Healing Her Heart Page 16

  “How could you just let her leave, you didn’t even let her say goodbye,” Olivia cried hysterically. “I hate you Uncle Marcus and I will never forgive you for this. Never!”

  Marcus watched Olivia run into the nursery and slam the door behind her. He did not think it was possible to feel any worse than he did just moments ago, but apparently, he was wrong. Marcus wondered if he would ever be able to fix things with Olivia. He knew better than to try to have a talk with his niece now. The child needed some time to cool off and quite frankly, he didn’t have the foggiest notion how he was going to explain his actions. The only thing he was certain of was that Olivia was going to hate him for a very long time.

  Marcus’s head was pounding as he walked into his room. He desperately needed to sleep. He closed his eyes and collapsed onto his bed. Perhaps he would find peace in his slumber. Of course, Marcus was wrong, he only found nightmares.

  ∞

  “Lady Sunderland is busy tending to the babies, but she will be with you in a moment,” Harrison informed Abigail.

  “Thank you.”

  “I will be back soon with refreshments.”

  Harrison gave her a strange smile as he left the room. Abigail knew she looked an absolute fright. Her eyes were red, clearly she had been crying, strands of her hair were falling from her tightly coiled bun and beads of perspiration lined her forehead. Summer was making an early appearance, and the unseasonably warm weather had taken its toll during Abigail’s long walk to the Sunderland estate.

  It would have been more prudent to hire a hackney to travel the distance, but Abigail thought she just might suffocate on her own misery if she were trapped inside a small conveyance.

  Abigail cringed as she replayed in her mind the ugly scene from the morning. She had rehearsed a dozen times the reason she planned to give him for needing to leave. It was going to be another lie involving Jane requiring her emergency medical services. She had become quite good at lying, Abigail thought with rising self-disgust. However, in all her calculations, she never expected the scenario that unfolded. I finally got what I deserved!

  She desperately tried, without success, to erase the image of Marcus’s face when he accused her of the ultimate betrayal. Abigail had never seen him so angry or hurt, but for all his rage, he never once laid a finger on her. The situation would have been very different if Clayton were to discover a clandestine meeting between her and another man. Once again, Marcus proved to her he was a world apart from the type of man her husband was.

  Of course, she wished he would have trusted her more, but one could hardly blame him for reacting the way he did. The evidence was overwhelmingly not in her favor and it didn’t help matters much when she couldn’t even produce a reasonable explanation. She had momentarily toyed with the idea of telling the complete truth but had decided against it. Likely it would have only added fuel to an already burning fire.

  Her heart ached with regret and loneliness. God only knows how Olivia would take her abandonment. She would probably retreat right back into her isolated cocoon. Abigail didn’t realize just how much she loved that little girl until she lost the right to have her in her life. The knowledge that she would never see Olivia’s smiling face again was simply too much to bear.

  Worst of all, it killed her to know Marcus was somewhere, right now, hating her with such vehemence. His high opinion of her was destroyed and had been replaced with revulsion. The tender look in his eyes would be gone forever.

  Abigail swallowed against the pain she felt in her chest. She reminded herself she did not have the luxury of wallowing in self-pity. Now she needed to concentrate on escaping London and running away as far as she could. On that note, Caroline Sunderland walked into the room and Abigail forced a smile.

  Caroline’s eyebrows furrowed together when she saw her. “Abigail, is something amiss? You don’t look quite yourself.” Harrison reentered the room and put a pitcher of freshly squeezed lemonade on the table. Caroline poured her a glass and Abigail thankfully accepted it. “A little refreshment should make you feel better.”

  Abigail highly doubted it would. However, she was parched, so she took a few replenishing sips. “Thank you, I did work up quite a thirst on the walk here.” Abigail was hit with another wave of guilt as Lady Sunderland eyed her with such genuine concern. “And you are right, something is very amiss.” Abigail took a deep breath. “Do you remember when you offered your help, if I ever needed it?”

