Chapter Nine #2
She was going to read his file. He saw it on her face. This was why she could not look him in the eye.
Well, where was the harm? There was nothing in there anyway. He had scrutinized his file, desperate to find the slightest speck of a clue, and would have known if there had been anything to discover. “Stay alert when you walk out of here. Make certain your footmen are aware when you step out.”
“Yes, I’ll make sure of it.”
“Tell me if you find anything in my file.”
Her face immediately turned a hot red and then her shoulders sagged. “I…I… You knew.”
He nodded. “Your eyes reveal everything. Read it as many times as you like, Berry. There’s nothing there. I have to go. See you at the museum tonight.”
He strode out of the building and into the sunshine.
Since Bow Street was not far and the day was pleasant enough, he decided to walk to Homer Barrow’s office.
He was not certain he would find the man there, because Barrow was so often in demand and constantly called out on urgent investigations.
But Gideon would leave word for him and ask him to stop by the Musket Club.
He was in luck, however. Homer Barrow was seated at his desk, finishing up a report for a client before heading out on another investigation.
He was a big, portly man with jowly cheeks and a bulbous nose, but he had one of the keenest minds Gideon had ever met.
“Do have a seat, Mr. Knight. What can I do for you?”
Gideon quickly told him the situation.
“I’ll put Mick to following Lord Hawthorne. He’s part bloodhound, and no one can shake him off the tail,” Barrow said with a jovial smile. “George will keep watch on Duchess Square. Would Lady Berry be averse to taking him into her home in some capacity?”
“I am certain she would be amenable. If I am wrong, then my home can be used. It is not yet furnished or staffed, but my friend Bonham has been staying overnight to make certain no one breaks in. George can conduct this surveillance from there, too. It is well positioned on the square. We also have two very inquisitive neighbors who can be trusted to cooperate,” he added, thinking of Berry’s friends, Miranda and Gwendolyn.
“Sounds like we won’t have a problem getting set up.
However, it will take me a few days to put this in place.
You see, we have other commitments these next few days, and I am already short of qualified Runners to handle them.
I am stretched a bit thin right now. Can you afford to wait a few days?
I would understand if you needed to seek elsewhere for these services. ”
“No, I’ll wait for you.”
“That is much appreciated. I’ll do my best to get to you as quickly as possible. You did me a good turn last year, and I owe you the favor. If you feel the danger is imminent, I—”
“No, Mr. Barrow. We can wait another two or three days.” Gideon raked a hand through his hair. “I’ll advise Lady Berry to stay close to home in the meanwhile. On my recommendation, she has been taking two armed footmen with her whenever she goes out.”
“That is good.”
“She is attending a soirée at the British Museum tonight and will not cancel. But Lord Berwick will be picking her up in his carriage to escort her there, and I will be meeting them, so she should be all right. Lord Berwick will escort her home afterward and I’ll ride with them for an added measure of protection. ”
Barrow frowned. “You’re quite concerned about her.”
“I am probably fretting too much. No doubt it is needless. But Hawthorne is refusing to move on after she has rebuffed him, instead becoming more persistent. Desperate men do foolish things, and I cannot shake the feeling that he is planning something nefarious.”
“To abduct her?”
Gideon nodded. “But I don’t see how that will help him, since Lady Berry will never agree to marry him.
And he must know that neither Lord Berwick nor I will ever release a farthing of her trust fund to him.
Well, it all may be nothing and I am worrying too much.
I’ll be with her this evening and tomorrow, as well.
I’ve also put one of my lads to following Lord Hawthorne in the meanwhile.
But the lad is a little questionable himself. ”
“Give me two or three days,” he said, then smiled wryly. “I do not think you will mind staying close to Lady Berry until then.”
Gideon laughed. “I don’t suppose I will.”
“You shall have my complete attention and my best men on the task within a few days’ time.”
Gideon thanked the Bow Street Runner and headed to the Musket Club. Since the streets were crowded and the carriages did not appear to be moving along these bustling thoroughfares with any speed, he chose to walk again. The club was not all that far away.
In truth, Gideon needed to walk off the turmoil of this day, most of all trying to ignore his growing feelings for Berry.
He had listened to her as she explained to his painters how antique white differed from ivory white and why one color was perfect for the parlor and the other was perfect for the ballroom.
Or maybe she’d said eggshell white for the ballroom. Who remembered?
Not that it mattered to him. What mattered was Berry turning his house into a home.
Watching her walk from room to room made him yearn to have her in his life, to make her his wife and build the loving memories he had always craved.
Well, it was all fantasy.
Wasn’t it?
They hardly knew each other. He had to be certain of both their feelings before he ever dared say anything to her.
Assuming he would ever do such a thing. Because once words were spoken, they could not be unspoken.
There was a lot to think about, so many reasons why his dreams of making a life with Berry were purely wishful thinking and had to remain as nothing more.
Most of all, he would not do anything to jeopardize his position as her trustee. Lord Berwick was relying on him to protect her when he was no longer able to perform his fiduciary duties, and he could not fail this good and decent man.
Gideon entered the Musket Club through the back entrance and climbed the stairs to his bedchamber, hoping to avoid encountering anyone, not even Pudge or Joss.
His thoughts were still in a roil, not only because of Berry. Walking through the orphanage had hit him hard.
Staring at that gray stone building was a bit of bitter reality, a hard slap in the face to wake him up and remind him of all the reasons why Berry was a foolish dream that would never come to pass. He was those children, those abandoned souls who had nothing and came from nothing.
More important, the ton would view him as nothing despite all his accomplishments. He would never be accepted because nobodies did not marry princesses, and Berry was a princess if ever there was one.
“Mr. Knight, you look as though you want to punch a hole through the wall,” Horace said, scurrying into Gideon’s bedchamber with his freshly pressed evening attire. It was to be black tie and tails.
