Page 58 of Her Duke in Shining Armor
The question always formed in his mind in that order or sometimes spun—What was the child doing with her?
So mired in his worry, Aaron barely caught on when the performance ended and polite claps were given. He added his. The attention then turned to a harpist, draped in silvery blue and began a rendition ofHarp Sonataby François-Adrien Boieldieu.
The music was good, Aaron had to admit but he was chafing. No matter how smooth or symphonic the music was he could not really appreciate it as his mind was worrying over Eleanor. He had to be there to keep her safe.
The sonata ended and again, polite applause was given over but Aaron’s heart was not in it. He checked his watch fob. It was a quarter to nine and though he could stay a little more, Aaron knew it was time for his exit. His soul was eating at him.
He stood and soundlessly left the room. Going over to the coat keeper, he asked for his particulars.
“Leaving already?” Wyndrake said. “One would think you have an appointment with a lady. Lady Disdain perhaps?”
Aaron knew that Wyndrake knew about him and Eleanor but he did not care. He had enough.
“The lady is worth ten of you and I am no fool. If you are keeping tabs on me, you are doing it with all my associates. I know you had something to do with the attack on the docks a week ago. Nail your colors to your mast, Wyndrake,” Aaron replied stiffly.
“My ship is not sinking and I have no clue what you are aiming at,” Wyndrake said tightly. “Be careful of your wild accusations, Oberton, they might come back to haunt you.”
Aaron forcibly unlocked his jaw before he started cracking molars. What irked him was that there was no wicked glimmer in Wyndrake’s eyes that would tell Aaron that he knew what Aaron was alluding to. Had he been wrong or was the man that much of a seasoned deceiver?
“Give my regards to your lovely wife,” Aaron replied. “I have matters to attend to. Good evening.”
Stepping out, Aaron felt the sickening fear that he had probably made matters worse for him, Julius, Lady Darcy, and Eleanor by throwing out his unfounded accusation. The carriage trundled up to him and he entered, trying to focus on the task ahead, he had to make sure Eleanor was alright. Somehow, some way, he would deal with any backlash from Wyndrake after.
* * *
Eleanor did not dare risk the stairs and the back door but went out through her window. Thank goodness her suite of rooms were on the first floor so it was easy to slip through the large window and use handholds to get to the ground. With the wind blowing her hood and the stubborn tendrils of her hair around her, Eleanor looked up and feared that going back up would not be the same as coming down.
Bending to a crouch, Eleanor quickly slipped over the dew-wet grass and made her way to the border wall. From there, it was easy to break through the brush and get onto the road. With her hood up and her hand nervously grasping the handle of the letter opener, which she had secreted in her pocket, she strode down the road past Grosvenor Square to the church.
The warm air made the hood of her cloak slightly stifling but she could not afford to lose the thin barrier that secured her identity. Her eyes were down but she made sure to look up and check her surroundings. The streets were not as empty as last night. It was mostly men on the walkways, but she hurried past them so quickly that they barely glanced at her.
There were lights in the church but not enough for a night’s service. There was probably someone praying inside. Slipping through the gate, Eleanor prayed that Maria was alright. The cellar was dark but she spotted Maria huddled in the corner.
“Oh, thank God,” Eleanor sighed. “Maria, I’m here.”
When the child scuttled out of her nook, Eleanor promptly produced the food she had carried in her inner pocket. This time she had found an old wineskin and filled it with water which she also handed over. “Did anyone see you?”
Maria shook her head as she bit into the buttered bread, “Someone came in, My Lady, but they only took a few logs and left. I hid though.”
“Eat up,” Eleanor rubbed a soot-smeared cheek. “I’ll see if we can get close to Convent Garden tonight. It’s going to be hard but I’ll try.”
Brushing crumbs off her mouth, Maria fixed her ragged cloak, and Eleanor knew that the child needed a bath. Three days on the run did not leave space for much personal cleanness.
“Thank you,” Maria’s smile was tired and there were deep dark circles under her eyes from either lack of sleep or worry or fear. Possibly all three combined. Eleanor felt like crying for the girl but could not.
“Let’s go,” Eleanor checked her emotions and forced her strength to the forefront. She needed to be strong for Maria.
With the child’s hood up, Eleanor took her under her arm and they came out from under the eaves of the cellar and out onto the dark street. She had her sights set on Piccadilly where she would get the hackney to Convent Garden.
* * *
Aaron had gone home, changed out from his finery and into his hooded cloak and flexible breeches and a thin shirt. Now, armed with his weapons, he had stationed himself just across from the church, hoping and praying that he wasn’t late.
He still did not know why Eleanor was risking life and limb for this child but with any luck, he was going to find out. He was antsy with seeing how the streets were filling up with vagrants and shoddily-clad ne’er-do-wells who would pose a problem to Eleanor.
With a keen eye on the church’s walkway, Aaron did not even let his back rest on the wall behind him. Under the cloak, he kept his hand closed around the pistol and began to beg for Eleanor to show up. If she had already been by the church, he would be helpless in knowing where she and the child had gone.
A man in a coat stumbled out of nowhere and temporarily blocked Aaron’s vision and the Duke nearly snarled in uneasiness. The man scampered away like a rat nearly in the claws of a cat. Aaron looked up and saw the cloaked body he had been seeking and beside her was the child.
