Steele In The Know4

Part 6

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Remington laid Laura on Daniel's bed, noticing the nearly full suitcase on the other side only in passing. His attention was almost wholly on Laura. Taking one of her arms, he began chafing her wrist.

"Is there anything I can do, Harry?" Daniel asked.

"Find me a cold cloth, will you?" He heard Daniel leave the room. "Laura, love. Wake up."

"Ooh," she said in a soft moan. Opening her eyes, she looked disconcerted for a moment. "What happened?" she asked, moving to sit up.

"Just stay there," Remington suggested. "You fainted. I came in here to find Daniel holding you."

"Daniel." She looked around the room. "Where is he?"

"Right here, my dear," Daniel assured her, returning to hand the cool cloth to Remington. "You gave me a fright, I'm afraid."

"Daniel, would you go downstairs, ask Mickeline if he could call the nearest doctor, ask him to come have a look at Laura?"

"Of course, Harry," Daniel said, turning away.

"A doctor? I don't need a doctor," Laura insisted, pushing Remington's hand away to sit up. "I'm perfectly fine."

"Laura, people who are `perfectly fine' don't faint twice in one day," Remington said firmly. "Go on, Daniel."

"I'll take care of it," he said.

Laura touched her husband's arm. "How are you feeling?" she asked as he watched Daniel leave the room again.

"At the moment, the only thing I'm worried about is you," he said.

"And I'M worried about YOU," she said. "Now I'll ask again- how are you feeling?"

"I wish I knew," he admitted, taking her hand in his to sit on the edge of the bed. "Right now, I'm not sure HOW I feel. Laura, if your father were to suddenly show up out of the blue- what would you do?"

"My father? Oh, I don't know. I suppose I'd be angry- but I hope that I would at least talk to him, find out why he left. Give him a chance to explain." She looked at him. "Daniel was there for you as much as he could be. Try to remember that."

Remington nodded; recalling that Mildred had said just about the same thing as that woman came into the room, a worried look on her round face. "Oh, Mrs. Steele. Daniel said you had fainted again."

"Did Mickeline call a doctor?" Remington asked her.

Mildred nodded. "Yes. He should be here soon."

"I don't NEED a doctor," Laura said again. "I'm fine." She gave Remington a gentle shove. "And I'll prove it. Get up."

"Laura-."

"Mrs. Steele-."

Remington stood by, watching as she got off the bed and stood up. "There," she said. "See?" Turning slowly, she looked from Mildred to Remington. "Now. Call that doctor and tell him not to bother coming out here-," she began, but when Remington lifted her off her feet again and moved toward the door, she said, "What are you DOING?" she demanded.

"Taking you to our room, where you're going to rest until the doctor arrives." When she would have spoken again, his blue eyes met hers, and Laura fell silent as she saw the genuine concern there. "Don't argue with me about this, Laura. Humor me, okay? Just this once?"

She glanced behind him to where Mildred was following, then sighed. "Don't count on it becoming an every day occurrence, Mr. Steele," she told him.

"The thought never crossed my mind, Mrs. Steele," Remington said to her. Looking back, he told Mildred, "Would you go have Cook fix something for Laura, Mildred? Something light, I should think, and have it brought up to our room?"

"You got it, Boss," Mildred assured him, disappearing down the stairs.

Laura settled into Remington's arms, her head on his shoulder. Truthfully, she WAS a little tired- and that bothered her more than anything else did. She'd slept quite awhile earlier, but she still felt a strange lethargy. She felt totally drained of energy. Not that she was going to admit that to Remington. Still, she thought as he opened the bedroom door and carried her toward the bed, it was nice just letting him pamper her for once. At least her little fainting spell had kept he and Daniel from continuing their argument, she mused as he laid her gently on the bed and went to get a quilt from across the room to drop over her before sitting down beside her.

"Thank you," she told him, touching his face.

"It's still a bit chilly in here. Maybe I should light a fire-," he said, starting to rise.

Laura kept his hand, preventing him from going anywhere. "It's okay, Remington," she told him. "Just sit with me."

She had no idea how much her request revealed about how frightened she was. Remington pulled her into his arms, saying a silent prayer that she be all right. If he were to lose her now, he wasn't sure he could survive. Hell, he KNEW he couldn't survive without her here, with him. "I love you, Laura."

"I love you," she replied, lifting her lips to his for a kiss- just as there was a tap on the door.

"Come in," Remington called out, glad to see the humor in Laura's eyes at the interruption.

Mildred entered the room with a tray. "Cook made you some soup," she was saying, then noticed the way Remington was sitting, holding her. "I'm sorry, you two. Didn't mean to interrupt again."

"That's alright, Mildred," Laura assured her, smiling at Remington as he took the tray from Mildred and placed it over her legs.

"The doctor hasn't arrived yet?" Remington asked, watching as Laura picked up her spoon.

