Page 14 of The Gift of Patience (The Virtues #3)

CHAPTER 14

B y the time Patience and the Dowager made it to Faith’s side, the doctor was already preparing Faith to push, and her maid and the housekeeper were assisting. A nervous Westwood was rubbing Faith’s back and wiping her brow. There was little for either of them to do, but Faith reached out a hand to Patience, so she held it while her sister displayed amazing strength. If her hand suffered permanent damage, well, Patience would not complain.

She marvelled at the process of childbirth, but she did not necessarily wish to go through it herself anytime soon.

“Most fathers wish to wait downstairs for the remainder, my lord,” Dr. Harvey said, though Patience thought it was for Westwood’s benefit more than any other reason. He was looking decidedly green, but Faith clung to him like a lifeline, so he shook his head and remained.

The pains Faith endured seemed as though she would not survive them, but then they would stop just in time. Then the doctor commanded her to push, and with just a few difficult pushes, a baby was wailing. Patience had never seen anything like it. She knew Faith was not out of danger, but the baby seemed healthy.

“Congratulations, my lord, my lady, you have a son with a strapping set of lungs,” Dr. Harvey announced.

The look Faith and Dominic shared with each other as they put their heads together with exhaustion and relief made Patience feel like the worst sort of intruder. It also made her long for what they had and made her more determined not to settle for less. There were much worse fates than being a spinster aunt to a beautiful baby boy. Even though he wasn’t so beautiful at the moment, she revised as the doctor unveiled the red, wrinkly mess to his doting parents.

He handed the baby off to the maid, who took the child away to clean him. Patience decided she was no longer needed and escaped with mixed emotions about the miracle she had just witnessed. “I will just go and let the others know,” she said in case anyone was paying attention.

Maybe one day that would be for her, but she was not in a hurry. She still wanted adventure and could not help but wonder how Stuart and the soldiers were doing with their ruse. It would still be several hours before they would return beneath the cover of darkness.

Patience returned to the drawing room to ease everyone’s suspense. Perhaps they’d heard the baby’s cries, but she could at least reassure them that mother and baby were well.

Two lively games of whist were underway, but all heads turned to look at her expectantly. “It’s a boy. He looks to be healthy with excellent lungs. I am sure Westwood will bring him down shortly.”

The Dowager smiled with proud satisfaction.

“At least I won this wager,” Aunt Rosemary breathed.

“Faith is always telling me I shouldn’t wager,” Joy remarked.

“Yes, yes, that is true for young ladies. As I am old and have nothing better to do, and no one cares, Flora and I have to have our fun where we can.”

Joy seemed to accept and appreciate the notion, though Patience would not put it past her to join in with the aunts.

“Have Armstrong bring champagne,” the Dowager commanded.

“Oh, I love a reason for an afternoon tipple.”

Joy giggled at that remark. Patience glanced at Aunt Rosemary in disbelief.

Xander rose from his nap and stretched, then began to nip at her heels to go out. Patience realized she could also do with a bit of fresh air as she was feeling decidedly out of sorts for some reason. “Would you like to go outside?”

The pup leaned back as if ready to pounce and wagged his tail. “Very good, let’s go, then.”

She heard the others begin to resume their game as she led Xander from the room.

They walked through the park near the house, but Patience desperately wanted to go further. Was there still danger with the prisoner being gone? She did not relish the company of having a footman following her.

Perhaps she would stay within shouting distance, but decided it was all right to venture a little further than the immediate gardens and park. It seemed eerily quiet, knowing the men had gone.

There was little to do to dispel the unsettling feelings within her besides exercise and being in nature. A long, hard ride would have been preferable, but also not practical with Faith’s having just given birth, and the danger lying in wait like a spider that you knew was in the room but cannot find to kill.

Was it because of the danger surrounding the prisoner and the missing arms? Or was it from having just witnessed the miracle of life?

