Chapter 6
CHAPTER 6
T he waiting was the most annoying part of having Michael play such a vital part in her investigation.
Well, that and the fact that every time she came close to him, Adelaide had to hold herself back from touching him, sitting on his lap, or running her hand over his hair.
She had been around men her entire adult life but never had any affected her like he did.
If only they had found one another at another time, in another situation, then perhaps they could have been happy together. Truly together.
But for now, she would have to be content with the time she could spend with him.
She had not wanted to ask him for help. She wished she could do this alone, but as soon as Jack had involved Michael, she knew that the only way forward was to tell him the entire truth of the situation and then follow the line of investigation where it had led.
Thank goodness Michael seemed as eager to find answers as she was.
So, for now, she continued caring for Mabel, the time broken only by the few hours working for Matts each evening until she received the message she had been waiting for.
Addi,
He had called her that when they first came together, and it made her heart heavy that he was doing so again.
Lord Gregory has invited me to visit The Red Lion tomorrow. I will advise what I discover there.
X, Michael
Adelaide spent far too much time trying to determine what the X meant until she was pulled away from her thoughts by Mabel’s cry and reminded of what she was supposed to be doing besides feeding her daughter – determining her next action.
She knew Michael didn’t want her at The Red Lion tonight and could understand why he would say so, but he didn’t understand how important this was to her. He couldn’t. This was a game to him, something to divert his time and attention. For her, this was her entire life.
She hated being used, especially by Jack. She wanted nothing more than to cut all ties with the man she had called her brother, and she resented how he was using her past to keep her working with him. She had to be rid of him for good, and the only way she could think to do that was to figure out what he was up to and use that against him, one way or another.
And in the process, she had to ensure he didn’t take her down with him.
So, she made a plan.
Michael wouldn’t like it.
But he wasn’t going to have much choice.
Michael’s most significant concern about returning to The Red Lion was that Jack would recognize him and wonder what he was doing there.
He dressed as inconspicuously as possible, far from his usual meticulous fashion. Perhaps Jack wouldn’t pay much attention to his face if he appeared to be someone other than his true self. He turned from one side to the other as he looked in the mirror, satisfied that he had achieved his goal.
He was much more unkempt than usual but didn’t mind the rugged look. Fortunately, Dot and Edward were out at an event that evening, so he didn’t have to evade them and their questions regarding his unusual attire.
Lord Gregory, of course, had much to say upon seeing him.
“My goodness, man, what are you wearing?” he asked as he and Michael walked into The Red Lion together, having agreed to meet there as they each could have varied departure times and destinations, depending on who they met that night – not that Michael plans for any women. Except Adelaide, but he knew that was not a possibility.
“I thought I would try to blend in tonight,” he said with a shrug as though it didn’t mean anything. “Be a working man. See how that goes for me.”
“You know your true identity helps you with women, not hinders you, do you not?” Lord Gregory asked, staring at him as though he had lost his mind – and perhaps he had, although for altogether different reasons than Lord Gregory realized.
He had lost his mind and heart to Adelaide and no one else.
God, he missed her.
Perhaps if he could prove himself tonight by solving this scheme of her brother’s to release her from this hold he had over her, he could convince her that he was the man for her and that she – and the baby – could rely on him for anything they might need in the future.
With renewed purpose, he squared his shoulders and faced the door.
“You know me. I’m bored. Thought this might be a bit of fun.”
Lord Gregory snorted and shook his head. “Whatever works for you. You will never find me in such attire.”
“Would not expect to,” Michael said as he followed Lord Gregory through the door, attempting anonymity.
The Red Lion’s crowd was growing, although it was not nearly as busy as most of the taverns Michael used to visit. He could see why it wasn’t as popular as it could be, what with the weak ale, subpar food, and the one overworked woman hustling among the patrons, but he supposed Jack was making enough from his scheming that he didn’t much care about the business of the tavern.
They found a table and ordered a drink, although Michael didn’t expect to have said drink in hand anytime soon.
The air was so smoky that it was hard to see across the room, and Michael had this strange sense to peer through the dim light to seek out Adelaide.
But of course, she wasn’t here. That was his memory playing tricks on him, reminding him of what was and what could have been.
After finally receiving and forcing down the cheap whisky – no better than the brandy – Lord Gregory, Michael’s supposed friend, put a firm hand on Michael’s shoulder as he leaned in.
“Sorry to do this to you so early, but I’m going to do a round through the room to seek out any interested young lady worth my time.”
He was going to the gathering noted in the letter. Michael was sure of it. Now he had to follow him without raising suspicions. After giving Lord Gregory some space, Michael slipped off of his stool, staying to the edge of the room as he kept his gaze on the top of Lord Gregory’s black hat.
He was so intent on following the man across the room toward the back of the tavern that he stumbled over the person who entered his path.
A person who should not be here.
But who had never taken no for an answer.
Adelaide didn’t recognize Michael at first, which was something to be said as his handsome face was so unmistakable.
While she wasn’t sure he would admit it, she knew he prided himself on achieving the most fabulous style of the day. He was dressed so far from it tonight that she couldn’t help laughing to herself.
