Page 3 of The Duke’s Sharpshooter (The Duke’s Guard #14)

T emperance thanked Mr. Scruggs, unnerved by the way the innkeeper’s sister looked at her.

For Maddy’s sake she did not let her unease show as she smiled and thanked the woman.

The fire was hot, and her cloak was mostly dry.

While they waited, others had arrived and been served.

This was not the first time this had happened to them.

She had discovered that traveling with her daughter—without a male escort—immediately raised suspicion.

In the few years she’d been widowed, she had been unable to secure steady work.

Whenever anything went wrong, she was the first to be blamed, though she had a strong work ethic.

Since leaving her last position, she had even been accused of stealing Maddy, who was the image of her late husband with her curly blonde hair, but with Temperance’s green eyes.

“Mum, my belly aches.” The tiny hand on her arm had her temper simmering. Scruggs had relayed Flaherty’s message to Miss Harkness, so why had she been ignoring them in favor of other travelers who had arrived after they had?

“Breakfast will be here soon, Maddy.”

Her daughter abandoned her chair. She climbed onto Temperance’s lap and leaned her head against her breast.

“You’re such a good girl to wait so long. Thank you.”

Maddy’s breathing slowly evened out until she began to snore. The little girl was just as exhausted as Temperance was.

She wondered if she should have left the merchant’s employ sooner.

She’d been hired to assist the man’s cook.

He paid her well, and agreed to let her keep Maddy with her while she worked.

After a few months, she’d begun to think that maybe this was where she and Maddy belonged.

She relaxed her guard—and that was when he’d cornered her in the pantry and locked the door.

The cook had warned Temperance that it was not if he would add Temperance to his list of conquests, but when .

She suggested Temperance carry a knife in her apron pocket, and thank goodness she had!

The coward had covered his face with his hands and backed away, begging her not to stab him.

She’d packed up Maddy and left a short time later, but not before Cook handed her a small bag of coins.

Temperance had nearly wept. She couldn’t remember the last time she cried. There had simply not been time.

She had spent most of the coin on their journey south in the hopes of finding another position.

Rocking and quietly humming, she reaffirmed her vow that her daughter would not go hungry ever again.

Temperance had worked her fingers to the bone trying to provide for Maddy and was at a loss as to what else she could do to earn money, short of selling herself.

Shame filled her for even thinking it. Her husband would never have wanted her to stoop so low. Lord, what else can I do?

Humiliation stained her cheeks as she realized heads slowly turned as the other patrons stared at her and whispered.

It had taken less than an hour this time before the rumors and speculation began.

Temperance refused to allow one more self-righteous person to cast aspersions on her daughter or herself.

They were dry, and Maddy had fallen asleep. It was time to leave.

She rose to her feet. Head high, she skirted the tables and, without a backward glance, walked out the door.

“I see your little tot fell asleep,” Mr. Scruggs called to her as she walked toward him. “A full belly more often than not has me feeling sleepy myself.”

She decided not to tell him what had happened inside. “Would you please tell Mr. Flaherty that it was too crowded to stay inside?”

“No sense getting wet again after you’ve already dried off. Why don’t you wait inside the barn?”

“Maddy would be terrified if she woke up surrounded by so many horses, but thank you for your kindness, and please do thank Mr. Flaherty for us.”

The older man’s frown was fierce, but facial expressions were the very least of what worried Temperance.

A person’s smile while passing on false rumors and innuendo was far more threatening.

She had no one to stand beside her while she fought against those who sought to slander her good name.

Those that had did not know her or her husband.

She felt the weight of her sleeping daughter between her shoulder blades and in her lower back.

The aches were welcome, as they served to remind her that no matter what anyone else thought, her husband had loved her—and would have loved their daughter.

She shifted Maddy in her arms and dug deep for a smile for the only other person in the village to show her an ounce of kindness. “Thank you, Mr. Scruggs.”

“I gave my word to watch over you and Maddy, Mrs. Johnson.”

