Shadows of Doubt (28 page)

Perhaps she had wronged him and he did not seek the attentions of the scheming Bradley chit. Either way, he deserved someone more fitted to the task of being his lady. When they heard the first call to them from their rescuers, Gwen was by that time so weak that she could only greet them with a faint smile and wet eyes; Mr. Abbott was more urgent in his demands, shouting for them to hurry, that she needed a doctor. Gwen did not think she needed anything of the sort, and also thought it unlikely a doctor able to come to her aid at any rate in the floods.

She was lifted into a larger boat and swiftly back into Mr. Abbott’s arms.

“What happened to her?” Nathaniel asked with concern.

“A large piece of glass lodged into her shoulder when a tree shot through the window. She lost a fair amount of blood.”

“Let us move quickly then.” The men began to row swiftly at his signal.
 

“How bad is the damage at the house?” Andrew asked.

“Not as bad as I thought it would be at the start. The river overflowed into the house during the worst of the storm, but it is on higher ground than the summer house and has receded. Your quick thinking servants were able to save most of the food and have already begun putting the house back into order.”

“I gather the fields are a complete loss?”

“We have not gone to look. Our first thought was to find you.”

“Much obliged to you.”

As they rowed against the still raging currents of the river, they passed many barely visible roofs of the servants’ cottages. It would be some time before they recovered from this sizable storm. No one remarked on the obvious, but a solemn silence remained until they arrived upon the ground surrounding the house.
 

***

Gwen was tired and ached all over. She struggled to wake up from her semi-conscious state. She was aware of someone holding her hand and stroking her hair, but it was too much effort to open her eyes.
 

“Is she finally waking up?” a familiar voice asked.

“She has stirred a little,” Andrew replied.

“Poor thing. She is done worn out. Have you been getting her to drink?” Josie asked.

“Very little.”

“Don't you worry, Master Andrew. She will perk up soon.”

Gwen began to assimilate her surroundings and recall the previous day's events: the storm and the boat. She was finally able to open her eyes and looked towards Andrew who was sitting next to her.

“Good afternoon,” he said with a relieved smile.

“Afternoon?” she tried to speak, but her mouth was dry.

He instantly got up to give her a drink. “You must be parched. You have scarcely had anything to eat or drink in two days.”

When her thirst was quenched, she asked, “How long have I been asleep?”

“An entire day.”

She sat up and flinched with pain in her shoulder and remembered the injury. That must account for her unusual fatigue.

“Does your shoulder pain you?”

“A little. I had forgotten and was not careful.”

“Josie does not think it serious. She thinks it will heal without issue.”

Gwen nodded and an awkward silence fell. So much had happened in the past two days she did not know where to begin.

“We need to speak, Gwen. I know you are tired, but we must resolve some things between us.”

“I don’t know what to say or what to think anymore.”

“Why won’t you just let me take care of you? Am I mistaken in your feelings for me?”

“No,” she said quietly looking down at her hands. “But I do not think I could not live with my conscience. I still have a shred of dignity remaining.”

“I see. Marriage to me would be so distasteful?”

“Marriage?” she looked up with surprise.

“What did you think I was offering?” Suddenly so much made sense. “You thought…”

“You never said the word,” she protested. “I had convinced myself it was an honourable offer, and then when I arrived I convinced myself it couldn’t be. You would be lowering yourself when you could have any of these wealthy ladies fawning over you.”

“Please do not be ridiculous or insulting!”

“And how was I to know if you were offering
carte blanche
or marriage?”
 

“You should know nothing of that!”

“I have been offered it more times than I would care to remember. I know precisely what it is!”

“But I never!” he exclaimed.

“You never said the word,” she explained. “I allowed myself to be convinced by your sister and mislaid my mind somewhere between Somerset and Sussex! Between losing my mother, my home and being lied to and compromised by my cousin.”

“Attempt to compromise,” he corrected.

“Yes, yes.” She waved away his interruption. “I believe I might say under the circumstances, it is difficult to see clearly. Perhaps my mother’s madness is beginning to affect me too.” Her eyes grew wide as she had not before considered her mother’s madness might pass to her. “See! I am not fit to be anybody’s wife
or mistress
.”
 

“My delusional, impossible, adorable Gwen.” He sat on the bed next to her and held her hands. “You are driving
me
to madness. Can you not see that none of your objections matter to me? That you and I were meant to be? There is no other woman for me. I do apologise for Miss Bradley, and I promise I will do my best to make it clear to any woman who endeavours to come within five feet of me in the future.”
 

Her eyes were filling with tears. Silence. And more silence. He couldn’t even read her face. She was staring off into the distance with no emotion whatsoever. That could not be good. He made a note to mention to her a future in cards if she turned him down. Maybe his proposal wasn’t romantic enough.

“You must say yes. I did truly compromise you. We were alone for two days. My reputation will not survive if you refuse me.”

She was staring at her hands.

“Very well. You have forced me to take drastic measures.” He picked her up and carried her out of the room.
 

“Andrew! What are you doing? Put me down!”

He ignored her protests, carrying her down the stairs to where most everyone from the estate was involved in cleaning the aftereffects of the flood.

“May I have your attention?” he shouted.

He found a chair and set her gingerly upon it.

The servants and children gathered around. Lord and Lady Fairmont came into the room to see what the commotion was about. When he had everyone’s attention he dropped to one knee before her and took her hand. She began to tremble with nervousness and felt self-conscious as everyone in the room watched.

