Page 55 of The Gift of Patience
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 Hopefor 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 consideredhis 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.”
