The Fancy (36 page)

steps in order to prevent it striking.

Quinton, Cora and Sarah knew what had to be

done, and traveled to where the outbreak was most

prevalent, adding their knowledge and skil s to other

doctors and scientist trying to pin down the cause of

it.

Food and water contamination.

To prevent it from spreading, the remedies

were to clean al – the washing of their bodies and

hands, also the area where one ate. The fight was to

clean up the water source, dispose of contaminated

food, and establish a cleaner sewerage system for

body waste. While one team worked towards doing

those things, and spreading the word – there was

the matter of taking care of the il , there were

thousands, many of them dying.

That is where Sarah, Cora, Quinton and many

others came in, working around the clock to save

lives. It was not an easy job and some were too far

gone to save.

Because of so many fal ing, the smal team

from WhistHirst worked tirelessly and because there

were few facilities to help house those dropping like

flies – every single room at the infirmary at

WhistHirst, and space they’d joked about never

fil ing, was fil ed.

Those stricken were fighting for rehydration,

dehydration from vomiting and diarrhea made it

impossible for them to retain fluid.

Cora and Sarah knew that salts, one to three

sugars, would help to keep them alive, while using

herbs to curb their diarrhea and vomiting. The two

women worked around the clock at WhistHirst, while

Quinton rode from one estate to another giving the

same instructions, treating those who were struck

down with it. Due to the efforts of al , the numbers of

dying began dwindling.

The persons brought to WhistHirst, looked to

Sarah and her mother to save them, afraid they

would die.

The vil age people of WhistHirst almost

worshipped Sarah; they boasted about their Lady

Caine to al who would listen. Final y, the epidemic

was under control, lives were being restored to

normal, and those held within the infirmary were wel

enough to leave and return to their homes, taking

tales to be told.

As for Sarah, al events had taken their tol on

her, it seemed that once things had returned to

normal, she was unable to get herself to rise or to

move.

She stayed in bed, sleeping for days. Quinton

watched her day and night, when he had matters that

could not be neglected, her mother was ever there

by her side.

Loyalty was strong and sure within the

household, not one servant spoke a single word

against her – al ran about on tender feet as if afraid

to disturb her. Nowhere upon their estates, would

disloyalty be tolerated.

In fact, it was so strong, that when Lady Lilith,

plotted what she thought was her own little secret –

to kil Sarah it backfired on her. The servants at

Wil bourne house sent a message to the servants at

WhistHirst, that she – Lady Lilith was up to

WhistHirst, that she – Lady Lilith was up to

something. They saw her putting something together,

a dangerous mixture; instantly, she was suspected of

a vile act. As it stood, there were servants who

already thought she’d been the one to do in the

previous Marquis and Marchioness – that in itself

had been the talk for quite some time.

Now this – and as this suspicion spread like

wildfire, al those who loved her, moved in and

around her at her most vulnerable time. Every eye

was open, every ear was cocked, and Moose lay by

her bed, hard to move, as if he too knew, something

was in the air.

Quinton lay behind his wife, spooning,

caressing her, fussing over her, kissing her ear, “I’m

afraid my beauty, you are done for a while, do you

hear? You have gone as far as anyone possibly

could, and beyond. You are exhausted, no more,

understand?”

Sarah gave a slow nod of her head.

“You do know, that you have surpassed al

expectations. You, Lady Caine, wil be spoken of for

al times to come.” He was holding one of her hands

as he spoke softly to her, his thumb stroking over her

knuckles.

“I think back to nights we spent in another bed,

the one we left in America, there – you cried of your

fears, do you remember that?

Sarah turned her head, looking up at him. “Yes,

I remember.”

“What now, does thee think, m’lady?” He

caressed her soft skin, absorbed in her eyes. “What

now…” He murmured softly.

“That you knew me more, than I knew myself.”

“Tis strange - when you see your reflection, you

see color, first. When I look – I see you.”

Leaning down, he kissed the tip of her nose,

and saw the glistening of a silent tear rol ing

sideways into her hairline. He picked it up with his

middle finger, and rubbed it dry against his thumb,

“What is this?” He asked.

“Tired, so tired.” She turned her face into his

chest, inhaling his clean scent. His hand caressed

her neck, across her shoulder, down her arm, and

over her body, wil ing her to relax and sleep. But she

kept snuggling up to him, rubbing her body against

his – seeking a much more needed attention, than

sleep. Turning her to her back, Quinton’s mouth

covered hers, his tongue gently entering, as his hand

went down her body to the hem of her gown, working

it upward while he caressed her skin. She turned

more towards him, spreading her thighs, half in and

out of a much needed rest. To assure a sound

night’s sleep, nothing made her drop off more than a

gentle session of his love making. She moaned

letting him know, that his fingers in her moist heat,

felt good – to add to it, his warm mouth was

suddenly sucking in a tender nipple.

