Chapter 8
CHAPTER 8
M ichael had no idea what he was doing nor why.
He only knew that he needed to do it.
When he finally came up for air, he was still lost within Adelaide’s wide blue eyes, uncertain of how every rational thought had fled entirely.
He stilled at the lone tear that was falling down her cheek.
“Addi,” he said, wiping it away with his index finger, “what’s wrong?”
“I miss you,” she admitted, causing his heart to stutter. “I miss this. We fit together so well.”
“Then let us be together,” he said, trying to keep the desperation out of his voice but knowing he had failed.
“You will only hurt me,” she said stubbornly. “I have seen it before, and I know that you are not the type of man to settle down with a wife and children, Michael. You would be bored.”
“That is what you do not understand,” he said, having only just realized it himself. “I have spent my life bored. That’s why I acted as I did, searching for ways to fill my days, time, and attention. Until you came along. You are everything that I wanted but never knew I needed.”
“You have a beautiful way with words,” she said with a fleeting smile.
“I only use them to tell you how I feel,” he said, but he became aware of her pulling away from him already.
He had tried to prove that he could be the man for her, but the truth was, he wasn’t certain he could be. He knew he didn’t deserve her, although that didn’t stop him from trying to win her anyway.
He was no self-sacrificing martyr. The moment she said she would have him, he would be there to win her heart.
It was how to make her understand the sincerity of what they shared, which was hard when she had refused to even speak with him for so long.
“What do we do now?” she asked, and he knew she was ignoring what was between them and moving back to her brother and the counterfeit scandal.
“We need to gather evidence, determine who this third man is, and where he is manufacturing the money,” Michael said. “They all have much to lose, but Lord Gregory likely has the farthest to fall and could take down the most people with him. His family would have a difficult time weathering such a scandal.”
“Why would he take such a chance?” Adelaide asked.
“There are so many reasons why someone would risk it all,” he said. “Financial need. The thrill of taking such a risk. Or, maybe,” he said, unable to help the shadow of a smile that crossed his face, “he was simply bored as I was.”
“That’s a terrifying thought.”
“Agreed.”
“We need a plan.”
“What if we could determine how Lord Gregory is circulating the counterfeit money? I could see him doing so through the gambling tables, but he could have other methods. If I could get my hands on some of the physical counterfeit, perhaps it would help us determine where it is being manufactured.”
He was watching Adelaide’s reaction – he couldn’t tear his eyes away from her beautiful face – but he was also keeping an eye on the door.
“And,” he said, “when that third man emerges, I’d like to follow him.”
She whirled around to look behind her at the entrance to the battered tavern door. “I should have thought of that.”
“You had other things on your mind,” he said with a slow grin, causing her to roll her eyes.
The door to the tavern opened, and a lone, shadowy figure stepped out into the night, fixing his cap over long, straight hair. It was a figure Michael recognized, even if he had been viewing it through the smallest gap between wall boards.
He straightened. “There he is.”
Michael drew Adelaide into his side. “Hopefully, he will go in a direction allowing me to see you home.”
“I’m coming with you.”
“Adelaide, it might not be safe.”
“Michael, I know this neighborhood far better than you do, and despite that clothing you have donned for the evening, I would guess I fit in much better than you ever could.”
“Point taken,” he said. “But?—”
“I have some rudimentary skills at defending myself and a dagger strapped to my thigh.”
“Careful, Adelaide,” he said, biting his lip. “That kind of talk makes me want to forget this mission and discover the weapon for myself.”
She pinched his arm, and he pressed his lips together to prevent a yelp.
“Around that corner,” she said, leaning toward Michael to point behind him and he relished every excuse for them to be close. “He’s looking back.”
“We have to be careful,” he said, reaching down and taking her hand.
“I can walk by myself.”
“I know,” he said, sighing at her insistence on proving that she didn’t need him. “I intend to avoid notice by posing as a couple. We should be far less suspicious that way.”
He took the fact that she didn’t argue as her agreement, and they continued following the man through a winding maze of streets. Finally, he stopped before a small house and took the stairs to the first story.
“That side of the street is all residences,” Adelaide whispered.
“Agreed. I do not believe this would be where he is creating the fake money,” Michael mused. “He must live here. Do you have any paper on you?”
“I shall take my quill out of my pocket along with the sheaf of papers,” she said, and he paused in confusion before she let out a short laugh. “I am jesting, Michael. Of course I do not have anything.”
“Well, then, how is your memory?”
“I used to take ten drink orders at a time and never made a mistake.”
“Perfect. Do you see an address?”
“I do not. Unlike Mayfair, many of these houses will have no numbers adorning them.”
“Very well. Do you know what street this is?”
