Carla Kelly (15 page)

Matthew had left
the hall. Omega took Angela by the hand and walked toward the
stairs. “Do you have any idea where Jamie might be?” she whispered
as they tiptoed past the viscount’s room.

Angela shook her
head. The door to Matthew Bering’s room opened and she jumped.
Omega took a firmer grasp on her hand and started down the
stairs.

“
Omega, wait!”

She turned around
to look at Matthew, who was coming down the stairs right behind
her. Omega let go of Angela. “Go ahead. I’ll find you in a moment.”
Angela ran out the front door, leaving it wide open for the rain to
blow in.

“
Omega, you don’t need to go look
,
too,” Matthew said. His voice was conversational.
He came closer on the stairs. “I wish you would be reasonable about
this whole matter.”

She could match
him calm for calm. “I’m not going to abandon someone who needs my
help. I have a peculiar habit, Lord Byford. I like to see something
through to its conclusion.”

He winced at
that, but did not stop. “Even if aiding a fugitive is against the
law?”

“
Yes,
if it comes down to that.” Little sparks of anger flicked about in
her brain. “And I feel responsible. I’m the one who helped him find
this place, which has only multiplied his troubles! Excuse me now,
Matthew.”

She turned to
follow Angela, forgetting there were two more steps to go on the
stairway. When she hit the first step, she fumbled for the
banister. Matthew made a grab for her and missed, and she tripped
down the next step and sprawled on the floor, slippery with
rain.

Omega cried out
as pain laced through her ankle. She felt sick to her stomach and
thought for a moment she would disgrace herself entirely in front
of Matthew and the servants, who had heard her shriek and were
running up from the servants’ hall.

Matthew knelt by
her and touched her face. “Omega, are you all right?”

She nodded, not
sure enough of herself to speak. Tears of frustration and pain came
into her eyes and she tried to brush them away. She grabbed the
banister and hauled herself to her feet. The pain in her right
ankle made her gasp.

Matthew scooped
her into his arms. “Omega, you’re ... you’re ...”

She burst into
tears.

His voice was
more gentle then. Matthew held her closer to his chest. “You’re
getting my coat all wet.” He sighed and spoke into her ear. “Now,
how am I going to go look for Jamie if I’m soaked through before I
even leave the house?”

She sobbed
louder.

“
Michael, go get the doctor. Tildy, come with me.”

Despite Omega’s
protests, he deposited her on the bed in the little room next to
his. “Tildy, get her into a nightgown. I’m going downstairs to wait
for the doctor.”

“
But
you said you were going to look for Jamie!” Omega
wailed.

“
My
tiresome runaway of a nephew can damned well wait until the doctor
has seen you, Omega. Lord, but you’re stubborn!” He put his
handkerchief over her nose and made her blow. “Now, hush a minute
and do what Tildy says. And if you don’t cooperate, I’ll help
her.”

She grabbed his
handkerchief from him and wiped her nose, giving him a speaking
look.

He stared right
back. “And don’t say ‘You wouldn’t dare,’ because I
would.”

By the time Tildy
had helped her into a nightgown, Omega’s ankle was swollen to twice
its normal size. “Oh, Tildy, what am I going to do?” she said in
vexation. The pain was still turning her stomach.

“
You’re going to let me prop this pillow under your foot and
you’re going to lie down, Miss Chartley,” said Tildy in a firm
voice. “And if you feel like you’re going to chuck last night’s
dinner, you’d better let me run for a pan.”

“
Hurry, Tildy!”

The maid darted
for the door, only to be met by Matthew, who had a pan in his hand.
He hurried to Omega’s side just in time to shove the pan on her lap
and hold her hair back while she vomited.

Omega clutched
the sides of the pan and retched and gagged until her stomach was
empty. She shuddered a few times but didn’t relinquish her grip
until Matthew pried off her fingers and set the pan outside the
door. He came back to the bed.

