Jack of All Trades: Millcastle, Book 4, page 18
Elijah stared at him until Bannister held up his hands. “Fine, I’ll come with you.” Bannister stomped off to mount his horse.
“Where’s my wife?” Elijah asked O’Keefe as he strode toward his gig.
“She’s at the camp helping Dr. Nash.”
Elijah winced as he gathered the reins. Every bone in his hands hurt like hell from scrabbling and lifting the heavy rocks. He clicked to the horse, and they set off, O’Keefe a silent presence beside him. He didn’t allow himself to think beyond what might await him at the camp. He’d learned early to deal with each disaster as it occurred; otherwise, he’d become overwhelmed, and this was not the time to panic.
When he reached the camp, he tied up the horse and strode to where Dr. Nash had set up his temporary hospital. Several of the women were helping to nurse the patients, but he had no difficulty in spotting his wife’s blond head.
“Alice.”
She looked up, her face pale, her usually immaculate hair bundled into a ribbon at the back of her neck. She wore a bloodstained apron over her gown and stout boots.
“Are you all right, sir?”
“I’m well enough. How are things here?” He looked around the row of pallets laid out in neat rows on the ground. There were far too many for his liking.
“Dr. Nash has seen and treated everyone who required his attention. He will wish to speak to you.”
“Aye.” He nodded. “You should go home.”
She straightened up. “I’ll go home when you do.”
He went to find the doctor. “Dr. Nash.”
“Mr. Hepworth. We meet again.”
“I think I should put you on retainer, Doctor.”
“I believe you should. I came up to this part of the world for a holiday.” Dr. Nash washed his hands and wiped them on a towel. “There are four men with crushed lower limbs I doubt will be able to work again. The rest will recover with proper rest and care.”
“That’s good. Thank you.”
Dr. Nash nodded. “I had to amputate two right feet and two left legs below the knee.”
“I’ll take care of those men and their families. Everyone who cannot currently work won’t suffer at my hands.”
“You’re a good man,” Dr. Nash said. He looked around the makeshift hospital. “This will do for now. I’ve worked in worse.”
“I’ll get a proper tent set up,” Elijah promised. “That will be even better.”
“Thank you.” Dr. Nash frowned. “You’ve got a cut on your head. Would you like me to take a look at it for you?”
“Save your skills for those that need you.”
“Your wife certainly has the expertise to deal with a few cuts and bruises. She’s been very helpful.”
Elijah glanced over to where Alice was smiling down at one of the wounded men. He wasn’t surprised the man looked like an angel was attending to him. She radiated calmness, and he was grateful for that and her surprising willingness to step in and help. He hadn’t expected her to be so strong.
“You should both go home,” Dr. Nash added.
“Not until I’ve had a word with everyone who wants to speak to me.” Elijah shoved a hand through his already disordered hair. He’d lost his hat hours ago. “And I’ve a few words I need to say myself.”
He found Bannister and O’Keefe and went into one of the deserted tents.
“What caused this?” he asked them.
His companions shared a wary glance before Bannister spoke up. “We’re running behind, so we decided to use a small explosive charge just at the edge of the new cut to speed up the process.”
“You decided that without consulting me?”
“You were busy entertaining the board. We didn’t want to interrupt the meeting to bring bad news that would reflect badly on you and the chance of finishing on time.”
Elijah considered that and nodded. “Who set the charges?”
Bannister looked wretched. “I let Walsh, my deputy, do it. I suspect he misjudged the amount of explosive needed.”
“Did you check his work?”
“No.”
“Did you?” Elijah asked O’Keefe.
“Not my job.” O’Keefe shrugged. “I was organizing the workers.”
“I suspect Walsh set the charge but left a quantity of dynamite on the cart behind him,” Bannister said. “He might have meant to make a second attempt if the first didn’t produce the effect he hoped for. He either failed to tell the men to stand back, because he thought they wouldn’t be affected, or the charge went off too soon and brought down the wall.”
“Or he misjudged the quantity completely, and it was too strong.”
“That’s also a possibility,” Bannister conceded. “Although he was an experienced man.
“Where is Walsh?” Elijah asked.
“Dead and buried under the rocks,” Bannister said shortly. “The explosives he left on the cart were caught in the blast, went off, and started the fires, which didn’t help the men trying to escape from the rockfall.”
Elijah slowly exhaled as he stared at Bannister. “Get out.”
“You’re blaming me?”
“Aye. Now go and I don’t want to see your face again.”
“But—”
Elijah went out of the tent and walked over to his wife.
“I’m ready to leave now.”
She glanced up at him. “Is everything all right?”
“No, but it will be.” He took her hand. “Let’s go home. We both need a bath and something to eat.”
Alice kept her thoughts to herself during the ride home. She was tired enough that she kept leaning into her husband’s side. Eventually, she gave up trying to sit up straight and wrapped her arm around his waist to anchor herself. He smelled of smoke, dust, and blood, which were oddly comforting.
When they reached the house, he helped her down from the carriage at the front door, his expression uncharacteristically grim.
“Go and have your bath, lass. I’ll see to Ada and Danny and find us something to eat.”