“Holywell Lane, I believe.”
“Good. The house is right opposite the coal yard.” Michael peered into the darkness. “Wait. There.”
“What are you looking at?”
“The house next to our friend’s has a number on it. Number 8. Which would make this 9 or 10, depending on how this street is numbered. If I can determine the house, perhaps I can figure out who lives here.”
“Or I can. I know this neighborhood, Michael. People are more likely to talk to me.”
“True, but I do not want any of this coming back to you. If Jack found out you were scrutinizing this…”
“There would be hell to pay. I know. But the sooner we figure this out, the sooner we are both free of him.”
Michael only hoped that didn’t mean that Adelaide would want to be free of him as well. He couldn’t risk losing Adelaide and Mabel again.
“I think this is all we can do for tonight,” he said. “I best see you home.”
They began down the street with far less urgency, giving them time and space to converse.
“So tell me, where did you find those clothes?”
“I asked my valet to help me,” Michael said, tipping the cap back at a jaunty angle. “What do you think of the look?”
“Do you know, it actually suits you somehow,” she said in wonder. “You seem more… relaxed. Happy.”
“Ah, yes. That makes sense,” he said, risking a glance over at her. “But I am not happy because of my clothing.”
“No?”
“I am happy because I am with you.”
“Michael—”
“I know, I know. You have given me all the reasons you do not want to be with me. You have plans of your own. I could break your heart. Understood. But I need you to understand something, Adelaide.” He stopped their forward progress and reached out to turn her gently toward him. “I will prove to you that I am the man for you. That I can be there for you. I only need you to give me a chance.”
She bit her lip, her eyes darting away from him. “I shall think about it.”
“Thank you,” he said, hope rising that there might be a chance for them. “Now, where did you get that dagger, and do you know how to use it?”
“I do,” she said proudly. “My mother taught me.”
“I would like to see it in action one day,” he said, but before he could finish the sentence, he found himself against the building, the very same knife at his throat. “Adelaide!”
“Is this not what you wanted?” she asked, lifting an eyebrow.
“Oh yes,” he said wickedly, “very much so.”
She scoffed as she dropped the knife back to her side and continued down the street. He had to take a moment to recover before he hurried to keep up.
“Impressive,” he said, but she didn’t comment. “You were right about one thing,” he continued. “I have no idea where we are right now. You do know these neighborhoods far better than I do.”
“That is not exactly surprising.”
“No,” he said, “although I have spent some time in them myself.”
“Ah, yes, visiting your taverns and brothels.”
“I didn’t visit a great many brothels,” he defended himself.
“Because you didn’t have to.”
“This is true,” he admitted. He had never been a liar. “I was usually able to find interested women at a tavern or even society events. I was a favorite among widows.”
Adelaide wrinkled her nose.
Good. She was jealous. He knew he was being petty, trying to make her so, but he was desperate for any reaction from her.
“You’re too handsome for your own good.”
He mockingly placed a hand over his heart. “Are you complimenting me?”
“Don’t get used to it,” she said, shaking her head at him. “Here we are,” she said, and it was only then he realized that they had entered Bloomsbury and were near the house where Dot and Edward had created their foundation for single young women with children. The time had gone so quickly, but it always did when he was with Adelaide.
“You did not have to work tonight?” he asked.
“I told Matts I needed a night off,” she said. “He and his wife are most accommodating.”
“I do wish you didn’t have to work,” he said, lifting a cap and running a hand through his hair. “If you ever change your mind?—”
“I know, Michael, I do,” she said. “But I need to make my way in this world myself.”
Because she didn’t want to depend on him. She didn’t have to finish the sentence for him to understand what she was insinuating.
“In the meantime,” she said, changing the subject, “I will try to determine who lives at 9 or 10 Holywell Lane.”
“Without drawing suspicion upon yourself,” he cautioned, to which she nodded.
“Of course.”
“And I will answer in the affirmative to Lord St. James’s invitation.”
“Lord St. James?”
“Lord Gregory’s brother. He and his wife are hosting a party on Saturday. I had no intentions of attending, but now I believe it will be the perfect opportunity to see if I can follow the counterfeit money, if Lord Gregory dares to use it in his brother’s house.”
“Do you truly think he would?”
He shrugged. “If he’s bold enough to be involved in counterfeiting, why would he not be bold enough to introduce it there?”
She shivered, and Michael wanted to reach out and wrap her in his arms, but he refrained from doing so, knowing that would only make her back away from him.
“I will be in touch.”
“As will I,” she said, turning to go, stopping with her hand on the door as she looked back over her shoulder. “Thank you, Michael.”
“Of course,” he murmured, watching her walk through the door, away from him, taking his heart with her. “Anything for you.”