Read Online Come Midnight by Veronica Sattler - Free Book Online
Authors: Veronica Sattler
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treats Mrs. Hodgkins had brought up from the kitchens. She, Jepson and Caitlin were, none of them, getting any sleep this night; yet they were so buoyed by the lad's recovery, they seemed to have tapped into a store of energy they hadn't known was there. "But," she said to Andrew, "ye must drink up yer milk with it, lad. Milk's what's wanted for mendin' broken bones, and ye've yer share o' those."
Andrew dutifully took the glass she handed him. "You know lots of things," he said around a yawn.
Caitlin nodded to herself. The sleeping draught she'd given him was working. And high time, too. 'Twas a couple of hours before dawn. "Do I, now?" she said.
Andrew nodded sleepily, swallowed the last of his milk. "Like milk for mending bones. Who told them to you?"
Caitlin saw Crionna's beloved face in her mind's eye, and suddenly she found herself fighting a wave of grief. It was stronger than anything she'd experienced in months. She wondered why she should be so affected now.
The reason wasn't that hard to piece out. She'd been alone for so long, throwing herself into her work. It had kept her busy .. . kept the darkness at bay. But now, suddenly, she was in the midst of a large household. A household with people she'd already come to know in a way she never knew those she encountered in her far-ranging travels. People she'd come to know, aye.. . and care about.
And the caring awoke kindred feelings ... memories of the woman she'd loved. Ach, Crionna! I miss ye so.
How I long for your wisdom and strength. Especially now I've blundered into the dream's terrible—
"Caitlin ... ?" Andrew's prompting pulled her back to the moment. Reminding her he'd asked her a question.
"Who taught me?" she said with a smile. "A wonderful auld wise woman, lad. She told me such things ... taught me all I know. All that's important, that is."
"Was she your governess?"
Caitlin laughed. "In a manner o' speakin', she was. But she was also somethin' more."
"But she wasn't your mother, was she." It was not a question. Andrew stared intently at his lap. "Mothers don't have time to tell you things."
Caitlin felt a stab of pity. So, his mother hadn't had "time" to tell him things, had she? Was that a clue why the lad hadn't asked for her? She'd been thinking them lucky. She and the two upper servants had discussed the marchioness's death, and how it might affect him. They'd decided it wasn't their place to tell him, but they'd worried what to say it if he asked for his mother. Now it seemed there might be reasons why he hadn't. And Caitlin didn't like what she was hearing.
"I think 'tis time ye were asleep, lad," she said. She eased him down and began to tuck the covers around him. "But I'll sing t' ye, t' help the sleep along, if ye like."
Andrew's eyes went wide. "Oh, yes, awfully! Nurse used to sing to me." He frowned. "But that was a long time ago. I have a governess now"—he yawned sleepily—"instead of Nurse. And my governess ... says"— another yawn—"I'm too old ... for a lulla—a lulla—"
"A lullaby?"
He nodded.
"Well, that may be because she doesn't know any— but I do!" Caitlin winked at him, and when he grinned back at her, she began to sing ....
***
Dawn was lighting the eastern sky above the rooftops as Adam returned home. Telling the sleepy-eyed footman on duty to find his bed, he made for the stairs. His mood was foul. No one could tell him where Appleby might be found. Fact was, the more he asked about the mysterious stranger who'd appeared in their midst in April, the less he could be sure anyone knew.
Some said they believed he hailed from the south, but they couldn't say where, exactly. Others swore he was a northerner. Still others maintained he'd come from the Continent. Only one thing was certain: Appleby had vanished without a trace.
Disheartened by the whole affair, Adam decided to let it rest until he caught some sleep. He was dead tired and sick with worry over Andrew. Guilt gnawed at him as he approached
Andrew dutifully took the glass she handed him. "You know lots of things," he said around a yawn.
Caitlin nodded to herself. The sleeping draught she'd given him was working. And high time, too. 'Twas a couple of hours before dawn. "Do I, now?" she said.
Andrew nodded sleepily, swallowed the last of his milk. "Like milk for mending bones. Who told them to you?"
Caitlin saw Crionna's beloved face in her mind's eye, and suddenly she found herself fighting a wave of grief. It was stronger than anything she'd experienced in months. She wondered why she should be so affected now.
The reason wasn't that hard to piece out. She'd been alone for so long, throwing herself into her work. It had kept her busy .. . kept the darkness at bay. But now, suddenly, she was in the midst of a large household. A household with people she'd already come to know in a way she never knew those she encountered in her far-ranging travels. People she'd come to know, aye.. . and care about.
And the caring awoke kindred feelings ... memories of the woman she'd loved. Ach, Crionna! I miss ye so.
How I long for your wisdom and strength. Especially now I've blundered into the dream's terrible—
"Caitlin ... ?" Andrew's prompting pulled her back to the moment. Reminding her he'd asked her a question.
"Who taught me?" she said with a smile. "A wonderful auld wise woman, lad. She told me such things ... taught me all I know. All that's important, that is."
"Was she your governess?"
Caitlin laughed. "In a manner o' speakin', she was. But she was also somethin' more."
"But she wasn't your mother, was she." It was not a question. Andrew stared intently at his lap. "Mothers don't have time to tell you things."
Caitlin felt a stab of pity. So, his mother hadn't had "time" to tell him things, had she? Was that a clue why the lad hadn't asked for her? She'd been thinking them lucky. She and the two upper servants had discussed the marchioness's death, and how it might affect him. They'd decided it wasn't their place to tell him, but they'd worried what to say it if he asked for his mother. Now it seemed there might be reasons why he hadn't. And Caitlin didn't like what she was hearing.
"I think 'tis time ye were asleep, lad," she said. She eased him down and began to tuck the covers around him. "But I'll sing t' ye, t' help the sleep along, if ye like."
Andrew's eyes went wide. "Oh, yes, awfully! Nurse used to sing to me." He frowned. "But that was a long time ago. I have a governess now"—he yawned sleepily—"instead of Nurse. And my governess ... says"— another yawn—"I'm too old ... for a lulla—a lulla—"
"A lullaby?"
He nodded.
"Well, that may be because she doesn't know any— but I do!" Caitlin winked at him, and when he grinned back at her, she began to sing ....
***
Dawn was lighting the eastern sky above the rooftops as Adam returned home. Telling the sleepy-eyed footman on duty to find his bed, he made for the stairs. His mood was foul. No one could tell him where Appleby might be found. Fact was, the more he asked about the mysterious stranger who'd appeared in their midst in April, the less he could be sure anyone knew.
Some said they believed he hailed from the south, but they couldn't say where, exactly. Others swore he was a northerner. Still others maintained he'd come from the Continent. Only one thing was certain: Appleby had vanished without a trace.
Disheartened by the whole affair, Adam decided to let it rest until he caught some sleep. He was dead tired and sick with worry over Andrew. Guilt gnawed at him as he approached
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