Annie's Song (15 page)

How could two people live in the same house, make love, create children, and yet have so little honesty between them?

All Alex wanted was to get away from both of them. Away so he might think. He had some decisions to make. Damned important decisions. For Annie’s sake, he had to be sure he made the right ones. “I’ll bear the judge’s poor health in mind before approaching either of you with my concerns again. As I said, I had no idea he was ill.”

Edie closed her eyes briefly. When she lifted her lashes, tears spilled onto her pale cheeks. “I know you think badly of me, Mr. Montgomery. You think I’m a poor excuse for a mother, don’t you?”

That didn’t say it by half, but Alex could see no point in wounding her. She was already so pathetic he could scarcely bear to look at her. “I am not a man to make snap judgments about anyone.”

“No matter how it may appear, I’ve done what I thought best for my daughter,” she said shakily.

“Always. It hasn’t been easy. The rest of my family demands my time as well. But I’ve kept her at home, never once begrudging her the hardships she has caused me. I believe many mothers would have taken the easy way out.”

Alex didn’t doubt that. He supposed that Edie in her own pitiful way had made her share of maternal sacrifices. She blinked and brushed at her cheeks. Something in her expression—Alex wasn’t certain what—almost made him feel sorry for her.

“I’ll bring my concerns to you from now on,” he promised her. With that, he tipped his hat and started to nudge his horse into a walk. “Good day, Mrs. Trimble.”

She threw up a hand. “Wait! Please. A moment more of your time, and then I’ll let you be on your way.”

“Yes?”

She caught her lower lip between her teeth. After a moment, she ceased worrying it to say, “I know you’ve given your word that Annie will be returned to us after the birth of the baby. But meanwhile there are some things about her you should know, things that I didn’t mention the other night in front of the judge. Because of his poor health, you understand.”

“And what might those things be?”

Wringing her hands, she blurted, “Whatever you do, don’t ever allow Annie to be around a cat without supervision. And should you have guests in your home who have young children, you should never leave her alone with one of their infants. Not under any circumstances.”

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“Would you care to explain why?”

“Isn’t it obvious? She wouldn’t do it on purpose, you understand, but I can’t help but be afraid she might do a small child or animal unintentional harm.” Fresh tears sprang to her eyes, and the corners of her mouth started to quiver. “Just heed what I say. Please!”

With that, she whirled away and retraced her path across the yard. For a long while, Alex stared after her.

After returning to Montgomery Hall, Alex retired to his study where he hoped to find some solitude.

Maddy had different ideas. Before he could get comfortably settled in his chair, she tapped at the door and then entered without permission. One look at her told Alex that she would settle for nothing less than a complete recounting of his conversation with the Trimbles.

“Well?” she said.

Alex rose and stepped to the sideboard where he poured them each a measure of brandy. Because he seldom imbibed so early in the day, the housekeeper’s eyebrows lifted when he handed her a snifter.

“That bad?”

Taking a turn before the multipaned windows that looked out onto the west gardens, Alex replied,

“Let’s just say that after speaking with Annie’s parents again, I’m more confused than ever.” He stopped for a moment, running a critical gaze over the sculptured shrubs that bordered the rose beds. “Damn it, Maddy. I was so hopeful last night. I lay awake until daylight, a hundred possibilities racing through my head—that she’s not as retarded as her parents think, that maybe the fever affected her in some other way we haven’t even considered. Her ability to speak, perhaps? Or her hearing.”

Looking as frustrated as Alex felt, Maddy said, “Well, it isn’t her hearing, rest assured of that. Most of the time when I call her name, she turns at the sound.” With a thoughtful frown drawing her brows together, she rubbed her glass between her palms. “I thought that was the whole reason fer wanting to have her tested, Master Alex, to find out exactly what’s the matter.”

Alex laughed bitterly. “If I decide to have her tested or even so much as suggest that I’d like to keep her in residence here after the baby’s born, I’ll have a battle on my hands.”

“The Trimbles have no legal rights, not anymore. Ye can do what ye like.”

“True, but they are Annie’s parents. If you’re correct, and she’s capable of developing emotional attachments, then an estrangement...” Alex let his voice trail away. After a moment, he said, “I don’t want her heart broken for no good reason.”

