A Christmas Surprise (12 page)

“Aye, since you’re going that way you might run into him. Gave him directions to get there. You take care and thank the duke and duchess for the much needed gifts at this time.”

After making sure the groom had the cart unloaded, they started back to the mansion. At the fork in the path, Lady Aleece and Debbie went right while the groom stayed straight for home.

Once free of prying ears Aleece glanced over to her maid. “Do you think it could be the man who helped me yesterday, the one I thought mayhap be Mr. Thomas?”

“Aye, m’ lady. Didn’t his last letter say he would get here yesterday?”

“Yes, but what I wonder is why he hasn’t tried to let me know of his arrival. I do miss him so.” Aleece let out a frustrated sigh.

“He might have, m’ lady, but knowing you weren’t up he could have left without telling anyone.”

Aleece twisted her head around, a quizzical eyebrow raised look in her eyes.

“Yes, don’t you remember you let him know your bedroom overlooked the garden, and if he approached from that direction, he would have seen the curtains drawn closed.” Debbie clarified her statement.

“Yes, you are correct. Let’s hurry and we might be able to catch up to him,” Aleece spoke, tapping Sabre’s right side with her crop. Easily he broke into a safe, comfortable canter. The sound of Beau’s hooves informed Aleece that Debbi had followed suit.

As they approached the Smyth’s partially burned house, they slowed to a walk and looked around to see if anyone was there. The sound of a whinny brought their attention to a post near the barn.

Aleece spied a great hulking beast of a horse tied to a ring. Dark chestnut in color with the most beautiful flaxen mane she’d ever seen. Several thin streaks of white ran down the side of him. Strips similar to those that marred Sabre. Immediately she knew the cause, musket balls had grazed the steed in battles long since past.

With that she knew the animal couldn’t belong to Mr. Thomas. This horse had seen combat, whereas her love had been hurt in a riding accident.

Lady Aleece brought Sabre to a halt, close but not too close, to this mystery beast. As she kicked her left foot free of the stirrup, a weak moan emanating from the barn caught her attention. Without a thought, she dropped the reins, lifted the trailing edge of her riding habit skirt and rushed in the direction of the painful sound.

Two steps inside, she spied a well-formed man, broad shouldered with muscular legs, flat on his stomach. His hand reaching for the back of his head. When he let out another moan in agony, she rushed forward and knelt at his side.

Putting a gentle hand on his shoulder, she whispered, “Easy, sir. It looks like someone gave you a great clout on the back of the head.”

No sooner were the words free of her lips then she felt Debbie’s hand on her shoulder. Without looking around she said, “Help me get him turned over. I’ll cup his head with one hand so it doesn’t bounce.”

As they grabbed handfuls of the man’s greatcoat to roll him, they heard his weak voice pronounce, “I must have died and am in heaven. No voice on earth can sound as sweet as my Aleece’s.”

Silence filled the area as the words sank into Aleece’s mind. After a few moments she said, “No, Mr. Thomas, you are still of this world. For truly tis I, Aleece.” Her voice trembling with emotion. “Rest easy while we set you on your back.”

The two women had him over and his head resting in Aleece’s lap before another moan of pain could escape him. She gazed longingly into his hazel eyes, lost in their beauty. Without thinking she leaned over, pressing her lips to his.

No sooner did they touch then she felt him tease her mouth open with the tip of his tongue. Grateful he was not only alive but here, she opened for him. Not until a bashful giggle alerted her to the presence of another person did she slowly separate from him.

Aleece felt her face heat from embarrassment at being caught, even by Debbi, who’d been witness to such behavior before.

“Can you talk, Mr. Thomas?” Her voice was soft, warm and welcoming.

“Yes, but I would rather be kissing you. It is a lot more enjoyable,” he proclaimed.

“Here, let me help you sit up,” Aleece said as she tried to push him up from her lap. “A little help would be nice,” she demanded, frustrated she wasn’t able to budge his weight.

“Why? I rather enjoy where my pained head is resting.”

“Sir, kindly remove yourself from m’ lady’s lap. It’s unseemly for a lady of her station even to be in a stable much less sitting on the ground with a man’s head where it is,” Debbi announced with a tone that brooked no room for discussion.

