19. Chapter 19

Chapter 19

Truce

H e wondered whether it had been wise for him to stay overnight at the Maxwell’s. With all the overwhelming sadness in the house, he might have done better to return home with Max and arrive in the morning, perhaps only a few hours away. He found it odd, this need he had to be close to Margaret. To care for her and her family.

Fred went back out to the stables to make sure Mr. Dullard had left and to speak with Abel about whether the coach needed parts for the coach door. “Are you woolgathering, Lord Fredrick?” He heard the rich, mellifluous sound of a lady’s voice. He turned to see the lovely Margaret. He supposed he must have been woolgathering. He certainly failed to hear the subject of his thoughts appear before him.

“Making a mental list of what I need to do before I leave in the morning.” Margaret stood on the back step leading to the kitchen. She smiled at him. She looked lovely. He knew she had been overwrought with the news of her only sibling, but Fred saw no puffy eyes or splotching skin as evidence. “What brings you out here? The night is cool. You need a wrap, standing out here, in the early morning air.” Was she looking for him?

“I wanted to find you to thank you.” She gave him a sultry look as she walked off the step and moved toward him.

He stood almost frozen as he took her in. She took his breath away. “You have decided to talk to me?”

“Fredrick, please. I came out here to thank you.”

“What have I done to warrant your gratitude?”

“You dismissed Mr. Newton, for one thing. Put Mrs. Springer on notice. Your Mr. Winston is the pinnacle of what a butler should be.” She had changed from her ball gown into some kind of evening attire.

Having never grown up with a sister, Fred had no knowledge of all the different types of dresses ladies wore for different occasions at different times of the day. He knew how to undress a woman but was not always sure what the pieces he took off were called. Whatever she had on, it did much to flatter her voluptuous figure. He craved what she had underneath her dress. If she only had on a chemise, he could easily lay her down in one of the coaches and put his hungry mouth between her gorgeous thighs.

“In all honesty, t’was not difficult. I have never seen such a pious yet extremely lazy human working for their daily bread.” He took a few steps closer to her. “And I gave Mrs. Springer one week to prove herself.”

Margaret closed the space, smiled up at him, and touched his arm. Her touch sent some kind of feeling emanating from his chest and traveling to his head. Such a strange sensation. He had not the slightest notion what he had experienced. “It was more than what Mama or Papa would have done and Papa has complained about the both of them for some time. So thank you.”

“You owe me no thanks. It is something I can do to help the family. Hopefully, the house will begin to run more efficiently. However, Mrs. Springer’s position is still in jeopardy. Her work is a little better than his was. He walked up beside her. “We best go in. It’s cool out here. You should be in bed. You are not going to get much sleep before morning comes.” Good heavens, what I would give to get my hands on those nipples again. “How is your mother?”

“Honestly, she is a mess. Thank you for having Dr. Haynie come. He is so good with her.” She turned to face him as they stood in the kitchen. “I need to thank you for sending for him as well.” They paused there, staring at each other. “I think I will go and check on her, then turn in.”

“You probably need the rest yourself. It is going to be a difficult week for your family. Good night.” He gave her a kind of wave. He wanted to put his arms around her, kiss her, and hold her in his arms all night.

“Good night, Fredrick. Will I see you tomorrow?”

“I doubt it. We planned on leaving early.”

“You best get some sleep. Morning is fast coming. Well, safe journey.”

“Thank you.” A nice passionate kiss good night, rubbing against my cock, would have been grand.

He went to the study and searched for a decanter. Finding it in a sideboard, he picked up a glass and poured the scotch, filling the glass. He decided to take the drink upstairs with him. As he was heading toward the staircase, he heard heavy footfalls coming down. Dr. Haynie stepped inside the study. “I certainly would not turn one of those down.” He laughed; deep and hardy.

“My pleasure.” Fred handed Dr. Haynie the one he had just poured and poured another for himself. “How is she…Lady Maxwell?”

“Devastated. I gave her something to get her to sleep. That is what she needs.” He shot the liquor down. “Now, I need the coachman to get me home to Mama. I still have that damn book to read to her. She loves the author. I think I will try to get a few hours of sleep first.” He smiled, shot down his glass of scotch, and let out a heavy sigh.

“I will get the coachman for you. You will need to leave through the back.” Fred looked apologetic. “This house is in such disarray. But I’m working on it.” Haynie laughed again.

“I will pour myself one more while you rally the coachman. It will not take me long.”