“No, we don’t want that. I’ve a feelin’ that the poor wee thing has suffered heartache enough in her short life.”

As briefly as possible, Alex related everything else that had been said during his conversation with the Trimbles, including Edie’s peculiar warnings, that Annie should never be left alone with a cat or anyone’s infant.

“That’s preposterous,” Maddy said with a huff. “The lass is harmless.”

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“She wasn’t harmless last night when she attacked Mistress Perkins,” Alex reminded her. “She wasn’t exactly anybody’s angel when I brought her here in the carriage, either.”

“But she was provoked!”

Alex couldn’t deny that. He gazed into the amber depths of his brandy. When he glanced back up, he had made the decision to tell Maddy everything, even about Edie’s uncle and the Trimbles’ fear that their daughter might be mad. He didn’t let himself think about breaking James Trimble’s confidence. What he said in this room would never go past Maddy, and Annie’s future was at stake.

As he spoke, Maddy turned frighteningly pale. “Dear Lord in heaven,” she whispered when he had finished. “The lass isn’t mad, Master Alex. I’d stake me life on it.”

That was Alex’s feeling as well. “Nevertheless, I think that both the Trimbles are afraid she may be, which explains their reluctance to have her examined.”

Maddy shook her head sadly. “Because a doctor might discover she’s not simply tetched, but crazy?”

“That could destroy James Trimble’s political career, and if it did, I think his wife believes he would divorce her over it.”

“In other words, they can’t see the forest for the trees.”

Alex sighed. “I don’t know. Maybe it’s you and I who aren’t looking at things clearly. Only time will tell, I guess.” He met Maddy’s gaze with a slight smile touching his lips. “Luckily, we have that time. It’s not as if we’ll be fiddling while Rome is burning. She’s only four months along. That gives us five more months to watch her and make a decision. If, after a few weeks, we both feel sure that she might be helped, I’ll take her to Portland, the devil take her parents.”

Maddy raised her snifter. “I’ll drink to that.”

Alex couldn’t help but grin. “It won’t be pleasant. If I decide to go against their wishes, they’re going to fight me with everything they’ve got.”

“They’ll find their match in the pair of us.” The housekeeper’s eyes teared slightly as she swallowed the rest of her brandy. Waving a hand before her face, she blinked and sucked air through her teeth. “Lands, but that stuff burns a path clear to me toes!”

Alex chuckled. “Well, have we reached a decision then?”

“More a decision in lieu of a decision, but, yes, we’ve reached one. We’ll be takin’ the lass to Portland for tests.”

“If we see signs that she may be trainable,” Alex amended.

“We’ll see signs.”

“Don’t get your hopes up, Maddy,” he cautioned her gently. “I don’t want to see them dashed.”

“They won’t be,” she assured him with a challenging glint in her eyes. “The lass may never do arithmetic and the like, but she’s trainable. I’ll bet me garters on it.”

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“I hope you’re right.” Feeling more relaxed than he had in hours, he rested a shoulder against the wall.

“There’s another problem we haven’t addressed, that of a nurse. I know you’re busy, and I can’t expect you to assume the added responsibility of caring for Annie as well. We’re going to have to hire someone.

Which reminds me. Where is she right now?’’

“In her room. I asked one of the maids to sit with her while I came down to talk to ye. The door is repaired, by the way. Henry got the facing and lock replaced. Good as new.”

“He got to it quickly.”

“Yes, well, I did a bit of naggin’. Ye know Henry. If it can be put off until tomorrow...” Her voice trailed away.

“I’m sorry about the extra work, Maddy.”

She waved his apology away. “I don’t mind lookin’ after the girl. As far as I can see, there’s no reason she can’t tag along behind me while I attend me duties. She wasn’t kept locked in her room at home, was she?”

“No.”

“Well, then? If she gets away from me and runs off, it isn’t as if ye won’t know where to find her.”

With a nod, Alex conceded the point. His main concern was that, given to wandering in the woods as she was, Annie might venture away from the house and sustain an injury. Until her pregnancy was over, special measures had to be taken to safeguard her well-being. “If you’re sure you don’t mind looking after her. For obvious reasons, I don’t want her going outdoors without supervision.”