“I’m fine. Are you certain the museum event is formal attire?” Gideon should have thought to ask Berry, but his mind was on a thousand more important things.
Horace rolled his eyes. “Yes, I am certain. It said so right on the invitation, which you would have seen had you bothered to read it. Even if it hadn’t, these events are always formal, whether held in a ballroom or a museum. Your tub will be brought up directly. Use this soap when you wash.”
Gideon took it from Horace’s outstretched hand and inhaled. “What is it? Not my usual sandalwood.”
“No, this has a hint of musk. The women will claw you to shreds.” Horace formed his fingers into claws and gave a purring growl that sounded like no animal Gideon had ever heard.
“Dear heaven.” He tossed it back at Horace. “You use it. I’ll have my usual soap.”
The only woman he wanted clawing him was Berry. He wanted her nails digging into his back and her legs wrapped around his hips while in the throes of passion.
That was what he wanted.
That was the worst thing that could ever happen.
And it would never happen.
“Oh my. You look like you want to punch that wall again.”
“Go away, Horace.”
His valet ignored him and continued to fuss over his attire. Then the tub was rolled in and the new hires on his staff carried in the steaming water.
Once that was done, he turned once again to Horace. “Out. Come back in fifteen minutes.”
“All right, sir.”
Gideon sank into the hot water and closed his eyes for a moment. He allowed the heat to soak into his bones. He then hurriedly washed his hair and body, grabbed the towel Horace had left on a nearby stool for him, and climbed out of the tub.
After drying off, he wrapped the towel around his waist and then rolled the tub into the corner where Bonham had installed a drain so that the water could be poured out, sparing the need to lug buckets up and down.
He could have left it to his staff to do, but he was still on edge and needed to occupy himself with something.
He was about to reach for his comb when the door opened once more. “Horace, you’re five minutes early.”
“Good, then you and I will have five minutes to ourselves,” Jasmine replied, slipping into his bedchamber.
“For pity’s sake, what are you doing here? Out.”
Her gaze was avid as she studied him. “Horace said you were out of sorts. I thought I would come up and soothe you.”
“I do not need your soothing. Where’s your benefactor?”
“Haverstock is in the cards room. He’ll be occupied all night and I am already bored.”
“Too bad. I’m busy.”
“I can give you a quick—”
He held Jasmine by her wrists when she attempted to remove his towel. “That isn’t going to happen.”
“Are you spurning me? Who do you think you are?” She had pretended to be hot for him, but that mask of adoration quickly fell aside to reveal her true character, which was petty and vengeful. “Let go of me or I shall scream.”
“Go right ahead, and I will toss you out of here so fast your head will spin.”
“I could cause trouble for you, Gideon.”
“You would do this after everything I have done for you?”
She spat at him.
He hauled her to the door and called for Pudge.
“Yes, Mr. Knight,” the reliable young man said, immediately lumbering up the stairs.
“The lady seems to have lost her way. Escort her downstairs. If she gives you any trouble, throw her out and never allow her in the club again.”
“You’ll regret this,” she hissed, and stormed downstairs, clawing Pudge’s hand when he attempted to escort her out.
“Angry cat,” Pudge muttered, putting a handkerchief to the scratch that was beginning to bleed.
“I think her benefactor is already regretting their arrangement. He rarely plays cards when he comes here, but he’s settled in for the entire night, and I can see by the look in his eyes that he dreads going home with her. ”
“Watch her closely, Pudge. She’s acting oddly and may do something foolish. Alert Joss, too. And put some brandy on that cut to cleanse it thoroughly.”
He nodded and marched downstairs to catch up with Jasmine.
Gideon picked up his soap and washed the spit off his face.
Horace returned to assist him in dressing, as usual fussing over every detail, including the length of cuff showing beneath his jacket sleeve.
But Gideon let Horace go about his business without snapping at him.
After all, the lad was doing a good job in dressing him like a gentleman and took pride in his work.
In truth, he liked Horace. He was honest and loyal, not to mention meticulous.
“There is an art to being a gentleman,” Horace always said. “One must look perfect without appearing as though one spent hours achieving that perfection.”
Horace was another of those good souls who would have been eaten alive if left to manage on his own on the streets.
In a way, Horace, Joss, and Pudge had become family to Gideon. Bonham, of course, was his best friend and the brother he had never had.
Jasmine could have become a part of their misfit family, not as his mistress or love interest, although he would be lying if he claimed never to have taken her into his bed. But that was long over, and she knew he would always protect her as a sister.
He had even offered her a respectable job.
But she had chosen the life of a courtesan, servicing gentlemen who lavished her with expensive gifts until they got tired of her and moved on.
She was exclusive to one man at a time, but none stayed long.
She would then find herself another gentleman and negotiate her arrangement with him.
In between, and sometimes during, she would offer herself to him.
He used to take her up on those offers in the early days.
Never now. Jasmine had a petulant nature and would often throw tantrums, but tonight’s behavior was the worst he had ever seen of her. Tonight’s incident felt different.
She worried him. Not for her threats against him, but for her own well-being. She could have confided in him and asked for his help instead of leveling her threats. Why this sudden leap from petulant to destructive?
If she was still here when he returned, he would have a talk with her. But he could not do it now, for he was already late for the museum benefit.
He had his carriage brought around. And indulged Horace while the lad fussed over his attire once more. “Enough. No one will care,” he said finally.
Horace rolled his eyes. “Everyone will care. You are the outsider and they will all be looking at you, hoping to find fault. It shall not be with the way I have dressed you.”
Gideon laughed. “All right. Point made.”
His carriage drew up in front of the club. It was time to head to the museum.
Would Hawthorne be there and already bothering Berry?