The Folly (22 page)

Chapter
45

             
It was fully dark outside by the time Elizabeth woke up from her nap
.  She didn’t rush to get up,
enjoying
a few moments of
quiet before ringing for Kitty.  It was almost time to dress for dinner
,
and she felt well enough to join the men.  Her body was slowly returning to normal and she was tired of feeling like an invalid. 
She reached for the
bellpull
, swinging
her feet out of bed
and looking around for her wrapper
.  The floor was cold, but she needed to use the pot and wanted to finish before Kitty got there.  She was still bleeding a little
,
and needed to keep a folded rag between her legs to keep the blood from staining her nightgown. 

Elizabeth just finished when Kitty knocked on the door and entered
without
waiting
for an answer. 
Her round face was rosy with cold and she smelled of snow.

“Kitty, please help me dress for dinner.  I feel up to going downstairs tonight.”

“As you wish, Mrs.  Sutton.  
Shall you wear the blue gown tonight?”  Kitty was already taking out the woolen gown, laying it on the bed as she went to fetch undergarments, stockings and matching shoes. 

“It’s that bitter out tonight.
I went out for a moment and nearly froze to death.
Cook said the water in the barrel outside
was
frozen solid.  She had Harry drag it inside and set it by the hearth to let it melt, so
Cissy
could
use it to wash the pots and such.  It’s been a long time since we’ve had such a cold winter.”  Kitty prattled on as she brushed out
Elizabeth
’s hair
, twisting
it into a chignon,
and
skillfully pushing pins into all the right places.

“I reckon it will be a late spring this year.  I don’t like the cold myself.  Can’t wait for summertime.
  I love when they set up the May pole in the village
,
and all the young people
come out and dance around it.  The Colonel always gives us the afternoon off to go join in the festivities.  That’s how I met my Charlie.  He
’
s the cooper down in the village.  With any luck, I will be a married woman this time next year.
”

“
I
’
m sorry I won’t be here to see you wed
, Kitty
.  Maybe by the time
s
pring comes Mr. Sutton and I will leave here.  I long to be away from this place.”

“I’ll be that sorry to see you go,
ma’am
.  It’s been a real pleasure serving you.  I reckon the Colonel will make me a parlormaid again after you’ve gone.”  Kitty looked sad at the thought
. 
Elizabeth
felt sorry for the girl, realizing how few opportunities life offered to someone like her.

“I can write you a reference, Kitty, so maybe you can find a job as a lady’s maid.  Newcastle is a big city.  Surely, there are ladies looking for maids.”

“Oh, would you?  I would be ever so grateful, Mrs. Sutton.  I haven’t even thought of that.
  I might have to stop working once Charlie and I are wed, but until then…
”  Kitty stuck a final pin into Elizabeth
’s
hair and admired her
handiwork
. 
“I think you’ll do,
ma’am
.”  Kitty smiled as Elizabeth turned her head left and right, admiring the effect.

“I think you
’r
e right, Kitty.  Is Mr. Sutton downstairs?”
Elizabeth asked
,
as she pinched her cheeks
in an effort
to coax a
bit of
color into them.

“He’s gone out while you were sleeping.  Said he was going to Evensong.”

“He went to church?”  Jeremy must be more distraught than she thought.  He never went to church if he could help it
,
and did so only out of obligation.  The idea that he went to church
on his own
,
and not even on a Sunday
,
left her feeling unsettled.  He must have gone to pray for the baby. 
Elizabeth
sighed and rose to her feet.  Surely he
’
d be back in time to dine with her and Hugh. 

Elizabeth walked carefully down the stairs
, holding on to the stone railings for support.  She
still felt fragile despite assuring Jeremy that she was well.  Her body felt weak and battered no matter how much she slept
.  S
he knew it would take time for her to fully recover.  She was secretly grateful that Dr. Lawrence forbade
marital relations
.  As much as she missed
Jeremy’s
touch, she wasn’t ready for any physical intimacy
,
and wouldn’t be for some time.

Hugh Brand was sitting in the drawing room, his boots perilously close to the roaring fire
, a
n open book left forgotten in his lap as he stared into the leaping flames, a look of intense concentration on his face.

“Good evening, Colonel,”
said Elizabeth as she settled herself on a damask sofa across from
Hugh
.

“Good evening, my dear.  Would you care for
a
glass of sherry?  I must say you are looking
much better
this evening.”

“Thank you.  I feel much improved.  Sherry would be lovely.”

