James pushed his right arm and shoulder into the enlarged hole and stretched to reach under his back to support him. With his other arm he reached inside the chimney to take hold of Christopher’s upper arm. He could feel Christopher’s heart stampeding.
“Ready?” Lewis asked, poised to deliver another blow to the spike he’d been using as a chisel.
“We are ready,” James said calmly, “aren’t we, Christopher?”
“I’m scared.”
James felt Christopher’s body tense. He slipped another inch, his weight now heavy and ungainly across James’ right arm. He inched himself farther into the hole.
“I have you. You won’t fall,” James assured him. James clenched his jaw. They were in a dangerous position.
“All right,” Christopher said meekly, so forlorn.
“Let’s get him out of here, Mr. Martin,” James said.
Lewis hit the spike between the bricks a couple more times, then two bricks broke loose. He didn’t even try to catch them as he had the others. Christopher’s shin, free from the pressure on the brick, shot forward. Christopher screamed as he slipped, no longer wedged.
James’ arm strained to hold him.
Lewis, a foot braced on the mantel, reached in and grabbed hold of Christopher’s other arm and guided his feet to the opening. He helped James slowly draw Christopher out of the chimney.
“If you can, support his neck, gentlemen,” said a new deep voice from below. “Lady Branstoke has told me of his position. There could be damage—let’s keep it to a minimum.”
James didn’t recognize the man’s voice, but at that moment he could have cheerfully throttled him. Now was not the time to be issuing orders. He felt his heart in his mouth as they gently pulled the child out.
Mutely, James and Lewis coordinated their efforts. Once they had Christopher out of the chimney, Lewis passed all of Christopher’s weight to James.
The ladies having tea cried out and started clapping and laughing.
“Stay where you are. Don’t try to come down the ladder yet,” Lewis instructed James.
Lewis scrambled down his ladder, then pulled the table Cecilia and James had used over next to James’s ladder. He jumped on top, then reached up to take the boy from James. Once he had him firmly in his arms, he crouched down to pass the child back to James after he descended the ladder. Miss Rangaswamy was before him, her arms outstretched.
Christopher saw her and jerked around. “Rani!” he cried, then screamed in pain.
Miss Rangaswamy wrapped her arms around him, cradling him against her. “You are safe. You are safe,” she said, tears streaming down her checks.
Tears streamed down Cecilia’s cheeks as she joined in the clapping. Christopher was safe.
13
“I’d rather not give him laudanum right now, but he should stay still for at least the next twenty-four hours.” Dr. Seeton rose from the chair he’d sat in next to Christopher’s bed, to speak to Cecilia and Miss Rangaswamy. “He strikes me as an active child, so I fear that may be a tough request.” He returned his instruments back to his bag as he talked.
“My concern is for his neck. Based upon my examination, I do not believe there is a gross injury; however, with the pain he claims, there could be significant soft tissue injury. He may have continued neck pain and stiffness for several days. And don’t be surprised if the pain is worse with neck movement or, conversely, the neck becomes stiff, and he can’t move it. He may suffer pain in his shoulders, back, or arms. Headaches can also occur that may start at the base of his skull. The only road to recover is complete rest and immobility.”
Miss Rangaswamy nodded vigorously and sat down in the chair the doctor left.
“I understand,” said Cecilia. She looked down at Christopher where he lay. He was now as clean as he could be without the benefit of placing him in a tub of hot water, which he sorely needed. Mrs. Dunstan and Miss Rangaswamy had gently washed the worst of the soot from his body and rubbed his hair with a damp towel, then dressed him in a nightshirt Miss Rangaswamy had recovered from their trunks.
Based on Dr. Seeton’s recommendation, they had used a plank as a stretcher to carry Christopher and transported him by carriage the few blocks to the Branstoke townhouse, while Lewis escorted Mr. Peasey to Bow Street for questioning. Young Daniel Wrightson and Billy volunteered to go ahead to the townhouse to alert the staff they were coming and—as Daniel told Billy on an aside—partake of food.
“Dr. Seeton, I hope you will stay and join us for a light luncheon. I’m certain my husband will want to discuss Christopher’s condition. We expect the Earl of Soothcoor will be here in a day or two, and we will need to inform him of the details for Christopher’s care.”
“Thank you for the invitation; however, I must decline. I have other patients I need to check in on today.”
“I understand. You certainly didn’t have this morning’s call on your schedule, and you have been good to spend so much time with Christopher.”
“As a doctor, I am accustomed to my plans going astray. But you said you expect Lord Soothcoor to be here in a day or two? So soon? Didn’t you say he was in Northumbria?”
