Lord of the Abbey (31 page)

Harry nodded. “Hopefully, that will be enough to appease the Constable. Yes, I want to talk to him. Where is he?”

“
Locked in the crypt in the chapel. It was Sir John’s idea.”

“
Charlie, Micah, Newt, you stay here with Lyon and Rowena. Wyldhurst, come with me.”

Rowena picked up Lyon’s hand. She rubbed it comfortingly.

His eyes opened again. They remained unfocused. “Lizzie, my sweet, you’ve come to tempt me to your bed have you? Give me a handful of your breasts, wench…”

Rowena gasped. Leaned back out of Lyon’s reach, for his arm lifted as he spoke, his hand reached toward her bosom. She blushed scarlet. “Oh dear!”

Micah swiftly extended his hand to Rowena, helped her to her feet and out of Lyon’s reach. “Hand me the cravats, I’ll apply pressure in your stead, Lady Rowena.”

Again Lyon opened his eyes. “Wincanton! What have you done with Lizzie? And why are you here? You didn’t touch her breasts did you?”

“
Ah, no, Lyon. I didn’t. Lizzie had to go. Are you in pain, Lyon?” Micah asked calmly.

“
No. I feel nothing. I’m cold. And so sleepy…” His eyes closed again.

“
I’ll get a–“ Rowena was about to go hunt down a blanket when Hanford entered the room.

“
The bed is ready, my Lady. Shall I bring some men to carry his Lordship to the parlour?” Hanford asked.

“
No, Hanford. We’ve got him.” Micah stood. Together, He, Charlie and Newt picked up Lyon and followed Hanford out of the gallery.

Once Lyon was laid on the bed in the small parlour, Rowena left Micah, Charlie and the maids to undress him. He was to be put into a clean nightshirt that belonged to Sir John. Apparently, Lyon did not sleep in any type of night clothing. There was nothing to be found in his room per the maids. She sat on a small chair in the hallway waiting for admittance after Lyon was properly clothed.

That was where Harry found her. He leaned down, kissed the top of her head. “How is he?”

“
I don’t know, Harry. I don’t know.” Rowena shook her head. “Doctor Price or Mr. Smythe, the apothecary, should be here by now.” Rowena wrung her hands nervously.

The door opened then. “Harry, get in here. He’s somewhat lucid, you need to hear this.” Charlie motioned Harry in. “I’ll stay in the hall with Lady Rowena.”

Rowena missed the serious look exchanged by Harry and Charlie.

“
Lyon?” Harry peered down at his exceedingly pale friend.

“
Harry. They said Lady Rowena is safe?”

“
Yes, Lyon. Why?”

“
Because they wanted the box and
her
! They meant to take her. I yelled down to Micah to bolt the cellar door. Thank God he did and they didn’t get her…”

“
Did they say why?”

“
No. No. Just that they were to take her to him.” Lyon closed his eyes again.

“
Him who?” Harry beseeched.

Lyon’s eyes remained closed.

“
Lyon?
Lyon!
”

“
He’s out again, Harry,” Micah spoke softly. “Lady Rowena cannot be alone, there needs to be two of us with her at all times. You and I can take turns sitting outside her bedchamber at night. I don’t know how far your relationship has progressed, but it would be best if you were in her chamber with her at night. If that is the case, none save you and I ever need know. We need to speak to Lady Sperring and Sir John and the others. Let them know Rowena is in danger. Under no circumstance is she to be left alone. Ever.”

“
No. Not for even a minute. And you are right, better if at least two of us are with her at all times.” Harry sighed heavily. “I received a response from Woollard at the Grange after I sent a message informing him of the happenings here. He assured me there will be a guard of ten men posted each night at the Abbey, and eight during the day. I’ll tell Charlie, Wyldhurst and Newt they will need to alternate keeping watch on the treasure in the gallery day and night. Until we can find a safer place to hide it. Surely Elveston or at least two of Chynoweth’s men shall turn up tonight or tomorrow. Pray God! We’re down a man now. I don’t know, Micah. Whoever this is, they were either idiotic or unusually brave to send two men into this house in broad daylight.”

“
Just until someone else arrives, perhaps we can get a cot set up in the gallery so we can keep at least two men there at all times, Harry. One resting, one on duty,” Micah suggested. “I think their aim in daylight was to take us off guard. To use the element of surprise.”

Harry nodded. “Good idea, Micah. I’ll speak to Lady Sperring about the cot as soon as I can. And about Rowena. Am I wrong, Micah? I just can’t see that sending her and Lady Sperring away will make them any safer. We don’t know why this person, whoever he is, wants Rowena.”

“
I know you’re tired, worried about the safety of the ladies, and the odds seem to be stacking up against us. But you are right. The ladies are safer with us, than away from us. There’s not a man among us who would let Lady Rowena be taken or Lady Sperring or Sir John come to harm.” Micah clapped his friend on the shoulder.

It was then Lyon began to moan. His hand moved to his leg. He began to thrash about, which caused the wound in his thigh to start bleeding anew.

Micah grabbed a clean towel left by one of the maids and applied pressure. “Hold him down, Harry!”

“
Charlie!” Harry called as he bent to hold down the arms of his friend.

The door burst open. “What?” Charlie paled when he witnessed his friend thrashing on the bed, fresh blood dripping down his thigh and onto the bed sheet.

Rowena came in behind Charlie.

“
Rowena, take Charlie with you, I need more cloths and we need some laudanum or brandy. He’s in pain.”

“
Yes! Right away, Harry.” Rowena pulled Charlie behind her as she left the room.

“
Oh, where is Doctor Price?” They heard Rowena exclaim from the hallway.

Harry said a quick prayer that Lyon lived. “Where
is
the damn surgeon?”

