It seemed hours before Ellie was free and on her way to see Mrs. Brown. Hopefully, she’d not be in one of her talkative moods or Ellie might have to postpone her visit to see Rafe until tomorrow.
* * * *
Rafe paced across his study. At this rate, he’d wear out the carpet in a few weeks. He hated to admit he missed Ellie.
It was a relief to hear Booth’s footsteps outside his door.
“My lord, your brother, Ralph, has arrived.”
He shielded his disappointment, cleared his throat. “Send him in, Booth.”
Rafe heard long, clipped steps moving along the corridor and then into the room.
“Rafe, you look uncommonly well.”
He sensed Ralph moving closer and heard the click of the door as Booth left. “What brings you my way?”
“Father and Mother have been concerned about you. I’m on my way home from
London
. I thought I’d stop for a visit. When I get home I can report your condition to them.”
“Pour us a drink and sit.” Rafe waved his hand in the direction of the whiskey. He sat in his chair and waited until Ralph handed him a glass.
“As you can see, I’m fine. What were you doing in
London
?”
Rafe listened to the sounds of his brother leaning back in his chair and straightening his legs. Ellie was right. His hearing had become much more acute.
“There were still a few balls being given. I have had my eye on one particular lady. She and her family are headed back to the country now.”
“You are thinking of marriage?”
“Possibly. What about you, Rafe? After all, you’re the heir.”
There was a particular off tone in Ralph’s voice. Rafe didn’t respond, but tried to remember when he’d heard something similar said before. Ralph was his half brother, both having the same father. Rafe’s mother had died shortly after his birth. He’d been close to his stepmother, but he and Ralph had such different taste.
“Well?” Ralph asked.
“Sorry, I was thinking. No. I don’t plan on marrying. You will be my heir or your children.” A log on the fire crackled in the silence, and Rafe felt the increased heat as it flared up.
“Let’s hope nothing happens to you, brother. By the way, Booth said you went riding yesterday. Isn’t that rather dangerous?”
“I stayed close. This area is very familiar to me. My horse trainer, Ned, went with me.” The lie came easily. He didn’t want even Ralph to know that Ellie had been here. Ralph had a sharp tongue and liked to repeat gossip. Ellie’s reputation and Rafe’s freedom might very well be in danger if his brother found out.
“I have a new foal. Ned has done his best to describe her to me. Let’s walk to the barn and I’ll show her to you. You can add your description.” Rafe took the last swallow from his glass and stood. “You may as well stay the night and leave for home in the morning.”
“Sounds good to me.” Ralph reached out and took Rafe’s arm. “Let me help you.”
Rafe yanked his arm back. “If I need help, I’ll ask.” He didn’t like being treated like an invalid. Ellie never made him feel this way.
* * * *
Ellie hid her horse behind several trees at the edge of Rafe’s property. She’d just come into sight of Rafe’s house when he and his brother came out the door and headed for the barn.
Everything had conspired to go wrong today to keep her from a much needed visit with Rafe. First, Mrs. Brown talked a good hour about the local gossip, her daughter, and her new grandson. To add to her frustration, Rafe had company. The sun hung low in the sky. She’d better ride home. Tomorrow, she’d sneak out early and hope to be able to talk with Rafe.
When she arrived home, both sisters and their husbands had stopped for a visit and planned to stay the night. Ellie had one cup of tea and excused herself to dress for dinner.
The setting sun cast a pink glow across the sky. Ellie stood at her window and imagined she saw the roof top of Rafe’s home in the distance.
“Miss Ellie, this water is getting cold. You’d better hurry and change or you’ll be late downstairs,” Trudy warned her.
She’d started to turn when she caught a glimpse of something. She looked back. Was that smoke? Without a word, she ran downstairs and out the back door. She threw herself onto the bare back of her mare and left the stable boy staring after her.
She yelled back, “Tell my father there might be a fire at the Earl of Leyland’s hunting lodge. Don’t say I told you.”
Wind whistled in the air. It had to be her imagination, but she couldn’t rest tonight without checking. She smelled the smoke before she got to Rafe’s.
Jumping off her horse, she flew to the stables and unfastened the door, letting out the horses. Rafe’s horse trainer had gone home for the night and no one was about.
“Booth,” Ellie shouted and ran down the long path to the front door.
“What is it?” Booth asked before he saw the smoke.
“Tell Rafe there’s a fire in the barn.”
Booth stepped outside. “He’s in the barn. He and his brother.”
“What?” Ellie whirled around. “Come help me.”
Flames were licking their way up the sides of the building.
“You can’t go in there,” Booth yelled.
Ellie ignored him and bent low as she entered the smoke-filled area. She couldn’t see. Feeling with her hands, she stumbled over a body. Rafe.
Wood crackled around her, and several beams fell not two feet away. She tried to pull him, and then Booth was there, and with an immense effort, they dragged him to the doorway. The roof collapsed right after they crawled outside. Several pieces of wood flew through the air. One hit Ellie in the shoulder, and another smacked Rafe across the head.
“Did it kill him, Booth?”
“I don’t know, but you have to get away from here, Miss Upton. I hear horses. Whoever it is must not see you.”
She nodded and hurried to her horse, then headed in the opposite direction away from the riders. Glancing back, she saw men rushing across the yard to pull Rafe farther from the fire. Others began to make a line with buckets to try and save what was left of the building. Seeing help had arrived, she turned her horse homeward.
Wearily, Ellie slipped inside the house and ran up to her room. She’d ridden as fast as she could, but still her mother might have discovered her missing. Trudy didn’t ask any questions. She helped Ellie undress and spoke in low tones.
