Page 28 of Almost a Countess

There was a muted conversation amongthe troops then they emerged one by one from the receiving room andheaded off to their assigned tasks. Lieutenant Scarlet was thelast. He glanced at her. “If you will be so kind as to lead theway, Miss Harper?”

“Of course.” Gathering herskirts, Dora strode briskly toward the main staircase, followed byScarlet and Henderson. They climbed the stairs in silence untilthey reached the first floor.

“Right, Henderson, checkeach room thoroughly. Look in every crack and crevice large enoughfor a man to squeeze into.”

“Yes, sir.” The mansaluted Scarlet.

“Should he requireassistance, Lieutenant Scarlet, he may call one of the servants.”She’d already alerted Sally to listen if he called out, and whereto take him.

“You hear that,Henderson?”

The soldier nodded then turned downthe right corridor and opened the first door on theleft.

Dora had nothing to fear on the firstfloor. It was mainly guest bedrooms unused since the last time theentire family had met together five years before.

She and the lieutenant continued upthe stairs, the silence between them becoming more and morepronounced. “Are we the final house you’ve searched in thearea?”

“Yes, save for one moretenant house at the farthest edge of the estate to the south. Wewill stop there as we head to Thirsk.”

“That will be Mr.Massingill’s farm. He should be no trouble at all. I hope all myfather’s tenants have given you nothing but cooperation.” Theyreached the landing for the second floor, and Dora prayed forstrength.

“They have, Miss Harper.We have been given easy access to every house, barn, stable,garden, and outbuilding in the area. We have met with littleresistance.” He turned to her, his face set in pleasant lines. “Anunusually cooperative community, in fact.”

“I have never known any ofmy father’s tenants to be disrespectful of authority, lieutenant. Iwould think you’d be glad of that.” Dora paused before heading downthe left corridor, the one that held her own room andLarkin’s.

“It has been refreshing, Igrant you, but hardly our usual reception.” The lieutenant’s gazebored into her. “And the unusual always bodes ill forsomeone.”

“Perhaps the peoplehereabouts are happy to have you trying to catch this prisoner.They will feel safer when you do.” She opened the first door, anunused bedroom next door to her own. “Here’s the first of a seriesof sleeping chambers on this floor. They are mostly disused inrecent years. Our family has dwindled.”

“Thank you, Miss Harper.”Scarlet drew his pistol and entered.

Dora stood out in the corridor, herheart pounding even though there was nothing in the room forScarlet to find. Still, the sight of the pistol had frightenedher.

The lieutenant was quick. He openedthe wardrobe, looked under the bed, and behind the painted screenthat served as a dressing room for the chamber. He returned to thecorridor shortly and nodded. “Can I see the next one,please?”

Room succeeded room as they continuedto the end and started back. “This is my chamber, lieutenant.” Herpulse quickening,, she opened the door and entered before him.“There are few places to conceal a man here, I’mafraid.”

“I can see that, MissHarper.” He went immediately to the door leading to the dressingroom, but it had nothing save her gowns hanging there. As quickly,he exited the room and proceeded to check the wardrobe, under thebed, behind the massive chest-on-chest. At last, he seemedsatisfied. “No one here.”

“Very well, lieutenant.The next room belongs to my lady’s maid, Larkin.” Dora opened thedoor. Her mother had always insisted her lady’s maids sleep nearher, but not too near. Hence a small chamber beside her own, butwith no connecting door. Dora had always wondered why her mother’sapartment was on the opposite corridor from the viscount’sapartments, but of course had never blatantly asked. Her oldersisters had laughed and said their bedrooms certainly connected totheir husbands’ apartments, which made Dora even more curious. Sheassumed that veil would be lifted once she married. If she evermarried.

Lieutenant Scarlet had finished withLarkin’s small room while Dora had been wondering about herparents’ sleeping arrangements, so they headed toward the other setof rooms, including the viscount’s apartments. Now was the time totest her courage. “My father’s chamber is just there, on the left.He hasn’t left it since he arrived. Let me see if he is sleeping.”She knocked quietly and called, “Papa? Larkin? May I come in? Ihave a visitor.”

There was a moment of silence then afit of coughing erupted, loud and long.

Scarlet sent a suspicious look at her.“How long has your father been sick?”

“Not a week yet. Thesurgeon has been out twice, but he is not as optimistic as I wouldlike.” Dora knocked again. “Papa, are you all right? We are comingin for just a few minutes.” She opened the door and entered. Larkinsat at the side of the bed, a wet handkerchief pressed to theforehead of the figure in the bed. He was groaning and moaning. Theroom smelled of urine and worse. “Papa, this is Lieutenant Scarlet.He is looking for a man who ran away.”

Another fit of coughing commenced.Larkin pressed a handkerchief to his mouth and when she took itaway, the rag was bloody.

“Oh, dear.” Dora turned toScarlet, trying to look gravely concerned for him. “I forgot toask, lieutenant, if you’ve had the smallpoxvariolation?”

“Smallpox?” Scarlet jumpedout of the room as though he’d been fired from a cannon. “Why thebloody hell didn’t you say your father had smallpox?”

“Mr. Cardrew isn’tpositive, you see.” She glanced at the figure in the bed, stillmoaning. “He says there should be a rash of little red dots allover him by this time if it’s really the smallpox. But he hasn’tgotten them yet, so—”

“He does now, MissHarper.” Larkin spoke up, right on cue. “I noticed when I wasbathing him. Look.” Larkin pulled up the nightshirt sleeve toreveal an arm peppered with little red dots.