Calumbra 23 - Book 1: The Maid

27 - Reunited

The train stopped at the London station and they all got off. They stretched and Huntley and Sullivan really stretched their legs since they were injured. Radley put his pack on his shoulder and smiled, breathing in.
"Ah, the smells of London. I never thought I'd be happy to smell it again."
Delaware smiled. "That's what I said when I came back to England."
"Come, it'll be interesting to see what Father has to say about you coming back with me." Radley said with a wicked grin on his face.
Delaware could only imagine the aged doctor's response. She hoped that he didn't have a heart attack. They all found a coach to take them to Arnold's house and rode there.

*******************

"Father!" Radley yelled as he opened the door.
A bustling in the back of the building reached their ears and an older man walked out with a smile.
"Radley, my son! I'm so glad to see you home. Too bad you were discharged... Looks like we'll have to get you some glasses, yeah? Ah, no matter, you're home now."
"I met some people that I think you've met before."
Arnold looked over as two young men hobbled in and he lifted a bushy white eyebrow.
"You must be a Blackwood." He said, pointing to Huntley.
"Yes, I'm Duke Blackwood's son, Huntley."
Arnold nodded. "Yes, yes, I thought I recognized that coal black hair. And you?"
"I'm Sully, the um... the servant's son?"
"And my best friend, almost a brother." Huntley said with an arm around his friend.
"They happened to actually be in my platoon under my command. Fine soldiers."
Arnold looked at the two canes and nodded grimly, sad to see such young men in the states of old men. Arnold then made a face and looked behind the two.
"Wait, if you're here then shouldn't-"
The hulking man that came into the house made Arnold stand back and stare.
"The best of the soldiers we have, Trinidad Blackwood, younger brother of the duke."
Arnold made a face at Trinidad, knowing the opposite was true and he crossed his arms.
"You've grown..." Trinidad nodded. "A lot."
"Oh, enough of the badgery, Arnold."
Arnold's body went rigid and his eyes widened. That voice... Oh, that voice...
Delaware stepped from behind Trinidad and Arnold blanched at her.
"Miss me, Doctor?"
Arnold yelled and staggered as Delaware made a face at him.
"Oh, calm down, you ninny. You sewed me back up and I came back to life. The least you can do is give me a hug or something." She growled.
"I- I didn't expect to see you." He said with a hand over his heart. "What are you doing here?"
"I was a nurse at the hospital."
Arnold nodded, getting his glasses off to clean them. "That sounds like you. How long are you here for?"
"Until I'm killed again? Who knows?" She rummaged in her bags and pulled out a book. "I found this while I was traveling. I thought it would do good here with you on other remedies."
Arnold took the book and wiped the dust off of it. He thumbed through it and turned his head.
"These are all old."
"Herbal remedies but they never failed and they never will fail. If all else..."
"This will be practical. Thank you, Ms. Tate."
"Well, boys, it seems we must part and go back... Home..." she said, realizing that it felt so right to say for the first time in thirty years.
Trinidad smiled and they all left.

