Chapter 9

“What on earth? Oh dear God!” Leonard’s step hastened when he saw Kimberly in a huddled mass at the end of the footpath that led to her home. He dropped to his knees beside her and pulled the tangled locks from her face.

Kimberley was in agony. Patrick’s name was heard between ragged breaths and sobs. She didn’t notice when Leonard picked up the quilt, covered her with it then carried her into her house. Kimberly assumed the fetal position on her bed, her tears flowed freely, yet silently now, her expression blank.

Leonard pushed a stray lock of hair from her face then kissed her cheek softly before he went to fix her some tea. He saw the large cauldron of stew still cooking over a low flame beside the empty, steaming pot, which normally held water and swung it out away from the fire so he could rekindle the flames enough to heat more water.

He worked quickly to prepare Kimberly’s tea and wondered exactly what had transpired to cause her to be lying naked outside, crying for Patrick. He’d thought things were going well between the two after Patrick had asked Leonard’s assistance in creating the engagement ring for Kimberly, but the situation at hand proved otherwise.

Two mugs of tea were placed on a tray and he carried it to the small table beside her bed, next to the partially eaten bowl of stew that was now cold. “What happened, Kimberly? Where is Patrick?” he asked as he pulled up a chair.

Kimberly whimpered Patrick’s name as her sobs intensified once more. “He is gone,” she said between sobs. “I have lost him.” She took a deep staggered breath and forced herself to face Leonard.

“What? How?”

“I was dishonest with him, Leonard,” Kimberly replied, still huddled in a ball beneath the quilt on her bed.

“Tell me what happened,” he replied. “I have never seen you like this, Kimberly. Not even after Donald passed on.”

“He said he could not be with me because I do not trust him.”

“You took a bullet for the man. How can he think you do not trust him?”

“I was not completely honest with him when I told him of my past a few weeks ago, Leonard. I told him the rest this evening, after he asked me to marry him and he became angry that I did not tell him sooner. Then he took the ring off my finger and left.”

“Do you trust him, Kimberly?”

“I trust him with my life, Leonard. I love him more than I thought I could love anyone, but he does not want me.”

Leonard paused for a moment, pondering how he could make things better for Kimberly. “Where did he go?”

“I do not know. He was headed in the direction of the docks when I chased after him.”

“I will find him and make him see what a fool he is for leaving.”

“Please, do not hurt him Leonard.”

“I will not hurt him, Kimberly. I promise you that.”

“Yes, the marriage will take place here at Summerfield Castle,” Penelope said to the reverend as they sat on a bench in the gardens.

“But Lady Penelope, is it not your wish to be married in the church?”

“Jeffrey requested to have the wedding here, Reverend. My father has already hired decorators and I am to go over the menu with the cooks this afternoon.”

“Very well then,” he said with a sigh then rose to his feet. “Thank you for taking the time to see me. I shall see myself out.”

Reverend Vincent gave a quick handshake before making his way up the long footpath to his the castle where his carriage was waiting out front. Penelope sighed heavily then followed him as she returned her attention to the menu selections for the reception.

As she entered the foyer, the distinct scent of smoke burned her eyes. The chaos had just begun when two servants quickly approached. “Lady Penelope! Lady Penelope! You must get to safety!” they cried out frantically.

“What is happening?” she asked.

“There is a fire in your father’s study!” one of the servants informed her as they raced through the foyer.

“Father! Are you all right?” Penelope asked in a panic as the adrenalin began to empower her, seeing her father standing just outside his study; his hands wrapped in gauze. She turned to the servants behind her. “Go get water! We need to extinguish the fire before it spreads any further!” she shouted.

“Yes, I am fine, Penelope,” he said anxiously.

“How did this happen?” She looked into the room then at her father’s hands.

“I must have dozed off with a lit cigar after enjoying a brandy. I awoke coughing and saw the curtains ablaze. I attempted to extinguish the fire but my efforts seem to have made things worse,” he said. William paced nervously, glancing at the door of his study. “I cannot lose those files,” he said, barely above a whisper.

“What files?” Penelope asked.

William stopped his pacing and glanced at his daughter. “All of the family documents are in there, Penelope. I cannot risk losing them,” he explained.

Four servants rushed into the foyer, each carrying two large buckets of water. “Come with me,” she directed them and headed into the study.

“Penelope!” her father called after her, only to fall on deaf ears.

