Chapter 6
William hadn't known what to expect when he'd found Nan staring up at him. He certainly hadn't known how she would react to what he'd just said and done. Shutting her eyes and falling back to sleep had certainly not made his short list of possibilities, though he was immensely grateful for the reprieve. For several minutes, William sat by her side, staring down at her, thinking she might wake again. When she didn't, he began to wonder if she'd even heard him. If when she finally did wake, she would remember his kiss, and if she did, would she accuse him of taking liberties or simply chalk it up to a feverish dream?
He liked that idea, a pleased smile creased his lips as he dwelled further on the prospect. How would she react towards him if she thought she had dreamed of him kissing her? Would she blush and become nervous and tongue-tied as the girls used to when he showed even a slight interest in them?
Used to.
There was a cruel recollection; he was not the handsome man he once was. He was scarred, hideous, and even with her bold words and the courage she possessed to look at his face, he doubted very much she would want him to touch her as he would like to do, as any man would.
Still, he would not let his looks or her possible aversion to his features stop him from having her. Before, he only had a favor to weigh over her head. Now, he had her brat, and if she loved the child as much as her boy loved her, she would do any and everything in her power to see him well looked after, and that was something William could easily accomplish.
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When Nan opened her eyes, the world was bright and warm. Day shone through the windows on either side of the fireplace. The steady pale gray of an overcast sky filled their panes as loud snores filled her ears. With a furrowed brow, she stared at the window, the walls covered in patterned wallpaper and wooden panels, the rich dark material used for her bed's canopy, the stone fireplace and its ornate marble mantle. She remembered this room, though she thought she had dreamt it. She remembered it being darker; she remembered feeling weaker. She remembered someone being there with her.
Always there.
Then, a movement at the foot of her bed caught her eye. When she saw Jamie stretched across a cushioned bench, relief flooded her chest in a nearly overwhelming wave. He was here! He was safe! He was...clean?
Her brow creased further as she slowly pulled herself up onto her knees, crawling to the edge of the bed to get a better look at the child. His hair was no longer stringy with oil and dirt, and his face was no longer smudged with ash and dust. What person had gotten her grubby little Jamie so clean and well-dressed? She wondered as she took in his fresh shirt and trousers. Gone were the tattered and stained breeches she'd mended more times than she cared to count. The oversized shirt she'd had to pin up at the sleeves so he'd not get it caught in their cooking fire.
Who had taken such good care of her little Jamie? She wondered. Then her head jerked to the door as it was pushed open, and a woman in black servant attire entered. Her light brown hair piled atop her skull, secured by a frilly white servant cap and black ribbon. She looked only a handful of years older than Nan as she faced her, and the tray of china she'd been carrying clattered loudly to the floor. Making it very obvious the woman had not intended to find Nan awake, much less up and staring at her, though the shock of seeing her up was quickly redirected to the shattered china at her feet as she crouched down and started picking up the bits.
Quickly, Nan threw back the covers and scrambled off the bed, aiming to help the woman, as she picked up the broken shards.
"Stop, right there!" The woman ordered, throwing up a hand to keep Nan still. "What do you think you're doing?" she asked firmly, scowling at Nan as she stood not even a foot from her bed.
"Helpin'." Nan replied, staring down at the woman, bewildered by the cold ire directed at her.
"You will not!" Came a hard masculine voice that brought Nan's attention from the servant crouched on the floor to Sir William's tall figure, filling the frame of the door behind her. "You will get back in that bed and continue to rest until you are well enough to rise." Sir William stated, his steady glower allowing her no room to argue as he pointed to her bed.
"And who's gonna be tellin' me that?" Nan asked, reluctantly obeying Sir William's order as she sat back on the bed and tucked herself under the covers. Desperately hoping it wasn't Lafferty, he'd send for.
"Him." he tossed a harsh nod to Jamie, who still slept soundly despite all the noise. "Though why he continues to sleep there and not in the room I gave him—"
"He doesn't trust ye." Nan replied, staring at the snoring child as he wiggled slightly in his sleep, rubbed at his face, and then rolled to his side, giving Nan his back. "Ye gave him a room?" She repeated, looking at Sir William perplexed.
"Aye." Sir William muttered as he entered the room, watching the maid quickly and quietly clean up the mess before rising to face him as she awaited his dismissal. With a heavy eye, William scanned the bits of broken china and what remained of Nan's broth breakfast as they lay scattered on the silver tray. "Have my breakfast brought here and..." Sir William paused, scanning over Nan but a moment before looking to Jamie. "Porridge with sweet buns."
"Aye, Sir." The woman curtsied and left.
"It were my fault," Nan said after William had closed the door behind her.
