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When Mr. Crowleymade his exit that evening, Marilee overheard him bemoaning herterrible infectionto Mrs. Cavendish. She was hidden around the corner, and whenever she peered out, if Mrs. Cavendish was not looking at him directly, she was met with a mischievous smile and a twinkle in Mr. Crowley’s eye.
“She seems right as rain,” the housekeeper muttered as she fiddled with a tea tray that she had been instructed to bring up to Marilee in bed. She and Peggy would become spoiled if he kept enticing the housekeeper into such favors. It was clear she was afraid to lose her lady’s favorite hairdresser.
“Of course, she does,” he replied with a tone so serious that it had to be believed. “That’s the fevers. She might be a bit… off in the head, if you get my meaning. Wandering about and such. If you find her so, just shoo her back to her tasks and she’ll be none the worse for it.”
Marilee had to clap a hand over her mouth to keep from laughing outright. The man had just given her the perfect excuse to wander the house, and Mrs. Cavendish had bought it full force. She had to slip away to maintain her ruse that she was abed with fever before the old crone caught her giggling in fits in the hall and truly thought she had lost her wits.
* * *
Over the next several days,Marilee had gathered a slew of other records of purchases, but the information was insignificant if Mr. Crowley could not place from where the funds had come, other than the selling of poor wretches taken from their homes and pressed into slavery. There seemed to be no other explanation but no paperwork for servants’ wages was telling enough she supposed.
Mr. Crowley had revealed to the females that Lady Lydia was not simply receiving gifts, but paying off substantial debts in large sums. The Blackwell estate could no more have managed the vowels than a cobbler could have hoped to call himself a king, but Mr. Crowley was loathed to continue to question the lady when both Peggy and Kate were at risk. Lady Lydia was so pleased that he had ceased his pestering that she had instructed the housekeeper to do whatever it took to keep the man happy and distracted. As such, Mr. Crowley had taken to increasing his requests for the care of his patient as well as the staff at large.
When Peggy had mentioned that the servants were underfed and often went days without a warm meal, especially now that the weather had turned cooler, he told the housekeeper that the staff looked gaunt and could do with a piping hot feast to bolster their spirits and energies. When the meal had been served and the servants ate their fill, Mrs. Cavendish had grumbled about the expense, but the next day when the staff did indeed seem in higher spirits and Lady Lydia had demanded that whatever had been done continue, they were treated with a warm, albeit smaller, meal every evening before bed.
Mr. Crowley seemed determined to lessen their plight in any way he could manage from suggesting that they be allowed to walk out of doors within the walls of the garden to bringing baskets of candies and pastries from his own kitchens to be shared amongst the whole. Since he had been forced to resign himself to the fact that the maids could not yet be freed, he would at least make their lives less miserable by even infinitesimal means. Marilee and Peggy were eternally grateful even if the others had no knowledge of the true reasons for the change in routine.
* * *
There weremoments when Marilee wondered what he might do if she suggested something preposterous to make their lives easier. Mr. Crowley seemed willing to demand whatever she or Peggy might ask, particularly Marilee, who whenever they found themselves alone, would find herself questioned on her state and if there were anything, anything at all, that would bring her ease.
On occasion, when he would ask what she required, she felt as if he were looking straight into her soul for an answer, as if he well and truly cared. It had been ages since anyone other than Miss Caroline had truly cared for Marilee. Peggy had become a dear friend, but she too was a captive. Mr. Crowley owed them nothing; could walk away in an instant if he so chose. And yet, he cared. He cared deeply and his kindness and thoughtful words boosted her resolve that she would soon be free of this place. As her wounds healed, she took comfort in his gentle touch.
* * *
Nikolas thought,it was one thing to treat an ailing patient and quite another to touch her now that Marilee was healing. He allowed Peggy to inspect her wounds the last time he was here. He had no reason to look upon the skin of her back, but he wanted to do so. He wanted to see all of her. He wanted to protect her, but he had no right to her. No doubt when this was all over, he would be in Newgate Prison for his part in the criminal activity, and yet never had a woman affected him so.
“You will recover,” he promised Marilee, again tucking her curls behind her ear in a way that he knew was too forward, but he could not seem to help himself. She did not seem to mind. He was fascinated with the waves that fell around her face, finding any opportunity to wrap them around his fingers and to his surprise, Kate leaned into the contact and allowed herself to take comfort from his touch.
“What if I am ruined forever?” she had asked
“Whatever do you mean?” he asked confused.
“I mean if they do not fade…if they…who would want to look at such things?” she whispered.
Her fingers had drifted to her shoulder and reached down to touch the top of the bandage that lay beneath her dress and he realized she was concerned that she would bear the scars of her beating. His heart went out to her. He wanted to comfort her. He wanted to hold her and tell her everything would be alright, but of course, he could not promise that.
“I don’t know,” she worried. “I hadn’t ever had reason to fear what I looked like before. But now…”
“You drive that thought from your mind,” he replied with fervor. He turned her to face him and the words were on his lips before he considered. “You are beautiful,” he blurted and when she would have objected, he continued. “You are whole and strong, and exactly as you ought to be. Any man…anyone who fails to see that doesn’t deserve a second of your time.”
“You are kind,” she said dismissively, and he wondered if she had any idea of the regard he held for her.
“Do not doubt yourself,” he continued. “Even if you had permanent disfigurement, which I remind you that you shall not… even with everything that you are forced to suffer, you are still whole and worthy of anything that you want out of this life. And someday youwillhave the opportunity to have all that you desire. You have far too much determination to settle for anything less. I am sure of that.”
Marilee had offered a soft smile. “Ever the optimist,” she said.
Perhaps unbridled positivity was his strongest asset. He only hoped that if her mind should take a turn down a dark, hopeless alley she would recall his words and focus on the promise of good that would be hers one day when she escaped this hellhole.
“You called me beautiful,” she said softly in wonder.
He had rushed on to tell her she was whole and strong, but his first inclination had been to say she was beautiful…because she was, beautiful in body and in spirit. He realized with a start that he was falling in love with her.
* * *
Mr. Crowley had calledher beautiful. Her spirits would not be dimmed. She found she could not stop smiling for the rest of the day and she took the sentiment with her to her bed, where she dreamed of a time when she would be free of this hell.
Mr. Crowley arrived promptly at seven every evening toevaluate the infectiononce his own work for the day had been completed. He was still, after all, a busy solicitor. It was just before seven one evening when Marilee and Peggy were nibbling day old scones and chatting, when Marilee asked her friend how well she trusted the man.