“I can do those things.”
“I know, but humor me and take your bath.” He nodded and clicked to the horse. “I won’t be long.”
Despite his assurances, Alice did pause long enough in the entrance hall to ask Cook to send them up some supper in an hour. She also arranged for Elijah’s valet to start heating the water for his bath, and she took one of her own.
Despite the temptation to rest her aching limbs, she didn’t linger in the water for long, preferring to get into her nightdress and robe. She concentrated on combing out her damp hair, which had gotten tangled after she washed the dust from it. She sent her maid away and left the door into the dressing room open as the bath was refilled for her husband.
When she heard him talking to his valet, she went in and told the man to go. Elijah was in the bath, his eyes closed, his head back against the rim.
She picked up a sponge and sat beside him. “You’re filthy, and Dr. Nash told me to attend to the cut on your head, in case you forgot to mention it.”
“I’m in better shape than most, lass. I only turned up when the worst was over.”
“Thank goodness.”
She dipped the sponge into the water and gently washed his face. His voice was as gravelly as the disintegrating rock face. He winced as she touched a deep graze on his cheek.
“I wish I’d been there when it happened instead of stuck flattering a bunch of investors.”
“I’m rather glad you were not.” She squeezed out the sponge and turned her attention to his scalp. There was a clump of blood high on his left temple that required cleaning. She parted his hair, and he cursed under his breath. Her fingers stilled.
“It’s all right. I’ll close my eyes and enjoy the bath while you attend to me.”
“I’ll try not to hurt you.”
“I know.” His eyes drifted closed, and she saw the vulnerability in his face before he cleared his throat. “Don’t let me drift off, now, and drown. I’ve never learned to swim.”
Alice took her time tending to the wound. It wasn’t a deep cut, but it required careful attention because of the particles of dirt and rock embedded within it. After finishing, she gently washed and rinsed his hair, using the jug of hot water sitting by the fire. His arms were braced on the sides of the bath, his muscles flexing as he fought the desire to slide deeper and go to sleep.
“Not quite what you expected being married to me is it, lass?”
“Not at all.” Alice soaped the back of his neck. “It is far more interesting.”
His low chuckle made her want to drop a kiss on his head. “That’s twice you’ve ended up nursing my workers in less than a year.”
“I consider it a compliment that you allow me to help.”
“Allow you? You’re a determined woman when you want your way, Mrs. Hepworth.”
“That doesn’t offend you?”
He reached up and cupped the back of her neck with his soapy hand. “Not at all, lass. You already know I like a woman who can stand up for herself.”
There was a tap at the door, and Alice went through to the bedroom to admit Margery with their supper. When she returned to the dressing room, Elijah was attempting to grab the towel from the stand in front of the fire.
“Let me get that for you.” Alice unfolded the towel as he stepped out of the bath, and he wrapped it around his waist. “I’ll find your robe.”
He sniffed the air. “Did you order food?”
“I asked Cook to make us some supper trays.”
“Good woman.” He yawned as he put on his thick robe and used the towel to carefully dry his hair. “I forgot to do that after I spoke to Dan and Ada.”
“I suspect they were pleased to see you,” Alice said as she walked into the bedroom and sat in one of the chairs by the roaring fire.
“Very.” Elijah joined her. “There have been too many close calls in their lifetimes. I regret that.”
“I’m sure they understand.” Alice removed the cover from her tray to reveal a bowl of vegetable soup, a hand-raised pie, and some freshly baked bread. Her stomach rumbled.
“I haven’t eaten since this morning,” she confessed as she found a spoon.
“I had lunch with the board of directors and returned to the site to find all hell had broken loose.” Elijah grimaced.
“It wasn’t your fault.”
He met her gaze. “Everything that happens is on me, lass. I can’t claim all the successes, if I don’t acknowledge my failures as well. There are at least six men dead because of someone’s negligence.”
“But Mr. O’Keefe and Mr. Bannister were there.”
“And neither of them did what they knew I would want.” Elijah sighed. “Bannister allowed his assistant to set the charges without checking them himself.”
“Then Mr. Bannister is responsible, not you.” Alice set her spoon in her bowl. “Do you intend to do anything about that?”
He raised his eyebrows. “I already have. I fired him.”
“Good.” Alice nodded. “He deserved it.”
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
Elijah checked the columns of figures again and sat back as his headache returned. He could no longer deny it. The Millcastle railway project was in danger of not finishing on time, and with the resources currently at his disposal, there was little he could do about it. The rockslide had delayed them for another two weeks while his men dug out the new cutting, removed the rocks, and buried their dead.
There was a knock on the door and Oats came in. “Mr. Fletcher, Mr. Galloway, and Viscount Grafton-Wesley are here to see you, sir.”
“Send them in.” Elijah rose to his feet like a man facing a firing squad. “Good morning, gentlemen.”
None of the men looked happy, and he knew exactly why. But how to convince them that he could see the project through and make sure they made their money back?
“A bad business, Mr. Hepworth, sir, a bad business, indeed.” Mr. Galloway sat down. “The bank is concerned about the extent of our current investment in this venture.”
