The Royal Secret

Chapter 10

Chapter 10

Scarlet sat at her desk. Donny was suckling at her breast, his small hand kneading her breast. She was writing a letter and needed to finish it. It had been two weeks since his birth and she felt it was the right time to write Hunter. She wished to finally meet him. She was just unsure how to start the letter.

She looked down at her son as he released her. He looked up at her and smiled. She returned his smile and picked up and placed him over her shoulder. She patted his back and smiled when he let out a loud bleach,

After she finished feeding Donny, Scarlet changed him and set him in his cradle. He fell asleep quickly as she rocked him. She lightly kissed his forehead and then returned to her letter. She finished writing it quickly and then sealed it. She left it on the desk to go out in the morning.

Scarlet walked over to the bed and lay down. She would take a quick nap and be up before James returned home from the shipyard.

Scarlet woke with a start. Donny was crying and screaming. She got up quickly and went over to him. She picked him up and kissed his nose. As she feed him she realized it was past time for James to be home. She would finish feeding Donny and then she would go downstairs. Maybe James was just downstairs in his study and hadn’t wanted to disturb her.

Donny finished feeding and she changed him and then went downstairs.

“Who’s a cute little baby?” she asked him. He stared up at her. “You are going to be a lady-killer, just like your daddy is. “

She went into the dining room and saw that Merg had already set the table. Scarlet could hear her moving around in the kitchen. They went into the kitchen.

“Have you seen, James?” she asked Merg.

“No,” Merg said. “Neither him nor John have returned yet. Would you like me to set out dinner for you?”

“Yes,” she said. “I’ll eat alone. I just wish James was here.”

“So do I,” Merg said. “Go put Donny in the cradle that you had put downstairs.”

“Thank you,” she said.

She went into the dining room. She had had a cradle set up in the dining room soon after Donny’s birth to keep him close and safe at all times. She set him in the cradle and he looked up at her.

“I wish I knew where your daddy is,” she said.

“I wish I did too,” Merg said as she came into the room with a plate of food. “He is out with my husband.”

“Have the two of talked yet?” she asked.

“Yes,” Merg said. “I told him that sometimes it just takes years to have a child. It’s true and I love my John so much. Having a child just makes everything better.”

Merg started to go into the kitchen when Scarlet stopped her.

“Merg, will you keep me company?” she asked. “I don’t want to be alone right now.”

“If that is what you want,” Merg said.

“It is,” she said.

James looked over to where John lay unconscious. John had been hit on the back of the head. He wished that he could see Scarlet and Donny one more time. He loved them so much.

“Scarlet,” he whispered. He pressed his hand to the new stab wound on his chest. He, too, then passed out.

Scarlet jerked up from her seat. She pressed her hand to her shoulder as she slowly stood. She looked around the room as Donny started to cry. She rushed over and picked him up.

“What’s wrong, Scarlet?” Merg asked.

“James is hurt,” she said.

She went to get her cloak, still holding Donny.

“Let me help you,” Merg said.

Merg helped her put her cloak on and then she settled Donny into the special pouch she had made for him. She put the hood up.

“I’ll be back soon,” she said. “Stay inside.”

Merg nodded and she hurried outside to the barn. She quickly hitched the horse to the wagon.

She was almost to the shipyard when she spotted John lying on the ground. She stopped the horse and carefully jumped down.

“John,” she said. “John, wake up.”

He mumbled something and slowly opened his eyes. He blinked couple of times.

“Miss Scarlet,” he said.

“Can you stand?” she asked.

“Yes,” he said. “I’m fine. Have you seen Mister James?”

“No, not yet,” she said. “Where is he?”

John stood as he sad. “We were on our way home. Suddenly we were attacked. I was hit on the back of the head. That’s all I remember, Miss Scarlet.”

“Will you help me look for him?” she asked.

“Of course,” John said.

They started to search. Scarlet started to look near some bushes. John went the other way. She held Donny close to her as she looked.

“James!” she called. “Where are you, James?”

Donny started to whimper. She needed James to be alright. He had to be alright.

Something moved, catching her eye. It was James’ shoe!

“James!” she yelled.

She ran over and knelt next to him. He had been stabbed in the shoulder again. He moaned and opened his eyes to look at her.

“How, Scarlet?” he asked.

“I felt it,” she said. “I knew you were hurt and I had to find you. You’ll be fine now.”

“Donny,” he said. “Where is he?”

“Right here,” she said, showing him.

“Clever, Scarlet,” he said.

“I like to think so,” she said.

“Miss Scarlet,” John said, suddenly appearing.

“Help me get him to the wagon,” she said.

