisely?” He arched a brow.

I stuttered at his pointed gaze and the sharp angles of his jaw distracted me. “W—well, certainly you must have a wagon or some horses to borrow. Did none of my horses survive?”

His eyes narrowed as if he studied me now. “Two survived, though they are in no condition to travel so soon. Neither is Mr. Duncan.”

“Well, I ride most suitably. Might we borrow a pair of your horses? I assure you, they would be returned as soon as we hire a coach and driver from the nearest town.”

He scoffed, removed his hat, and ran his fingers through his hair. I could not help but notice how richly dark it was.

“You would not do us the favor, sir?” I asked with hesitation when he did not respond.

Confusion flickered across his pupils. “As much as I prefer my privacy and wish not to be harangued by a highbrow, I suggest you accept the fact that you are not going anywhere… for tonight at least.” Then he grumbled, “And possibly longer.”

I tightened my fists at my side. I was not a highbrow! I simply was used to certain comforts and I so desperately wanted to attend that lecture. “You cannot be serious.”

His jaw tightened to where the angles became more prominent. “Yes, I am quite serious. The bridge is completely destroyed, and until we find some means to get you across the river, I’m afraid you are stuck here.”

“We cannot remain here,” I declared with a quirk to my chin, though my voice was not as steady as I hoped.

The silence amongst the others in the room amplified as all eyes faced Mr. Jack and me. His lips pursed and I blinked repeatedly to draw my eyes from them.

A heartbeat passed between us and his next words surfaced slow and measured. “I wish I could acquiesce, Miss Amelia.” He exhaled exasperated. “Believe me, I do not wish for you to be here anymore than you do. But, for your safety, you are bound to remain until we find an alternate solution.”

“No!” I cried, then quickly composed myself. “I—I cannot.” I knew my voice betrayed my intent to remain strong. “I have somewhere important to be.”

Mr. Jack’s eyebrows arched and the expression on his face could not be mistaken. “I am sorry my hospitality is interfering with your blasted plans.” He threw his hands in the air. “What is your bedeviled hurry that you don’t care a wit about your own safety or that of your staff?”

I swallowed hard over my dry throat while my mind spun erratically.

“Well?”

He was not going to relent.

“I—I have a…” I mumbled.

“A what?” he pressed.

I took a deep breath and glanced over at Ennis. “A w—wedding to attend.”

“A wedding?” Mr. Jack’s bright blue eyes appeared to pop.

“Y—yes, m—my wedding.” I turned away and caught Daisy’s astonished expression as she now stood frozen at the bottom of the stairs. I had just told the man a bold-faced bounder and had no notion as to why it happened to be that one. I was not getting married. It was almost laughable, but I had to put greater emphasis on my need to leave. If I admitted it was for a lecture, all he would see is a self-seeking, ridiculous bluestocking.

Why did I care what he thought?

“Well, now that changes everything.” The sardonic tone of Mr. Jack’s voice met my ears, but I refused to face him again. “By all means, milady, do not let me stop you from finding your own way out.”

“No.” Mrs. Gentry stepped forward and reached for my hands. “My dear, you must not risk leaving with such a threatening storm on the brink. You saw how dangerous last night’s storm was. Please, just wait this out and we will find a way to reach the village the moment it is safe to travel.”

“There has to be another bridge.” I directed my inquiry back to Mr. Jack.

“There isn’t,” he snapped, his features unyielding. “This lodge was built precisely in this location for its seclusion.”

“What about the woods? There must be a path through.”

His lips ticked upward into a partial smile. “Indeed, there are many paths.” He took a breath as if he needed to calm himself. “O’Keefe.” He turned to the man beside him. “Would you be so kind to inform Miss Amelia how safe it is for her to proceed through the woods?”

The man had been caught by surprise but nodded. “It is not an easy endeavor, Miss, the terrain is confusing, dense, and unrelenting at times.”

“But it is possible?”

O’Keefe’s gaze flickered between me and Mr. Jack. “Yes, but not through a storm.”

