“Thank you, my lord,” the butler said in a dry tone. “Come along my sweet little princess,” he whispered to the dog in his arms as he turned to leave.
Slade watched the butler walk down the hall. “I’ve never seen him look so smitten.”
Thomas grinned. “Underneath that very officious exterior is a tender heart.”
“Baines is one in a million,” Slade added, then turned and slapped Thomas on the back. “Come in! Isabella is upstairs taking care of Lady Gallwey and her daughter. Poor thing. I think the longer Lady Gallwey thought about what happened, the more distraught she became. Maggie seems to have weathered it all. Thank God you were there! Talk about timing.”
“Thank God for the Dowager Duchess,” Thomas countered. “She knew Frankie and Maggie frequent Hyde Park to feed the ducks and encouraged me to be there this morning. If not for that…” He shuddered, refusing to think of what might have happened.
“That’s astounding,” Slade murmured. “Two miracles performed this day. You saved a child and a dog.”
“I’m just thankful I was able to be there,” Thomas said, a shiver coursing through him. “Perhaps a brandy…”
“My God, Thomas!” Slade interrupted. “Your lips are blue. And you need dry clothes. With all the excitement I hadn’t noticed. We’re about the same size, you can wear something of mine. Baines will see to it.” He stepped out of the study to speak to one of the footmen, then poured Thomas a brandy. “Here, drink this in the meantime.”
Thomas downed the brandy in two gulps, appreciating the warmth spreading through him.
“My lord,” Baines said, slightly out of breath as he walked in.
“Baines, have a footman show Lord Latham to my chamber and have West provide him with some dry clothing.”
“Yes, my lord.”
“Slade, I live just down the road…I can go home and come back.”
“Nonsense,” his friend insisted. “Besides…you want to go upstairs to Lady Gallwey. Dr. Spencer will be here soon, but surely, seeing you will help calm her nerves. She is staying in the guest suite at the end of the hall. I will bring Dr. Spencer as soon as he arrives.
There was no point in arguing when Slade made up his mind. The brandy had helped but he was still wet and cold. And he needed to see Frankie. “Thank you,” he said and followed the butler out.
Grateful to be dry and warm, Thomas left Slade’s bedchamber a few minutes later and found his way to the guest suite where Frankie and Maggie were resting. As he readied to knock, the door opened, and Isabella stepped out.
“Thomas, I’m glad you’re here,” she whispered. “Lady Gallwey and Maggie are calm, for the moment, but I didn’t want to leave them alone. I must pop down to the kitchen to check on dinner and ask for some of Cook’s sandwiches and hearty soup brought up. They’ve had tea for the shock, but something more substantial is in order.”
“I’ll watch over them until you return,” Thomas said, eager to see Frankie. Isabella stepped aside, and he walked in to see Frankie sitting in front of a roaring fire watching Maggie on the carpet playing with some toys.
“Lady Gallwey, you have company,” Isabella said.
Frankie looked up, her face lit with a grateful smile. “Please call me Frankie. I can never repay you or your husband for your kindness.” Anxiously wringing her hands in the folds of her skirt, she stood and smoothed down the fabric. Placing a kiss on Maggie’s head, she turned and made her way to the door.
“And you must call me Isabella, as all my friends do. I’m going to the kitchen and shall return soon.”
After Isabella left, Frankie hurried to his side. “Thomas, there are no words to express my gratitude. You saved my daughter.” Without warning, she reached for his hand and squeezed it. “Thank you from the bottom of my heart.” Still holding his hand, she tugged gently toward her child. “Let me introduce you.”
“Maggie, this is a friend of mine—Lord Latham.”
A beautiful blonde child with liquid blue eyes looked up at him from the floor. Recognizing him, she stood and ran to him, burying her head in his legs and hugging him hard. “Dank you,” she said. “You and the bwack swan saved me.”
He leaned down and picked her up, his heart warming at the sweet child. “You were very brave, Maggie,” he said in a gentle voice.
“Did you bwing my new doggie?”
“As a matter of fact, I did, and Lady Hertford is going to be so surprised!” He heard Frankie chuckle.
“The doggie is being cared for right now,” he said. “It needs food and a bath. Later, when it’s dry, we shall see about a visit with her.”
Maggie nodded and he set her back down and watched her scamper back to her toys.
“The dog is all she’s been talking about,” Frankie whispered. “She’s even been thinking of possible names. What they say about children and resilience must be true.”