Fred went to find Calvin. He walked by the small drawing room to find Calvin picking up the room. “Calvin, get Mrs. Fat Piece of Lard to do the cleaning up in here.. I need you to find the coachman and take Dr. Haynie home.”

“I will. Right now, my lord.” Calvin had his hands full of dishware.

“Hand those over. Dr. Haynie is in the study. Retrieve him; get the coachman or take Dr. Haynie yourself. I have no desire to know how you do it, just get it done.” Fred could feel his limbs getting heavy. Most likely, from exhaustion.

“Yes, my lord.” Calvin stopped and looked at Lord Fredrick. He wanted to suggest Lord Windham get some much-needed rest but kept it to himself and left to get Dr. Haynie.

Going up the stairs, he suddenly felt extremely tired. He got to his bedchamber with a glass of scotch and a book he found downstairs. Fred sat down, using the small escritoire in his guest chamber, and wrote three missives to John, Henry, and Frank. He briefly explained the turn of events regarding Lord Edward Maxwell’s son, their journey to Eton, and his absence for one or two days. He signed the letters, sealed them with his signet ring, used the bellpull, and handed the letters to the footman, Howie. Once he had finished the letters, he stripped down, did a quick ablution, and crawled into the bed with the scotch and book.

When he woke, Fred still had the book in his hand and the scotch sat on the nightstand, untouched. He wondered about the time. Since the sky was bleeding pastel colors to the east, it had to be around six o’clock. Not much sleep. He splashed water on his face, looked at the stubble, and decided to leave it for his valet when he returned home. He wondered if Margaret woke early. Right now, it hardly mattered. She had been polite with him last night, but it meant nothing. After the way he had treated her, he was lucky that she was speaking to him at all. He would prove himself to her. He had to – his reasons were beyond his understanding.

He had his pants on when someone knocked at the door. “Lord Windham, it is Mr. Winston. Lord Maxwell is downstairs, ready to travel. Max is here with the Concord. Can I tell them when you will be ready to travel?”

He pulled his shirt over his head and opened the door. “I’m going to be ten minutes at the most.”

“Very good, my lord. I will tell them.”

“Mr. Winston. Do they have a necessary in this house?” He dreaded having to use a chamber pot. Good heavens.

“There is one downstairs. Sorry, my lord. They have yet to update the upstairs bedchambers.” Mr. Winston twisted his lips into a conciliatory smile.

“We always assume everyone’s home is as updated as ours.” He shook his head. “I will be down as soon as I’m dressed.”

“I will tell them.” Then Mr. Winston turned on his heels and left the room.

The Trip to Eton

Lord Maxwell and Fred settled inside the coach. “My word, Fredrick, this coach is huge. I have never seen anything like it.”

“No, you probably never will. I had it built to my specifications and shipped from America.” Fred said with pride. He liked enjoying the money he earned for things that made his life easier. The Concord had everything needed for this particular kind of journey.

“I am most grateful. Wherever they have my David, I do not know, but I can only hope they are giving him appropriate care.” He sat quietly for a moment as he looked out the window. “I know this is taking you away from your responsibilities. I have observed you are one to take charge – get things organized. It certainly runs smoother as a result.”

The two gentlemen conversed on all matters regarding the operation of an estate. It helped to preoccupy the mind rather than dwelling on the dire possibilities of his only son. Fred hoped things might be easier to deal with once they understood the full extent of his son’s issues and what Eton administrators considered ‘near death’.

By the time they arrived at Eton, Lord Maxwell seemed to have braced for the interrogation regarding the accident what steps had or had not been taken and did anyone do anything that might have been related to those complicit in David’s serious injuries.

At the end of Lord Maxwell’s discussion with the Headmaster, Reverend Michael Hawtrell, Edward surmised a knuckle fight had taken place, agreed upon by both boys and should never have taken place. They fought for two hours with David being much smaller than the other boy. David’s ‘friends’ gave him whiskey between rounds. Neither boy would quit. The fight ended when the larger boy hit David in the face. As he fell his head hit hard on a rock. From the information the Headmaster provided, he insinuated, the school recognized no responsibility for the events or the subsequent injuries incurred by David.

The newspapers had gotten wind of the story and had already started their investigation into the incident. It would be most uncomfortable for both parties involved. Maxwell had decided to have his barrister deal with the details which were too painful for him to constantly contend with.

Edward, Fred, and Ben carefully loaded David into the coach and the group turned toward home.