“The men heard the alarm and went to the Earl’s home. Your mother and sisters have been so upset they didn’t ask where you were. They were concerned about the fire spreading, but they thought since it has been such a wet summer it was unlikely. I assured your mother that you were fine, and that I’d just washed your hair and you were drying it. We’d better hurry, though, or she might come to check on you.”
Ellie nodded. “Help me get this smoky smell off my skin and hair. I’ll use my new scented red rose soap that I received for my birthday and put a drop of rose oil on my hair.” Ellie sank into the tub and began to scrub her skin as Trudy helped clean her hair. “I appreciate your covering for me, Trudy.”
Her shoulder began to ache, and she tried to see if there was any damage.
“You are going to have a bruise,” Trudy warned her.
“Then get out one of my gowns with long sleeves.”
“That might work for tonight, but I doubt that swelling and bruise will go away any time soon,” Trudy said.
Weariness swamped her. “I’ll have to think of an excuse about how I hurt myself. At least hiding it tonight will give me some time.”
* * * *
They waited for the men and ate late. In their concern over the fire neither her mother nor sisters questioned her late appearance. When her father and brothers-in-law returned they talked of the fire and of how brave Booth had been to save Rafe.
“The barn is completely gone, but the horses all got out. I guess Booth released them when he went inside for the earl,” her father said. “I don’t understand how Billy became aware of the fire while he worked in the barn. Nevertheless, I’m glad he did.”
“Maybe he stepped outside and saw the smoke,” Ellie said. She regretted her statement when her father gave her a studied glance. She swallowed. “I mean the sunset was so red that I thought for a moment I saw smoke from my bedroom.”
Her two brothers-in-law snorted at that idea, and the conversation continued between the men. Ellie wished she’d kept quiet. Her mother glanced at her several times during the meal.
“Booth said the earl’s brother had been visiting. Guess he left before the fire,” Andy, Claudia’s husband, remarked.
“Strange. Booth said he’d planned to stay the night. Booth didn’t realize Rafe was in the barn by himself,” her father added.
“Is Lord Leyland all right?” Ellie couldn’t stop from asking. Now both her parents looked her way.
“The doctor was with him when we left. He got hit in the head by some flying wood, but he was coming around when the men carried him inside.”
The ache in Ellie’s chest eased at her father’s words.
“A messenger rode to the duke’s estate to tell him what happened to his son. He’ll probably be there by tomorrow.” Her father looked at Ellie again. “You look pale. Are you all right?” he asked.
“It’s just the worry. Fire is frightening and it could happen anywhere.” Ellie forced a smile and turned her attention to her uneaten food.
Where was Ralph? She’d seen him enter the barn with Rafe. Something wasn’t right. But if she asked anymore questions, she’d be in trouble. She had get to Rafe and see for herself that he was not seriously hurt. Something didn’t feel right. How did the fire start, as an accident or started by someone on purpose? The only person in the barn besides Rafe was his brother, and he magically disappeared.
Ellie was relieved when her parents and the rest of the family retired shortly after the meal. Her body ached, and her mind raced with questions that had no answers. She’d just climbed into bed when her mother came into her room.
She sat beside Ellie and brushed her hand over her hair. “You do so remind me of my mother. Those intelligent green eyes and inquisitive nature.” Her fingers brushed underneath Ellie’s eyes. “You have dark circles. We’ll need to use cucumber slices tomorrow.”
Ellie lay quietly and watched as her mother walked to the window facing Rafe’s home. “I can see how you might see smoke from your window. I doubt Billy had that ability from our barn.” She turned and faced her daughter. “I hope you haven’t done anything to bring disgrace on our name, daughter. There were times the
ton
regarded my mother as not quite proper. I lived in fear she would stop me from making a good marriage. Perhaps if she’d been different, I’d have married an earl or marquis.”
Lady Upton came back to Ellie’s bedside. “Your father is a good man, but I always wanted my daughters to do better. Claudia married a viscount and Sophia a marquis. You have turned down several fine prospects. You need to make a decision about your future. Lord Marshall and Turner will be at the party we’re planning. Your father and I hope you will find one of them a favorable choice.” She bent down and brushed her cool lips over Ellie’s cheek and then gracefully walked out of the room.
Tears flowed down Ellie’s face. Her dream gone, she had to face reality. She had no more time to convince Rafe to marry her. She must choose one of these men to marry.
Yet, her heart had belonged to someone else since she was sixteen. Ellie had made her choice a long time ago. She just didn’t expect to be able to keep it.
Chapter Six
Cannons boomed in the distance, and the smell of firepower filled his nostrils. Rafe tried to step carefully around the bodies of comrades and enemies strewn throughout the battlefield. This had to be hell on earth.
The smell of death seeped up from the ground. His eyes stung from the thick, acrid clouds of smoke as the boom of the distant cannon vibrated through his body. The battle was over except for a few men fighting on that distant hill. Had they won? With all the dead, how could anyone claim a victory?
Through the smoke, he saw the outline of a man, vaguely familiar, moving toward him. A sharp blast flashed before his eyes. He felt the white-hot pain of the bullet as it creased his
scalp, and he fell among the other bodies in the muddy field.
Rafe’s head pounded. The nightmare had returned, only this time he had seen his attacker’s face. Rafe heard voices in the distance. His father must be here. Crooking one eye open, he saw the figures of two men whispering in the doorway to his bedroom. How did he get to bed? He vaguely remembered Ralph visiting.
Wait. He opened his eyes again. The darkness had lightened. He saw the outline of objects and watched as the two men stepped into his room. He sat up abruptly and grabbed his head when the pain jabbed between his eyes.
The doctor rushed to his side. “Your head hurts?”
“Like demons beating the inside of it with sticks.”
“Lay back and let me examine you,” the doctor ordered.