Lucky's Lady (The Caversham Chronicles Book 4) (55 page)

"This way, Mary, the shipyard will never be for sale," he assured her. "Marrying me would protect Spenser's legacy and Lucy's future. So marry me, please. Now. Today. Marcus is fetching Gideon to perform the ceremony and bring the correct paperwork for our marriage to be considered legal and binding." She looked somewhat convinced, but still she held back for some unknown reason to him.

"We need to do this before they take me to jail, Mary. Because I do believe that is what Barlowe will push for."

"Luchino, there were witnesses to the murder," the duchess whispered.

He met his sister's concerned gaze. "Please trust us. We have a plan, Lia." Turning back to Mary, he begged, "Say yes, Mary, if just for our daughter." Lucky knew it was just a matter of time before the constable arrived, and this frustrating woman was squandering time! "As God is my witness, if you wish to have it annulled later I will not contest it, but I will protect my daughter and Spenser's legacy." That seemed to have the desired effect on Mary.

"Yes." Her amber-eyed gaze met his, and with eyes swimming in tears, she repeated. "Yes, Lucky. I will."

Male voices filtered through the maze of hallway from the front of the home to the room where they were. Minutes later, Gideon, George, and Marcus came through the door, with Sister Agnes and Mary's long-time friend-turned-nun, Sister Elizabeth following the three men. Mary's guard entered also, questioning their actions. This time he did not return to his post in the hallway, standing sentry to the goings-on in the receiving room full of people.

His sister came to his side and leaned up to whisper to Lucky in Italian. "You know if this man went through all this trouble to get his hands on Mary's property, he will be angry to discover he's been denied this shipyard yet again. What plan do you have to protect yourselves from his retaliation?"

He gave his sister a kiss on her cheek, and whispered back, in Italian, "We're leaving. Tonight. All of us."

"My husband does not know this, does he?"

"Not yet," Lucky replied, hopeful that Ian found the other men before they returned here from Baltimore.

Thirty minutes later, he and Mary-Michael Albright Watkins were married and had signed the certificate and license required by the county and state for the marriage to be recognized. Mary quickly penned a note saying she wanted to transfer the management of all properties and accounts, including her trust for her daughter Luchina Antonia Francesca Watkins, over to her new husband, the Conte di Loretto. This was signed by Mary, and witnessed by her family and his.

He was never more proud of Mary than he was at that moment. He knew what it took for her to trust him enough to do what they both hoped was the right thing—not just for her, but for their family.

As soon as he'd given the signed document to Gideon to take to the bank after they were gone, he told Mary about their plan.

"Be prepared to leave tonight," he saw her begin to protest, but he silenced her with a finger to his lips. "Do whatever is asked of you. We will return Mary. When all of this is straightened out, we will return. I swear to it. You shall run your shipyard."

When pounding began on the front door of the children's home, Lucky went to Marcus' side and said, "Remember what we talked about. Don't speak at all. Do not say you were with us. Only Ian was with me." Lucky could see the lad's fear and confusion, and wanted to reassure him this was the right decision.

"But they will take you to jail," Marcus said.

"Only for a short while," Lucky reminded him. "Remember, we will be leaving tonight, and we will need your help getting your mother and my wife to the ship."

The family and their hosts all turned to see the village's new constable, a tall thin man, with weathered skin and dark hair. Behind him were several of his brawny deputies. The man stared hard at Mary, who already began to tremble with fear.

"Gentlemen," Lucky said. "How may we help you?"

 

L
ater that evening, Lucky's brother-in-laws returned from Baltimore and came to the home to share a meal with Mary-Michael and the duchess, except Mary-Michael was no longer allowed to leave her cell. Staying in the tiny room was no great ordeal for her, but she felt it might be starting to wear on Lucky's sister. So when the duke and Lia's brother-in-laws arrived for dinner she sent her new sister-in-law off to share some time with her husband.