The Long Ride Home

A conversation became increasingly more difficult with Edward's face clinched each time his son moaned or cried; wrapped up in a blanket, lying in the extended boot. Fred tried to keep Edward’s mind occupied. He engaged Edward in tenant management. The conversation drifted, as Fred feared it would, to Edward’s grief over the loss of David as he knew him before this tragedy.

“I am ashamed to admit, but I am concerned over the title and all it entails in the future. The one who stands to inherit now is a distant profligate nephew. Moon Maxwell. Can you imagine naming a child, ‘Moon’? Awful, but so is he. My God, generations of work will go for naught when he gets his hands on the title.”

“You have ample time to moon over an alternative.” Fred gave him a smile and a chuckle.

“Oh, Fredrick, your humor has eclipsed his name.” Edward clapped his hands, sat back in the squab, and laughed.

“Yes, his name is less than stellar.” Now they were both laughing at the ridiculousness of their humor. “Please, no more. We are beginning to sound like a couple of lunar -tics.” Fred snickered. Their jokes had gone from bad to worse.

“That is awful.” Edward eked out as he clapped his hands again at the humor. “At least we laughed at his expense. I wonder, could I designate the estate to Margaret’s betrothed, upon her nuptials. If it happens.” Edward gave a guffaw.

“Of course it will. She is much too beautiful to stay single. Someone will swoop her up.” Had he said too much? “Several men have her name on their lips.” A white lie. He would like his cock on her lips. Should I tell Edward I have carnal desires for his daughter? No, I suppose not.

“I’m unsure what the legalities are regarding the transfer of the heir to a daughter’s husband. It is worth investigating. My solicitor could investigate on my behalf. I have him on retainer. He is getting ready to earn his keep.”

The ride became more solemn as David began to make loud whining sounds. The coach had stopped in an attempt to attend to David. Being nonverbal, there had to be a lot of guesswork in the beginning, to discern his specific distress. Did he require a liquid or food, was he in pain, uncomfortable, or soiled? It was much like caring for an infant. Edward’s devastation increased with every bump or cry. Fred insisted that Edward try to rest and Ben would care for David’s needs, but Edward found no rest. Luckily, Fred had heeded Dr. Haynie’s suggestion and put whiskey on board. Fred poured him a cup full and told Edward to drink it down. He did ask for another cup and it resulted much as Dr. Haynie had foretold; Edward began to weep and finally fell asleep. The return took much longer as the coach had to stop frequently to address David's needs.

Ben stayed in the boot in a valiant attempt to see to David. Ben did as well as any of them could have. Luckily, Edward remained sleeping, or passed out, which kept him from having to deal with the issues regarding David’s care. Max, Ben, and Fredrick considered the care of Lord David as more of a task; difficult, yes; sad, definitely, but the three had no familial connection to be as heartbreaking as it was for Edward.

When the Concord returned to Town, Edward remained still. They had been able to make the trip in about twenty-four hours. David finally fell asleep, and the Maxwell house lay quiet. Fredrick had to get the coachman, stableboy, and Calvin, to assist in getting David safely out of the Concord, and upstairs to a bedchamber that he hoped had been prepared. “Max, you and Ben find Abel and Horace. I will go in and get Calvin. Stay out here until I return with Calvin. I don’t want to wake the house if at all possible. It is going to be hard enough when they finally do wake.”

Fred quietly slipped inside through the kitchen door. Darkness hindered his vision, but the kitchen kept a lantern. He carried it to the kitchen fire that remained lit, took a spill to light the lantern, and sconces in the back hallway. He carried the lantern with him as he walked down the backstairs to find Calvin. Fredrick recalled there being only four people sleeping downstairs. He only needed to find the lone male. He assumed that Calvin’s room would be away from the ladies so he walked down the first hallway and found only one door closed. Fred knocked.

“Who is there?” Fred heard a sleepy Calvin respond to his knock.

Fred opened the door a crack. “Calvin, it is Lord Windham. I need your assistance as soon as possible. Dress quickly and come out to the stables.”

“Yes, my lord. I am up.” Fred found his way back up the stairs and out to the stables.

“My lord. The young man has been crying. I am not sure what to do. I have checked to see if he is soiled. I tried to give him water, and I attempted to feed him some bread that I soaked in water. He spit it out. I can only assume he is in pain.” Ben looked distressed.

“You have been diligent with the boy, Ben. I am proud of you.” Ben’s role in the Windham estate was that of a groomsman, not a caregiver.

“Thank you, my lord. I have tried. I feel so bad for him.” He looked down at the boy who continued to cry. “My lord. May I say, if I ever end up in this condition? Would you take me to your estate in Bristol and drop me in a stream or leave me in the woods?”

