Realm 04 - A Touch of Grace (45 page)

“Thank God,” Lyn said in relief.

Bel’s voice was low and raspy, but she said with determination, “You have begged Grace for her forgiveness?”

Gabriel grimaced. “There was not enough time for a proper conversation. I was concerned for your rescue. We will see Her Ladyship when we reach shore. For now, permit me the peace of knowing you have not suffered unduly.”

“You must speak honestly to Grace,” Lyn encouraged. “You cannot permit the riff to continue, Godown. Please promise you will reconcile with the marquise.”

He could have lost them today. These three women were the whole of his existence. “Grace and I will find a means to a reconciliation,” he promised. “I will not have you in fear of my future.” Gabriel would do what he could to save his marriage. He held no idea how to set his feet on the correct path. So many accusations had passed between him and his wife, but as he lifted Bel into one of the waiting boats, he knew bringing Grace home was the most important move he could make.

Crossing to the docks, he watched carefully as the Three Roses rallied about one another. They were an entity unto themselves. “How did you manage to keep Talbot’s men at bay?” he said as the Realm’s men maneuvered the small boat closer to the moorings.

Lía grinned largely. “That task was easy. The Baloch told us to think of something that would make a man turn tail and run.” Lyn chuckled, and even Bel smiled largely. Gabriel had insisted Bel not use her voice until a surgeon had examined her. “We all agreed,” Lía continued, “men will never sit through a woman speaking of frills and lace.”

“We kept a running dialogue regarding the latest fashions whenever one of our captors entered the room,” Lyn explained.

Lía added, “Between the three of us, we never permitted our gaolers an opportunity to ask of Grace’s whereabouts. It was quite effective.”

Gabriel chuckled. “I must tell Pennington to add your tactics to our training schedule.”

Within minutes, he assisted each of them to shore and then directed them along the docks to the room where he had left his wife. Anxious to see her, he hated the snail’s pace set by his aunts; yet, he remained by their sides. Reaching the building, he went ahead of them because he assumed his wife would be beside herself with worry. “Grace! Grace! We found them!” he called as he raced up the steps. But the silence brought him up short.

Nothing moved. The fire from earlier had been banked, and the chilly emptiness filled every corner. On a nearby table rested his wife’s gowns. The ones he had purchased for her as part of her bridal clothes.

“Grace!” Lyn called. “You will not believe the drama.”

As the Three Roses reached the door, Gabriel stepped aside so they could witness what he had. A stabbing pain, starting at the hollow of his throat, opened his soul to the world.

“Where is she? Where is Lady Godown?” Lía said through trembling lips.

“Gone.” Gabriel whispered into the stillness.

Lyn did a poor job of hiding her tears. “Gone where? Grace has no one else in the world.”

Gabriel swallowed hard. “She has the child.” He looked away. “Grace said the babe was all she required. That she would be rich with love.”

Bel whispered hoarsely, “You must find her, Godown.”

Gabriel confessed, “I have no idea where to begin. When Grace does not wish to be found, she is quite adept at disappearing.”

“Look!” Lyn noted. “There is something on the table.”

Gabriel crossed the room in four long strides. He snatched up the two letters and examined them. “One is addressed to you three,” he said as he turned over the second one in his hand. Lyn accepted the one he extended to his aunts. Meanwhile, Gabriel turned his back on his family and unfolded the pages.

My dearest Lord,

If you are reading this, you are aware I have taken your word as law: I have withdrawn. Before I speak further, I must beseech you not to give chase. Our situation is difficult enough without our prolonging the misery.

Misery was the correct word to describe his current state of mind. In fact, he had lived a miserable existence for the last seven years. What was worse was with Grace’s leaving, Gabriel possessed no opportunity of changing his stars.

As I hold no doubt of your success in rescuing your aunts, I beg for you to escort the Roses to Staffordshire and resume your life. If you wish a divorce, I shall never cry foul. Instead, I shall consider our short time together as the best days of my life.

They had been his best days also. How could he have twisted the strands of happiness into knots?

I shall not offend you by arguing for my innocence. It is too late for either of us to be a victor in this matter. Just be assured the child will know of the magnificent man who is his father. A man who holds my deepest regard. A man of honor. A man who has devoted his days to keeping Englishmen everywhere safe.