Chapter Twenty-two

With one easy but careful movement, so as not to rattle his head, Thomas rose to his feet. Once steady, he extended his hand to Aleece and lifted her as if she weighed next to nothing. She landed against his chest, and he was about to take another kiss when he saw Debbi move her mistress away from temptation, a scowl guaranteed to curdle milk on the woman’s face.

“Never argue with a mother hen when it comes to protecting one of her chicks,” Thomas said, giving both women a bow.

In a vain attempt he tried to stifle a laugh but his shoulders gave away his delight as he watched both women cross their arms over their chests presumable at his reference to fowl. Even the dual knifelike glares emanating from their eyes didn’t deter or stop him.

“So that’s what I am to you, a chick,” Aleece declared.

“Yes, my darling Lady Aleece. And no finer specimen of chickhood exists anywhere in fair England. I love how when you get your pinfeathers ruffled your nose, and so adorable it is, crinkles.” No sooner were the words out than he slumped against one of the stalls.

“Thomas,” Aleece screamed.

“M’ lord,” Debbi cried out.

“No, no. I am fine. A little light-headed that’s all,” he addressed Aleece before glaring at the other woman. “Let me sit a moment and I shall be fit.” He paused then redirected his attention to his love. “Well, are not you going to ask how I ended up in here with an egg on my head?”

“If you are up to it. And what is this 'm’ lord' thing? I thought you were a gentleman but not of the peerage?” Aleece inquired.

“One at a time. First what happened? I stopped by to look in on Mrs. Smyth and the family—"

“Yes, we missed you by a bit, it seems. And thank you for your generosity in helping them out.”

“Are you going to let me finish?” He wanted to admonish her more, but not with Debbi present since he would prefer to kiss her senseless as punishment.

“As I was saying, I came directly here to look around in hopes of finding any evidence as to who might have set the house ablaze. As you noticed, I tied my horse, and before you interrupt or ask, that beast was loaned to me by my good friend, the Marquess of Langdonly. I had been visiting him when mine came up lame, and instead of posting a missive telling you of my misfortune, he offered his charger.

“But, back to the how I ended up thumped over the head. I was about to start my search when a noise coming from in here which drew my attention. Wondering if the sound might perchance be from a looter or someone of interest, I of course, came in to investigate. I only got in a few paces when the rustle of straw brought me around. That was when the scoundrel hit me on the head. Everything went black until you both arrived,” he said in conclusion.

“Did you by any chance get a look at the person?” Aleece asked.

Carefully, so as not to hurt his brain any more than it already did, he shook his head. “I’m sorry. The person was a young man about seventeen I would hazard to guess, with unfashionable long black hair. What did surprise me was this boy appeared gaunt in stature.”

When he noticed the women share a knowing look between them, he was sure they suspected who his attacker was.

“Yes, we know of this person. His name is Seth Travers, a bigger no good lay about there ever was. A hue and cry has already been set, but without, as you well know, success,” Aleece said.

Realizing he was sitting while the ladies, Aleece in particular, were standing, he stood, which only caused him to experience dizziness again.

“Would you please sit so I can? At least until everything stops spinning,” Thomas pleaded.

“Yes, m’ lord,” Aleece teased, which led to, “And why would anyone call you m’ lord if you are not one?”

“It was my fault, miss. Seeing how he’d dressed with such fine clothes I forgot myself for a moment. I beg your forgiveness, m’ lady, sir,” Debbi said.

“That’s quite all right, considering who you’ve been corresponding with since our return,” Aleece replied, knowing Debbi carried a
tendre
for the son of a baron.

“That is quiet all right, Debbi. Thank you for raising my station, if but only for a moment,” Thomas joked.

“Yes, don’t think a thing of it,” Aleece added patting the poor girl’s hand.

“Now that we have all that out of the way.” Thomas leveled a passionate smile on Aleece. “It’s so good to be here and see you. I cannot tell you how much I have missed you.”

“And I you. How long will you be able to stay?” Hope rose eternal in her voice.

“As long as you can bear to have me around,” he replied.