“Ben, we shan’t even think about that now. You are going to live a long life.” He reached for Ben’s shoulder.

Calvin walked out onto the scene and looked at the open boot to see David lying there crying. “Oh, no. Holy Jesus. That is David?”

“Yes, Calvin. I need you to go upstairs as quietly as possible. Find the closest bedchamber to the staircase, light a lantern, and leave the door open. David is a young man but he is dead weight. Sorry, that is the term used. It will require at least four of us to carry him quietly up the stairs.”

Calvin returned. “I have the bedchamber open. It is the first door to the right of the staircase. The rest of the family’s bedchambers are on the left. Hopefully, they will not wake.”

“Alright, Max, you and Calvin take his legs so you will be following Abel and me. Ben, go ahead of us with the lantern. Make sure to turn down the bedclothes. After we get him to the room, we need to see what will be needed.”

They lifted David out of the boot. Ben walked ahead, lighting the sconces on the walls leading up the stairs. When they got to the room, it appeared to be sparse. They brought him in, laid him down on the bed, and stood there, looking down at the poor boy. Fredrick looked around to see about a commode and pitcher. There were two comfortable-looking chairs, but there needed to be a divan or day bed in the room as the Maxwells were going to need a nurse or servant with experience to care for David. “Max, take Calvin to Dr. Haynie’s. Tell him we need him here as soon as possible. Calvin, please inform Dr. Haynie that David has been crying, but we have checked him for the obvious. The only thing we can determine is that he is in pain. So far, the family remains asleep. I would like to keep it that way.”

“Yes, my lord. Come on, Calvin. Let’s get this done.” Max looked at Fredrick. “We will return with the doctor as soon as we can, my lord."

Dr. Haynie’s Prognosis

Fredrick stood by the kitchen door when he heard the little lady with a thick Scottish accent. “Ye’re lookin’ verra done in, mi laird. Mi’ll be fixin’ yer cuppa’. Ye brought tha’ lad, aye?”

“Aye, Elspeth. He’s home. Upstairs. He’s…”

“The lad’s nae lang fur us, aye?”

“No, I think not.”

“’Tis nae guid fur tha’ faimily. They’ll ken brokin herted. Aye. An mi.”

“I’m sure you will. You are part of the family, too.”

“Aye.”

“Here comes the coach. Good heavens! I forgot Lord Maxwell was asleep in there. Fred ran out the back door and opened the coach door to help Dr. Haynie out. Dr. Haynie put his finger to his mouth. Fred took Dr. Haynie’s bag. Fred walked him away from the coach.

“The poor man is still knocked out. How much scotch did you give him, Fredrick?” He chuckled.

“Only two large cups, but being traumatized by the condition of his son has exhausted him. And doctor, the boy is pitiful. He has the capacity of an infant. It is difficult to know what he wants. He fusses, but now he has been crying. The only thing we have been able to determine is that he is in pain. He can drink. He can eat if the food is like mush. He fusses if he is soiled.”

“It does not sound good. I am sorry for the family. It will be harder on them.”

“Do you know of anyone that might come to assist with him? They might need someone to stay until…whatever is meant to be.”

“Yes, I have a few ladies I use for things like this. Although, most often it is with older adults. But the care is the same. Keep him comfortable. Meet his needs. Feed him. Give him fluids. Keep him clean. Keep him free from pain.”

“Do you have those names with you or do you know where these ladies live? Perhaps I can fetch one of them now.”

“Yes. I do have the name and the place where one lady lives. She is good with these types of people. She has no family so she would be willing to stay. She is kind. Her name is, I am not being facetious, her name is Mary Magillin.” Fred’s brows went up. “Honestly. But you will appreciate her. She will be perfect for this family.”

“If you can write down the address, I will have my coachman and Calvin go to bring her here. The sooner the better. Oh, and perhaps, you could write her a note. She may feel more comfortable knowing the request is coming from you.”

“Let me get inside. Are they all still asleep?”

“God, I hope so. I don’t want to be here when they wake and see him.”

“I understand.” They walked inside. Elspeth handed him a cup of tea as soon as he stepped through the door.

“Will ye be havin’ a’ cuppa’, doctor?”

“Aye, Elspeth.” He walked into the study, took a foolscap and pen, and dipped it in the standish. He quickly scribbled something on the parchment and handed it to Fred. “She should be home. It is still early. She likes to window shop before the stores open. She strolls through the park when it is nice outside. She should be home now.”