Gabriel cringed. Did Grace truly see the best in him? After all, he had shown her only his worst. He had permitted the memory of Lady Gardenia’s manipulations to color his relationships. Only Grace had fought for him by fighting with him. God! He had erred so adeptly.

It is my hope I can secure a position in order to support my family.

My family, his wife had said. Not our family. Grace had effectively told him she no longer considered him a part of her life.

As a woman with a child is not likely to achieve a governess position, I have taken the liberty to keep this quarter’s pin money. I pray you hold no objections.

Of course, he held objections, but not for the reason Grace assumed. His wife thought he would object to providing for her during her confinement, a fact, which spoke to how often he had berated her. On the contrary, Gabriel objected to Grace’s having a means to leave him.

I am grateful, my Lord, for your singling me out as your wife. Although we both are well aware I have failed in my role, you have done me a great honor. You have given me respectability and worth by bestowing your name upon me. A woman is defined by her husband’s regard. Yet, as proud as I am to bear your name, I regret having nothing to give you in return. As such, I shall never cross your doorstep again. Promise me you shall seek happiness for you most assuredly deserve it, Gabriel. In closing, I shall claim my title one last time…

Your loving wife, Grace

Gabriel reread the adieu several more times. Your loving wife. Had Grace loved him? That was not a possibility, he warned his aching heart. Could she love him still? If not, could he convince her to love him again? He had to remember despite her words of devotion, his wife had wanted her freedom. If Gabriel loved her in return, and he was certain he did, he must permit Grace to leave without incident. Swallowing the nagging pain, he turned to face his aunts.

“What did Grace say?” Lyn asked anxiously.

Gabriel slipped the note into his pocket. “My wife extends her farewells,” he said evenly.

“Farewell?” Lía gasped. “You cannot mean to permit Her Ladyship to simply leave?” she protested.

“What would you have me do, Tantine? Would you have me physically drag my wife from whichever carriage she has taken?”

“I would have you apologize for your arrogance and beg Grace to return,” Lía declared.

“Then you will know disappointment, Aunt.” He physically placed Grace from life by setting his shoulders and his countenance to one of determination. He shut himself from the possibilities. “It is best if I fetch the physician to tend to your injuries and to secure rooms for the night and tomorrow. We will remain in Liverpool until you have recovered from your ordeal.”

As he exited the room, Gabriel heard Lyn say, “If we wait until you recover, Godown, we will become permanent residents of this port city.”

Several hours later, his friends found him haphazardly folding his wife’s belongings. He would be damned if he would leave Grace’s gowns and intimate apparel to those who populated this section of Liverpool. Moreover, these personal items might be all be would ever have of her.

“How fares your family?” Swenton asked as he entered the room.

Gabriel looked up from his task. Except for these personal belongings, he had cleared the room of any sign of Grace. “My aunts are resting at The Golden Apple. Bel’s neck is bruised badly, and all three are exhausted from their ordeal; yet, the surgeon assures me they will quickly recover.”

Lowery ventured, “And Lady Godown?”

“Gone.” A deathly silence followed. His friends looked awkwardly away. To break the tension, Gabriel changed the subject. “What of our prisoners?”

Lowery spoke with businesslike precision. “Although several small barrels of the opium appear to be missing, we have confiscated the shipment. The men who kidnapped your family are under arrest.”

“ And what of our men?” Gabriel asked as he jammed his wife’s wedding gown into the trunk.

“No one seriously injured,” Swenton summarized.

Gabriel frowned when he discovered the string of pearls he had presented to Grace as a wedding gift in a velvet bag hidden among her clothing. He slid the pouch into his inside pocket. “What of Talbot?”

Lowery grimaced. “Mr. Talbot may not make it. The sail struck him a powerful blow.”

“I suppose I should express my regrets, but I have little sympathy remaining for Talbot. He would have used my family for his perverted revenge.”

Swenton stated, “It was a remarkably twisted tale Talbot told. So much misery for no true reason.” It was the second time that day someone had used the word “misery” to describe his life.

Lowery noted, “We have plenty of paperwork to complete to satisfy Pennington. I suppose we should return to The Golden Apple and be at it.” His friends started for the door. “Are you coming, Godown?”