“I don’t mind.” Maddy studied him for a moment. “As fer not letting her go outdoors alone, mayhap ye could make time to accompany her?”

“Me?” The suggestion caught Alex by surprise. After his physical reaction to Annie the other morning in the carriage, he didn’t relish the thought of being alone with her. “It might be better if I assigned one of the household staff to escort her.”

Maddy pursed her lips. “Master Alex, after what happened with Mistress Perkins, how can ye even think of it? Annie should be treated as a member of yer family. She isn’t a pet or some such that ye can have walked by whoever’s handy.”

Knowing the housekeeper was right, Alex sighed. “I’ll look at my schedule and see if I can’t get away to spend some time with the two of you each afternoon.” He prayed she didn’t ask why he required her presence. Pulling his watch from his pocket, he checked the time. This afternoon, he had appointments with two men who were interested in purchasing one of his mares. “Well, now that we have that settled, I guess I should—”

“There is one other small matter,” Maddy interrupted.

Alex lifted an inquiring eyebrow.

“As I mentioned last night, somehow ye have to make Annie understand that her increasin’ proportions
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are from carryin’ an infant. She’s still off her food.”

Alex groaned. “Maddy, I don’t think she understands a word I say to her.”

“Then draw her a picture.”

“A picture? I can’t draw. Besides, given her nervousness around me, wouldn’t it be better if a woman explained it to her?’’

A twinkle came into Maddy’s eyes. “Don’t be lookin’ at me. I can’t draw either. As fer me bein’ the one to explain it to her, that’s nonsense. Ye’re the lass’s husband.”

“I am her husband only by the loosest definition of the word.”

She raised her empty glass to him. “Which is a state of affairs ye should rectify. I’ve said so from the beginnin’.”

“The girl is—”

“Lovely.”

“No man with a shred of decency—”

“And she’s sweet as well.”

“Maddy, for God’s sake, be reasonable.”

“It seems perfectly reasonable to me,” she informed him cheerfully. “By law, she’s already yer wife.

She’s carryin’ a child who’ll bear yer name. Ye’ve said yerself a dozen times that ye’ve no intention of marryin’ anyone else. Why not make this a marriage in fact?”

Leaving that question to hang in the air behind her, Maddy set her snifter on the sideboard and exited the room. After her departure, Alex gazed blankly at the floor. A marriage in fact... He closed his eyes on the thought, but shutting out the world around him did little to alleviate the ache of loneliness deep inside him.

That evening after Annie’s supper, most of which she had once again refused to eat, Alex, with sketchpad and pencil in hand, went up to the nursery. Not wishing to frighten Annie any more than was necessary, he had arranged for Maddy to remain in attendance during their exchange. Happy to oblige, the housekeeper was already seated on the edge of the bed when he arrived.

Annie sat at the small table near the window, her hands clasped on her lap, her feet crossed at the ankle and hooked over a chair rung. When she caught sight of Alex opening the door, the little remaining color in her cheeks drained away. Despite her obvious fear of him, she made no attempt, as she had the previous night, to vacate the chair and seek obscurity in a dark corner. Since he doubted she had suddenly developed a courageous streak, he could only assume her daring stemmed from the fact that
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Maddy sat nearby. She obviously felt safe as long as the older woman was there to protect her.

Annie’s erect posture afforded Alex a better look at her than he’d gotten last night, and he was dismayed by what he saw. In the last four days, she had dropped an alarming amount of weight.

According to Maddy, she had eaten almost nothing since Mistress Perkins’s dismissal, a few bites at each meal and nothing more. Judging by her thinness, he guessed she had eaten as lightly the first three days of her stay, which explained, but did not excuse, the nurse’s bungled attempts to make her eat.

After this meeting, Alex hoped Annie would be a little more cooperative and stop starving herself.

Otherwise, he’d have no choice but to improve upon Mistress Perkins’s methods. Though he didn’t doubt his ability to overpower the girl and force her to eat, he hated for it to come to that. She had already suffered enough in this house without that being added to the list.