She ran into her father’s study with the servants close behind. The curtains were burning fiercely from the floor to ceiling and the flames had already begun to char the walls. The ceiling and her father’s desk showed signs of damage as the flames licked their way across the room. On the floor between her father’s desk and the curtains, the flames danced and flickered, as they burned closer to the sofa. Penelope put her arm over her mouth so as not to inhale the smoke and made her way to her father’s desk.

The documents her father was concerned about were in the lower drawer of the desk and Penelope worried that she wouldn’t be able to save them all. She jerked the drawer open and attempted to gather up the files contained within while the servants doused the flames.

Her attempt failed as files slipped from her grasp, so she dropped them back into the drawer and with a second burst of adrenalin, picked up the entire drawer and carried it outside. The servants rushed out of the room to refill their buckets and returned moments later to extinguish the remainder of the fire.

Penelope’s grip loosened just outside the front entrance and the drawer fell to the ground. One file in particular caught her attention as she attempted to straighten the disheveled folders. She took the folder from the pile and opened it. Her expression turned from exhaustion to anger and confusion as she read the first page.

“I have a sister?” Penelope glared up at her father with a perplexed look in her eyes.

“AINSWORTH!” Leonard shouted as he walked down the docks. There were three massive schooners docked and he was bound and determined to find the one Patrick was on. “Patrick Ainsworth!” he shouted again.

He turned his attention toward the largest of the three ships at the end of the dock. The name on the side read Britain’s Beauty. Leonard made his way toward the ship as he continued to call out for Patrick.

Night had fallen and it was difficult to see anyone aboard the ship, but he heard voices and saw men moving around on deck. He took a step on the gangplank then stopped when he saw Patrick walking down the gangplank toward him.

“What are you doing here, Paxton?” he asked.

“I came here looking for you, Patrick,” Leonard replied.

“How did you find me?”

“I suppose you could call it a lucky guess,” he replied. “I saw the name of the ship and presumed this would be the one to take you back to England.”

“What do you want?”

“I think you know what I want. What happened between you and Kimberly?”

“She does not trust me, Leonard. I cannot bear the thought of being with her and knowing she lacks trust in me.”

“She loves you, Patrick. She took a bullet for you!” Leonard exclaimed.

“Yes. A bullet from your gun,” Patrick reminded him. “If I had not been there, she would not have taken that bullet.” He paused and inhaled a ragged breath. “That is not the point, nor what this is all about. So, now if you will excuse me --”

Leonard could see the sadness and hurt in Patrick’s eyes. He couldn’t figure out why Patrick was here instead of with Kimberly. “Kimberly has forgiven me. She is overwhelmed with sadness that you left. Please, even if it is just as a friend, go to her and make amends.”

“I cannot do that, Leonard,” Patrick said. His tone of voice changed causing more confusion for Leonard. “She got what she wanted out of me,” he said with no emotion.

“What is that supposed to mean?”

“You knew the condition of her home. She needed someone to do her repairs before winter set in. I was willing to help her in exchange for meals and a place to sleep. I speculate she got the better end of the deal.”

“I cannot believe you think that of her, Patrick!” Leonard snapped. “Are you that ignorant to how she feels about you?”

“I believe she only told me she loved me to get me into her bed,” Patrick replied, knowing he was not only lying to Leonard, but himself as well. “Once the repairs were done, she knew I would be on my way. She had been alone for so long that she found a way to keep me around.”

Leonard took a step forward, brought back his fist and connected squarely with Patrick’s jaw, causing him to stumble a few steps back. Patrick glared at Leonard with an expression of anger and shock. “I cannot believe you hit me!”

“You deserve so much more than that for speaking of Kimberly in that manner, Ainsworth,” Leonard snapped. He turned and walked away then paused and turned back to Patrick once more. “Go, Patrick. Run home to England. But remember this,” he paused again. “When you depart, you will take Kimberly’s heart and soul with you. The woman I left to come find you is not the same woman you know. She is but a shell of her former self. All because you left her.”

Patrick watched as Leonard made his way back up the dock toward the road. “And she has my heart and soul with her, Leonard,” he said quietly as he made his way up the gangplank of Britain’s Beauty.

“Why did you send her away, Father?” Penelope asked as they sat on the large sofa in the parlor of Summerfield Castle.