Fred took the note and began another self-imposed mission; have Calvin and Max go fetch the lady, Mary Magillin. Fred walked out to the stables to find Edward. “Good morning, Edward. You were sleeping so soundly, I thought it best to let you rest.” Fred saw a look on Edward’s face that reflected profound sorrow.

Edward stood in front of the coach door, then dropped back against it. “I had prayed the whole thing had to be a most terrifying nightmare.” His voice broke as he spoke. He brought his hands to his face and sobbed. Fredrick had to swallow to keep from tearing.

He walked to Edward and put his arms around the man. “Let it go, Edward. Let it all out. Take all the time you need for this will be the only chance you may have for it. Edward, after this, you must demonstrate strength for your wife and daughter.”

With Fred’s statement, some low, inhuman peal emanated from the depth of the man’s soul. He finally uttered out. “Why? Why must my Ginny go through this.” He finally dropped his hands from his face. “He came from her loins. She will be devastated.”

Fred took out his kerchief and handed it to Edward. “Then you must be strong for her. I know you will. Your wife has much more strength than you realize.” He removed his hand from Edward. “You need to go inside. Have a cup of tea and a new resolve with it.”

Edward wiped his face and nose. “Yes, of course. You are right. You are right. God willing, somehow we will survive this and find a new normal for all of us.” He wiped his nose again. “Come, Elspeth will prepare us a fine breakfast.”

“I will be right in. I need to speak with your footman and my coachman.” Fred watched Edward walk inside the house. “Alright, you two… “ He looked at Max and Calvin shedding silent tears. Fred understood, but he had too much to do. Fred’s determination held fast, to do what he could to better organize their home. It would be one less thing for them to worry over.

“Yes, my lord. Excuse me. Listening to Lord Maxwell overset me. I will compose myself for the betterment of the Maxwell family.” Calvin had his kerchief out. He wiped his nose.

“Are you ready to return home, my lord?” Max asked.

“No, Max. Take Ben with you. Calvin, here is a note from Dr. Haynie for you to present to the lady, Her name is…Mary Magillin.”

“Are you kidding? Mary Magdalen?” Max looked surprised. “We will have to be on our best behavior.” He smirked.

“It is Magillin. And Calvin, make sure you pronounce it as such. Take this with you.” Fred handed the note to Calvin. “Hand the lady this note and make sure you tell her that Dr. Haynie sent you. Alright?”

“Yes, my lord.” Calvin looked away. It appeared that this tragedy hit him hard.

“Now, go. Fetch this lady. We need her here before the ladies wake.” Max nodded to Lord Windham. Ben climbed up by Max on the coachman’s seat. Calvin entered the cabin and Max got the horses moving.

When Fredrick discharged the housekeeper, he would be done. She had a few more days. He told her one week and sadly, he would adhere to that; for his integrity, certainly not hers. Fred stood in the middle of the stables, wondering how in the hell he had gotten into this mess. Glenda, then Margaret, and now Edward and his staff, or lack thereof. Fred decided, once more, to keep his distance from Margaret. He walked back into the house intending to stay until Max and Ben returned with this ‘lady,’ then he would leave until enough time had passed for him to return and discharge the housekeeper, Mrs. Swindler. He would have Mr. Winston be responsible for hiring a housekeeper, and upper and lower maids. Fred would be done. He walked into the kitchen and leaned against the wall.

“Yer takin on o' nurse tae care fer tha lad?”

“Yes, sadly. It is necessary. They are going to need help.”

“Yer a’ guid man, Laird Windham.”

Fred looked down as if to question himself. “I’m a man stuck in circumstance.”

“Yer a’ guid man whit a’ verra guid hert. Ye cannae say nae.” Elspeth walked over to Fred, reached up, and pinched his cheek. “Now, move yer puss an ah’ll bring ye a’ ulster fry.”

“Thank you, Elspeth. I guess a large English breakfast would do me good.”

“Aye.”

Fred pushed himself from the wall and wandered into the small breakfast room. As he started to sit down, he remembered to speak with Mr. Winston regarding an additional assignment. He walked down the hall, peaking in each room he passed. Not seeing Mr. Winston, he returned up the hall and knocked on the butler’s room door, which off the hallway is more an office than what others might consider a ‘room’. Mr. Winston stood and pulled the door open to see Lord Windham.

“My lord, what may I do for you?” His hands quickly behind him and his back straight.

“I wanted to tell you I have an additional assignment for you.” Fred looked apologetic.