While Mary-Michael rocked her daughter to sleep, she said a prayer for Lucky. She worried for him, her new husband, and wondered how he was coping in their village's tiny jail house. Because they rarely had to lock anyone up for more than one or two nights, half the building also served as the constable's office. The jail cell itself was only four feet long by six feet wide. She'd spent several nights in that one small cell, and knew the exact measurements immediately after the constable locked the door behind her. When she'd mentioned to her brother that she feared giving birth in the dirty room with the flea-ridden straw bedding, Father Douglas and Mr. Baxter had immediately secured her imprisonment at the children's home for her health and that of her child.

She was beyond thankful for that. If she or her daughter had become ill because of the filth in the cell, they likely never would have survived. Lucky would not have had a reason to return. Smiling down at Lucy, she wondered yet again what his plan was to free them. Lia told her to trust her brother and Ian, and though she was having a difficult time doing so, she'd told the duchess she would.

That morning when the constable arrived to question Lucky as to his whereabouts the night before, he'd said he was with his brother-in-law, the Earl Mackeever, formerly a resident of Indian Point, in his room at the Park's Inn, discussing his new wife's case. Without the earl to provide his alibi, the constable took Lucky into custody, saying a witness saw him at Barlowe Marine the previous night. The man claimed to have heard Lucky and the security chief for Barlowe Marine, Mr. Nelson Potts, arguing over the widow Watkins. The witness said he watched from behind the shed as Lucky fired the pistol that killed Potts.

Mary-Michael saw Marcus shift in agitation, wanting to speak and defend his uncle, but he was quickly stopped by his mother's hand on his arm. Mary-Michael heard Lia whisper to her son to let her brother handle this.

Mary-Michael immediately asked the constable who this witness was that says he saw her new husband kill Mr. Potts and the constable would not give the man's name. She wondered if Barlowe was claiming to be the witness.

Even though she worried about Lucky, she had to trust in their plan. Without complete faith in him, they would not survive this—and she wanted to. She wanted to live now more than ever, as she realized her captain did love her as much as she loved him. She wanted a future with Lucky and Lucy, and wanted to return to Indian Point to raise their daughter and other children if they were so blessed.

A soft rap on the door sounded, and Mary-Michael froze with fear in her rocker, which then caused her daughter to stir. Surely it was too early for Lia's dinner to be over. The visitor rapped again, this time a little louder. Mary-Michael called for the visitor to enter and the guard unlocked her door.

Lia, Ian, and Michael, all entered her tiny cell. The duchess came to her with her arms outstretched. Mary-Michael stood and gave the babe to her new sister-in-law who took over rocking Lucy. Mary-Michael asked the guard to give their family privacy. Reluctantly, he stepped out of the dormitory cell, and locked the door behind him.

"How is my husband?" Mary-Michael asked, hoping he hadn't found the jail as coffin-like as she had. Like a caged lion, he'd lash out—which would only serve him worse in the long run.

"He is well and in good spirits, Mary," Ian said, his expression steady. "You do know this was all part of the plan?"

She nodded. "I figured that out when he didn't retaliate at being led away in handcuffs."

The barrister-earl, Michael, sat next to Mary-Michael on the cot, and Ian came forward and knelt on the hard wooden floor on the other side of her. Lia was close, rocking Lucy in the chair just feet from where Mary-Michael sat.

"We have a plan, Mary," Ian said. Then, over the next few minutes, in hushed tones and low whispers, Mary listened as the two men explained to her and Lia their plans.

"Michael and I will remain behind, while Ren and Lucky will take you ladies, Marcus and Lucy back to England," Ian said. When Mary-Michael wanted to protest, he stopped her. "Barlowe obviously has many people doing his bidding. He's had people killed for your shipyard, Mary. The one
my
father helped to found. I would have it remain in your hands and never fall into Barlowe's."

"I'm remaining behind to study your case," Michael added, "and with my friend the ambassador's help, will find the best representation for you—again. I am sorry about your friend Baxter."

She thanked him for his concern and offer to help her, and told him how much she appreciated his efforts on her behalf. "But Lucky will also be a fugitive from the law, wouldn't he?" Mary-Michael asked.