"Beg your pardon?" His brow furrowed at her words as he turned to face her.
"The dishes. I startled her. She didn't mean to break them."
She clarified, fearing for his maid. She may have been a beggar, but she wasn't deaf or blind. If anything, her low position gave a clearer perspective on the outcome of things, than those who called themselves her betters seemed to have. She'd seen maids tossed out for vases broken by their patron's children in plain view of their parents. And footmen sacked for having dirty uniforms after being forced to follow their mistress's carriage on foot. She did not wish such to happen to his maid.
From the corner of her eye, she saw his mouth quirk down into a frown.
"So, you do fear my temper." He commented. "You needn't worry. Ann has been a member of my staff for long enough that I would not fault her for something so trivial." He grabbed a chair by the wall, placing it next to her bedside, and sat studying her a moment. The look on his face appeared unhappy with what he saw, though begrudgingly satisfied in the end. "Do you know where you are?" he asked as he leaned back in his chair, regarding her with his hands clasped across his stomach.
"Stonebrook?" She answered, a little uncertain since she had only ever seen Sir William's home from the outside.
He nodded, "Do you know how long you've been here?"
She shook her head.
"Nearly a week. What's the last thing you remember?"
"I was... leavin' Carrie's."
"Do you remember why you were there?" For that, he received a sharp glare.
"I don't work there if that's what you're askin'." She bit.
"I'm well aware of the services you provide Carrie's girls, Nan. I just want to be sure the fever did not affect your mind." He explained his tone even. "What is the child's name?" he waved to Jamie, still sound asleep.
"Jamie." She smiled when she looked at him. His name leaving her lips like a thankful prayer.
"Is he yours?"
"No."
"How did you come across him?"
"In an alley."
"I'm going to need more than that—"
"No. Ye don't." She cut in, giving him a hard look. The same, she had leveled on him when she found him following her. "Ye don't need to be knowin' how I found him. And yer not goin' to. That's between me and 'im." She tossed her head to Jamie. "Now, if yer done askin' your questions, my memory is just fine."
"As you like." He nodded, then glanced at the boy and asked. "Has he always been such a foul-mouthed little brat?"
To this, Nan gave a short, breathy laugh accompanied by a light smile.
"When he wants to be." She nodded, "I imagine he ain't been a perfect little angel while I've been ill?" she asked, looking to William, her eyes still twinkling.
"A fairly safe assumption." he nodded, his eyes riveted on her.
"Sorry. He don't much like people that ain't me."
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"He doesn't trust them," William replied, repeating her earlier comment. Wordlessly, she shook her head, and the sadness he'd seen earlier returned to her eyes, dimensioning their twinkle. Whatever the child had been through, it was clear to William she'd never let it happen again. And if William could provide that assurance, he knew he would be all that closer to having her.
"Is it natural for him to sleep so soundly?"
"Every so often. Especially if he's been stayin' up late. With me ill, I suppose he has been." She nodded, bringing her legs up to her chest as she leaned forward and wrapped her arms around them, resting her head on her knees. "Thank ye." She said softly, her eyes remaining on the boy. "For bringin' him here." She added, looking at William. "I owe ye for that."
"That's twice now; you place yourself in my debt. Three, if you count my bringing you here instead of leaving you on the road. Your bill is getting rather substantial, Ms. Harris. I must admit, I am curious to know how you will pay it."
Again, William found himself under her thoughtful scrutiny, and while he enjoyed how openly and easily she looked at him, spoke to him. He preferred her to do so with some form of emotion. The expression, or lack thereof, he now received made him feel twitchy and wanting to change the subject. Something he refused to do because he wanted her answer, and he wanted it now.
It was dirty, he knew, but for a beggar, she was a very clever girl, and given enough time, she would formulate a method of payment that did not involve her staying with him. And he wanted her to stay, though somehow he felt telling her that would just drive her away all the sooner.
As Nan opened her mouth to answer, a knock sounded, and in that second, it took everything William had not to rise from his chair, stomp to the door, and throttle the person knocking. It took even more control to hide his rage as he said 'come in' rather than shout it with the string of curses that were filling his head.
Instead, he ground his teeth and tightened his grip as he kept his eyes on Nan. Watching her as she watched the servants enter his chamber with their breakfast and set about arranging her pillows so she could sit up and eat in his bed, placing a wooden standing tray over her lap as they set down her porridge and a small plate holding a single sweet bun on it.
When Baringer asked where William wanted his breakfast, William threw up a dismissive hand informing the man to place it wherever. With a short nod, William barely noticed; Baringer did as ordered and left with a soft click of the door.
"Your payment, Ms. Harris. What will it be?"