“Beyond the housekeeper and the upper and lower maids, my lord?”

“N – no. I should have known.” His face broke into a satisfying smile.

“I have the newspaper ads here, my lord. I wrote them yesterday. I can’t say that I have seen much of her since your conversation with her. When was that? Three days ago? A shame you would not discharge her today, but I know you. What you say is what you mean. Unless she does something unconscionable you will honor your word. I think on day six, I will send the footman to the newspapers. That way, when you come on day seven, the ads will be in the papers.”

“You are brilliant, Mr. Winston. Then we might be able to hire decent help, get you out of here, and celebrate.” He started to turn. “Oh, I have sent Max and Calvin to fetch a lady that Dr. Haynie recommended to care for David. The doctor gave a sterling recommendation. She is single so she would be able to stay, which is most important. If she is home and agrees to the position, the coach should be returning within the hour. Keep your fingers crossed. The family is going to need her services.”

“Fingers crossed, my lord.” Mr. Winston showed fingers crossed on his right, gloved hand.

Fred went back into the small breakfast room, Elspeth behind him with a plate full of breakfast foods. “Yer needin’ a’ cuppa’?”

“Yes, please. This looks wonderful, Elspeth.”

“Aye.”

Mary Magillin?

Fredrick had eaten too much, yet being one of the best breakfasts he had enjoyed in some time, he excused his gluttony. He had eaten nothing since the trip to Eton and back. His stomach felt bloated, but he had not eaten like that in a long time. He remembered when Mother and Father were alive, they would travel to Bristol, Cook always made a breakfast such as the one Elspeth had made for him. They called it 'ulster fry,' just as Elspeth had earlier. He missed those days with his mama and papa. He still thought of them often.

He sat back in his chair, hoping this lady would come. He would have Mr. Winston introduce her to the family and Fred could get the hell out of this house. He did not want to be caught in the middle of all those ladies upstairs getting their first glance at poor David. He knew Lady McDonnell would be no comfort to Lady Maxwell whatsoever. She cried from the time he met her until the wedding of her daughter Muriel to Lord Claymont. Amina can only do so much to calm her but thank goodness she lives with the Dowager McDonnell. She is Lady McDonnell’s rock. He woolgathered when he heard the coach come into the stables. He walked down the hall to the butler’s room and knocked again. “Mr. Winston, I need you to come with me to greet the lady caregiver. I want you to introduce her to the family. Make sure you mention that she received a high recommendation from Dr. Haynie.”

“Yes, my lord.” He stepped out of his room, closed the door, and followed Lord Windham to greet the caregiver. As the coach rolled to a halt, he looked up at Max. Max gave him a thumbs-up with a big smile. The coach door opened and Calvin turned, knocked down the steps, and held out his hand for the lady to step out of the cabin. Her eyes darted around, inquisitively, as she stepped down. She dressed in the latest fashion. Her face lovely; with beautiful soft blond curls and kind eyes. Pretty. Fred had expected some haggard-looking middle-aged woman with a tight chignon and dated clothes. This lady looked young for her years; thin, with sparkling blue eyes that seemed full of curiosity.

“Are you Lord Maxwell or Lord Windham?” She looked at Mr. Winston.

“I am Mr. Winston. I work for Lord Windham. This is Lord Windham. He is the gentleman who hired you.”

She curtsied. A perfect curtsey. Fred reached to take her hand. “I am relieved you were able to come with so little, actually, no time for preparation. David, the son of Lord and Lady Maxwell is who will be your charge. Dr. Haynie is upstairs with him now. He can probably give you instructions and advice on David’s care.” Mr. Winston could only stare at the lady. “Apologies, is it Miss? Mrs.?”

“I am a widow. Mrs. Magillin.” She gave a shy look at Mr. Winston and smiled. Fred noticed Mr. Winston responded with an unusually bright smile. Fred had never seen Mr. Winston react to a lady’s glances. “Mrs. Magillin, did you bring luggage?”

“Yes, but only one piece; unsure as to the length of my tenure here. It is easy enough for me to return home for any clothes I might need.”

“Well, excellent. Mr. Winston, would you see her to her room and make sure her things are delivered to the room next to David’s, turn right at the staircase. David’s room is the first door, so the second door would be her room.” Mr. Winston turned to escort the lady when Fredrick stopped him. “Oh, Mr. Winston, have you had any calls from the family? It is coming on to what, after nine o’clock?”

“Yes, nine o'clock would be close, my lord. I have heard nothing. And I have no understanding of the second footman, Howie. I need to speak with Calvin about their arrangement.”

