The voice belonged to Charlotte, the new maid. At least, it was a voice that Nathan was not as familiar with as he was with the others, so he assumed it was the new girl. Woodward and Cramlington were two of the younger lads from the stables, strong and capable. Nathan nodded approval.
“Leave that to me, Charlotte,” Gemma said.
Nathan heard her rising and then sensed her kneeling on the side of his scalded hand once more.
“That will be all for now, Charlotte. Kindly, ensure that any word from Marshall is relayed to me directly. I will be here.”
“Yes, Your Grace,” Charlotte said a trifle breathlessly.
Nathan listened as she departed.
“Where is Mr. Pennington’s office?” Gemma asked.
She guided Nathan’s hand by the wrist and gently pressed it into the cold water in the basin. He felt an immediate relief from the painful heat that had been growing in his hand.
“A joke. My father treated his predecessor abominably, believing him to be poaching. So, he gave him a dilapidated old outhouse in which to live instead of the lodge cottage that is traditionally the home of Hutton’s gamekeepers. When Pennington took the job, he declared that the outhouse was more comfortable to him than the lodge, which he said was too grand for him by half. By all accounts, Pennington’s office is quite the hunter’s cabin now. It lies on the edge of the gardens, on the edge of the woods to the south.”
“I hope they are safe,” Gemma said fervently.
“They will be,” Nathan replied. “Please place the basin on the arm of the chair. I do not wish for you to sit there holding it.”
“It would easily fall, the arms are too narrow. I can hold it for as long as is needed,” Gemma insisted. “I was partly responsible for the accident anyway.”
“Nonsense. It was my fault entirely.” Upon noticing a lingering silence akin to guilt, Nathan began again. “Gemma, Marshall can be trusted with a direct order. I have no concerns that he will not keep his own counsel in this matter.”
“It just seems that I bring trouble and inconvenience with me like a storm cloud,” Gemma murmured.
Nathan could hear the naked distress in her voice and it pained him. She was taking to heart all that was happening, making it her fault. He felt a flash of fear that she would take that blame to its ultimate conclusion, reasoning that the only way to prevent more trouble was to remove herself.
And if she does, how would I know? If I am not holding her every hour, she could slip away at any time and I would never find her again. That must not happen.
“Gemma, I must ask you to make me a promise,” he said.
She remained silent.
She knows what I am about to ask and she fears making that promise. For then she will be bound here and will, she believes, bring more trouble to my door.
“Gemma, I want you to promise that you will not try to leave without my knowledge.”
Again, she remained silent, but then Nathan heard the sound of tears, which she was clearly fighting to suppress. He waited and heard a sob, quickly muffled.
“I must insist, Gemma,” he said firmly.
“Why? I am trying to spare you more strife! Can you not see that sheltering me is bringing poison into your life? My cousins are wicked men who will stop at nothing. They murdered my father!”
He felt the water in the basin slop to its edge, reaching further up his wrist to wet the cuffs of his shirt. She was trembling, her hands shaking where they held the basin. Reaching down, he took hold of it by the brim and prised it away from her. With one swift movement, he hurled it towards the open French doors. The sound of water cascading across the floor preceded the crash of ceramic against stone. Gemma gasped and Nathan fell to his knees before her. Thankfully, when he reached for her hands, by luck more than judgment, he found them.
“They will face justice for their crimes. I have already contacted Mason of Castlegate in York, my solicitor, requesting an appointment. I will put the matter to him and it will be held in confidence. He will advise us on the legal means open to us. Both in the matter of your father’s murder and your rightful inheritance. I will secure for you a respectable lodging in the city and you shall take Charlotte and a couple of the footmen with you. I will also be there, as often as I may. The ball which was arranged for Emily is scheduled to take place on Monday evening. I should need to be in York for that anyway as it takes place at the Mansion House, loaned to me for the evening by the Lord Mayor. So, you see, your interests dovetail with mine and cost me no strife. Please, Gemma. Promise me. You will not leave without my knowledge.”
He felt Gemma rest her head on his shoulder and enfolded her in his arms.
“I promise,” she whispered.
There came another knock at the door, hasty and panicked. Nathan slowly rose, helping Gemma to her feet also. She stepped away from him and he turned in the direction of the door. The sound of panicked breathing and barely controlled sobs came to him as soon as the door was opened.
“Charlotte! Whatever has happened?” Gemma said.
Nathan heard her crossing the room toward the door.