“It was your mother’s idea, Penelope,” he lied. “She knew that having an illegitimate child from a servant would disgrace the family name,” William replied with a second lie, glancing everywhere but at his daughter. He knew deep down inside it was his decision to send her away, but he didn’t want his daughter upset with him.

“Why did you not tell me of her?”

“I did not feel you needed to know. It happened before you were born.”

“It? You speak of her as if she is not a person. She is my sister. Did you not think I deserved to know that I have a sister?” Penelope asked, her voice laced with rage.

“Do not take that tone with me,” William said.

“I demand that you find her, Father!” Penelope exclaimed.

“How can I possibly find her, Penelope? I do not know anything about her except her name. She could be married and her name has changed. I would not know where to start.” William was completely aware of where Kimberly might be due to his meeting with her mother several years before.

“You can hire someone to find her.”

“That would be an impossible task. I cannot do that. I will not do that!”

“You will do it, Father, or I will not marry Jeffrey,” Penelope said, holding her gaze firm on William.

“You will marry Jeffrey, regardless.”

“I will not. If you do not wish to find her then I shall,” she replied as she rose to her feet and walked toward the door. “It stated in the file that her name is Kimberly Davis. Was that her mother’s name? No matter, I am sure I can find someone willing to go to America and search for her.”

“Penelope! Think of what you are doing! It will be impossible to find her! No one would take on a task of that magnitude.”

“Then I shall search for her myself, Father. Please inform Jeffrey that our wedding is to be postponed until my return.”

“Penelope!” William cried. “I beg of you, my child. Please do not do this!” William was not concerned with his daughter leaving to search for Kimberly, but that he would have to face the truth if she did locate her.

Penelope turned and glared at her father. “Will you try to find her?”

William sighed heavily and slumped back down onto the sofa. “Yes,” he breathed. “I will hire someone to find her.”

“Good,” Penelope replied. “Then I can continue with preparations for the wedding.”

“Take me to where Patrick is, Leonard,” Kimberly said as she dressed herself and packed a few necessary items into a small satchel.

“He will only turn you away, Kimberly,” Leonard replied. He sat on the small bench just beyond the quilt. He could hear Kimberly rustling around in the sleeping quarters but couldn’t see her. “I was under the impression he was relieved to be returning home.”

Kimberly threw back the quilt and glared at Leonard. “Do I have to find him myself or are you going to help me?” The sharp tone in her voice relayed her sincerity.

“Think of what you are doing, Kimberly. What about your house? Who will look after it while you are gone? Do you plan on returning?”

“I do not know what I plan on doing, Leonard,” Kimberly said as she placed her satchel by the door. She took a seat at the small table near the fireplace and sighed heavily. “I cannot live without him. I want to find him and make him understand that I did not intend to hurt him.”

Leonard rose to his feet, crossed the room and took the chair across from Kimberly. He grasped her hand in his and gazed into her eyes. “What if he does not want you?”

“I will deal with that when and if it happens,” she replied. “I love him, Leonard. I have never felt more alive than when I am with him. I will never forgive myself if I do not at least try.”

“Very well,” Leonard sighed. “I will take you to the ship he is to sail on, but we must hurry!”

Leonard and Kimberly made their way quickly toward the docks. The only light that aided them was the bright moon. Leonard took Kimberly by the hand and led her toward Britain’s Beauty. He didn’t detect any movement on the ship as he had earlier.

“That is the ship Patrick is sailing on, Kimberly,” he said, pointing to the massive schooner.

“How will I ever find him on that?” she asked, her eyes wide in surprise as she gazed at the ship.

“I believe your only concern right now would be to keep yourself hidden, Kimberly. I have heard that there can be serious punishments for stowaways.”

“You will take care of things here for me?” she asked.

“Yes. Of course I will. Do you want help finding somewhere to hide?”

“No. I will find someplace. Thank you, Leonard. I know this must be difficult for you, but do not worry, I will be fine.”

“I have seen how happy he has made you, Kimberly. I could never do that. I was a fool to think otherwise.”

Kimberly kissed Leonard’s cheek softly then slowly made her way up the long gangplank. She turned after a few steps and glanced at Leonard. “Take care of yourself,” she said quietly.

“You also,” he replied, smiling. “Have a safe journey and write when you are settled.”

She nodded then turned and continued up the gangplank. As she reached the main deck she glanced around, looking for somewhere to hide. She knew she couldn’t hide in plain sight, but she also knew nothing about ships or where a good hiding place would be for the long voyage to England.