“
Move
over, Omega.” He sat down beside her and wiped her face with a damp
cloth. She lay back in exhaustion on the pillow. Tears welled in
her eyes again.

“
I’m
so embarrassed,” she said, and tried to push him away.

The viscount
wouldn’t be pushed. “Don’t be a goose, Omega. Let me raise your
head and give you a sip of water.”

She did as he
said, and he sat down on the chair by the bed. Omega closed her
eyes and did not open them again until Tildy knocked on the door
and ushered in the doctor.

The doctor poked
and prodded her ankle while she hung on to Matthew’s
hand.

“
Young
lady, I don’t believe it’s broken.” The doctor shook his head.
“Likely you’d feel better if it were.” He looked at Matthew. “My
lord, I will instruct the maid to keep Miss Chartley’s foot
elevated, and to apply cold cloths. Two days of that should be
sufficient, and then I’ll look at it again and we’ll see where to
go from there.”

“
Two
days!” said Omega. She released Matthew’s hand. “But I plan to be
out of here this afternoon at the latest!”

The doctor
laughed. “You’re a funny one, Miss Chartley. Tildy has a sleeping
powder here for you. Take it like a good girl.”

“
I
won’t.”

“
She
will.”

She did. After
the doctor left, Matthew watched her a moment longer. Her eyelids
began to droop and he appeared to grow larger and smaller, and then
to disappear altogether. But he hadn’t vanished; he was kneeling by
her bed.

“
Omega, can you hear me?”

She
nodded.

“
I’m
going after Jamie now.”

She nodded again.
Her lips felt dry, and his voice was so far away.

“
And
when I bring him back, Omega, we’ll talk.”

She nodded again.
She thought he kissed her on the forehead, but the room was dark,
the rain thundered down, and she was so tired she couldn’t be
sure.

The rain
continued throughout the day. After the sleeping powders took
effect, Omega dozed and wakened, only to have the sound of the rain
drumming on the windowpanes pull her back to sleep. She was
conscious of a dull throb in her ankle, but she was too sleepy to
care.

She woke finally
in the afternoon. Tildy had pulled back the end of the coverlets
and was applying another cold cloth to her foot. The pain was
intense and she cried out.

Tildy nearly
dropped the pan of water. Her eyes filled with tears. “Oh, I so
hate to cause you pain,” she said.

Omega struggled
into a sitting position and pulled back the covers entirely. Her
ankle was swollen beyond twice its size now. She touched it.
Despite the cold compresses, her flesh was hot and red.

“
Oh,
Tildy, what a mull I have made of things,” she said as she lay back
down and the maid tucked the blankets around her again. “Has anyone
returned yet?”

“
The
master returned several hours ago for his horse, and I have not
seen the others. I sent my brother off to look
,
too. They’ll find him, Miss Chartley.”
She brushed back the hair from Omega’s eyes. “But then
what?”

“
I
wish I knew,” replied Omega, closing her eyes again.

The rain stopped
as night fell. Omega awoke to the silence of the house, and then to
the welcome sound of Angela’s voice.

“
Omega! Omega!”

“
Hush,
Angela, you’ll disturb Miss Chartley.”

The voices were
right outside her door. “Angela?” she called. “Oh, do come
in.”

The girl came
into the room, followed by Tildy. She was soaked through, and
shivering in her light dress and shawl, but a smile covered her
face.

“
Omega, we have him! Or rather, Lord Byford has
him!”

“
Thank
God,” said Omega. “Is he all right?”

“
Just
angry. And he’s not speaking to anyone. You know how he is. Lord
Byford rained a regular peal over his head. It was a royal
scolding.” Angela came closer to the bed, but was careful not to
drip on Omega. “I think he’s secretly relieved that we rescued him.
I shall ask Jamie tomorrow, when he is not so angry.”

“
And
now, my dear,” said Tildy, “you will follow me. There is a hot bath
in your room for you. Miss Chartley, you’ll pardon me, but I took
the liberty of taking one of the nightgowns from this room. It’s
for a small lady, and almost fits Angela.”

