Page 24 of The Demons of Wychwood

TWO YEARS LATER

“Bess darlin’, where are you? We’re leaving soon; this is no time for games!” I called as we searched for my tricksy niece. Bess loved the gardens at Penhelligan and even though her Ma had explained the grand adventure Kit and I were about to embark on, Bess refused to listen.

“She’s four, she don’t understand how far away Exeter is, let alone the Americas,” Elowen had scolded when I told her of my frustration. I knew she was right, but I had to try and get her to come and see us off at Plymouth. I wanted my niece to see the huge ocean liner. I wanted to inspire her for when she was older to get out of stuffy old England and see the world, just like her uncle Felix and Papa Kit. I’d promised to send her postcards and gifts from our travels, but even that lure couldn’t coax her out of her hiding place.

We’d had a wonderful two-years living at Penhelligan Hall. The death of General Napier was judged to be misadventure. He’d slipped on the stairs while prowling around the house in the dark. The verdict was a relief, and then strangely enough, Magistrate Quintrelle changed his tune and ensured that the families of the maids and stable boys who were assaulted by Napier were compensated from his final estate.

When an arrangement between Kit and me was decided upon, I’d taken a trip up to Wychwood and left a note for the employer inside the brick in the garden wall. I told them that, while I was grateful for the job, I was moving to Devon and could no longer serve at the house.

I had no regrets, cos I was now working as the Duke of Penhelligan’s personal assistant. Kit had been busy these past two years overseeing the renovations to Penhelligan Hall. Elowen and Bess came to live at the hall too, with Elowen marrying Kit and taking on the title Lady Havelock. The story we’d spread was that Kit was madly in love with a maid from the hall. He had married her and they’d had a child in secret. This ensured Elowen and Bess had a family home, and that no one would be asking questions about why Felix Lazarus, the ladyship’s brother and Lord Penhelligan’s personal assistant, was at his side all day, every day. The arrangement worked a treat.

Elowen and I kept on searching the gardens and if I didn’t find Bess soon Kit and I would have to leave without her.

“Papa, I want to see my Papa!” a petulant small voice came from inside a huge floral bush.

“My my, did you hear that Elowen? We shall have to congratulate the gardener Mr. Simmons. It appears he’s grown the world’s first talking bush,” I jested loudly.

“It is indeed a miracle. I suppose Queen Victoria herself will want us to dig it up and send it straight to Windsor!” Elowen responded in the same exaggerated tone as I. The bush shuddered and flower petals drifted lazily to the ground.

“I don’t want the Queen to have my bush,” the voice said. “And I don’t want Papa and Uncle Felix to go on the big boat!” Bess said petulantly.

Then Kit was by my side holding something that might just do the job. My Kit was so very handsome, and I pinched myself every day wondering how did little Felix Lazarus land himself a Duke?

“Bess, darling. I know you don’t want us to go on the boat and that it’s made you sad. So I have a present for you that will make you happy while were gone. Do you want to come and meet your new puppy?”

The bush rustled and then the most beautiful little girl, all blond ringlets and a Lazarus ‘Butter wouldn’t melt’ smile crawled out from a gap I hadn’t known was there. She squealed when she saw the Labrador puppy kit was holding .

“Is he really mine?”

“She’s a girl puppy, darling. What will you name her?” Kit asked.

“Um…um…I will call her Sunshine. Can I hold her?”

“Let’s get you into the carriage and then I’ll sit her on your knee, yes?” Kit offered, and I marveled at how good he was with her. “Yes, yes, let’s go Papa.” Bess cried excitedly and then rushed towards the steps leading up to the courtyard and the waiting carriage.

I have to be honest, every time I saw how wonderful Kit was with my niece my heart grew too big for my chest. I love Christopher Havelock with all I am, and if the Gods are with us, we’ll return to Penhelligan in a year, return to our family, and we’ll tell them of our marvelous adventures.

I looked up at Kit and my love was reflected in his eyes. I offered him my hand and said,

“Milord, would you care to accompany me on an adventure?” Kit placed his warm hand in mine and squeezed it as if he would never let me go.

“I would be delighted to accompany you, Mr. Lazarus.”

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THE END