Royal Regard

Chapter Thirty-One

Before the knife clattered to a stop on the garden path, Bella reached out and grabbed her niece from underneath the fallen Frenchwoman, away from the sight of Michelle missing half of her skull. Before anyone could do or say anything, Bella dragged Jewel inside through the conservatory into the dining room, where any number of John's men were milling about, awaiting his instructions.

As she cleared the threshold, she heard John call out, "Three of you men come here to secure the garden." They only waited long enough to bow when Bella and Jewel passed through the doorway.

Struggling under the weight of Jewel glued to her side, Bella all but fell into the room. Her niece hung on her bloody skirts like a limpet, screaming, crying, kicking at the ground instead of walking. The headache that had been threatening was long past the point of unbearable, until Bella's eyes were unfocused and ears ringing. All heightened by the shrieking, crying panic of a six-year-old for whom Bella was terrified.

Once they made it to relative quiet in the drawing room, Bella crouched down and shook Jewel to break the hold of the hysteria, barking, "Julia Minerva Marloughe, stop that caterwauling this instant and listen to me!" Jewel swallowed and choked, still reeling, but took in Bella's forcibly collected face and put two fingers in her mouth. The tears still ran, but the terror had receded for them both.

Mercifully, Jewel had yet to notice the blood covering her hair and clothes. Bella hugged her tightly, trying to restrain the rage threatening to engulf her along with everything else. "You are such a very brave girl, sweeting, but I must be sure your parents and brother are safe. Do you understand?" Still sobbing and clutching Bella's shoulders, Jewel nodded.

Pointing to three of the soldiers, Bella instructed, "Two of you, please take Jewel to the study and watch over her, weapons at the ready. One of the maids can clean her and bring a dress and her china doll from the nursery. Another man find the nursemaid—she's gone to the park with Master Alex, possibly Gunter's—and stay on the alert once you find them. If any harm befalls my niece or nephew, I will give testimony to the king. Do I make myself perfectly clear?"

"Yes, my lady."

She turned back to Jewel. "These men will protect you, and you must stay in your papa's study upstairs with them. No running off. No coming after me. You do exactly what they say, no matter what happens, and you must tell Nurse to do the same. Can you do that for me?" Jewel nodded weakly. "I will come find you in a very little while." She looked at the clock on the mantelpiece and pointed it out to Jewel. "Before the big hand reaches the six on your Papa's big clock. I promise."

"Yeth, Auntie Bella," Jewel sobbed, but finally let go of her aunt's hair. She stuck a third finger into her mouth and backed away from the men dressed exactly like her cousin, who had just left her covered in blood.

The older of the two shrugged off his coat and bent over to take Jewel's hand, assuring Bella, "She will be safe, my lady. I have children of my own." The other man followed his comrade's lead, also removing his coat to look less like a soldier. Neither, of course, left off his weapons.

"Come along, Lady Julia. Chilcott will go find your nurse, and you and I can find a storybook or a game in your Papa's study. Does he keep storybooks for you?" He led her away, though Jewel kept watching Bella until they turned the corner.

Bella turned to another man. "Do you know the Duke of Wellbridge's residence? Dalrymple House in Grosvenor Square?"

"Yes, Your Ladyship."

"Go there, now, as fast as you can. Don't let him eat anything, not even a cup of tea, and bring him back here without delay. If he's—" Her voice shattered, "—it will be some sort of poison. Empty his stomach, give him as much vinegar as you can force down his throat, and you will need to send for a doctor right away. You'd better take another man, as I won't have the duke unprotected if he's—" She couldn't even say it. "Just go. Now!"