Elizabeth accepted a glass of sherry
from a footman
and took a sip.  She felt its warmth as it slid down her throat
,
and leaned back watching Hugh from
beneath
her lashes.  He was impeccably dressed, as usual, but the
r
e was something different about him tonight.  He seemed tense somehow, on edge.  His eyes kept darting to the door even after the footman departed.  Was he waiting for Jeremy?

“I hear Jeremy has gone to church,” said Hugh conversationally.  “
That’s not like him. 
Did he say what time he
’
d be back?”

“I am sure he
’
ll be back soon.  I think he felt the need to pray for the baby.  I must admit that laying it to rest this morning gave me some peace
at last
.”

“To be sure.  It’s always good to say a proper goodbye, isn’t it?”  Hugh poured himself another brandy and gave her a charming smile.  “I must say I
’
m rather hungry tonight.”

“So am I.”

Elizabeth was just about to take another sip of sherry when there was a knock on the door
, followed by
an anxious-looking
Bates
.

“Begging your pardon, Colonel, but this was just delivered for you.  I thought it might be important
,
”
he said apologetically, handing
Hugh a folded piece of paper and withdr
awing
from the
drawing room
.  Hugh unfolded the paper, scanning the contents, and looked at Elizabeth in alarm.

“Elizabeth, I
’
m afraid Jeremy has been hurt.  I must go to him.  He
’
s in the village.  Please excuse me.”

Elizabeth jumped to her feet.  “I
’
m going with you.  What
’s
happened?”

“The note doesn’t say.  Just says that he is badly hurt.   Get your cloak, I
’
ll order the carriage.  We must hurry.”

  Hugh ran from the room, leaving
Elizabeth
shaking with fear.  Where had Jeremy gone?  Was it an accident or did someone mean to cause him harm?  She called for Kitty to bring her cloak and boots
,
and joined Hugh
outside
as soon as she could. 
The freezing wind took her breath away, making her feel instantly
chilled
despite her fur-lined cloak and boots. 
Archie was already
perched
on the bench of the
carriage;
whip in hand, with Hugh holding the door open for Elizabeth.  The
carriage lurched into motion
as soon as the door closed
behind
Hugh
, hurtling through the open gates and down the dark road.  Elizabeth closed her eyes
praying
that they would get to Jeremy in time.  Hugh gave
her hand
a reassuring squeeze. 

“Don’t worry.  We’ll be there soon.  Just try to relax for now.  You are still unwell.”  
Elizabeth
tried to take his
advice and relax, but her mind was spinning
;
her
heart twisting with fear at the thought of Jeremy, alone and hurt somewhere.

“Hugh, who sent the note?  Was it one of the villagers?”
she asked anxiously.

“Yes, it was.  He is not alone.”  Hugh settled back against the padded seat of the carriage.  He didn’t seem too worried, so Elizabeth tried not to panic.  The carriage continued to rattle down the road
, slowing down from time to time to avoid slippery patches. 
Elizabeth saw the lights of the village off to her right
as they drove past
.  Where were they going?  Hugh said that Jeremy was in the village.

“Hugh, where are we going?  We
just
passed the village.”

“Don’t worry, my dear.  We
’
ll be there very soon.  All will be well.”  Elizabeth
felt
the first
stirrings
of doubt
when she noted that Hugh wasn’t meeting her gaze
.
  Where was he taking her?  He didn’t say anything about getting the doctor.  Had someone gone for the doctor already?  She twisted her hands in her lap, telling herself not to get
hysterical
.  Hugh had been kind to them.  He wouldn’t lie to her. 

It must have been at least half an hour later when t
he carriage
finally
drew up in front of an imposing brick house.   A gas lamp burned
by the
front door, illuminating the path from the gate.  Hugh helped her out of the carriage and
steered
her along
, ignoring her questions
.  The door w
as opened by a burly manservant, who stepped aside as
Hugh pulled
Elizabeth
through, closing it behind them immediately. 
Elizabeth
could hear strains of music and laughter drifting
from
the parlor somewhere to her left, but Hugh motioned her toward the staircase leading to the second floor. 

As they passed the parlor
,
Elizabeth
caught a glimpse of several scantily
-
clad women lounging on velvet
settees
, their faces rouged
,
their breasts spilling over their low-cut bodices
which
barely cover
ed
their nipples.  They were entertaining a heavyset man with bushy whiskers, who seemed to be having a hard time deciding which one he should choose.

Elizabeth had never been to a brothel, but she strongly suspected she was in one now.  Was Jeremy here?  Had he been coming here all along?  She felt her stomach twist with despair, but she had to go on.  Hugh said he
’
d been hurt.  What could happen to a man in a brothel?  She followed him up the stair
s
and into a room at the end of the hall.  It appeared to be a private parlor
of some sort
, but there was no sign of Jeremy.