Page 67 of The Artisan and the Duke
Tom cleared his throat and said, “Her Grace is at the Mason Hall. She arrived late yesterday on foot.”
“Is she well?” Fredrick asked urgently as he pushed himself up onto his one good leg.
Tom nodded, “Yes, Sir. She was a bit scared but seems alright otherwise. He sent me to let His Grace know so that he could come and persuade her to go home with him.”
“Persuade?” Fredrick asked as he pursed his lips out.
Tom looked at the men who were eying him curiously. He said hesitantly, “She was afraid as I said, Sir. She doesn’t know who to trust. Master Foster had to chase her down the street and coax her to stay at the Mason Hall as it was.”
“I can’t say that I blame her after all she has been through,” Fredrick said honestly. “Go back and tell your master that I will be there shortly. His Grace is traveling at the moment and cannot come himself.”
Tom nodded as the young man seemed relieved to be free to leave. “Thank you, Sir,” Tom said swiftly. “I will, Sir.” Then the young man was swiftly out of the door.
Olly whistled, “Now that’s a break if I ever heard of one. How you’d suppose she got out?”
“I do not know,” Fredrick said honestly, “but with Her Grace, I cannot say that I am surprised that she found a way to escape. She is a resourceful woman.”
Talbert shook his head in wonder. “Want us to come with you, Sir?”
“No,” Fredrick said. “It would do better for you two to stay here and watch after the household. Do not let anyone in while I am gone unless it is His Grace returned. Do you understand?”
Olly nodded and said solemnly, “We’ll tell everyone, including the scullery maids, Sir. No one will be coming in here.”
“Good man,” Fredrick said as he grabbed his cane. “Now let’s just pray Her Grace actually agrees to come home with me.”
***
Jules had left familiar streets behind and was headed towards the more affluent streets. She prayed that none of the guards or others pestered her with how she was dressed. There was a reason that people from her parts of London never ventured into the scrubbed and polished sections of the city.
It seemed like more than days, or was it weeks that she had been gone from these glistening streets? Jules felt more the outsider than ever, and she was still blocks and blocks away from the manor home of the St Claire family. She tried to not think about it and just to act like she belonged here.
“Hey you,” a male voice called.
Jules cursed her luck as she slowed to a stop. She swung around to see a guard leaning against the side of a building. “What business have you in that direction?”
“I’ve …” Jules cleared her throat and said, “I am running an errand and have to deliver a message, Sir.”
The guard nodded slowly, “Oh? Where is this message going then?”
Jules figured she had little to lose at this point and said, “To the St Claire household, Sir. My Master thought it wise that I go work for His Grace for a bit, said it might build character.”
The guard chuckled, “Sounds like your Master is right ready to be rid of you. Alright then, carry on.” The man turned away from Jules, and she breathed a sigh of relief as she hurried away from the man as quickly as she could without drawing his attention again.
Jules broke into a run once she was out of sight of the guard and jogged for a way. When she began to tire, she slowed her pace. There was the sound of a horse, and Jules panicked, quickly ducking aside. It was too late that she recognized the rider. By the time she realized it was Fredrick, he was too far away to hail down.
Her heart leaped because at least now she knew that Fredrick was alive and well. She had wondered what had become of the man after she and David had failed to find him on the way to London. Of course, knowing what she knew now of David, she doubted very much that the man had even bothered to look.
Jules hurried on towards the St Claire family home buoyed now by the thought of Fredrick being okay. Surely that meant that Gregory had indeed come looking for him and Jules.
She smiled and ran the rest of the way not even bothering to look at anything or anyone as she raced along the streets like a madwoman.
***
When Fredrick arrived at the Mason Hall, there were guardsmen everywhere, and his heart sank. He dismounted his horse and approached the two guardsmen outside the door warily. “Good evening,” he said with a smile to the two guards. “I was just coming to call on the Guild Master. Is there some issue?”
“No, Sir,” another guard said as he emerged from the building. “We had just been informed that an escaped fugitive might be hiding inside.”
Fredrick frowned. “I do hope everything is settled now. I doubt very seriously that the Mason Guild would hide criminals,” he said scandalized.
