Her Longed-For Family. Jo Ann Brown
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had lost her life because of his inattention.
“Tell me what happened, Yelland,” he said with the stern tone he imagined Trelawney would use. “Now and quickly.”
The mine captain stiffened but replied without his usual, self-important tone, “We decided to test the gunpowder to see how useful it would be when we next need to cut new shafts.”
“Without alerting anyone?”
“We figured we were far enough away.”
“You blew out windows at Cothaire.”
Faces paled on the men behind Yelland, but the mine captain stood with his chin jutted toward Jacob, as if asking for a punch to knock him off his feet.
One of the men, a miner named Andrews, whispered, “The old earl? Was he hurt?”
“As far as I know, no.” Jacob knew the miners esteemed the Earl of Launceston, who had provided for the miners and their families when his own uncle had failed to in the months leading up to Uncle Maban’s death. “The house was damaged, and the family and their servants were terrified.”
Yelland folded his arms over his chest. “A few broken windows seems to be the worst of it.”
Jacob was irritated by the man’s attitude. Remembering the horror on Lady Caroline’s face and the children’s fearful cries, he fought his rising temper.
“How much did you detonate?” he asked.
“All of it.”
Shock stole every word from Jacob. He was tempted to ask Yelland if he had lost his mind, but the answer was obvious. “Was anyone hurt here?”
“We took shelter in the old stone circle.” Yelland fired a glance at the men behind him. A warning, no doubt, not to complain of any injuries.
One man was cradling his left arm in his right hand. Another was trying to staunch a bloody nose. Several pressed a hand against their ears, and he suspected they rung from the explosion’s concussion. The fools who had assisted Yelland could have easily been killed, and he could see they knew it.
“Clean up this mess. Make sure the remaining fires are put out. Once you are done here, come to the village. There are a lot of windows to be boarded up as well as plenty of shattered nerves to be soothed.” He glanced around at the scorched moor. “And don’t forget to thank God you are alive. He has been merciful today.”
The men behind Yelland nodded, knowing what Jacob said was true. They hurried to follow his orders. After glaring at Jacob another moment, even the mine captain walked away.
Remounting, Jacob did not have to urge Shadow toward the village. The horse was eager to put the stench of fire and destruction behind him. The fine-boned Arab, a gift from Jacob’s brother to commemorate him becoming a baron, could challenge the ever-present wind from the sea. It had been too long since Jacob had found time to ride neck-or-nothing on Shadow, but he could not give the horse his head now. He must return to the village to examine the damage more closely.
He sighed as he drew in Shadow near the engine house. Before he had come to Cornwall, he had envisioned his life at Warrick Hall would be one of ease, where he could enjoy racing his powerful horse any time he wished. What a witless air-dreamer he had been!
Jacob scanned the crowd. In its center, Lady Caroline was tending a little boy’s hand while a long line of others waited for her attention. She spoke softly to the child, too softly for Jacob to hear her exact words as he dismounted again and lashed the reins to the building’s railing. Her tone was clear, however. She was offering comfort as well as trying to win a smile from the child. She succeeded before a woman took the little boy’s uninjured hand and drew him aside so another hurt child could take his place.
As he walked toward the crowd, no one paid him any attention. Every eye was focused on the earl’s daughter.
Even his. Lady Caroline’s round face was alight with caring. Strands of her ebony hair curled along her cheeks and accented her gentle smile. She wore a patched apron she must have borrowed from a miner’s wife, but it could not detract from her elegance. Somehow, she combined grace with a warmth that made the villagers feel comfortable around her.
As he did.
He had not expected ever to be at ease in the company of a woman after the terrible night that changed his life. However, from the first time he had met Lady Caroline, she had treated him with kindness.
“What happened to you, sweetheart?” Lady Caroline asked the little girl standing in front of her.
The child, who could not be much more than six, held up her right hand. Tears washed down her cheeks, and her lips trembled as she spoke. “Hurt my finger.”
“I see.” Dipping a cloth into a bucket, she dabbed gently at a small cut on the girl’s finger. She spoke in a soothing tone while she bandaged the finger. Again, by the time she was finished, the child was smiling.
Lady Caroline noticed him and straightened. Asking a woman to bring more boiled water, she assured those waiting for attention she would return in a moment. Only then did she walk toward him.
“How do they fare?” he asked above the noise from the beam engine.
“There are no serious problems. Mostly small lacerations. The worst injuries are twisted ankles or wrists when someone was knocked to the floor.” She glanced toward the terrace houses. “With your permission, I would like to ask Mr. Hockbridge to pay a visit here to confirm there are no broken bones.”
“Thank you.”
She looked past him. “Where is Arthur?”
“He decided to check on some of your tenants.”
“Have you discovered what caused the explosion?”
“Gunpowder.” He explained what Yelland had admitted to before adding, “They were overeager to discover if they could use it in the mines.”
Her brows lowered in concentration, as her brother’s had, and she folded her arms in front of her. “They had gunpowder without you knowing?”
“I knew, but I intended they test only a small amount under my supervision. Before I allowed even that, I would have informed your father.”
“But such explosions are dangerous.”
“Rest assured, my lady, I have experience with detonating chemicals.”
“I thought you were at Oxford before you came here.”
He smiled for only a second as pain sliced his cheek. “Actually I was at Cambridge. I taught mathematics and physical sciences. I supervised many experiments with my students.” He clamped his lips closed, wondering why he was babbling about matters that probably were of no interest to an earl’s daughter.
“I should have known you would be cautious, even if your mine captain was not.”
He appreciated her faith in his good sense. He wished he could trust it, as well. Once, he had been sure he would make the right decision in any situation. No longer. If his brother had not come upon the broken carriage the night of the accident as Jacob fought to hold on to his consciousness, Virginia might not have been the only one to die.
Jacob realized Lady Caroline had gone on speaking and was giving him an overview of the damage inside the terrace houses. He almost groaned, because it was more extensive than he had guessed. The ones closest to the explosion were unsafe, and he would need to find temporary homes for those who lived there.
“If they do not mind,” she was saying when he focused on her words again, “we have some empty buildings about a mile from here. Not cottages exactly, but they have roofs and doors.” A grin eased the tension on her face. “Best of all, they have no windows.”
He could not keep from returning her grin, though the expression tugged at his sore cheek once more. “If those in Porthlowen who have lost windows