  Caroline gave Abigail a reassuring smile. “How could I forget? You saved my life and brought my twins into the world, safe and sound. For that, I am forever in your debt.”

  Abigail sighed. “You may not feel the same when you hear what I have to say.”

  Caroline took her hands in hers. “Let me be the judge of that.”

  Abigail knew she had to tell Caroline the absolute truth. “I am not sure where to begin. I am afraid I have deceived you.” Abigail bit her lip and tried to remain calm. “If I could have done things differently, I would have, but I am afraid there was really no other way.”

  “Nothing you can say would change my feelings toward you. Whenever I look at my beautiful children or feel my husband’s arms around me, I know I am very lucky to be alive. I owe you my life, Abigail.”

  Caroline’s heartening words bolstered Abigail’s spirit. There was simply no other way to relay the details of her story, other than to be completely plain and direct.

  Abigail told Caroline everything. She revealed who she really was and very graphically explained the torture she endured during her time with Clayton. Then Abigail conveyed how she faked her own death and escaped to London. When Caroline didn’t appear angry, Abigail decided to tell her the details of the relationship that had developed between her and Marcus, concluding with what had occurred this morning. She fully expected Caroline to be outraged by her lies.

  Caroline’s expression was a mixture of astonishment and respect. “It must feel good to get everything off your chest.”

  “Yes, it does.” It was true. It had been cathartic for Abigail to finally open up and be honest about her life. She was very surprised Caroline didn’t seem angry. “Aren’t you upset with me for using such trickery on you?”

  Caroline looked pensive. “Normally I do not easily forgive dishonesty, but it seems you had a very good reason for it.” Caroline gently squeezed her hand. “I am a very lucky woman to have Robert as my husband, he is kind and gentle. Unfortunately, some women are not quite as lucky as I am. It seems in your case it was a matter of life or death. No woman should ever have to suffer the way you did.”

  Caroline’s support brought tears to Abigail’s eyes. It felt so good to have someone sympathize with her plight. “It means so much to hear you say that.”

  Caroline shrugged. “Unfortunately, it is going to take a lot more than kind words to help you out of your current debacle. It is going to take action.”

  Abigail’s mind sobered. “You are right. I need a place to hide, until I can think of a good plan. You are well within your rights to refuse me, but is there any way you can help?”

  Caroline didn’t have to think about it. “Of course, I will.” She grinned at Abigail as she tried to think of a solution. Then she clapped her hands together when she found one. “I inherited a small cottage in Gloucestershire upon my great aunt’s death. It is a very quaint village and most of the people keep to themselves, so it should be perfect for your use.”

  Abigail was moved by her generosity. “Are you sure it is all right? Having my own house is a very extravagant offer.” Abigail’s thoughts turned to Marcus and the friendship he and Caroline shared. “I know you and your husband are close with Lord Everton and this will put you in an awkward position.”

  “Nonsense. It is such a shame the cottage just sits there and never gets put to good use. I will inform the housekeeper that my good friend was recently widowed and in desperate need of some rest in the country. She will make sure you are well taken care of during your stay.
” Caroline wrinkled her nose as she thought about the latter issue. “And do not concern yourself about my friendship with Lord Everton. I think once Lord Everton discovers the truth, he will look at everything in a very different light.”

  “Do you really think so?” Abigail asked hopefully. “I am afraid he will hate me forever.”

  “Hate you? Hate you?” Caroline repeated with a giggle. “The man is crazy in love with you. It was written all over his face the last time I saw him.”

  Was there any merit to Caroline’s opinion? Had Marcus really fallen in love with her? Abigail knew with absolute certainty she was in love with him, but she never really examined if she thought Marcus reciprocated those feelings. “It is kind of you to say, but I am absolutely certain Lord Everton does not feel anything for me anymore.” Marcus’s livid face flashed through Abigail’s mind and her eyes filled with sorrow. “Either way, it really doesn’t matter. Anything between Lord Everton and I never really stood a chance.”