"Yes, he will." Michael replied truthfully. "But I have signed depositions from Marcus and Ian, witnessed by the ambassador, myself and Ren. I want to see Barlowe brought to justice. Not just for the men he's killed, but for you, Mary. He would have had you killed—whether by the hangman's noose or other method—to obtain your shipyard. That's why it is imperative that we get you and Lucy away from here until it is safe for you to return." Perhaps he sensed her trepidation, because he added, "It's only for a short while, Mary. Lucky wants you safe from Barlowe's reach. When we discussed this, Lucky mentioned that you have a farm in the mountains. But I'm afraid that is still too close."

Ian moved closer. "Mary, tonight we have the perfect opportunity to get out of the bay and have a solid head start if anyone were to chase us," Ian whispered. "We have a high tide, fog, and an almost full moon. The constable has not yet sent for help from the military, something he might do as a preventive measure. We can't have that, or we will never escape. We have this one narrow window of opportunity, and the time for action is now."

"How will you get Lucky?" she asked, knowing there was always a guard in the building when there was a prisoner in the cell.

"He worried about getting you out," Ian said, "and you're worried about him... Mary, I promise you will not leave without him. We had this plan worked out earlier today. Now, we must go. Please, do as I ask, because we would not be able to do it without the help of the many others who have put their lives on the line as well. If we delay any longer, the danger will be all the greater to our friends."

Mary didn't have to think. "I'll do anything," she said.

"Good girl, Mary," the attorney replied.

For the next few minutes, they discussed how they were going to get Mary-Michael out of the children's home with her babe. She wasn't completely certain it would work, but she had to have faith in Lucky, Ian, and the rest of this family that was now hers.

When the time came, Lia left with Michael, saying for the benefit of the guard that she wished to spend some time with her husband and son, and would return in the morning. Almost exactly as they'd planned, when the outside guard went to take a break to relieve himself, Ian came around to her only window and she'd handed her precious Lucy through the vertical bars and into her brother-in-law's arms.

"Would that I could fit through as well," she whispered.

"I wouldn't be here if you could, would I?" He chuckled softly as he moved the child into a comfortable position, nestled in the crook of his arm.

"Do you have her securely? She wiggles—" Mary-Michael kissed her fingertips and pressed them to her daughter's cheek in a whisper-soft caress. She hoped the babe slept until he reached Lia at the inn where she waited. She didn't want her daughter's cries to ruin their plan and get them all thrown into the prison at the fort.

He gave her a rakish grin, his green eyes almost clear in the dim light of the candle in her room. "I have two of my own now, Contessa."

She gave him a curious look, wondering why he would address her as such as he'd not done that before now.

"Get used to it, my lady. It's who you are now."

She gave his words great thought while she was waited for the appointed hour, and she resolved that she would not be frightened of the future ahead. Lucky was right. This was about more than being vindicated. She wanted to live. Mr. Watkins had wanted her to experience
life,
not death. It was why he'd wanted her have her darling babe, and wanted her to marry again one day because he knew she was too young to live as a widow for the rest of her years.

A few hours after Ian left with Lucy, there was a shuffling outside the door, where the guard had likely had his pint of doctored ale and fallen asleep. Someone unlocked the solid wooden door and Sister Elizabeth, her dear friend since their girlhood days swept into the room with a change of clothing for her. Her friend helped her into the habit, and as she changed outfits, she said, "You are doing the right thing, Mary. If learning that he killed his own relative wasn't enough, knowing he had Mr. Baxter killed is! Poor Mrs. Baxter, however will she manage?"

"Please see to it that she wants for nothing until I return. Tell the two earls I said this," Mary-Michael whispered, not wanting to alert the guard outside to what the two women were doing in her cell. "When I return, I will settle a nice pension on her for her husband's loyalty to Mr. Watkins."

"I will not be able to go to the docks as Becky and Cadence will undoubtedly do," Sister Elizabeth whispered, her blue-gray eyes filling with tears. "So I shall say goodbye here."

"I will be back, Sister. I will. Watkins Shipbuilding is mine, entrusted to me by a very special man," Mary-Michael began to cry also. "And... until I return, Ian Ross is here. The captain has just as much interest in protecting the shipyard as I. Remember, he was born here and his father was one the founders, along with Mr. Watkins and Father Douglas."