"He should be here any minute. Mickeline says he's a good doctor- has a clinic the other side of Glen Cree that all the locals go to when they're sick."

"Hmm," Remington said thoughtfully. "Perhaps I should call a doctor from Dublin," he said. "A specialist, or-."

"Mr. Steele, you can't call a specialist until you know what's wrong," Mildred reminded him.

"I'm sure it's nothing major," Laura agreed, swallowing a spoonful of the soup. Her eyes widened as there was another knock on the door.

"I'll get it," Mildred offered. Opening the huge door, she found herself confronted by Mickeline and a tall, distinguished looking man whose once red hair had faded to a dull rust color. But his green eyes still sparkled with a deep appreciation of life.

"Miss Krebs, this is the doctor I was tellin' y'about," Mickeline told her. "Dr. Francis Patrick Donovan."

"Come in, Doctor," Mildred said, stepping back. Looking at her employers, she said, "I'll wait downstairs with Mickeline and the others." She came over and picked up the tray. "Let me take this downstairs."

Dr. Donovan smiled at Laura and Remington as the door closed behind Mickeline and Mildred. "Mickeline O'Flynn tells me that you've been having fainting spells, your ladyship," he said.

"Only two," Laura told him. "And I only FAINTED once. The other time I was just a little- light headed."

He came closer, nodding at Remington. "Your Lordship. If you'd be so kind as to leave me alone with the patient-," he said.

"I don't know-," Remington began, but Laura stopped him.

"It's alright. Go downstairs. Get something to eat."

"You're sure?" he asked.

"I can assure you, Mr. Steele, your wife is in safe hands."

Remington leaned down to place a kiss on Laura's lips. "I won't be far," he told her.

Once they were alone, Laura watched as Dr. Donovan placed his black bag on the bed and opened it. "Y'won't mind if I ask you a few questions?"

"Ask away," Laura told him. "I'm sure there's nothing wrong except for jet lag."

"Why don't we let me be the judge o'that, now, Mrs. Steele? After all, I am the doctor here," he reminded her, placing a stethoscope around his neck.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Murphy was in the hallway as Remington came down the stairs, glancing occasionally back the way he'd come. "Steele. How's Laura?" he asked.

"She seems fine at the moment. Dr. Donovan tossed me out so he could examine her," he explained, feeling extremely put upon by that occurrence.

"Mildred and I were just about to have something to eat- I was going to get Chalmers."

"Daniel? Where is he?"

"In his room. Said he had something to finish up. Uh- Steele, I'm sorry I didn't tell you what I'd found. But Chalmers convinced me that the truth should come from him, not some private detective. Even IF that PI just happens to be an old friend."

"Why Murphy. I had no idea that I was in such exalted territory."

"Yeah, well, guess we all make mistakes, right?"

"You go join Mildred. I'll go fetch Daniel." He turned back toward the stairs.

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As he approached Daniel's room, his courage failed him. What the bloody hell was he supposed to say? I forgive you? I understand now why I had to take care of myself for the first fourteen years of my life? He paused, caught himself nibbling on a thumbnail and stopped himself. Just go in there, his mind told him. If you don't, he'll leave and you'll never see him again. Never have a chance to find out the things that you need to know.

Straightening his shoulders, Remington entered the room to find Daniel just closing the suitcase that was still on the bed. "I remember when you bought that suit," he said, and saw Daniel start in surprise.

"When you conned that poor salesman into flying you all over the place in that private jet."

Daniel looked up, smiling. "Ah, but it was my loyal assistant who assured him that I intended to purchase the bloody thing. What about that time we relieved that limey- what was his name?"

"Hoskins," Remington supplied.

"Of his ill gotten gain?"

"And proved he was murderer to boot," Remington reminded him.

"What about when you pretended to be the son of a duke?"

"To save your reputation and my neck," Remington said, a grin forming. "What about the Countess in Nice?"

Daniel laughed. "There've been so many, my boy."

"We've had some good times, haven't we, Daniel?"

"The best," Daniel agreed, waiting for him to make the first move, watching warily.

Remington tugged at his ear, then pulled the man into a hug. "Oh, Daniel."

"Harry, my boy." He looked up. "How is Laura?"

"The doctor's with her now. Tossed me out."

"Probably had more than his share of nervous husbands making his job more difficult than it is," Daniel suggested.

Remington indicated the suitcase. "Planning on going somewhere?"

"Back to London," he said. "If that's what you want me to do."

"No," Remington said, shaking his head. "No, it's not. That would defeat the purpose of what I've been doing these last few months, wouldn't it? Finding my father, being able to get some answers to my questions, only to send him away?" He saw the relief in the older man's eyes, and then wondered how he had missed the truth all these years.

Daniel sat down in a chair beside the fireplace. "I think this calls for a drink, don't you?"