  Caroline looked as if she was searching for the right words to respond to Abigail’s statements. “Men can be vexing at times, but I do believe Marcus would have never acted the way he did this morning if he did not have very strong feelings for you.” Caroline gave Abigail a knowing look. “You love him very much, don’t you?”

  Abigail’s throat constricted with emotion. “More than I could ever have imagined possible. Besides my grandfather, he is the best man I have ever known.”

  Caroline’s eyes became misty. “You will have to forgive me. It seems like I cry at the drop of a hat ever since the babies were born.”

  “That is very normal, Lady Sunderland.”

  “Please call me Caroline. I do believe we are past formalities at this point.”

  Caroline reached for a small bell and gave it a little ring. Harrison entered the room in an instant.

  “Harrison, please have one of the carriages readied,” Caroline requested. “Miss Jenner will be using it for a long journey.”

  “At once, my lady.” Abigail was suspicious that Harrison had eavesdropped on their entire conversation when he gave her a look of concern as he left the room.

  Caroline must have read her mind. “Don’t mind Harrison. He is a very sweet man and the soul of discretion.” Caroline stood up and headed for the door. “I will go order cook to prepare some sustenance for your trip.”

  Abigail watched Caroline leave the room. She stood up and went to the large bay window that held a perfect view of the stables. Abigail overheard Harrison give Lady Sunderland’s orders to the groomsmen.

  She laughed bitterly. Harrison was the least of her problems.

  Chapter 21

  The Bainbridge manor was quiet, it was always deadly quiet. The master had made it very clear to all his servants he disliked any unnecessary commotion. Of course, they all obeyed; no one wanted to face his wrath.

  Supper time at the estate ran like clockwork. At exactly ten past eight the first course was to be served. Three footmen, the assistant cook and one serving maid all stood at attention as Clayton took his place at the head of the dining table. As usual, the master was partaking in the evening meal by himself. At present, his erratic behavior had caused a sharp decline in his number of friendships.

  “Where are the warm rolls,” Clayton demanded as he raked his hand through his thick blonde hair. Clayton Bainbridge wasn’t an overly tall gentleman, but his broad chest and stocky appearance made him a force to be reckoned with. The servants were clearly petrified at the moment. They all were very aware of the fact their master always took crusty bread with the soup course. “Am I to starve to death tonight?”

  A serving maid named Molly entered the dining room and quickly placed a basket full of freshly baked sourdough buns in front of Clayton. Her teeth chattered when she spoke. “I am terribly sorry for the delay, my lord. The first batch wasn’t quite up to snuff so cook had to prepare another.”

  Everyone in the room was quite familiar with the ominous glitter in Clayton’s eyes. They all knew what was about to happen.

  “I am sick and tired of excuses,” Clayton scolded as he grabbed a large section of the maid’s hair and pulled her towards him. Her wince of pain didn’t stop his tirade. It only seemed to bring a sick smile to his face. “This is never to happen again, have I made myself clear?”

  “Yes, my lord,” Molly whispered as her entire body quaked with fear. “Never again.” Clayton released her from his tight grip and she nearly fell over from the force. Molly straightened up quickly, ignoring the painful bruises on her forearm as she took her place amongst the other servants.

  The assistant cook, Mrs. Pratt, scurried forward and ladled piping hot leek soup into Clayton’s bowl. “Enjoy, my lord.”

  Clayton eyed his cook with disdain. “It better be enjoyable and not like the last time you made it.” Clayton wafted the steam up to his face, taking a deep inhale of its wonderful aroma. “Well, it does certainly smell delicious, but mark my words, there will be hell to pay if I taste one grain of sand.”

  Mrs. Pratt held her breath as Clayton dipped his spoon into the creamy soup. Her broken arm was still healing from the beating she took the last time she prepared the dish. She had spent the better part of an hour meticulously cleaning the leeks to ensure they were free from any dirt or sand particles. “I made sure that would never happen again.”

  Clayton was in the action of bringing the spoon to his lips when his butler, Henry Tinsley, interrupted him by walking through the door. “My lord, I would normally not intrude on your evening meal, but a post just arrived for you and it is marked urgent.”

