His Lady in Breeches

XXXIX. The Bastard

Maxine hurried down the familiar street, head bowed. She stopped outside the estate and ran up the stairs to knock on the doors. She rapped some more when it did not immediately open.

Finally, it did.

"My lady? My lady!" the aging butler cried in both confusion and surprise, blinking three times at the sight of her.

"Hello," Maxine simply said as she ran past him, the handkerchief still covering half of her face. "Would you be so kind as to send a very hasty note to Kenward and inform his lordship that I have arrived safely?"

"B-but—"

"Now!"

"Yes, my lady!" the butler said, jumping on his feet.

Maxine rushed up the stairs and halted when she reached the second landing. She made a sudden turn and started to go down, stopped and turned to climb back up only to stop again and hesitate.

Perhaps she ought to order for the horse be saddled and rush back to Kenward alone. She would reach home faster that way and mayhap then she might survive her husband's wrath.

But it must be done for he would not have allowed her to go alone.

Night time had come to the Town and the lights had become dimmer. She may be able to survive a safe journey back to Kenward now but not Maxwell. She would dare not add another crime to the previous one.

Maxine sighed and turned to find her their bedchamber in his Vinge estate. She must prepare for the worst for if the butler in Kenward relayed the message she had left for her husband, Maxwell would be here in no time.

*****

Maxwell jumped out of the carriage before it even stopped and nearly caused the butler to fly across the hallway when he harshly pushed the door open.

"Where is she!" he demanded from the startled and scared butler.

"Here!" Maxine's panting voice said and he looked up to find her running down the staircase. It seemed to him that she had been waiting for his arrival. Well, of course she must, for he would hate to chase her around the bloody town to hear what he had to say!

"Stop right there, Maxie!" he said with warning. She abruptly halted in her steps. "That's it. And turn around and go back to the bedchamber!" He stalked after her when she did as he ordered, looking surprisingly scared. Good, he thought, for she had caused him to almost go insane with worry. "You must have forgotten you have a husband, woman," he raged on behind her.

She hastened her steps, almost running toward the bedchamber door which was already open.

He entered after her and slammed the door behind him. The banging sound echoed around the room and his wife flinched at the sound from where she stood near the bed, clasping the wooden post. He took a good look at her and silently let out a sigh of relief. She was all right. She did not look harmed. But she did look tired with dark circles under her eyes.

"I'm sorry," Maxine blurted as he stood there with rage, eyes alight with fury, concern and frustration. "I did not go to my aunt if that is what concerns you," she carefully added, her voice weakening with each word until the last was barely a whisper.

"Of course you could not have," he roared through his teeth. He breathed through his nostrils. "Why did you have to come here alone, Maxine?"

She swallowed and cleared her throat. Her hand was almost white as she gripped the post tighter. "To deliver a letter."

His eyes narrowed into slits. He took one step forward. She took one back. "A letter. You could not have done it in Kenward?"

She winced. "I did not wish for the letter to be traced to home, Max."