“He’ll be watched. No harm will come to him.”
She believed him, absolutely without question.
“We’ll do a switch,” he continued, “take the ladies to your residence, Bill, where you and Lady Catherine can look after the duchess. I shall travel on to Heatherwood.
Avendale is sure to follow me there if we leave enough clues. At which time, I shall put the matter to rights.”
“What about Whit?” Catherine asked.
Graves looked at her. “Who’s Whit?”
“Avendale’s heir,” Claybourne responded before she could. “We’ll bring the lad with us.
I suggest we move quickly. Bill, can you help me prepare the duchess for travel?”
“Yes, certainly.”
“Catherine, you get the lad,” Claybourne said. “Remember, we want it to look as though we’re all going to the country.”
Catherine nodded, her mind racing.
“Good girl,” he said, just before he quickly disappeared into Winnie’s bedchamber with the doctor.
“I’ll help you get the lad,” Frannie said. “We want to talk loudly as we move through the house about our going to Heatherwood.”
Catherine grabbed her arm. “Claybourne is going to face Avendale alone.”
“It would seem so, yes.”
“I can’t let him go alone, Frannie. I brought him into this mess.”
“He’s not going to put others at risk. It’s not his way. He won’t let you go with him if that’s what you’re thinking.”
“I’ll not give him a choice. Will you look after Winnie for me?”
“Catherine—”
“I’ve come to care for him, Frannie. I’m no threat to you. I know you hold his heart, but I can’t bear the thought of him facing Avendale alone. I know there will be little I can do except to stand by him, but stand by him I must. Can you understand?”
“Have you considered your reputation if you go through with this madness? If you travel with him alone?”
“Who will know that I have gone if we simply say that I am with you and Winnie? His servants shan’t know who I am. They’ll think I’m some trollop. My name need never be associated with him.” Reaching out, she squeezed Frannie’s hand. “Do you really want him to face this alone?”
Frannie shook her head. “No, I’d planned to go with him, actually. But you’re right.
You’re the better choice. I’ll take care of Winnie and you take care of Luke.” She squeezed Catherine’s hand so hard that Catherine nearly cried out. “Don’t leave him alone, especially at night. For some reason, he doesn’t do well at Heatherwood.
Avendale won’t be the only demon he’ll face.”
Catherine detected an urging in Frannie’s voice, saw an understanding in her eyes, that was giving Catherine permission for something beyond what they were discussing, but before she could ask for confirmation, she heard the door to the bedchamber opening.
“You get Whit,” Frannie said. “I’m going to travel with Bill to his residence so all is ready when Luke feels it’s safe.”
Catherine nodded and headed down the hallway to the nursery. There was so much to get done, and for this plan to work, they needed to get everything in place before Avendale returned home.
Things moved at a rapid pace. Catherine found Winnie’s lady’s maid and instructed her to pack a small bag of clothing for the duchess, that she was going to Claybourne’s country estate to recover. Then Catherine packed a smaller bag for Whit. While servants put the bags into Claybourne’s waiting coach, she woke Whit and carried the small boy outside. Claybourne joined her there, carrying Winnie bundled in blankets.
Now he held Winnie on his lap, trying to provide an extra buffer between her and the rattling coach. Periodically, Winnie groaned and Whit sniffled.