“Fine, then please inform me. I found it curious as well.” He cleared his throat. “Well, nice to meet you. I hope this assignment will be satisfactory. If you need anything, have any complaints, anything you need or want, you speak with Mr. Winston, only him. If he is unable to satisfy your request, he will notify me and I will take care of it. The main purpose of your stay here is to ease the burden of the immediate family.”

“Yes, my lord. I understand. And thank you for the opportunity.”

“Don’t thank me. Thank that big gentleman who is in the room with Lord David now – Doctor Haynie is a good man. I did not hesitate when he made his recommendation. You were the first name from his lips.” Fred gave a small bow. “I will check in, but Mr. Winston is your go-to. Mr. Winston, please send me notes daily until our celebration day.” Fred nodded to Mr. Winston. “Good day to you both.”

Fred walked back into the kitchen. “Do I smell scones?” He walked over and saw an oven tray filled with scones. He reached for one and felt a Scottish hand swat his. “Please, Elspeth? One?”

“Awright, ye malcontent bairn.” She snatched one of his arms, turned him, and pushed him out of the kitchen and into the small breakfast room.

Fred laughed at this little Scottish woman who would talk to him like part of the hired help as she pushed him around. He loved her. She was her own woman. It mattered little who you were, she would most certainly tell you what she thought.

In a matter of minutes, she returned with a tray of warm scones, butter, and cream. As he began to relax and enjoy a moment, Dr. Haynie stepped into the breakfast room. “Where is the table bell? The scones smell delicious.” Fred handed him the bell, which Haynie rang rather handily.

In a matter of seconds, they heard a voice emanating from the kitchen. “Ah’m w’oot o' footman. Ye’ll be giein yer arse up an gie yer schoons if ye please.”

“You had better do as she asks or you will eat nothing,” Fred suggested as he took a bite of his scone.

“Now that is funny.” Dr. Haynie began to chuckle.

“And she does not discriminate,” Fred remarked as Dr. Haynie pushed past him. Elspeth handed the doctor a plate and he returned to the table. “What is your assessment of David? He looked pitiful on the trip here.”

“I assess that he has moved on. The family is going to be dealing with an infant that may or may not be here for a short time. My heart goes out to the family. This is a painful situation for them. Having Mary will help quite a bit, but she can’t deal with him twenty-four hours a day. They are going to need more help. I have more names for them. I don’t have them here, but when they take me back home, I will give them two more names. Perhaps they can use a second person for nights. I know the other ladies, but I don’t have their names or addresses with me. I do know they are reliable.”

“Is anyone awake yet? I hoped to get my work done here before they woke. It is going to be difficult enough to deal with the shock of seeing David that way, but having Mary will certainly lighten their load. I made the decision.”

“No one was awake when I came down. They may be remaining in their bedchambers, but I have seen no one. I think having Mary here is only going to be helpful. If the family has any questions, they can send a missive with a coach and I will come and speak with them. Sadly, David will never get better. I would suspect he received severe internal bleeding to the brain which has wiped out parts of the brain he needs for any quality of life whatsoever. Depending on the extent of the injury, he may last days to years. I wish I could give the family a better prognosis, but without being able to see inside his brain, it is impossible to tell.” Fred and Dr. Haynie ate their scones in silence. When Dr. Haynie completed his scone and tea, he stood. “Well, Lord Fredrick, I think your job is done here, am I correct?”

“No, doctor. I discharged their so-called butler. My butler is to hire a new one for the family. I gave the housekeeper one week to prove herself worthy of the position. My butler, Mr. Winston, told me this morning that she has done little to nothing. Unfortunately, I gave her one week, however, with such neglectful behavior, the week is going to be shorter than normal. So no, I’m not quite done.” Fred stood with Dr. Haynie. “I’ll have Max take you home. You don’t need Calvin for that. I will go out with you.”

“Thank you, Fredrick. I have patients coming to the house this morning, so I need to return or I could have waited until they were all awake.”

The two walked out to the stables as Fred told Max to walk with Dr. Haynie to his door. Max assisted the doctor into the coach and off they went. Alone, Fred stood in the middle of the stable yard and wondered why he had not ridden with the doctor. He could have gone straight home after dropping the doctor off. He could have had Max deliver the names and addresses of the other possible caretakers.

Where did Ben go? Where were the stable employees of Maxwell’s? Fred called out for Ben with no response. He decided to go back into the house and saw Ben and Calvin coming from the staircase. “What have you two been doing?” Not criticizing, but curious.

