Chapter 81 - The Surprise

Delaney stood at her bedroom window and squinted out into the darkness. She had eaten bits of the dinner that had been brought to her but couldn't manage much. Ms. Bird had helped her into her nightdress and she'd said she was going to bed but had been by the window ever since.

What had that thing been? Was it a bear? It didn't look like a bear really. Or any animal. It moved strangely. The memory of its strange eyes watching her made her shiver.

Cursing herself for being spineless, Delaney stormed away from the window and to her bed. She was exhausted from the night before and insisted on trying to sleep. She curled up in the bed without her husband and fell asleep where she dreamed of the creature in the woods snatching her away to never return.

In the morning, she had only barely finished her breakfast downstairs in the dining room when she heard a rumbling growing louder. She looked at the server for an answer but he looked just as confused as she was. Putting her napkin on the table, she left the dining room and found the butler in the entryway looking outside.

Stepping out of the great front doors, Delaney was shocked to see dozens of men on horses and carriages heading up the drive towards the manor.

"What is this?" Delaney asked the butler, "Who are all these men?"

"I'm not sure my Lady but the first carriage does have the Adair crest."

Delaney's eyes snapped the first carriage, her heart leaping with excitement at the idea of Vincent being back already. As she studied it though she sighed. It was their crest but not her husband's carriage. That left only a handful of people who could be in there.

The men on horses rode up surrounding the carriage and one man, in particular, caught Delaney's eye.

"Miles?"

"Back already I'm afraid," he smirked as he got down from his horse.

She watched as he walked to the carriage and opened the door before a footman could.

"Surprise!" came a voice Delaney knew well and she clapped her hands in excitement as Cora stepped out in a bright, deep pink gown, golden curls tumbling over her shoulders.

As soon as she was out of the way, another man stepped forward from a horse that Delaney also recognized.

"We're Vincent's surprise for you," came a second female voice and Delaney could've popped with excitement.

Bernard held his hand out to help Constance from the carriage, cradling a bundle in her arms. Bernard took the baby and the three women hurried to each other, crushing one another in a hug.

"Did Selina and Duncan not come?" Delaney asked, hopeful her other friend might be coming as well.

"Duncan is with Vincent helping him," Miles answered, "And Selina is at their home I'd expect."

"Wait," Delaney looked up at him in surprise, "Their home? Did Selina and Duncan get married?"

Her friends looked awkwardly at one another.

"They got married right after Duncan finished with the horse-trading," Cora answered slowly.

Delaney frowned, "But.. but I heard nothing of it. Did she have a small wedding?"

"She did not," Constance rolled her eyes in annoyance, "She made a spectacle of herself with that wedding. It was tacky."

"So you both went?" Delaney asked feeling an unexpected stab of hurt, "You were both invited?"

"We went for Duncan," Constance frowned, "I wouldn't have gone if Selina had been marrying anyone else."

"Neither would I," Cora agreed.

"Why don't we discuss this later," Miles cut in, "Delaney, Vincent has hired these men to work here at the estate now. They're going to be guards."

"All of them?" Delaney asked looking at the dozens of armed men, "Where will they all stay?"

"There are dorms for them to the side of the kitchen. Vince wants about twenty of them here for now. He may have more stay when he returns. They're all soldiers who fought in the war with us."

Delaney looked at the men around her with new respect. She knew from her husband and brother-in-law the war hadn't been easy. They were brave for having fought it.

"Well I appreciate them all being here," the mistress of the manor smiled at her new guards before turning to the butler on the stairs, "show them all to their rooms and have a meal prepared for them."

The butler nodded and gestured for the men on horses to follow him around the house. Once the five friends were left on their own, Delaney was quick to ask to hold the baby Benjamin. Bernard had handed him over with a proud smile for his son.

"He looks just like you," Delaney smiled at the man.

"Oh no," he countered with a shake of his head, "He's beautiful just like his mother."

Delaney held the baby a bit closer, feeling sadness in her heart as she thought of Olive. She missed her friend so she couldn't imagine how much Bernard did.