“I will follow in my carriage. I wish to return these last few items to the trunk.” Thankfully, neither Lowery nor Swenton commented on Gabriel’s need to touch Grace’s belongings.

At the door, Swenton paused. “By the way, Godown, that was some fancy trickery you managed with the sail. I would never have thought of sending it spinning.”

Gabriel looked up from the last of the items on the table. “It was none of my doing. Jamot was hiding in the rigging.”

Lowery declared, “That is impossible! We searched the ship high and low for the likes of the Baloch.”

“Evidently, not high enough,” Gabriel said sarcastically. “I know what I saw, Carter. Jamot was standing lightly on the crossbar for the second square mast.”

“Then where did the Baloch go?” Lowery countered. “We had the ship secured. Jamot could not escape, and I tell you he was not aboard.”

Gabriel would not argue with Lowery. He knew the baronet prided himself on such details. “Perhaps our enemy had planned his escape before we had taken charge of the melee.”

Lowery sighed heavily. “If you will excuse me, I have some duties to address. I will meet you at the inn.” With a curt bow, the baronet disappeared into the night.

Swenton grinned largely. “I suspect Sir Carter will dismantle the Sea Spray plank by plank.”

Gabriel remarked, “I doubt it will make a difference. The Baloch has long disappeared.”

“Aye, but Lowery must recognize that reality for himself.” Swenton looked to the half-filled trunk. “For some unexplained reason, Jamot took pity on your family. I pray it proves beneficial. That it brings you what you desire.” With that pronouncement, the baron followed Lowery into the night.

Gabriel glanced down at the small book he had retrieved from the folds of Grace’s gown. He opened it and thumbed the pages. “A journal,” he murmured. “I never knew Grace kept a journal.” He sat heavily and opened it to the first page. Gabriel knew he should not read her personal thoughts, but if it helped him to understand the woman he had taken as his wife, then it was imperative he do so. Between the end sheet and the binding several loose pages fell to the table’s pocketed surface.

Gabriel unfolded them and noted the date on the rough foolscap. He had seen the paper’s grain previously. Grace’s sketches of Jonah Wright and of Lord Spectre were found on similar sheets. “Grace wrote these pages while she nursed me to health in Scotland,” he told the empty room. Scanning the dates on the various pages, he added, “These sheets chronicle our first encounter.”

*

A month had passed, but he had yet to hear one word from his wife. Daily, he cursed himself for not giving chase when he had had the opportunity. Although Gabriel had praised his wife’s ability to disappear into a crowded city, in truth, he had not thought Grace would leave him without some notice of her whereabouts. He had instructed his man of business to provide Grace whatever she required; that is, if Grace contacted Mr. Rankin, which Gabriel did not think a possibility. He made Rankin promise to send word immediately if his solicitor heard from Lady Godown.

Not a day had passed he had not read his wife’s words regarding their every interaction. Grace’s journal spoke of her deep growing regard for him, of her uncertainty, and of the pain his accusations had caused her. Each time, the regret swelled his throat closed; yet, he could no more not read the pages than he could stop the sun from rising in the East.

Grace’s words describing her terror when Benjamin Talbot had threatened her in her brother’s home had ripped the breath from Gabriel’s chest. The tale had solidified Gabriel’s belief in the old adage that evil begets evil. The blow Murhad Jamot had so brilliantly executed had not killed the man, but it had knocked Talbot, literally, senseless. Once more, scandal had been delivered to Templeton’s doorstep, and reportedly, the baron had departed on an extended stay of the Continent. For his role in the kidnapping and attempted murder of members of the aristocracy, Talbot faced hanging. Of course, Gabriel’s family’s involvement had dredged up the previous rumors of his aborted courtship of the former Lady Gardenia. Yet, somehow, the gossip no longer mattered to Gabriel. The only thing worth his notice was finding a resolution to his situation with Grace.

Her journal had also revealed her involvement in the attack in the park. Lord Worthing had confirmed his wife had observed Grace’s injury. It proved what an idiot he had been. His unconquerable wife had risked her life to save his. Just as she had risked her life, as well as his child’s life, to save his aunts. Yes, he thoroughly believed the child was his. He could not have read Grace’s impassioned words without knowing the truth in his heart.