Micah peeked out the window which looked onto the front drive. “Ah, I thought I heard a carriage. Yes, I did. Mayhap it is he who’s just arrived.”

Rowena and Charlie returned with clean cloths, laudanum and brandy just as Doctor Price was escorted into the room. He requested that Lady Rowena and one gentleman stay with him while he examined his patient. Of course it was Harry who stayed.

Rowena and Harry assisted the doctor while he examined Lyon’s wound and dosed him with laudanum. The Doctor painstakingly extracted the pieces of bullet, cleaned the wound and sewed up the torn flesh to the best of his ability.

“
This is all I can do. It’s a very messy wound. We have to hope the bleeding stops. And at the first sign of infection I must be called. There is the possibility he will lose his leg if it becomes infected. Even if he keeps the leg, it won’t be much use to him, I’m afraid.”

Harry saw tears trickle down Rowena’s cheeks. He supplied his handkerchief to her. In the presence of the surgeon, he could offer her no other comfort.

Doctor Price cleaned and returned his medical tools to his bag. “He will be in a lot of pain. I see you have one bottle of laudanum, I’ll leave two more. Dose him regularly. It’s best to keep him quiet. Thrashing about can tear the stitches or re-open the wound once it starts healing. I’ll come by tomorrow to check on him.”

“
Very well, Doctor Price. I’ll see you out.” Harry opened the door and led the doctor from the room.

Micah and Charlie slipped into the small parlour as Harry left.

“
Not good news?” Micah whispered when he saw Rowena’s tear-stained face. She again dabbed at the tears with the handkerchief Harry had provided.

“
We must keep him quiet, so he does not tear his stitches or re-open his wound once it starts to heal.” She pointed to the laudanum. “Doctor Price said the wound was messy and there may be infection. He may even lose his leg. He also said that even if he doesn’t lose it, it may be of no use to him.” She sniffed. “But I’m just going to believe that he’ll come through this. That he’ll be like the old Lyon in no time at all. I just need to believe that.”

“
As you said earlier, Lady Rowena. We all must believe it.” Micah rubbed her arm to comfort her.

She nodded, looked at Lyon. Fresh tears rolled down her cheeks. She wiped them away and stood up from the chair where she sat. “Micah, I must go to the Chalice Well and the White Spring at first light tomorrow morning to collect the waters for Lyon. They are healing springs after all. Then I must go to the Tor. I must go to the Tor!”

“
It’s dangerous right now to go walking up the Tor, Lady Rowena,” Micah informed her softly, in a calm tone.

“
I have to go to the tower on the Tor! There is no other way,” she pleaded.

“
Other way, Lady Rowena? For what?” Micah’s tone remained gentle and patient.

“
Please, don’t think I’m crazy, Micah. Charlie. I must call St. Michael, the Archangel. For Lyon. St. Michael always comes when I call him. To date I’ve only called him when it is absolutely necessary. Dire circumstances, if you will.”

“
Will he not come here to the Manor if you call him?” Micah posed his voice still soft and gentle.

“
I don’t know. I’ve only called him from the Tor.”

“
Then I’ll speak to Harry when he returns, and we’ll figure out a way to get at least four of us up to the Tor tomorrow. Charlie and I will get the water from the Chalice well and White spring in the morning. Don’t worry, Lady Rowena. We’ll find a way. For Lyon.”

Micah wanted to tell Rowena that the men who wounded Lyon were after her as well as the treasure, but decided he’d best wait for Harry. Let Harry make that call. Though he knew she was his friend, and she was a woman he greatly admired – she was Harry’s woman.

Mrs. Brimble and one of the maids volunteered to sit with Lyon while once again there was a late informal dinner at Stonedown. Those that had blood on their clothing changed, Rowena being one of them. She was wearing her favorite dark blue gown, since the meal was informal. As any dinner dress she owned was made with short sleeves. Her gloves did not go up her arm far enough to hide her bruise. Thankfully the scrape on her forehead was hidden by a fringe of curls.

She exited her room the same time Harry left his.

Of course, he noticed the bruise right away. “What the devil?“

“
From this afternoon. When Lyon called down to Micah that there were intruders in the house and for him to bolt the cellar door and protect me. Micah doused the lantern then. It’s pitch black down there. When I heard the screams and shouting I broke away from him to try and get upstairs. I was terrified for Aunt Frances, Sir John, Lyon, and our staff. I made it as far as a wall. Then I got turned around and probably ran into the same wall again, I think, but that time with my head.” She pointed to her forehead, shrugged. “I’m fine really, Harry. It was my stupidity. I should have remained where I was as Micah instructed.”

Harry placed his hand on her good arm. He gently pulled her to him. Carefully, he whisked away the golden fringe of curls at her forehead. He kissed the bruising scrape ever so gently. “Did you clean it, sweet?” He paused to study the scrape.

“
Yes.” She nodded.

“
I won’t kiss the bruise on your arm, it looks quite painful and I’m certain any pressure to it will hurt. So, I’ll just kiss your lips instead.” He placed a chaste kiss to her lips, retreating quickly. He knew she was exhausted emotionally and physically from the long day. He placed her hand in the crook of his arm and led her leisurely toward the stairs. Then he asked, “What were you and Micah doing in the cellar, Rowena?”

“
Oh. I guess no one yet knows.” She smiled brightly then. “There hasn’t been time with Lyon being wounded to tell anyone. Micah and I found a book titled John of Taunton, and it was written by none other than Abbot Whiting. We checked it right away. Micah cut the inside covering and found a map of the Abbey tunnels, with the locations of the treasure marked on it.”

“
Amazing!” Harry stopped in his tracks. Laughed. A wide smile remained on his face. “So we have some good news this day!”