“But you have a job to do, and three carriages arriving on the heels of one another required your attention. I’m grateful that you took the time to see us settled in the taproom and spoke to the innkeeper’s sister on our behalf.

You have no control over when and how many carriages arrive at the inn.

I shall always remember your kindness. Goodbye, Mr. Scruggs. ”

Someone hailed the hostler. Short of tying them up, Temperance knew he had no choice but to let them go.

Her footsteps were steady, but slow. She’d learned to conserve as much energy as she could in order to walk the long distances required in searching for employment.

Half a mile seemed much longer when her daughter was fast asleep.

Awake, Maddy would have her arms around Temperance’s neck, clinging to her like a bur, and would not feel as heavy.

Tears pricked the back of her eyes, but she refused to let them fall. “Tears solve nothing. They make my eyes swell and my nose red.”

Annoyed with herself, she slipped on a patch of deep mud along the edge of the road. It was time to find shelter and rest. She could not afford for Maddy to become ill by exposure to the wet and the damp, chilly air. A copse of fir trees off to the right would have to do.

Aware that her steps were faltering, her body straining from the weight of the precious burden she carried, Temperance prayed for her guardian angel to protect them while they rested.

Beneath the cover of the trees, she found a dry spot among the fragrant pine needles.

She set her daughter down, then lay beside her, tucking Maddy against her heart where no cold air or dampness would touch her.

Fingers stiff from being wet and cold, gown sticking to her legs, Temperance fought the urge to shiver.

Her eyes drifted closed as she prayed, “Lord, please help me find a way to feed my little one. She needs to eat and somewhere warm to sleep.”

*

“What do ye mean they’ve gone?”

Scruggs shrugged. “We had a number of coaches arrive at the same time right after I tucked Mrs. Johnson and her daughter in the taproom next to the fire. I passed along your message to the innkeeper’s sister as three carriages pulled in.

I offered to let her stay in the barn out of the wet, but she insisted it would startle her daughter to wake surrounded by horses. ”

Flaherty had a bad feeling in his gut. “Did she say where she was headed?”

“She mentioned it being too crowded inside, and I can well imagine it with the number of people in the packed coaches. Besides, if she and her daughter had finished eating, they would be obliged to give up their seats.”

Flaherty scrubbed a hand over his face. “How long ago did she leave?”

“Half an hour, maybe more.” Flaherty turned to leave, and Scruggs called out, “She said to thank you for your kindness and headed out of town with Maddy sleeping in her arms.”

Flaherty knew a sleeping—or unconscious—body felt as if it weighed more.

The lass had looked dead on her feet when he’d had to leave her to finish his rounds in the village.

It had taken a bit longer than anticipated.

He’d stopped to help one of the tenant farmers’ sons, who’d gotten stuck halfway up a tree, unable to climb down.

Gaining his saddle, he prayed, “Lord, I could use Yer help finding them.”

Three-quarters of a mile up the road, the heavens opened up. He wiped the rainwater out of his eyes and noticed a copse of fir trees off the side of the road—and deep, small footprints, indicating someone was carrying a heavy load. It had to be Temperance.

Dismounting, he walked his gelding over to the trees and called her name softly, not wanting to startle the lass. When she didn’t answer, he told his horse to wait for him, brushed the branches aside, and stepped into the small shelter the thick branches provided.

The pair he sought were huddled in a pile of pine needles. Temperance was shivering in her sleep, while her little one slept peacefully snuggled against her. He crossed the distance and knelt beside them. “Wake up, lass, ’tis Flaherty. I’ve come to take ye home.”

Neither one stirred. He repeated the words, louder this time.

A sliver of fear snaked up his spine. Placing the back of his hand to the lass’s forehead, he felt the heat radiating off her.

Worry filled him. Maddy was much smaller, and he used two fingers to check her for fever. She was warm, but not as hot as her ma.

A sense of urgency filled him. How long had she been fevered? Why hadn’t the stubborn lass at least waited in the barn for him? A scared child could be soothed, but at least they’d have been dry and warm.