When Thomas heard Debbi rise, he started to follow suit but was halted by Aleece settling a hand on his arm.

“I’m going to check on the horses, make sure that beast you’re riding hasn’t scared m’ lady’s or mine. I shouldn’t be more than a few minutes.” Then under her breath as she headed for the door. “Long enough for the two of you to get a kiss or three in,” Debbi said, as Aleece watched her slip out.

“Then I suggest we do not waste a second,” he responded while lifting Aleece onto his lap.

Her reply was cut off by his mouth descending on hers.

Minutes later, breathless, the lovers parted as the sound of scuffling feet and a cough seeped into his mind. With a last briefest of kiss, he set Aleece on her feet and rose, this time not getting dizzy.

“I know our time together will be brief since it would not do for me to appear at your front door, or any door for that matter. Pray tell, though when will I get to enjoy your company, however fleeting it might be?” he pleaded.

“I promised Mrs. Smyth I’d visit after luncheon on the morrow, we can cross paths then. If that’s agreeable.”

He responded to her suggestion with a gracious nod.

“I’m staying at the Hen and Rooster if you need to contact me if there’s a change in your plans. If you can send Debbi as I know her on sight and know the message will be from you.”

With his arm settled comfortably around Aleece’s waist, he guided her to the horses, now pawing the ground in anticipation of being allowed to run.

He turned her into him, and settled his lips on her for a parting kiss. Separating, he settled his hands on her waist and lifted her into the saddle, making sure she was secure. He then assisted a blushing Debbi onto the back of her mount.

“Until the morrow, dear ladies,” Thomas said with a bow before walking over to his steed and settling himself in the saddle.

At a fork in the road they parted but only after Thomas was able to steal a final kiss from Lady Aleece.

Chapter Twenty-three

Holding his breath, he was able to make out most of what they were saying. One of the women he knew to be Lady Aleece and the other most likely her maid. He took pride in knowing, at least by sight, all the nobs in the area, and this man wasn’t one of them.

He knew getting out of the district and probably England, as well, was his only chance to survive. Setting a torch to a tenant farmer’s house on the ducal estate was guaranteed to have him sent to a prison hulk, if not transported. All to avenge the slight that had been done to his brother.

He needed money and fast if he was to escape, which raised the question in his mind as to how to get it before he was captured?

With the man not from these parts, no one would recognize the horse either, even though they were housed at the Hen and Rooster. An evil smile curled his lips now knowing where to get more money that he’d ever seen. He knew of a knacker in the next town over who didn’t ask where an animal came from or how it was gotten.

Now he had to figure out the safest way to grab the horse and not get caught. It would be too dangerous for him to make a grab for the animal. The staff at the inn where the man was staying knew not only the man but several knew of himself. If he was going to snatch the mount it would have to be while away from there.

Then he remembered hearing the man, he’d heard called Thomas, was going back to where the Smyth’s were living. Not only him, but if he was to hazard a guess, the women would be there as well.

Tomorrow he’d find a good place to hide out at the hunting lodge and see if he could overhear what plans the man had for the next day. He’d then find the perfect place to ambush him, steal the horse, and be away before anyone was the wiser.

Now that it was getting on toward night, he crept back in the barn, found a comfortable spot, and went to sleep, with dreams of money in his hands.

****

As the two rode into the stable yard Aleece said, “I think I can safely tell my father I did not find or see anything which would help with making sure Seth was the individual who set the blaze.”

“Aye, miss, that be true and you also have a good excuse for such flushed and slightly swollen lips,” Debbi replied.

No sooner had Debbi referenced Aleece’s lips than she touched them with her fingertips. She could feel her face heat, even in the coldness of late December, with embarrassment.

“Yes, I can say it is from the chill in the air, and that next time I might want to wear a mask to keep my face warm,” Aleece replied, then looked over at her friend. “Yours seem a touch swollen from the cold, and I know you were not kissing anyone.”

After turning their mounts over to the stable boys, Aleece and Debbi entered the mansion via the kitchen, since it was the closest and warm.

As she led the way in, Aleece spied Mrs. Linna. “We are back hale and whole, Mrs. Linna,” she announced, walking up to her.