“We were moving furniture, my lord,” Ben answered as he swept his hands down his uniform, attempting to brush the dust off. “The bedchamber for the new lady had nothing in it other than a bed, so Calvin asked if I would help him move furniture from storage to her bedchamber.”

“Most thoughtful, Calvin.” He hoped Calvin might be able to answer his question. “Where is Maxwell’s coachman and stable boy? I have yet to see them this morning.”

“They could be sleeping. They were up until rather late and then up early this morning. With no one telling them what to do, they probably went to get some sleep. Which seemed like the practical thing to do.” Calvin answered.

“While I disagree with your explanation, they did nothing wrong. But I don’t think I would have been happy if my stable employees would choose to sleep with there being so much to do before the family woke.” He needed to let go of the problems within this house. He had done as much as he could or would do. He would let Henry come and manage the rest.

Ha, Henry is a good man but not the most business savvy or a person to sees potential problems and how to rectify them. But if the beautiful, emerald-eyed, voluptuous Lady Margaret, prefers Henry, he can take over for me. He had better not! I will skin him. No, I will not. He is a close friend. A horseman. I will merely demand satisfaction…from Margaret.

He walked back into the kitchen to observe little Elspeth working away. The Maxwells needed more workers like Elspeth and Calvin. Hopefully, Mr. Winston would be hiring soon. And since he had time, he would ask how the interviews were going. He knocked on the butler’s room with no answer. He walked back into the kitchen. “Elspeth, have you seen your housekeeper? Mrs. Swindler?” Elspeth giggled at the moniker.

“Nae, she’s aye hae tha’ sleepin fevers. She’s awfie. She dinnae wark.”

“That seems fairly obvious.” Fred walked over to the bell board, found her name, and started a constant pull. At long last, the infamous Mrs. Swindler came galumphing up the stairs. The first thing he saw were those big lumbering arms and that filthy head of hair, pulled back in a sloppy-looking chignon.

“I thought you were coming back in seven days, my lord.” She snarled. She stood at the top of the stairs with those hams hanging from her arms and her hands on her hips.

Fred still stood by the bellboard with his arms folded across his chest, staring at her. “Funny thing about me, I am of the notion that I can come here any time I wish. And when I show up, I expect to see you, working away. Odd about those expectations. This house is still not clean, there is no work board for the lower maids, and you are nowhere to be found.” He looked over at Elspeth. “Elspeth.”

“Aye.” As she prepared a roast.

“Have you seen Mrs. Swindler today, at all?”

“Nae. She dinnae come upstairs tul she’s hungert.”

“That is a lie! I cannot believe I am standing here, listening to this.” She looked much like she intended to strike Elspeth. Fred would have felt sorry for Mrs. Swindler. Fred would never want to tangle with that little thing.

“What else would you be doing?” Fred had to cough and clear his throat to contain himself.

“What do you mean?” She scowled at Fredrick. Fine with him.

“You said you could not believe you were standing here, listening to ‘this,’ whatever ‘this’ is, so I asked you what else you would be doing?”

She tried to rein her anger in – she would not allow her temper to cost her the job. She stood looking between Fred and Elspeth. “Where are the lower maids?” Mrs. Swindler demanded.

“No one has seen them. Do they still work here?” Fred wanted to agitate her. It worked.

“Of course, they do. I need to get them up here to get to work.” She turned around.

“Mrs. Swindler. I have not yet excused you.” Fredrick put his hands behind his back, waiting for her to say anything.

“Pardon, my lord. Is there anything else?” Her words were hard and brittle.

“No, you may be excused…for now.” Fred watched her storm down the stairs in a huff. He turned to ask Elspeth if she had seen the butler, Mr. Winston.

“Ahm wirkin. I cannae wheesht the domestics.” She never looked up but continued to order the two scullery maids to do her bidding. No one ever had to wonder what Elspeth thought.

Fred looked out to the stables to see Max, Ben, and Calvin looking at the wheels on the Concord. He walked over to the door. “Where is Mr. Winston?” He threw out in hopes of a response.

“He said he was going to check the rooms on the first and second floors to have a list of what needed to be done. I can go find him for you, my lord.” Calvin came up the steps and walked by Fredrick.

“Calvin, come back with Mr. Winston. We may have another early departure. I will need your help.”

Calvin smiled like Elspeth had given him a whole pie. ”It would be my pleasure, my lord.” Then he started up the back stairs to fetch Mr. Winston.