"A drink, of course," Remington agreed, turning in search of the sideboard that was being used as a bar. "Ah, there it is," he said, pouring them each a glass of whiskey. "You know, Daniel, the question I'd like answered first is what my real name is. Heaven knows that Laura's been pestering me about it long enough." He turned and handed a glass to Daniel.

"Your real name? Haven't you ever wondered why I called you "Harry" when you preferred grander names? Names from Bogart's movies or such?"

Remington sat down on the chest at the end of the bed, dumbfounded. "You don't mean-?"

"The only thing I ever knew for sure was the name that Deirdre wanted to give you. It was the only thing I had to go on, trying to find you after I got out of prison. Harrison Chalmers."

"H-Harrison?" Remington questioned. "Harry's short for- Harrison?"

"She hoped it would placate her father for having run off with a no good con man. Harrison was Deirdre's family name."

"Deirdre," Remington repeated. "Deirdre Harrison. Harrison's not an Irish name."

"Her mother was Irish. Harrison had family ties here as well- only he chose to overlook them unless they were convenient."

"I take it that you and he didn't get on very well."

"No. He believed until his dying day that I stole his only child from him. Took her away from the privileged life she'd always known to my world. She was everything I wasn't. Honest, open, full of the joy of life. And she was a dreamer. Just as you've always tended to be. But where you've always done your best to make those dreams become reality, Deirdre was never able to take that step. But she saw the good in everyone, absolutely refused to acknowledge the bad."

"You must have loved her a lot."

"Almost as much as you love your Laura," Daniel admitted, wincing as he shifted positions. He must have noticed Remington's concerned look. "Just a little twinge. Old age tends to catch up with everyone."

"Not with you, Daniel," Remington said.

"I wish that were true, Harry." He rose slowly and went to the suitcase, opening it and digging through the clothes. He paused, and Remington was certain that he had something in his hand, then his hand moved and he pulled out a framed photograph. "Do you remember this?"

Remington took the picture, looking into the face of the dark haired, blue eyed, smiling young woman. "It was on your nightstand when I first came to stay with you."

Daniel nodded. "You asked me who she was, remember?"

"Something like, Is she your bird," if I remember correctly," Remington said with a wince at the memory of the rough edged young man's question.

"You do. And I told you she was someone I'd known years ago."

Remington nodded, studying the face, seeing the similarities between his own and hers. Especially the eyes. "I never saw the picture again. Never thought about it, honestly."

"I put it away. I was afraid you'd start to see how much she looked like you." He took the photograph and gazed at it for a long moment. "Those eyes. It was your eyes that made me realize that you were my son that day in Brixton."

"You know, I used to wonder, why me? Why out of all the kids out there, you chose me to take in, to help. I never suspected the real reason."

"Because I took great pains not to give you reason to suspect. You were so angry with your father, Harry. I used to have nightmares that you somehow found out and put a knife in my back while I was sleeping. Or that you simply walked away. I couldn't risk that, Harry. I'd spent fourteen years trying to find you. So I decided that it was best to be your mentor- and, hopefully, your friend."

"My best friend, Daniel. Until Laura, that is." The mention of Laura caused him to frown and glance at the doorway. "Speaking of Laura, I think I need to go check on her. Surely Dr. Donovan has finished by now."

"You go along. I'll be right behind you," Daniel told him.

Remington nodded, then went out into the hall, pausing as he heard the sound of something rattle softly in the room behind him, then the clink of glass against glass. The rattle had sounded suspiciously like pills. But Daniel eschewed taking pills as much as Remington did. Getting either of them to take an aspirin was almost impossible.

He started back into Daniel's room, only to pause as Daniel came out. Glancing at his father's face, Remington thought he saw concern there for a moment. "I thought you were going to check on Laura?" Daniel asked.

"Thought I'd wait for you," Remington told him. "Moral support."

"Oh, I'm sure Laura's going to be fine. She's strong. Exactly the sort of woman you need to keep you to the straight and narrow, Harry, my boy."

Remington smiled in agreement as they came down the stairs to find Dr. Donovan talking to Mildred and Murphy as Mickeline hovered in the background. "Here he is now," Mildred said to the doctor.

Donovan turned, smiling. "Ah, Mr. Steele."

"What's wrong with my wife?" he asked.

"As I was telling Miss Krebs and Mr. Micheals here, Mrs. Steele is going to be just fine. A bit of extra rest. I'm sure she'll want t'tell you about it herself. I've given Mickeline some instructions as far as foods she should eat. If y'need me again, just call."

Mickeline moved toward the door with the doctor as Remington turned back toward the stairs. Partway up, he paused. "Mildred, how about giving the castle to the government?"

She shook her head. "Sorry, Boss. Been tried more than once. They don't want it, either."

Remington sighed, and continued on toward his and Laura's room . . .

To Be Continued . . .

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Original content ©1999 by Nancy Eddy