“Understandably, sir.” Elijah tried to sound as unconcerned as ever. “I admit that we have fallen further behind than I anticipated.”
Mr. Fletcher cleared his throat. “I am still convinced Hepworth will come through.”
“He might well do that, but it won’t be because the bank has lent him any more money,” Mr. Galloway said.
Elijah had already expected that response, but it still stung. He’d never been considered a bad business proposition before in his life.
“I don’t need more money from you, sir. I simply require you to fulfill your current obligations.”
“You want me to continue funding a lost cause?”
“You agreed to finance the project until the contract expires in two months’ time,” Elijah said evenly. “That’s all I require of you.”
“If you don’t honor your agreement to us, Galloway, I’ll not be recommending your bank for any future endeavors,” Mr. Fletcher said. “If anyone can get this project completed on time, it’s Hepworth.”
Galloway frowned. “And what do you say to all this, my lord? You stand to lose a good deal of money if Hepworth defaults.”
Elijah’s gaze moved to Francis, who had been remarkably quiet for far too long. If the viscount withdrew his support, Elijah knew he was done for.
“I’ll stick with Hepworth and happily make him pay any penalties he incurs if he goes over the contract date.”
“I don’t intend to default,” Elijah said.
“Then if we’re all agreed to give you the benefit of the doubt, then perhaps we should leave you to get on?” Mr. Fletcher looked at them all in turn. “You must have a lot to do.”
“Thank you.” Elijah came around the side of his desk and shook hands with Fletcher and Galloway. “I appreciate your confidence in me,” he said before they left.
Grafton stood by the window. He turned around as Elijah shut the door behind the other men.
“I’ve seen the accounts. I can’t see how you will pull this off.”
“I will.”
“And beggar yourself and my sister in the attempt?”
“You of all people know that Alice and my children are well provided for regardless of my fate.”
“Then, good luck and God help you.” Francis strode toward the door.
Elijah held it open for him and then went back to sit at his desk to think. At least he had the two months to try and turn things around. There were no more cuts or complex engineering projects left to complete—just a straight run down the slope to the almost finished passenger station and railyard.
That meant he didn’t need to find a replacement for Bannister, as he and O’Keefe had the necessary experience to deal with any problems. Not that they could afford to have problems—any more delays would sink him. He returned his attention to his finances. He’d need to make a trip to his bank in Manchester, but if he was clever and careful, he might just pull it off. Or, as Francis had so eloquently put it, he’d beggar himself.
He shoved a hand through his hair, his gaze drawn to the garden where his wife and daughter were picking roses. With her fair coloring, Ada looked as if she could be Alice’s child. He was relieved they’d started to get along and that Miss Lambton had heeded his warnings and kept her distance. He’d soon need to have a conversation with his wife that he wasn’t looking forward to. But it would wait until he returned from Manchester.
Ada saw him at the window, waved, and came skipping toward him. He opened the window and smiled back at her. “Are those for me?”
“They can be.” She glanced over her shoulder. “I’ll find a vase and bring them through to you.”
He was anxious to get on, but he sat down and waited for her to come to him, aware that such moments would be fleeting and that he’d better make the most of them.
“Here you are.” Ada set the vase down on the corner of his desk.
“Thank you.” Elijah smiled at her. “I fear I won’t have much time to enjoy them, as I have to go to Manchester later today.”
“Oh.” Ada frowned. “Will you bring me back something nice?”
“I doubt I’ll have time for shopping this time, lass.”
“Then I’ll ask Alice if she’ll take me into town after we finish visiting the navvies.”
“Which navvies?”
Ada gave him a severe look that reminded him forcibly of himself. “The ones who were injured and their families. We’ve been looking out for them.”
Elijah hadn’t realized his wife and daughter were still visiting the families personally. He’d told Totton to make sure everyone was taken care of and left it at that.
“I would’ve thought you’d be spending your time visiting the viscountess and Mrs. Grovedale.”
“We do visit Caroline, but…” Ada paused. “A few weeks ago, Ivy was here, and she and Alice had an argument. We haven’t visited Grovedale House since.”
Elijah frowned. He’d never heard his wife raise her voice, let alone get into a fight.
“Are you certain, lass? Mrs. Grovedale might just not want to receive visitors at this particular time.”
“Because she’s expecting?” Ada wasn’t shy. “But Caroline visits her.”
“Caroline is her sister.”
“I think Alice is still upset about what happened,” Ada said. “She was almost in tears when Ivy left.”
“Pregnant women can be quite difficult to live with sometimes,” Elijah said slowly. Had Alice and Ivy fallen out over Ian? He couldn’t think of any other reason for the women to be at odds. Had Ivy found out that Grovedale had hankered after Alice? “Perhaps everything will be forgotten once the baby arrives.”
“I do hope so.” Ada turned toward the door. “Shall I tell Alice you’re leaving?”
“No, I’ll tell her myself.” Elijah followed his daughter out into the hall.
“She’s in the scullery arranging the flowers we picked.” Ada went toward the stairs. “Have a safe trip, Da, and come back soon.”
“Mr. Hepworth requests your presence in his study, ma’am,” Oats said.