She gasped his name, “Quinton – emmm…”

moving against his fingers, her lips began kissing

down his throat, over his Adam’s apple and lower;

one hand caressing his chest, tweaking his nipples,

pinching them until they too pebbled hard – the other

stroked up and down his back; at time pressing him

tighter against her. Final y the hand at the front of his

body went lower, searching for his hard length and

encountered it just as she knew it would be, jutting up

between them, throbbing and thick, his dul head was

already seeping – ready for penetration.

She spread for him, “Quinton…” she cal ed out

his name as she tugged at his extended length,

guiding him to where she wanted him most.

Climbing on, Quinton attacked her mouth as he

Climbing on, Quinton attacked her mouth as he

pushed deep within her moist tight heat – his tongue

penetrated and played about in her mouth as his

penis began thrusting.

Sarah lay beneath him, rol ing and moving to

meet his rhythm, every stroke of his length drove her

need to an even greater intensity. Knees as far apart

as they could go, both hands clamped onto his

pumping derriere, she took more and more of him,

gasping and mewing from the intoxicating marriage

ritual. His powerful thrusts kept hitting the spot she

needed rubbing until her body exploded with a

climax so powerful it made her cry out loud, and

soon, he too fol owed.

He lay face down beside her, his arm over her

mid-section, a leg, wrapped around her leg, in

complete peace and tranquility.

Neither had a clue, that at that very moment,

Lady Lilith was screaming from the top of her lungs

as she was tossed high to fal down the side of a cliff

from the moors not far from WhistHirst. Only the

striking against one of the outcrops that snapped her

neck, and then her back, silenced her for the rest of

the way down.

Only when she landed against the rocks along

the sand dunes, and lay broken, motionless, dead –

did Heathcote turn away – making his way back to

the mansion. His conscience not in the least bit

pricked with his deed – her fate had been long

overdue.

Heathcote entered the secret back entrance

she’d tried to use, to sneak in – he walked the

hidden corridors and turned into the one that would

lead to his Lord and Lady’s chambers. There he

stood, listening as they completed a night of love

making, his smile was slight as he glanced down at

his feet, the satchel of poison she’d dropped lay

there. Bending, he picked it up, sniffed it and turned

– carrying it with him as he made his exit near the

servant’s chambers to meet Cora, who stood

waiting.

The two had grown close since her arrival, so

much so that Heathcote would not only do anything

for her daughter, but for her as wel .

Lady Lilith’s plan was foiled by the two of them

out walking together, growing even closer when they

chanced to see a dark figure disappear into the side

of mansion. Wasting not a moment, Heathcote knew

upon fol owing her, what was going on.

He caught up with Lady Lilith right outside his

Lord and Lady’s bedchamber, covering her mouth

he dragged her back through the secret passage

way. His startling her made her drop her precious

satchel of poison.

In the dark of the night, he half dragged, half

carried her to the edge of the cliff, and without a

word – lifted her high and tossed her off – her

screams piercing the night.

Her plot had been to sneak in – poison the

dog, and then – Lady Caine. However, in the Karma

of life, Lady Lilith final y met with her fate.

The older couple stood in each other’s arms,

holding one another close, both relieved that it was

over. “Th’lass is safe, my Lord Quinton’s mother wil

not come back from where I’ve sent her.”

“I owe you much…”

“You owe me nothing.” He rebuked gently.

“I love my daughter – and yet, we must wonder,

what wil be said of Lady Lilith?”

“Mayhap, Evan wil report her disappearance;

there wil be a search, if by chance they find her, she

wil be long dead – how that came to be, is only

known by us two.”

“Know this, it shal die with me – you saved me

from a deed I knew I must do.”

“Say no more, we are al better off for it.”

Cora nodded her head, eyes closing to the

feeling of his lips at her brow. Never had she

feeling of his lips at her brow. Never had she

imagined that she would have such feelings from the

touch of a white man. So much of her life had been

spent hating them, and yet this one – was so tender,

compassionate and devoted to her and her

daughter, – already she knew that with him, she

would never experience the things of her past again.

As one from the tribe of the Powhatan, the days of

her fighting were now past, she was too old – with

what was left of her years, she wanted peace and

tranquility and yes, the tenderness of a loving man,

even a white one.

A week later, Evan showed up at WhistHirst

wishing to see Quinton, they met in his study. Before

either took a seat, “Not sure if tha cares, mother is

missing.” Evan started right out.

Quinton eyes met his brother’s as he took the

adjacent seat. “What do you mean, missing?”

“Not seen in days; servants say, she left in a

huff, tel ing no one, where to. Horse and carriage she

uses, gone. No word, no message.”

“That – is not missing, that is taking off.”

“And go where? Where would sh’go?”

Quinton sat back, thinking about what he was

saying, and suddenly, he remembered Cora’s threat

– yet, Cora lived here, she’d never been to

Wil bourne House. It was out of the question to think

she would have gone there, and as his brother

stated, she left for whatever reasons and now, had

not returned.

“Wel ?” Evan pushed.

“Without knowing, where she was going, how

are we to know, where to look for her?”

“We do nothing?!” Evan asked.

“Suggest something that is within reason,

logical, and we wil do it.”

Evan sat back, exhaling, thinking, but nothing

was coming to mind.

“Does she perhaps have a friend she would