  Henry was a frail, elderly gentleman. It always appeared to everyone that a stiff wind could knock him down. His manner was timid, and it was quite apparent he was afraid of Clayton. Especially now, after all, nothing was to ever interrupt the dinner meal.

  “This better be important Henry, or you can seek employment elsewhere,” Clayton bellowed as he snatched the large envelope from Henry’s hands.

  Clayton loved to taunt Henry about firing him. It was obvious no one else would hire him because of his advanced years, making him completely dependent on his position at Bainbridge estate. Henry’s eyes filled with desperation and fear. “Please, my lord, I need this job. I would never have bothered you had I not thought the letter to be of vital importance.”

  Any normal human being with a heart would have been moved by Henry’s plea, but Clayton was anything but normal. “On second thought, I don’t need to open this envelope to determine whether or not you should stay. You are fired! Pack your things and leave at once,” Clayton ordered with a sadistic grin. “An old man like you is useless around here.”

  Henry looked stunned. He had worked at The Bainbridge estate for over 50 years and was in a state of shock. Henry knew his employer had a screw loose, but he never would have imagined being discharged over such a minor infraction. “But I have nowhere else to go.”

  Clayton took a gulp of wine and wiped his mouth with a napkin. “That isn’t really my concern, is it?” Clayton unsealed the post and took out its contents. “Now run along and leave me be, my dinner is getting cold.”

  Henry looked like he was about to cry. Rather than embarrass himself in front of everyone, he took his leave immediately. The other servants were too absorbed in Henry’s situation to notice their employer was suddenly engrossed in the letter.

  Clayton appeared to be in a daze as he finished reading the missive. A person who paid attention to minor details would see the slight hardening of his jaw or the insignificant twitch in his left eye. Regrettably, Molly was not the kind of person to pay attention to minor details. She made the unfortunate mistake of refilling Lord Bainbridge’s water glass.

  Molly was so immersed in the task, careful not to spill a drop that she did not see Clayton slowly rise from his chair. The sound of Clayton’s heavy breathing snapped her back to attention. His gaze narrowed on her and Molly barely had a chance to scream before he ripped the carafe out of
her hands and smashed it against the fireplace. “That witch! How dare she make such a fool out of me?” Clayton’s shout echoed through the entire mansion. Molly took a small step backward, eager to get out of his line of fire. Clayton’s head jerked in her direction and Molly shivered.

  “So, you are afraid of me,” Clayton said in almost a demented whisper.

  “No...my lord...not afraid,” Molly stuttered with sheer terror in her eyes. She was trapped like a rabbit in a snare.

  “You should be!” Molly tried to run, but Clayton deftly caught her arm. “You are exactly like her, just another filthy whore!” With those menacing words, he struck her with such force her entire body slammed against the marble table. Molly’s limp body slid into a heap onto the floor.

  Without any regard to the bleeding woman at his feet, Clayton turned to one of the footmen. “Clean this up, at once.”

  He stalked out of the room and the entire house could hear him barking orders to his valet. Lord Bainbridge would be traveling to London at daybreak.

  ∞

  “Who in heaven’s name could it be at this hour?” Mrs. Annie Dougherty asked herself. She opened the door of the Sacred Heart Orphanage and peered outside. “Henry Tinsley, is that you?”

  Henry shrugged his shoulders. “I am afraid it is. May I come in? I have no other place to go.”

  Annie Dougherty was the head housekeeper at Sacred Heart. She was a plump woman with a kind face, who every day fashioned her grey hair into a perfectly tight coil on the top of her head. Annie had always harbored a secret crush on Henry, so she was thrilled to invite him in. “Of course, come in, stay as long as you like.”

  Henry smiled with relief and walked through the door. “I wish everyone in the world was as kind as you, Annie.”

  Annie beamed from ear to ear at his praise, but her elation was marred with concern for Henry. “Why aren’t you spending the night at the Bainbridge estate?”

  Henry’s cheeks flushed with embarrassment. “I have been fired. The master found my services useless.”