Page 57 of Unchaining the Heart of the Marquess
“Not return to Chescrown?”
“Yes, My Lord. It appeared that she might not.”
“That cannot be. We swore to one another…” his words faded away. Everything they had promised one another, they had done so as children. Those days were long gone. “I cannot leave Chescrown. Mother is missing again, and Father is under threat.” He handed the stableman the note.
“I see.” Mr. Tatham handed it back to him. “I am surprised that the Duchess would place His Grace in harm’s way by not returning.”
“There is something going on here that Mother fears even more than death. I do not know what it is, but it is now clear to me that she will do anything to keep her secrets, including tearing this family apart. I have asked that Father reinstitute the guard around the house for his own safekeeping and Lt. Buckworth is in London searching for Mother, but I do not feel right about leaving with all of this hanging over our heads.”
“It sounds to me that there is nothing more you can do here but wait, My Lord. Is waiting for a threat that may never come worth losing Miss Merton over when you have people in place here to do what is needed?”
Mr. Tatham’s words held truth. “Mr. Tatham, will you swear to me on all that you hold dear to protect my family in my absence until I return?”
“Of course, My Lord. I swear to you that naught will happen in your absence. I will make a horse ready for your departure.”
“Thank you, Mr. Tatham.”
Frederick hurried back inside to bathe and gather the supplies he would need for the journey.
* * *
Josephine sat at the edge of a stream, tossing stale bread crumbs down to a pair of ducks. Owen’s younger sisters played with their dolls in the grass behind her. In the field across the stream, Owen aided his father in stacking the hay. The sun shone down on his blonde hair and bronzed skin, his shirt open at the neck, his sleeves rolled up to his elbows. He made a beautiful sight.
I could get used to such a life.
One of the little girls ran over to Josephine and handed her a crown of flowers. “We made this for you.” She offered it to her, beaming with pride at their work. Golden curls framed her tiny delicate features. Eyes so like her brothers glowed above the loveliest smattering of freckles.
“Thank you, Abigail. It is beautiful. Would you like to place it on my head?” The girl nodded, and Josephine bent her head, allowing her to place the crown upon it. “How do I look?”
“Quite pretty,” Abigail reassured her giggling.
“Would you like to feed the ducks with me?”
She nodded and sat down beside her on the grassy bank. Josephine handed her a crust of bread, and they fed the ducks until the last crumb was gone. Abigail leaned against Josephine’s side and watched the waterfowl swimming about. The little girl grew tired, and her head began to sag as she closed her eyes. Josephine wrapped her arm around her so that she would not fall forward into the stream.
As Abigail drifted off to sleep, she murmured softly, “I hope you marry Owen and become my sister. Will you?”
Before Josephine could answer, Abigail had fallen asleep in her lap. ‘Will I?’ indeed.She was not sure what to say.
Owen had been helping her to regain her strength walking up and down the hallway, and then the grounds. She tripped, tangled in her own skirts. Owen caught her, holding her to him to keep her from falling to the ground. Wrapped in his arms, she had looked up to thank him and had stopped when she saw the look in his eyes.‘Marry me,’he had asked. She had blushed and asked for time to think. He had agreed.
When she was strong enough, he had taken her and her mother to meet his family. Josephine had been ultimately won over by the delightful charms of the Greeves household. They were genuinely kind, loving, hospitable people. The farm was lush and beautiful. Josephine could not have asked for a better place to finish her recovery. From the moment she had arrived she had felt the weight of care lift from her spirits. Her mother had felt it as well.
As a little girl she had dreamed of a life much like this one, but with Frederick. Now Frederick was gone and well beyond her reach. She had accepted that and moved on as he had advised, and yet she had not been able to accept Owen’s offer of marriage. She knew she should accept him, but every time she went to do so a tiny niggling of doubt stopped her.
As she sat watching him work the fields, she reconsidered his proposal.I should accept him. He is a good man, and it is time that I moved on from Chescrown… and Frederick.
Making up her mind to do so, she let go of her worries and rose from the ground picking Abigail up in her arms. She turned to carry her into the house out of the sun and was brought up short by the sight of Frederick standing across the flower-strewn garden. As he approached her, she felt as if she might faint but managed to remain conscious for Abigail’s sake. “Frederick? What are you doing here?”
“I have come for you,” he informed her, his eyes attempting to convey a message she did not understand.
“How is your mother? The last news we had was that you were with her on the Italian peninsula.”
“We returned to London only to have her disappear once more. Lt. Buckworth remained in the city to make inquiries. There was a new threat this time against Father if Mother did not return and reveal her secrets. I went on to Chescrown to warn Father only to find you had gone and were engaged to be married to Greeves. Please do not marry him, Josephine.”
Josephine was flabbergasted. “Why would you come here when your mother is still missing?”
“To stop you from making the biggest mistake of your life.”
