Beyond a Doubt(16)

“But my lady—“

“Thomas, please leave us.”

Shocked, Lucy couldn’t believe that voice had come from her father. It had been raspy and gurgling, as if filled with fluid.

Thomas had left, and her father had reached for her with his blood-stained hand. She had recoiled in horror. “Father! Lie still. I’ll send Thomas to fetch the doctor. Don’t you worry. I’ll take care of you.”

A smile had rested upon his blue-tinged lips. “I’m sure you will.”

“What happened?” she had asked.

His voice had grown quiet as he said, “I believe someone took offense at my profession and shot me.”

Blood soaked his chest. A large gaping hole showed in the fabric of his tunic. Lucy had attempted to pull free from his grasp, her sense of urgency increasing.

The pressure from her father’s grip on her arm had tightened. “Lucille, it is too late.”

“Nay!”

“Listen. I haven’t much time. Just because I’m going away—“

“I don’t want to hear this!”

“Lucy, please,” he had said, the words strained. “The paper in the desk must reach its destination. And remember, never let them know your true identity.”

Lucy had held her father in her arms, and listened to his whispered words until he took his dying breath. Louis Lombard was no more.

The sound of wind howling beyond the library window brought her back to the present. Sitting behind the desk, she steepled her fingers and glanced outside.

It was time to make a decision. Either she should let Bryce help her, or she needed to send him away. She knew what her mind said, but what did her heart say?





Chapter Twenty-Nine




Bryce fled from Lucy. The thought of intimacy with the lass caused his heart to thump madly and his palms to sweat.

In his room, he lay across the large bed. The soft mattress conformed to every facet of his body. Memories of the day flitted through his mind. Aye, he’d touched the lass in the kitchen but that had seemed mild compared to this latest incident.

A tub filled with hot water sat close to the fireplace, and the water cooled as he rested. Shedding his English clothing, he slipped into the tub. Unlike most tubs Bryce had had the pleasure of using, this one was extra long and accommodated him perfectly. He stretched his legs out to their full length. A stool sat nearby, covered with a bar of soap, a rag, and a towel.

Bryce washed everything from toes to head. The water had turned a nasty gray color by the time he finished. He was embarrassed by how filthy he had been.

Out of the tub and dressed in fresh clothes, Bryce searched the metal holder. How did a person drain the water from this thing? The tub was scooted quite close to the wall. A plugged tube attached to a hole inside the tub and ran to a slit in the floor. Bryce bent on one knee and studied the contraption.

If he pulled the plug and the grubby water gushed from the tub into the kitchen, Bryce would be mortified.

He needed to ask Lucy. The thought of seeing her again caused uncertainty to set in. Of course she hadn’t told him to leave, even when she’d made her comment. There had been no time because he’d run away like a scared chicken.

What would Grant and the other Camerons think of his behavior? Bryce respected women, refrained from strong drink, and differed from his family in many ways. Perhaps they would laugh at him. Or perhaps they would wish to be more like him.

Either way, the only thing to do was to ask Lucy. Otherwise he wouldn’t sleep. If he made a mistake and filled one of the other rooms with water, then he would spend all afternoon using a bucket to clean up the mess.

Bryce found Lucy curled up in a leather chair, with tears streaming down her face. A knot twisted in his gut upon seeing her distress. All thoughts of embarrassment vanished. He pushed past the door and walked to her side. Kneeling before her, his hands rested on his thighs as he waited for her to acknowledge him.

“Are you leaving me, too?” she asked, her head bowed.

She hugged a pillow tightly to her chest while she asked the question. Sadness filled her tone, which threatened to rip his heart in two.

Lucy did have a valid question, one he hadn’t even considered. They had just arrived in London that very day. With the market, the cooking, and the bath, there had been little time to think of his future.

True, all the commitments he’d made had been fulfilled. He could leave and go back to Cameron lands guilt-free. The sheep, Crissy, and his family waited there for him. But when he opened his mouth to speak, he found himself saying, “Nay.”

She studied him with her brown eyes. He sensed a lack of trust. Perhaps he should say more. “At least I won’t be leaving any time soon. I’m a bit tired from the constant travel. I thought I might rest awhile before I make my decision.”

Lucy nodded. “Of course. That seems reasonable.”

“I sense ye aren’t pleased with my answer.”

Bryce didn’t expect a response, but he received one.

“Of course I’m not happy with your answer. Do you see this place? It’s in complete disarray. It will take me forever to repair it on my own. You will stay and help me, right?”

Bryce bristled with instant anger until he realized Lucy wasn’t saying what she really meant. True, the house needed some general repair. True, it would take longer to accomplish alone, but the fact remained, he believed this was her excuse to keep him around without admitting her real reason.

“If ye need me, then I have no choice. Ye did save my life.”

Relief seemed to flow over her as she sank into the chair and released a pent-up breath in a whoosh.

“Good. Tomorrow you can work on the kitchen. I understand you are wonderful in the area of making cupboards. While you’re about your work I have a few errands to attend to.”

She stood and tried to push past him, but Bryce stopped her. His hand rested upon her shoulder. “Will ye be safe on these errands alone? Perhaps I should accompany ye?”

Her head bobbed and she slipped free, placing distance between them. “I’ll be all right. You forget, this is my homeland.”

All his arguments flew out the window as Lucy left the room. He sat back on his haunches. Something was wrong; he could feel it.

Then he remembered and sighed under his breath. How could he have forgotten to ask about the tub?

****

Lucy ran away as fast as possible. The gentle touch and kind words had almost been her undoing. How long had she been without someone who truthfully cared for her? Longer than she wanted to admit.

While sitting there, she had parted her lips and come close to telling him everything. The only way to keep silent had been to run away.

In her room with the door closed, her chest heaved as she struggled to get her rapid breathing under control. The place on her shoulder that Bryce had touched felt warm and tingly. Perhaps asking him to stay had been a mistake.

Without much effort, Lucy could have discouraged Bryce. With a few unfriendly words from her, he would have mounted his horse and gone home immediately. Then she wouldn’t have had to make up projects to keep him busy. The man would be miles and miles away and she could go about her business in peace.

But that was the last thing Lucy wanted. She wanted Bryce to stay forever. She wanted to tell him her most intimate secrets, to share every detail of her life. But to do so would place him in considerable danger. How would he feel if she told him the truth? Would he run away? Would she be all alone again? Why couldn’t life be easier? Why did life have to be full of so many doubts?





Chapter Thirty




Sunlight peeked through her bedroom window. The sound of banging rang in her ears. She placed her arm over her eyes and covered her head with a pillow to block out the annoying sound. All attempts to stifle the noise failed.

Climbing to the side of the bed, Lucy placed her slippers on her feet. She padded down the hallway and pushed on the kitchen door. She gasped.

“What are you doing?” she asked.

Wooden panels and planks were scattered around the room. The disassembled cupboard lay in pieces. Bryce sat in the middle of the rubble. A smile rested innocently upon his face.

“I’m building yer cupboard. That way I can go with ye to accomplish yer errands. That is, if ye can give me just a little while to finish up.”

Awed, Lucy skirted the mess. Her foot caught the edge of a panel, which caused her leg to twist. She fell through the air. Bryce reached out and grabbed her.

When she stopped moving, she was sitting on Bryce’s lap.

“Ye are the clumsiest lass I’ve ever seen.”

The words stung. Stiffening her muscles, she attempted to push away, but Bryce held tighter.

“I meant no offense to ye, lass.”

“Don’t worry about it. Now if you will release me, I’ll get out of your way. I wouldn’t want my clumsiness to ruin your project.”