“It seems I have made a complete mull of my good intentions, dearest Gwen.” He stared into her eyes as he spoke. “From the moment I saw you, I was intrigued. From the time we spent together, I was enchanted. From now until forever, I am captivated. Please say you will be mine. I do not wish to live another day without you by my side. Will you marry me?”

He pulled out a beautiful ruby ring and placed it on her finger. She swallowed nervously, and everyone in the room held their breath. She nodded as tears streamed down her face, and threw her arms around him.

“A virtuous woman I have found: your worth is far above rubies, and I will cherish you until my dying breath, Gwen.”
 

 
“I thought you would never ask, Uncle Andrew,” Amelia said with relief, and to the amusement of the crowd.

“Nathaniel, would you please send for the Reverend?” Andrew begged.

“So soon?” Gwen asked.

“Yes!” Andrew answered.

 
“We should see to clearing up first,” Gwen said as she looked around.

“Can we not find the Reverend first?” he pleaded.

“Certainly, if you would be so good as to row the boat,” Nathaniel remarked to no one, observing the flooded land out of the window.

“I think we should wait until the rest of your family can be with us,” Gwen reasoned.

“They will be happy enough to see me riveted. They will not mind overmuch,” Andrew said reassuringly.

“I would like them to be present. I have no family of my own left, and your family is very close.”

“No, I will not wait one more day. We are here for who knows how long, and I have no intention of remaining a gentleman for an entire Atlantic crossing.”

“I am not concerned. We will both be spending most of the time green and bent over the side rails.”

“No. I will not set foot on the boat unless you are Mrs. Abbott.”

“Then I suggest we begin cleaning.”

“You are going back to bed. I made my point and you must rest,” he said with authority.

Oblivious to her protests, he scooped her up and carried her back to her room.

Chapter Nineteen

One month later
…

“Please, Gwen. I am only human,” Andrew pleaded.

“We may leave in two weeks, Andrew.”

Bang!

“By Jove, you hit it!” Andrew exclaimed. “Capital shot!”

Gwen did not share her betrothed's delight. “Why must we shoot rabbits again?”

“We need them for food,” he said patiently, though he had explained this every time she had shot something.

Gwen could not deny the food was needed. Prices were beyond all but the richest men's purses, but even a rich man could not buy when there was none to be had. The flooding left by the storm had devastated farms to the Shenandoah Valley. Her brother had taught her to shoot, but she did not enjoy killing anything. She had volunteered because she knew her skill would be useful, but she did not like it. Shooting had been much more enjoyable when it was wafers or a target she was aiming at.

“Cheer up, my lamb. You will not be obliged to hunt for your food much longer.”

She nodded and turned her head away as the dogs brought back the evidence of her success.

“You have allowed several men to be useful repairing the house and the fields, instead of having to hunt. As soon as we celebrate the Thanksgiving feast, we will depart.”

“There is much to be thankful for,” Gwen remarked. The storm had devastated the servants’ cottages and severely damaged the fields. They had worked long days and some nights to make the cottages habitable and get the fields repaired and replanted in time for spring.

“Now to find some turkeys. I know they are around. They were spotted several times this week near the pond in the woodland.”

“Then let us find them,” she said, resigned.

“You have more mettle than I bargained for, my love. I am, in fact, the luckiest man alive,” he looked at her appreciatively.
 

“Gwen,” he said her name in a throaty voice that made her knees weak. She was trapped in his gaze. He took her face in his hands and bent his head to hers. His lips were gentle but firm, insistent yet caressing. Her heart’s emptiness was filled with something she could not describe. She had only known something was missing. She wrapped her arms around his neck and dared to kiss him back as his fingers combed through her hair.

 
“It looks like we arrived in the nick of time,” the Dowager’s voice said sardonically.

“I never thought I would be so excited to hear your voice, Gran.” Andrew smiled and placed one more kiss on his beloved’s lips before turning to his grandmother.

“Rapscallion!” the Dowager retorted with relish. She had missed her sparring partner.

Gwen was flushing to her roots, but she was enormously pleased to see the Dowager.

Andrew opened his arms to welcome his grandmother, who decided to abandon all sense of propriety and embrace them both.

“Thank God you came. Gwen insisted we wait to marry until we could have the family present.”

“I had little choice in the matter. When your sister got wind of things, she decided to give birth and set sail.”

“Elly is here?” Gwen gasped.

“Not even Easton could keep that headstrong girl from boarding the ship. She would not be kept away.”

“That's Elly. Pluck to the backbone!” Andrew remarked fondly.

“Or over-plucked,” the Dowager muttered. She eyed a rifle in Gwen's hand and gave Andrew a scathing look. “Are you making her earn her keep? There are more genteel ways for ladies to be occupied my dear.”

“I volunteered,” Gwen said with becoming meekness.

“She is a better shot than any of the men. We needed her talents to feed the lot of them after the storm.”

“Indeed.” The Dowager looked at the carcasses with distaste. “Well, shall we venture back to the house? You may wash, then meet your new niece.”

“You mean to tell me Elly brought the baby?” Gwen asked with dismay.

“And the triplets.” The Dowager nodded as if she concurred with the insanity of the decision. “She insisted they needed to become acquainted with River’s Bend. She would not be parted from them for so long. I am decidedly too old for these modern notions.”