A well-worn, unfitted short coat made of thick, durable fabric hung over his shoulder while he had sat beside Lord Gregory, laughing. His plain, dark wool, unbuttoned waistcoat barely covered the simple, slightly worn linen shirt beneath, the sleeves rolled up to show off his strong, muscled forearms, which Adelaide longed to run her fingers over again.
His sturdy breeches had been made for a man smaller than him. Adelaide wondered who he had borrowed them from as her eyes followed the line of his legs hanging over the side of the stool, the fabric snuggly fitting his muscular thighs. She was biting her lip when she finally finished her perusal down to his heavy, serviceable boots.
He probably had no idea how much she enjoyed his casual clothing nor how she would truly prefer he remove it all and reveal what was underneath.
When Lord Gregory stood and began to walk away, Adelaide pushed herself away from the wall where she had been hiding in the shadows to intercept Michael as he followed him.
“Michael,” she called out to him, but he didn’t hear her over the din. She reached out to tap him on the shoulder but was bumped out of the way by another customer who’d had too much to drink.
She had no idea how that was possible with the slowness of the service she had witnessed, but perhaps this was not his first tavern of the night.
She was finally successful in surging through the crowd and stopped in front of Michael, but he was so intent on Lord Gregory that he continued to barrel forward and would have knocked her right over if he hadn’t reacted quickly enough to reach out and catch her against him.
The instant his warm, strong arms wrapped around her, her entire body sagged against him in relief, like she was finally safe. Home. Comfortable.
She sighed at the feeling of his strong chest beneath her cheek, even if the fabric between them was much rougher than it had ever been before.
“Well,” she finally heard from above her, “it is good to see you too.”
That was enough to bring her back to the present moment. She pushed herself up and away from him, remembering where they were, what they were doing, and, most importantly, who they were.
“My lady,” he said, thankfully breaking the tender moment and sweeping his weathered felt slouch hat off his head as he bowed toward her. “You are not supposed to be here tonight.”
He eyed her with a look of reproach that did not change her feelings as she shrugged.
“You could not keep me away.”
“Apparently not,” he said. She couldn’t help but stare at the bare, tanned skin that peeked out from where his cravat would usually be tied.
He rubbed a hand over his chin, where he must have allowed stubble to grow since he had planned his attire.
It just wasn’t right that a man could look so delicious.
It almost made Adelaide forget all her promises to herself and have one night where she would pretend that they were not themselves but other people entirely.
“What is with the costume?” she asked, lifting her hand up and down.
“I am trying to go undetected by your brother,” he said in a low voice. “I thought he wouldn’t place me if I were not dressed as my usual self.”
“But Lord Gregory knows you are here,” she said, raising a brow. “Is he not the leader, or at the very least, a partner in this?”
“Yes, but he is not aware of my involvement with you. If my name doesn’t come up, perhaps the two of them will not understand that I might have some idea of what is happening.”
“Perhaps,” she murmured, but she still felt uneasy about the situation.
“What about you?” he asked, leaning in toward her. “Just how will you explain yourself if your brother finds you here? No costume will prevent him from knowing who you are.”
“I am going to pretend that I am here to ask Jack to leave me out of this in the future. If he sees me, that is.”
“And if they realize we are together?” he asked.
“I’m sure we can come up with a logical reason for spending time with one another again,” she murmured, as heat stole up her face at just how they would do that. He must have known it, too, judging by his smirk. Suddenly, she felt he would go out of his way to ensure they had reason to prove their excuse.
“Where does this back door lead?” he asked Adelaide, keeping her just in front of him, a hand on the small of her back that was reminding her of all sorts of delicious things he had done to her in the past and could very well do to her again.
She had to clear her throat to bring herself back to the moment.
“It is a storeroom. There are no other doors leading out of it except to outside.”
“Lord Gregory disappeared through that door. Is there a way we can see the proceedings in there without exposing ourselves?”
Adelaide frowned.
“There is a small gap between the storeroom and the kitchen. If we can stay undetected in the kitchen, we should be able to listen in – as long as the kitchens aren’t too loud.”
“Lead the way.”
His head was dipped close to the back of her neck, and Adelaide wanted to lean back into him, to feel his lips on the soft skin of her neck again, to?—
Stop, Adelaide. Just stop. What was wrong with her? She had never been this type of woman in the past. It was all Michael’s fault. He made her feel things and think things she had no business revisiting.
She opened the door to the kitchen just a crack and leaned in, finding the room, for now, blessedly empty.
“Come quickly,” she said, waving Michael in, and he caught her hand, kissing her knuckles briefly before he dropped it. When she looked up at him in surprise, he bit his lip, a lock of hair falling over his forehead as he smiled ruefully and adorably.
“I’m so sorry,” he said. “I didn’t mean to do it.”
“It’s fine,” she said with a quick smile. “No harm done.”
No harm, but far too much heat.
She led him through the kitchen to the back. “Behind the potatoes,” she said, pointing to the piled sacks in the room’s shadows.
She squeezed through first before he grunted behind her as he moved a few sacks out of the way to make space for his much larger body.
He sank behind her, her back to his front as he pressed against her so that they would fit. She realized, then, that this might have been a big mistake.
One she might not be able to come back from.