intend to leave Alice in a fix. She’s risked a lot helping me and I’m going to sort out Bearwood for once and all.’ He stood up and made for the back door, pushing past Essie as he stepped outside into the back yard.
Essie hurried after him. ‘Please stop. You’ll only make more trouble this way.’
He shook off her restraining hand. ‘Don’t interfere, Essie. You’ve done your bit, now go indoors and look after your father.’
Essie knew that nothing she could say or do would prevent him from seeking out Sir Henry Bearwood, and she wished with all her heart that she had said nothing. Lady Alice must have known that this was how Raven would react, and now Raven was heading for trouble. Essie clenched her hands at her sides, inwardly fuming at her own stupidity. Nothing good could come of this. She toyed with the idea of rushing over to Hill Street to warn Lady Alice, but that was not the answer. She bent down to pick up the bucket and headed out of the yard to the pump. A cup of tea would not solve her problems, but making it would give her something to do.
Time seemed to have stood still as Essie waited for Raven to return. She occupied herself as best she could with household chores. She made her father a simple supper of bread and cheese, but the ale he had drunk combined with a dose of laudanum sent him to sleep soon afterwards and Essie was left to wait and worry on her own. Outside the business of the street went on as usual with the constant sound of raised voices, hurried footsteps and the ever-present background noise of the river traffic. Hoots, sirens, bells and the grinding of cranes still at work unloading vessels moored alongside the wharfs went on all day and for most of the night.
The light faded and Essie paced the floor, accompanied by the rhythmic snores emanating from her father’s slack lips. He had drunk a copious amount of ale and had taken a hefty dose of laudanum before falling into a stupor. She lit a candle and placed it in the window, but still there was no word from Raven. In an attempt to calm her nerves she opened the front door and stood on the step, but retreated quickly. Late at night it was not a good idea to loiter in the street and she went to sit in the kitchen and wait.
The candle had burned down and Essie was about to go to her room when she heard a scrabbling sound on the front door. ‘Who’s there?’ she demanded nervously.
Essie wrenched the door open and stepped aside as Raven practically fell into the room supported on either side by Lady Alice and Sadie.
‘What happened?’ Essie demanded, closing the door and bolting it. There did not seem to be anyone following them, but she was taking no chances. ‘What happened?’ She picked up the candlestick and in its flickering light she saw a dark stain that look suspiciously like blood on Raven’s jacket. ‘Take him through to the kitchen,’ she said, glancing anxiously at her father, who had slept through everything so far; disturbing him was the last thing she wanted.
‘I’m all right,’ Raven whispered. ‘I can make it on my own.’
‘Stop talking and save your strength.’ Lady Alice steered him towards the kitchen, but Sadie appeared to be flagging and Essie took her place. Together they managed to get him onto a chair at the table and, combining their efforts, they relieved him of his jacket.
‘He’s bleeding to death,’ Sadie cried, collapsing onto another chair. ‘I can’t stand the sight of blood. I’ve come over faint.’
‘Make yourself useful,’ Essie said sharply. ‘There’s a bowl in the cupboard – fill it with water from the kettle and pass me that towel.’
Sadie jumped to her feet, seemingly forgetting that she was about to faint and obeyed Essie’s instructions without another word.
‘It’s just a scratch. Stop fussing.’ Raven tried to get up but sank back on the chair, his face pale beneath his tan.
‘Stop talking,’ Lady Alice said firmly. ‘I’m going to ease your shirt off, Raven. I need to take a look at that wound.’
‘So you’re a nurse now, are you?’ Raven’s lips curved in a wry smile, but he winced as she peeled the blood-soaked cotton away from the gaping hole in his left shoulder.
Essie could see by Lady’s Alice’s expression that she was revolted by the sight of blood, and she stepped forward. ‘I’ve dealt with a good number of injuries. Maybe I can help.’ Essie held the candle closer so that she could examine the wound. ‘He was shot?’ She turned to Lady Alice, eyebrows raised.
‘It’s all right, Essie. I’ll deal with this. It wouldn’t have happened if Raven hadn’t come barging into my house,’ Lady Alice said bitterly. ‘I was dealing with Henry. He’d been drinking and was getting amorous, but Raven had to act like a hero.’
‘He was drunk,’ Raven murmured.
‘I had taken Papa’s duelling pistol from its case, although I had no intention of shooting Bearwood. I just wanted to show him that I meant what I said. Henry tried to take it from me and it went off. Papa always said it had a hair trigger and that proves it.’ Lady Alice took the cloth and bathed the wound, ignoring Raven’s protests. ‘Bearwood was about to leave when you came bursting in like a knight of old, and you took the bullet, which otherwise would have merely made a hole in the door. It serves you right for interfering.’ She frowned anxiously. ‘It’s bleeding faster. What should I do?’
Essie folded the towel and pressed it on the injured shoulder. ‘We have to stop the blood flowing by pressing on the wound.’
‘I am going to faint now,’ Sadie said weakly and collapsed onto the floor.
‘We should fetch a doctor.’ Lady Alice stood back, clasping her blood-stained hands together. ‘Is he going to die?’
‘Not if I can help it.’ Essie jerked her head in the direction of the cupboard. ‘There’s an old sheet that we can tear into strips. We need to bind the wound as tightly as we can.’
Lady Alice stepped over Sadie’s prostrate figure and returned seconds later with the neatly folded sheet. ‘Trust you to complicate things, Raven. Henry would have gone peacefully. Now he’ll tell everyone that you’re in London, if he hasn’t done so already.’
‘I have to get on board ship for all our sakes.’ Raven’s head lolled to one side and his eyes closed.
‘He’s passed out. That’s good because we can bandage his shoulder without him struggling.’ Essie took the strips of cloth from Lady Alice and proceeded to wind them round Raven’s torso. ‘I’m not very good at this, but it will have to do until we can get him to a doctor.’
‘He has to be on the Santa Gabriella tonight.’ Lady Alice sank down on the nearest chair. ‘Sir Henry might notify the authorities and the police will be looking for Raven.’
Sadie scrambled to her feet. ‘What happened?’
‘You fainted,’ Essie said tersely. ‘Sit down and take deep breaths. You’ll be fine and we need your help.’
‘What do you propose?’ Lady Alice demanded warily. ‘We don’t want to involve anyone else.’
‘It’ll be low tide. If we can get Raven down the steps to the
