Chapter 181 - Ashes And Rain

Delaney looked up and felt like her heart might fall from her chest.

"Vincent!"

Her husband's leg was hurting him but he still rushed forward as fast as he could falling to his knees in the mud in front of her.

"Delaney what are you..."

He didn't get a chance to finish his question as she threw her arms around him and pulled him to her, pressing her lips to his in a desperate kiss. He didn't seem to mind as he held her against his chest and eagerly kissed her back, one hand sliding over her cheek and cradling her face.

Tears mixed with the rain and ash as they slid down Delaney's cheeks. She was so relieved to find Vincent safe and sound she felt as if she would burst. When their lips came apart she giggled through her tears as she took his scarred face in her hands, reveling in the feeling of his unnatural heat against her skin. She looked him over as she lightly traced a scar with her thumb.

"You're alright," she managed, "You are aren't you?"

"I'm fine love," he assured her with a little smile, "Filthy but all in one piece."

"I was so scared," she choked as she fought to keep herself from crying harder, "When I got here and couldn't find you I..."

"I'm so sorry," he shook his head, "I was around the back making sure the flames weren't spreading backward. Then a servant boy ran up to me and was trying to tell me something but he had a hard time speaking and was so excited he couldn't get it out. He managed to get out that Lady Adair was here and I took off to find you."

"Will," Delaney whispered and looked around urgently now until her eyes landed on the scrawny little boy standing a few steps back with a pleased smile.

"Will," she called and the boy hurried to them, "Will, I can't tell you how grateful I am that you found Lord Adair. Would you like to come back to our house with us? We can find a position for you and see if we can give you something better than this."

The boy's eyes went wide in surprise and he nodded eagerly.

"Very well," she smiled, "Go find the Adair carriage and wait with it."

Will nodded with a huge smile and ran off towards the stables. When Delaney looked back at her husband she saw a tender look on his face. He leaned forward and gently kissed her once more.

"Let me help you up out of this mud," Vincent spoke and slowly stood up.

He took her hands in his and pulled her up until he could get to her waist and lift her the rest of the way. The Duke tried to help her take steps forward but her skirt was now tangled and sticking to her legs, making it impossible. The rain was starting to grow harder making the mud even worse.

"I'm sorry to do this my Love but we don't have another choice," Vincent apologized before grabbing the front, top layer of her skirts and yanking it.

Delaney gasped as she heard the fabric tear. Her husband reached around her taking one handful after another and yanking until he'd ripped off the top, heaviest layer completely. He knelt down and took her leg in his hands, pulling one foot out of the ankle-deep mud and then the other.

Free at last, Delaney pulled her cloak tightly around her again in an attempt to block the view of her underskirts. The steady rain had now grown until it was nearly blinding as it poured down on them. Vincent held her in his arms and they both looked back to see the flames on the castle starting to lower as the stinging rain put them out.

"Come on," Vincent shouted to her over the rain, "Let me get you home."

Delaney nodded and taking his hand, they both ran towards the stables as quick as they could manage with his bad leg and her wet skirts. Some of the stablemen were there trying to take care of all the additional horses from guests that had come to help with the fire. Vincent told them to ready his carriage and send the servant boy waiting with it to find them.

The men hurried off to do as he'd said and Delaney shivered as the storm blew a chilly wind through the stables. Vincent saw this and pulled her in against his chest, wrapping his arms around her to help warm her.

Looking up at her husband Delaney felt fear tugging at her heart again as she saw his face completely black from ash and smoke even with the rain. How close had he come to something terrible happening?

His clothes were also ruined and as she looked she saw small burn holes here and there. She pulled the fabric aside to examine them and found little pink burns on the skin beneath it.

"My Love, you have burns!" she gasped, her worried eyes meeting his.

"They're alright my darling they're just small spots from when something or other fell on me while I was fighting the fire. They will be raw to touch for a day or two but then they'll heal just fine. I'll wash them.

"Are you sure?" she asked nervously, "Should you see a doctor?"

"I can have Harris look at them. If he thinks any are bad enough that a doctor should look at them then I promise I will see one."

Delaney nodded, accepting that, and leaned her head against his chest. She was suddenly exhausted and wanted nothing more than to be home and out of the cold, wet, clothes. She was so tired that she didn't move when Vincent spoke to Will who had arrived to wait with them.

The men came to tell them their carriage was ready to go but no man could be found to drive it. Delaney looked up at Vincent with worry but he just chuckled.

"The two of you can ride inside and I will drive our carriage home."

"Vincent you can't. The rain is coming down in sheets!"

"I don't get cold as easily as everyone else, remember?" He winked at her and she sighed and gave in.

The servant boy scrambled into the carriage when the door was open and almost sat down on one of the seats. He paused and looked down at his filthy body and clothes and promptly dropped to sit cross-legged on the floor of the carriage. Delaney giggled at this but told Vincent she agreed it was probably the only way to not ruin the seats. She climbed in joined him in sitting on the floor which made the boy giggle.

Vincent closed the door and the darkness swallowed them up. A moment later the carriage lurched forward as the horses took off, not pleased to be out in the storm. Delaney pressed a hand against the wood on either side of her and used it to try to keep herself steady as they went around turns and hit bumps. Will grinned as if he was having the time of his life and didn't bother to try to keep himself from bouncing around.

The rain was coming down so hard it was too loud to be able to hear anything inside the carriage. The next thing they knew though they were coming to a stop and the sound of the rain cut off. Light began to filter in through the windows and a moment later the door was opened for them.

Vincent had driven the carriage straight into their stables and now their men were taking the horses from their harnesses. Delaney climbed down and Will followed. She held her cloak tightly about her again before they all made a dash for the house.

Inside the door, Delaney found Ms. Bird, Penelope, and a few of the other maids waiting. Upon seeing their Master and Mistress they looked shocked. Instead of explaining, Delaney introduced them to Will and said he would be staying with them. She asked one of the women to get him a bath and some clean clothes to wear for tonight. The maid nodded and headed off with the boy following.

Next, Vincent ordered the others to prepare them a bath as well and asked Ms. Bird to come to help Delaney with her wet clothes. The old maid hurried to do as she was told.

Up in their bedroom, Delaney could tell Ms. Bird was dying to ask her a million questions about the night but she wouldn't dare with Vincent in the room. Instead, she helped Delaney undress and wrapped her up in a towel to wait until the bath was ready. Delaney dropped onto the floor in front of the fire that was now burning in the fireplace in their bedroom. A moment later, Vincent painfully lowered himself to the ground behind her and wrapped his arms around her.

"I love you," he whispered.