Though the inn was closer, and he was familiar with Scruggs and Harkness, he knew the duke and duchess would never turn away anyone in need—especially a widow and her small child. Decision made, he slipped his arms beneath the lass and started to lift her.

Maddy opened her eyes. “You found us.”

“That I did, little Miss Maddy.”

“Mum’s tired, and we’re hungry.”

“We’ll take care of that when we get to Wyndmere Hall. Let me help ye to stand up. I’ll need to put ye on me horse first, then yer ma. How brave are ye, wee cailín ?”

“I’m the bravest. Mum said so.”

“There’s a lass. Now then, I’ve got a spare shirt and coat in tucked in a leather bag behind me saddle. I’m going to get them and wrap ye and yer ma in them to keep ye warm while we ride. All right?”

Her green eyes sparkled like gems. “All right.”

“Stay close to yer ma.” He grabbed the bag.

“We’ve a big job ahead of us, laddie,” he told his gelding.

“The lass is fevered, and we need to take her to the duke.” The intelligence in the horse’s eyes settled him.

“Good, lad. Ye know how important it is for haste. Though the weight of us combined will be a chore for ye.” In answer, his horse snorted.

If Flaherty had not been so worried, he would have laughed. Instead he rushed back to lasses. “Let me wrap this around ye, Maddy.” She watched him wrap his shirt around her. “Now then, let’s see if we can rouse yer ma and tuck ye into her arms. Then we can wrap me dry coat around the two of ye.”

Wide green eyes stared up at him. “How will we get on your horse?”

He tapped the end of her nose. “I’ll lift ye up. Now then, let’s try to wake yer ma.”

“When I’m really hungry—like now—I wake her up like this.” Maddy cupped her mother’s face in her tiny hands and kissed her cheek. “Wake up, Mum, I’m hungry!”

“I know, sweetheart. I’m sorry.” The lass’s eyes opened and so did her mouth.

Flaherty touched the tip of his finger to her chin. “Close yer mouth, lass.” She blinked a few times as if she could not believe what she was seeing, then obeyed. He assured her that she wasn’t dreaming. “I followed after ye. Why didn’t ye wait?”

“The lady didn’t like us,” Maddy whispered.

Flaherty strove to keep the anger out of his voice. “Which lady?”

“The inn lady. She fed other people. Not us.”

Anger tore through his guts at the notion that Miss Harkness would take his coin and not take care of the two lasses. He knew Scruggs would have delivered his message to her. “She’ll be sorry she didn’t take care of ye.”

“It’s not her fault,” Temperance told him. “The inn was busy.”

“’Tis no excuse. From what Scruggs told me, ye were there first and should have been served first.”

“But—”

“Ye can argue yer point later. Right now I need to take that wet cloak off ye and wrap yerself and Maddy in me frockcoat.”

“We’re fine right here.”

“Ye’re not thinking clearly—’tis the fever, lass. Would ye rather let yer daughter stay out in this damp and rainy weather?”

Her green eyes filled with worry before gut-wrenching sadness replaced that emotion. “You’re right. My head is muddled.”

He helped her out of the cloak and wrapped them in his frockcoat.

Flaherty was thankful that the duke insisted on the finest wool.

The tight fibers kept the cold—and most of the elements—out.

Unless it was a downpour, which had been happening off and on since he rode out of the stables at the duke’s estate.

When Temperance stood shakily and started walking, he scooped her off her feet and into his arms. Maddy giggled.

It took no time at all for him to reach his horse’s side and set the lasses on the animal.

“Thank ye, laddie. There’ll be the cup of oats I owe ye, an apple, and two carrots when we get to the stables. ”

His gelding snuffed out a bold breath. Maddy’s eyes widened in surprise. The little lass was a joy to watch.

“Now then, snuggle up tight to yer ma, while I mount behind ye.” Seated, he pulled the lass and her pixie-faced daughter into his arms. “Close yer eyes now, and dream of the butter cake and scones Constance will have ready and waiting for ye.”

“And tea?” Temperance whispered.

“Aye, lass, and tea.”