Perhaps it was time to go to London and see to her future. If no one else wished to go, she could always go stay with Hope for a spell. It was unlikely this feeling would go away easily, and she was inclined to take control of her life instead of letting life happen to her.

She stopped on the bridge and watched the water rush beneath her feet. She had not meant to walk this far, but was not surprised that her feet had led her there during her wanderings. It was the place she’d always thought best. However, the day was growing late with the sun low in the western sky, so she turned to walk back to the house. Hopefully, the men would make it back without issue.

Her boots crunched on the pebbled path as Xander began to bark and ran on ahead. Patience picked up her pace to see what had excited him—probably Peter, his favourite stable hand.

Except it wasn’t Peter. She screamed and stared in shock.

“Patience, it’s not my blood!” Major Stuart exclaimed.

Ashley had not considered his appearance, but as he looked down, he could see why Patience had reacted as she did. Rupert’s blood was all over him from having moved the body to the cart and then just now to the icehouse.

Ashley was in desperate need of a bath and to inform Westwood as magistrate, but he would need to console Patience a little.

“What has happened?” She continued to look him over as though she did not believe he was unharmed. It was rather touching.

“We were set upon by Devil’s gang just on the other side of the village.”

Patience gasped in response. “They were tipped off. And they began shooting?”

“Yes. When we refused to let the prisoner go.”

“Who was harmed if that is not your blood?”

“I suspect some of them were winged, as most of us rarely miss our targets, but this blood is from Rupert.”

“Rupert?”

“He died instantly.” He was not surprised at her disbelief. Ashley was there and could scarcely believe it himself.

“What was he doing there?”

That was certainly not the reaction he anticipated, but that was one of the things he appreciated most about her.

“As we were leaving the estate, Sir Horace and Rupert came upon us. They pronounced they were coming to assist us with the prisoner.”

“Why would they do that? There were six of you.” She furrowed her brow, leaving a crease there that he longed to smooth away, but he did not touch her with his soiled hands.

“An excellent question and one that is bothering me most about this entire situation. They were quite insistent upon following me, and when Renforth told them they needed to leave—that he could not be responsible for them—that was when the gang set upon us. It seemed too premeditated, if that makes sense.”

“You think Rupert was set up?”

“I think he was deliberately shot, so possibly, yes.”

He could see her considering the possibility.

“If the point of the ambush was to dispose of Rupert, then we were correct in our suppositions that he was only the middleman.”

“And had outlived his usefulness?” he supplied. “Also, it must mean they have other plans for the future or they do not yet know of the trap,” he said quietly, mindful of listening ears.

“How do you figure that?” she asked.

“If he knew of another shipment, would he have risked his gang?”

It was likely Rupert was the one who had given away their movements that day and had been directed to follow along. When Sir Horace came out of his stupor, he would have to be questioned closely to see if Rupert had revealed anything. He still had not spoken in his state of shock.

If he knew nothing of the scheme or who Rupert was working with, then Rupert’s rooms would have to be searched both here and in London. It should be done anyway, and the sooner the better. Much though he hated to disturb Westwood, it was necessary. Speaking of Westwood…

“How is Faith’s labour progressing?” he asked. It would have been the first question from his mouth had Patience not needed reassuring, though she was out on a walk, so things could not be too dire.

“Oh! She’s already given birth.”

“So soon?” Even he knew that first births tended to be a lengthy process.

“Indeed. Apparently, she had been having pains the entire night and had not told anyone. How very like Faith not to wish to bother people and bear the burden alone.”

“I assume the babe is healthy?”

“All is well. The boy and Faith were well when I stepped out.”

“Did you say a boy?”

“I did. He had no name yet when I left them.”

“Thank the heavens.” The last thing he ever wanted to be was the heir.

“Forgive me, but I must bathe and then speak to my brother about this matter. There is little time to waste.”

She nodded her agreement and then fell in beside him as they walked to the house.