********************

"Oh this brings back so many memories that it... it makes me cry." Delaware said, not trying to act like a complete nance.
Trinidad chuckled and put his hand on her shoulder. She looked at it and then back at Trin as he looked toward his home.
"Father will be so happy to see you, Del." Huntley said.
"Mine too. He always told me about you and now to see you back again..."
"One person won't be pleased though." Huntley said with a look to the other two.
"Who?" Delaware asked.
"Angelica." They all said at the same time.
"Oh. That little heathen... I should dress in white and douse myself in flour, walk by her window at night just so that she will have a heart attack, that little harpy."
The men looked at her in astonishment but Delaware smirked at them.
"Don't worry boys, I shan't do such a thing. I'll just walk into the room as usual. I just hope she screams..."
They pulled around the water fountain in the front of the house and the footman opened the door.
"Welcome back, Lord Blackwood, Young Master Blackwood, Mr. Cane. And the lady?"
"Tate. Delaware Tate."
The footman looked up at her as she grinned and he nodded, shock still in his eyes.
"Very well. I will tell the butler to get Lord Blackwood to meet you all in the parlor... As well as Mr. Cane." He said with a bow.
Sullivan nodded and they all walked into the house, going to the parlor and setting their bags down. All was quiet as the maid set out a tray of tea and assorted biscuits. She poured each of them a cup and Huntley dismissed her before she could ask if they all preferred cream and sugar.
"Sorry," Huntley said. "Since there is four of us, I would rather we just fix the tea the way we like instead of her bobbing up and down like a cork in the water after doing everything." He said, grabbing the cream and pouring a very generous portion into his cup.
All of a sudden there was a clatter and footsteps sounded through the house. Trinidad sniffed the air and a wicked grin spread across his face as he tapped Huntley on the shoulder.
I'm not here. he sighed as he got up and went around the corner.
Huntley nodded and looked at Sullivan. He nodded and Delaware narrowed her eyes at the three, wondering what they were all up to.
"But Lord Blackwood, you haven't shaved yet and you aren't dressed properly. LORD BLACKWOOD!"
"What, dammit!"
"At least put some pants on!"
Delaware put her hand over her mouth to hide a giggle as someone grumbled and then the thunderous footsteps echoed through the manor again. As Delaware held her breath, a lavish and very debonair man began to walk down the stairs as he buttoned a shirt but he stopped when he spotted her, his blue gray eyes staring into her soul. He breathed in, his five o'clock shadow causing him to look even more distinguished than he already was, and licked his lips.
"Delaware." Was all he said and she smiled.
"Little Bit."
"I believe you will address me as Lord Blackwood now." He said with a look at her.
"Tavit, you haven't changed, you precocious child." She said with a reminiscent smile.
"I do believe I have. A lot in thirty years."
"Father." Tavit looked over. "I'm home too."
Tavit looked over Huntley and seeing the cane, he looked at Sullivan and saw yet another cane.
"And I suppose that daft galoot of a brother of mine is...?"
A growl let out and Tavit was on the floor with Trinidad on top of him. Tavit narrowed his eyes at his brother.
"You know I hate when you do that."
Which is why I do it.
"Get off. I have some words for her."
Tread carefully... he warned with a smirk.
Tavit got up and finished buttoning his shirt as Delaware stood up and he went to her, getting close.
"You have a lot of explaining to do, woman! You leave us and say you'll be gone for a little while but you left us for thirty years-"
"I brought presents." She said, holding up a bag.
"You did?" he asked, a somehow childish quality overtaking his mature and definitely no longer boyish face.
"Yes."
"Like what?"
Delaware burst into unladylike laughter as she opened the bag and brought out a beautiful silk looking robe.
"I knew you'd be grown the next I saw you so I took the liberty of getting it in adult size. Put it on..." she said, holding it out.
Tavit gave her a look and she sighed.
"Do it, Little Bit."
His cheeks actually flushed a shade of red Huntley had never seen his father express as he turned around and she put it on him. The glow in Tavit's eyes was just like the one that had been in Trinidad's; the pure, unadulterated and innocent love that two boys had for a wonderful and mother-like maid who lived forever and had been a part of their lives.
"It... it's beautiful." He said.
"Authentic Japanese silk there. Take care of it." Delaware said with a lift of her eyebrow. "I bought it for the mature Master Blackwood... or... Lord Blackwood now. Your father?"
"He's still alive but is very ill. He is in the duke's suite on the other side of the manor. I'll take you to him later on... I still have words to discuss with you later."
"I know..."
Tavit now looked at his son and crossed his arms over his chest.
"I thought you said you would be fine."
"I was... until we got attacked in the trenches." Huntley said with a sheepish grin. "Then Sully got hit with shrapnel."
"Oh, god, Sullivan will have a fit. If not your mother." He said to Sullivan.
"Where's my boy? Where's my son?" a woman's voice said through the halls.
A lovely woman walked down the stairs in a simple dress and smiled wide upon seeing the boys.
"Huntley!"
"Mother..."
Huntley got up and accepted his mother's hug and she smiled at Sullivan. She hugged him too and grinned at Trinidad.
"Told you your brother would keep them safe."
"July, love, I would like you to meet someone. This woman is Ms. Delaware Tate."
July looked over Delaware with her green eyes and smiled.
"So, this is the maid that my husband spoke so highly of. So you really don't age... Interesting..."
"Pleasure to meet you, ma'am." Delaware said, curtsying.
July giggled behind her hand. "How lovely. She's so polite."
A blood curdling scream let out and the sound of plates breaking and a tray slamming filled the house and Delaware turned. Angelica was looking at her with a horrified expression and she grinned, waving.
"Hello, Angelica. Long time no see. How's your conscience?"
The woman ran out in a keening scream and Delaware smirked. She turned back to the perplexed July.
"We go way back..." Delaware said with a grin.