Lady in the Mist - Laurie Alice Eakes [76]
“But if it was Mr. Cherrett,” Mrs. Trower said, “he’s out after Mayor Kendall’s curfew on redemptioners.”
“Yes, and the mayor will believe you if you tell him,” Tabitha pointed out. “But should a man be whipped on suspicion alone?”
“All right,” Mr. Trower said, “we won’t say anything to Mayor Kendall.”
“Or anyone else,” Fanny added.
“And we’ll tell Raleigh not to make hints and the like if he isn’t going to just come out and say what happened,” Mrs. Trower said.
“Not that we did such a good job of instilling parental obedience into him.” Mr. Trower sighed. “If we had, he wouldn’t have run off to the sea when we told him not to.”
Tabitha stared at the couple. “You knew he was going to abandon me?”
“I had my suspicions.” Mr. Trower shuffled his feet. “It was Raleigh’s place to tell you.”
“Yes, yes, it was.”
But she would have preferred to have known he hadn’t just vanished.
Sighing to relieve the heaviness around her heart, she strode to the door into the parlor. “I’ll see if he’s sleeping. We should probably take turns sitting up with him in the event he takes a turn for the worse.”
Raleigh was still sleeping. Mr. Trower took the first watch, then his wife. When Mrs. Trower woke Tabitha, who was asleep on a settee by the kitchen hearth, daylight struggled to break through the rain, and the girls were up and preparing to perform outdoor chores beneath oiled cloth capes.
“He’s awake,” Mrs. Trower said. “Go on in and I’ll bring you some coffee.”
Tabitha smoothed as many wrinkles from her gown as she could and retied the ribbon confining her hair to a queue at the base of her neck. Felicity gave her a cloth and basin of water. After washing her face and hands, Tabitha returned to the parlor.
Raleigh looked considerably better in the feeble gray light. Color had returned to his face, diminishing the depth of the bruise’s purple.
He gave her his lopsided smile. “You stayed.”
“I always stay with a seriously injured or ill patient until I’m certain things are well in hand.”
“So I’m just a patient?” He grimaced.
“If you weren’t, I wouldn’t be alone in here with you.” She perched beside him on a chair. “How does the head feel?”
“Like someone pounded it into a wall.”
“And your jaw?”
“About the same. A few teeth are loose.”
“They should be all right if you leave them alone. Eat soft food and chew on the other side.”
“Yes, ma’am.” He feigned meekness.
Tabitha sat erect. “Will you tell me the truth this morning?”
“Tabbie—” He met her gaze. His eyes held sadness. “I can’t. I’m too ashamed of myself.”
“I see.” But she didn’t. She felt more confused than ever. “So you didn’t plan to meet Dominick last night?”
He started to shake his head, winced, and mumbled, “No. I just thought—I thought I might see him. And I won’t say anything else. He shouldn’t have been here is all I will say, and I’ll see he’s punished for stepping foot on my property, especially after dark.”
“Even if fetching me might have saved your life?” Tabitha pressed him as she had his parents.
“I suppose he didn’t want to hang for murder if he didn’t fetch help.” Raleigh curled his upper lip. “That’s not heroic.”
“He could have left you and no one would have been the wiser.” She leaned forward, holding his gaze. “Raleigh, if you’re ashamed of what you wanted to do last night, do me a favor and don’t tell Mayor Kendall or anyone else Dominick was out here.”
“No, I won’t do that.” Raleigh drew back. “Not even for you. The man has overstepped his bounds once too often.”
“Raleigh, please.”
“Why? Why should I help the man you prefer over me, a man who isn’t worth looking at you, let alone touching you?”
“Because you don’t want him telling people you intended to harm him. I’m beginning to believe he is telling the truth about that. But if you protect him this time, I’ll say nothing of your reprehensible behavior.”
“And if you promise to make him leave you alone,” Raleigh returned, “I’ll do you the favor of keeping my mouth shut about his being here at night.”