“Have the plans changed for this evening?” she asked.

“I cannot say what might have happened in London, but I’ve heard no word otherwise from Renforth.”

They parted at the staircase and Ashley immediately rang for a bath. It would not be the luxurious soaking he desired, but a quick clean and change.

Soon after, he found his brother who was sitting in a rocking chair, doting upon the new baby with Faith sleeping nearby. He crept quietly over to greet his nephew.

“Congratulations, Brother. I cannot yet claim he is the most handsome lad I’ve ever seen, but I’m certain he soon will be.”

“Would you like to hold him?”

“That will have to wait until later. Much though I hate to disturb you, there is an urgent matter that must be dealt with.”

Westwood raised his brows, but rose with his son in his arms and placed him in the bassinet near the bed by his mother.

They exited the room quietly and went down the stairs to the study.

“You are not even supposed to be here, so I suppose I should have realized something was amiss sooner.” He slid into his favourite worn leather chair.

“I think your mind has been rightly somewhere else this day.”

“Indeed. And my relief that Faith and Benjamin are healthy has consumed my thoughts.”

“You named him after Father.” Ashley smiled as he went to the side table and poured them both a healthy measure of brandy. He handed Dominic a glass and then toasted. “To Faith and Benjamin.”

Dominic raised his glass and then drank. “Now, tell me what the urgent matter is.”

Ashley repeated much the story he had told Patience. “We were set upon just on the other side of the village by Devil’s gang. Gunfire erupted when Renforth refused to release Devil. Fielding shot the gun out of the leader’s hand as he cocked and began to pull the trigger. That’s when all hell broke loose.”

He took a drink.

“When all of the chambers were emptied, and the smoke had cleared, the gang fled quickly, but then we discovered Rupert was dead.”

Westwood looked up sharply. “Why was Rupert there?”

“He and Sir Horace found us on our way down the drive and refused to leave. Renforth had just warned them off when the gang came out of the woods, masked, on horseback, like highwaymen.”

“And how is Sir Horace?”

“Shocked to the bone. He did not speak a word. Farmer Jones happened by with his cart and helped me bring the body back to the icehouse. Greening took Fagge home.”

His brother ran an exhausted hand over his face. “That was certainly an unexpected turn of events. Do you believe it was one of the gang’s stray bullets that hit him?”

“Actually, no. Whoever shot him did it on purpose.”

“How can you be certain?”

“Because Rupert was beside me and he was shot in the back. He was silenced.”

“It appears so.” Dominic leaned his head back against his chair. “This is certainly not what I wish to be doing right now. Would you write the report with all of the details exactly as you remember them, including a sketch of where everyone was at the time?”

“Certainly.”

“Dr. Harvey said he would stop by this evening to check on Faith and the baby, so I will ask him to take a look at the body when he arrives. It would have been much better had Rupert been caught in the crossfire.”

“I imagine whoever shot him believes that will be the assumption. In fact, it might be better to play on that instead of announcing our suspicions.”

“Do you think it will make them more careless?”

“We can only hope, but if we declare a verdict of murder, then they will know we are seeking them.”

“There are no guarantees with the inquest,” Westwood warned. “I can delay a little, but this needs to be resolved quickly.”

“Understood. We best pray our trap works. It just became much more serious. The leader was willing to murder to keep his identity hidden. And at least we know that it’s someone who associated with Rupert.”

“That only leaves us two suspects then. I am very grateful for Rupert’s lack of acquaintance. See to having them followed if Renforth has not already done so. This needs to end before anyone else is killed. Let me know if the men make it back safely tonight and if there are any further developments.” Westwood drained his glass and stood.

“Yes, Brother.”

“Now, I think I’ll go hold my son some more.”

Ashley shook his head. If you had told him a year ago his brother would be like this, he never would have believed it.

Now, he needed to prepare for the return of his troop. He had not really discussed with Westwood where to put Devil next, but he had an idea.