“Then once the rain lets up, I can go?” I asked, obstinately.

Mr. Jack stared hard at me. His lips lifted in a vexing grin. “I would even give you a horse.” He took the few steps to bring himself in closer proximity. I held my breath as he leaned forward. “And anything else that would accelerate your departure.”

My lips parted at his smugness. “Fine,” I retorted.

“Fine.” He imitated and tipped his body almost as if he meant to bow but pulled short. With a frown, he circled around and called out before he strode back out the door, “Best of luck against the predators that would surely delight at the sight of you as their prey.”

I crossed my arms and huffed, then I anxiously glanced over the various animal heads in the room. Were these truly the faces of the beasts out there that might cause me harm? Gah . I wanted to stomp my feet in frustration. Though the ruffian had eyes like the Aegean Sea and the angled jaw of a Greek god, he vexed me more like a Cockspur thorn in my slipper.

“Daisy,” I called and waved her over from the bottom of the stairs. “Ennis.” I motioned for him to join us and led us to a corner of the room to confer in private.

“Miss,” Daisy whispered. “You really aren’t going to ride through those woods on your own, are you?”

I seethed. Though I flaunted an adequate seat, my only traversed landscape entailed parts of London, like Hyde Park. I had no experience in rough terrain, and I was certain Mr. Jack knew this, and that’s why he taunted me. “I don’t know what to do, but I don’t want to stay here.” I hated that I sounded like a petulant child banished to the nursery.

“It sounds too dangerous to leave just yet, Miss Amelia,” she countered.

“Well then, what should we do?” I implored their thoughts on the subject, though they both looked at me as strangely as Mr. Jack did.

“What should we do?” Ennis asked with a frown. “We don’t have many options,” he uttered his words cautiously, for I generally did not ask my footmen what they thought. “I don’t think it’s safe to go through the woods,” he added. “There’s no longer a bridge and, like Mr. Jack said, it will take time to rebuild one.”

Recalling the man’s arrogance only made me much more irritable. “I am not going to ride through the woods,” I huffed and paced in a tight circle, twisting my hands in front of me. “But we cannot stay here.”

“What of Mr. Duncan?” Ennis asked. “We should not risk moving him.”

I pressed my palm to my forehead. “I fear Henrietta will be most infuriated with me as it is,” I mumbled, speaking of his wife and feeling the weight of my dubious decision to change course to begin with. “Especially when she learns I am responsible for the diversion.”

“You were trying to get to that lecture,” Daisy placated. “We don’t fault you.” She patted my hand. “I know that you miss Peter…” her words lowered to a whisper. “This could have happened anywhere, and we could have been in far worse circumstances without a home such as this nearby.”

She was right, but I could not accept being helpless in this circumstance. “Yes, Daisy.” I knew I spoke nonsense. I just could not settle myself. “But don’t you both wish to leave this place?”

“Well, we aren’t going anywhere soon, or at least not until the rain stops,” Ennis insisted.

“Drat the rain,” I uttered.

“And we’re warm and secure here,” Ennis declared.

Why did he have to be so logical at this precise moment?

Daisy peered around her before she felt safe to speak again. “Why did you say you needed to get to your wedding?”

My head ached as if a megrim formed. “I don’t know,” I said. “I only wish to leave and thought that might sound more urgent.”

“It certainly sounds… something.” Her eyes twinkled with mirth as she pressed her palm to her mouth, holding back a chuckle.

I gave her a dry look. “Please, do not say anything to the contrary. I just want to forget I said anything at all.”

“Yes, Miss,” Daisy answered.

I looked at Ennis who quickly agreed.

I knew I was being ridiculous… even selfish, but not entirely, I justified, as I dwelled on the connection Mr. Amyot was to both Peter and me and why getting to that lecture was so important.

As preposterous as it sounded, I could not let the chance of meeting the antiquarian slip from my fingers without a fight, but the more pressing aspiration now was that I certainly had no intention of spending more than a day or two in this godforsaken place, and more than a day or two with that insufferable man… even if I had to build the bridge or a boat myself.