"Let me show you all to your rooms," Delaney continued after clearing her throat, "I'm sure if Vincent planned for you to be here he told Ms. Crouch so your rooms are likely ready."

The housekeeper was waiting with they came in and smiled fondly at Miles who she'd seen grow up. She told him his room was ready for him and Bernards was beside it, a room he apparently normally stayed in when visiting Edgewood.

The women were put in rooms next to Delaney's. Once they'd seen them, the three friends carried the baby to the nursery where his nursemaid was waiting for them.

Delaney swallowed as she looked around the room decorated in greens and golds. It had cradles and chairs that rocked, and little wooden toys. Her husband and his brother had been the last babies to live in these rooms, more than twenty years ago.

"This is such a lovely nursery," Cora smiled as she gazed up at the painted ceiling.

"Soon Vincent and Delaney will have it overflowing with babies," Constance teased making Cora laugh and Delaney blush.

"You've taken him to your bed haven't you Delaney?" Cora asked nervously, "I know Selina had made you worry about it but surely now you've seen Vincent is a good man and..."

"I have," Delaney giggled at her friend, "I'm actually quite in love with my husband."

Her friends' mouths fell open in surprise before they squealed with excitement, waking the sleeping baby who cried out in protest.

"Oh no poor Benjamin," Delaney giggled and leaned down to kiss his tiny face where he lay in his cradle.

"Delaney, you have to tell us the details," Cora hissed in an attempt to whisper, "What happened? You hated him!"

Delaney laughed and signaled for the women to follow her, leaving Benjamin with his nursemaid. They made their way back downstairs to the sitting room where she called for tea for them and closed the door.

Without having to worry about being overheard, Delaney poured out the details of her time being married from the night with the wolves to meeting fairies, to making love to Vincent every chance she had now.

Her friends listened and gushed over how romantic it sounded and how happy they were for the couple. They sipped on their tea and Delaney answered their questions about Vincent and being a duchess.

"Here you all are," Miles said sometime later when he and Bernard swept in to join them, "We've been looking for you, Delaney."

She hesitated, "For what?"

"Vincent told us about your letter about seeing something in the woods... I don't mean to insult you but are you sure it wasn't just a bear or something else? Perhaps you didn't get a good look."

Delaney frowned at him, "It wasn't a bear or a wolf or any other kind of animal. It was some strange creature. And I am sure I saw it. It looked right at me!"

"Alright," Miles raised his hands in surrender, "Then I want you to show us exactly where it was."

She swallowed, glancing at her friends, and feeling her fear start to creep back in, "Alright... Come with me."

The group followed her down through the gardens, past the old tree, and all the way down to the edge of the woods below. Delaney didn't need to think about it. She knew exactly where the thing had been between a group of saplings.

"Right there," she pointed, stopping a safe distance from the spot, "I was sitting under the tree and I saw it there."

Miles and Bernard went the rest of the way, leaving the women standing together. Delaney remembered when they'd stood here all those years ago arguing about playing together before she raced her husband.

They watched as the men looked around, studying the ground and shifting things here and there. They muttered to each other and pointed at things, walking farther into the trees. They continued until the women could barely see them.

At last, when Miles and Bernard returned, Delaney twisted her ring on her finger as she wondered what they had seen.

"There was something there," Miles spoke, looking over his shoulder at the spot.

"The tracks go a ways into the woods but then we can't pick up on them in the leaves," Bernard added, seeming nervous again without Olive there to support him.

"We're going to take some of the men and the dogs and see what we can find."

Delaney felt relief that they didn't think she was crazy but now terrified at the idea of them chasing after whatever the thing was. They all walked back up to the manor and she couldn't keep herself from checking over her shoulders a few times just to make sure they weren't being watched, or worse, followed.

Standing in the entryway with her friends later, they watched as Miles and Bernard headed into the woods on foot with several men and dogs. Other men on horses were close behind.

Once they were out of sight, the friends went to the sitting room where Delaney retrieved a deck of cards. Like old times, they played together as time ticked away. They were all trying not to think of the monsters that could be lurking in the woods.