“
Anything for that little scapegrace,” said Omega. “It’s not
mine, so I can be generous,” she joked.

Angela came
closer again. “I like it when you tease me, Omega. Are you feeling
better?”

“
Oh,
yes, wonderfully,” lied Miss Chartley. “Now, where is
Jamie?”

“
The
master is bringing him.”

“
I
want to see him.”

“
You’re sure, Miss Chartley?”

“
Positive. Now, help me sit up, please.”

A few minutes
later, Omega heard footsteps at the door, familiar footsteps, and
then a knock. “Come in, please.” Matthew entered the room, followed
by Jamie Clevenden, who was soaked
t
o the skin and shivering like Angela. Omega shook
her head at the boy. “Jamie, you have caused us no end of
trouble.”

Jamie hung his
head and said nothing. Matthew came closer to the bed, carefully
removing his cape, which dripped water on the floor. “I’ve already
delivered a blistering lecture, Omega,” he said.

Omega raised her
eyes to him, secretly delighted with Matthew. It was only a small
defense, but he was taking Jamie’s side.
Good for you
, she
thought.

Omega reached out
her hand for Jamie. He looked at her then, his eyes twin pools of
misery. Without a word, she held out her arms and Jamie hurled
himself into them, sobbing. She stroked his wet hair and rocked him
in her arms until he was silent.

“
Jamie, all I ask is this: please do what Matthew says. We’re
simply going to have to sit down together and figure out what is to
be done. Running away won’t help.”

Jamie wiped his
nose on his soggy sleeve. “But, Omega, I’ve been seen!”

The words chilled
her heart. “Mr. Platter?”

Jamie nodded. “It
was at the Regis and Byford crossing, I think.” He looked at
Matthew, who nodded. “Uncle Matthew swooped me away, but I know Mr.
Platter saw me. How soon before he figures out where I
am?”

She kissed the
top of his head. “All the more reason for you to do exactly as your
Uncle Matthew bids. You must promise me, word of honor, that you
will not run away again. I have no power to keep you here. I cannot
chase after you. You must give me the word of a gentleman, Jamie
Clevenden.”

“
I
shall not run away again, Omega,” he said finally.

“
And
that will do for now, lad,” said Matthew. “You’ve soaked Miss
Chartley’s gown. Come, lad. Did I hear Tildy say something about a
bath? And then to bed with you. Run along, now.”

Omega gave Jamie
another hug and touched his cheek. “Come see me in the morning,
dear,” she said.

Jamie hurried
from the room. Matthew sat down wearily in the chair. “I found him
at the crossing, waiting for a carter, I suppose, or a farmer going
to market. Platter must have been watching from the inn.” He leaned
back in the chair. “Omega, I started to give Jamie the scold of his
life, and he put his hands up to his face as if to shield himself
from a blow. Omega, I would no more strike him than I would strike
you!”

“
But
he doesn’t know that,” Omega said slowly. The implications of
Matthew’s words sent tendrils of cold down her spine.

“
How
true. I think I begin to understand how his other uncle has been
treating him. Well. It was a revelation to me.”

The air was heavy
with unspoken words. “Where ... where is Hugh?” Omega asked at
last.

“
He is
here
,
too. He did not
wish to disturb you.” Matthew ran his hand through his wet hair.
“No more do I.” He raised the coverlets off the foot of the bed and
looked for a long minute at her ankle.

“
Not a
pretty sight, is it?” she said.

He shook his
head, and tucked the covers in again. “Perhaps I should summon the
doctor in the morning.” He patted her other foot. “Between us, we
have three eyes and three feet. Is this what my late father used to
refer to as ‘damned old age’? A lowering thought.”

“
Lowering indeed,” agreed Omega.

“
Well,
I must change. Twinings said something about dinner. May I bring my
plate up here and eat with you?”