“Of course,” John said.

John helped James up and over to the wagon.

“Can you drive home?” she asked.

“Yes,” John said.

“Thanks, John,” she said.

He simply nodded as he took his seat. She sat next to James. James sat hunched over.

“James, what happened?” she asked.

“We were on the way home,” he said. “John heard a noise and turned to see what it was. They hit him on the back of his head. He fell to the ground and I started to help him. In the fight with the attacker, I was stabbed. I went down and blacked out for a while. When I came around, the attacker was gone and I was behind the bush. I love you, Scarlet.”

“I love you, too,” she said. “For now, just rest.”

He mumbled something and then passed out.

“Is he all right?” John asked.

“Just keep going,” she said. “The sooner we get home, the better.”

“Sure,” John said.

Scarlet put her hand on James’ forehead. He was still cool to the touch. She was glad for that. He didn’t have a fever, yet.

“Please be all right, James,” she whispered. “I need you to be all right. Donny needs you to be all right.”

“We are almost home,” John said.

“See, James?” she said. “Everything will be fine. Just fine.”

John reined the horse in in front of the house. Merg opened the door and came rushing out. The doctor followed behind her.

“Oh, John,” Merg said. “Are you all right?”

“I’m fine,” John said. “Mister James has been stabbed. Help me get him into the house, doc.”

Scarlet watched the men help James out of the wagon and into the house. They carried him up to the room and laid him on the bed.

“Can you get my bag?” the doctor asked.

“Yes,” Scarlet said.

She hurried from the room and then down the stairs. Merg had brought the doctors bag in and had set the bag by the bottom of the stairs. Scarlet grabbed it and raced back up the stairs.

“Bring some boiling water,” the doctor said as she returned.

“Already done,” Merg said as she came into the room and set a bucket of steaming water down.

“Thank you, Merg,” Scarlet said.

“Anytime,” Merg said. “You know you are like the daughter I never had.”

“Thank you for so much, Merg,” Scarlet said. “Will you watch Donny for me?”

Merg just nodded and took Donny and left the room. Scarlet turned back to the doctor and James. The doctor had stripped James of his shirt.

“I’ll need your help,” the doctor said.

“All right,” she said. “When James was hurt almost a year ago, I took care of him. He was okay then.”

“He has lost some blood,” the doctor said. “Do you know who attacked him?”

“No,” she said. “But my husband is not the only one to have been attacked. Someone tried to kill me too.”

“Well,” the doctor said, “Do you think he knows who tried to kill him?”

“I don’t know,” she said. “He might. Can you just sew him up and make him better? I need him to be better.”

The doctor looked from the woman to her husband. He then opened his bag and decided not to answer. There was no use getting her hopes up.

James heard yelling as he opened his eyes, but he didn’t know where it was coming from. He knew it was close to him. He also knew his chest hurt.

“No!” he heard Scarlet yell. “Get out of my house!”

“He is as good as dead,” he heard a man tell her.

“I said get out!” she yelled.

“Mrs. Royal,” the man said, “He is dying.”

“I said get the Hell out!” she yelled. “He is going to be fine, no thanks to you!”

“Scar…” James whispered.

“James!” she said, turning from the door to face him. “How do you feel?”

“Hurts,” he whispered.

“Do you remember what happened?” the man asked.

“John!” Scarlet called. John appeared behind the man at the door. “Get the good doctor out of here.”

“Of course, Miss Scarlet,” John said. He took two steps toward the doctor.

“I’m leaving!” the doctor said, hurrying down the hallway.

“John,” Scarlet said.

“On it,” John said, turning and hurrying after the doctor.

“James,” Scarlet said, going to his side.

“How long has it been?” he asked.

“A week,” she said.

“A week?” he asked.

“Yes,” she said. “You had a fever again. I didn’t realize it at first because the doctor wouldn’t let me see you. When he finally did, you were so close to death.”

“You saved me again, Scarlet,” he said.

“I only did it because I need you to help give Donny siblings,” she said.

He chuckled softly and then said, “Once I feel well again. Then we can have as many as you want, I want a girl this time.”

“Really?” she asked, smiling. “I thought you might want a bunch of sons.”

“No," he said. “As long as they are ours I don’t mind sons or daughters. How is Donny?”

“He is fine,” she said. “He misses his father.”

“Have you seen to him all ready?” he asked.

“Yes, he’s sleeping,” she said.

“Good,” he said, “Come lay down with me for a while.”

She got in next to him and lay next to him. She curled up next to him. He put his arms around her and watched as she fell asleep. He lay awake next to her for some time before he too fell asleep.