Chapter 9
CHAPTER 9
A delaide began her search with the other women who lived in the house with her. They had diverse backgrounds, some of them servants, other women like herself who had worked in a tavern. Some who had even formerly worked in a brothel.
None knew the Holywell Lane residents – none, until Mrs. Clements overheard them speaking. She managed the house daily and worked closely with Dot. She’d had experience as a housekeeper and raising a child of her own out of wedlock.
“Are you speaking of the house across from the coal yard?” she asked, setting down the tea urn to lean back against the counter behind her as she eyed Adelaide curiously. “With the green shutters?”
“I believe so,” Adelaide said, trying to mask her excitement. She hadn’t been able to see the color in the dark, but this must be the place. “Do you know it?”
“I know a woman who lived there,” she said, crossing her arms over her ample chest. “Her husband was into some underhanded business. Which makes me concerned as to why you want to know about it, for I imagine the man still lives there.”
“I’m asking for a friend,” Adelaide said, telling as much of the truth as she could without putting anyone else at risk. “He has business with the man but was uncertain of his name.”
“Hmmm,” Mrs. Clements said, apparently alert for any trouble as she considered the situation for a few moments while Adelaide waited as patiently as she could. “I will give you his name, as long as you promise me you will have nothing to do with him yourself, do you understand me?”
“Of course, Mrs. Clements,” Adelaide promised.
“Bert Rawlins,” Mrs. Clements said, although suspicion was still written on her face. “A man you would be best to stay far away from.”
“Thank you, Mrs. Clements. And I promise you that I will take care.”
“Very good,” she said, eyeing Adelaide once more before picking up the teapot and continuing to pour for the other women.
“So, Adelaide,” said Lucy, sitting back in her chair, holding her baby in her arms. Lucy had worked for Lady Carroway before Dot had helped her birth the baby, and then Edward had provided a place for her to live and work. She had chosen to come to stay here so that she would have help looking after her baby, who was nearing a year old, while she worked throughout the day. “Does this friend go by the name of Mr. Redgrave?”
Adelaide stared at her with a raised brow. “Why would you think that?” she asked.
Lucy smiled knowingly. “Because you said your friend was a man, and I do not suspect you are interested in any other. Not when I have seen firsthand how you look at him.”
“And just how do I look at him?”
“As though you are in love with him.”
“I am not!” Adelaide protested as fear sliced through her heart. If that was what Lucy thought after seeing them together a few times, then what did others – what did Michael himself – think? “I care for him, yes, but only because he is Mabel’s father and is a good man.”
“One willing to marry you,” Lucy said, her eyes widening incredulously. “Honestly, Adelaide, no matter what excuse you give, none seems good enough to turn down that man. Not only is he incredibly handsome, but he is noble and wants you .”
“Shocking,” Adelaide said wryly, but Lucy only rolled her eyes. “You know what I mean.”
She didn’t – not truly – but she nodded.
“I do, Lucy, but my reasons are my own. Now, I best be on with the day.”
She picked up Mabel, for she had to see to the never-ending task of feeding her. Then, she had a note to write to Michael. Not only did she have to tell him what she had discovered, but the more she thought about it, the more she knew what she had to do.
Something she had told herself she would never do again.
But it would be worth it. It had to be.
Or this all meant nothing.
Michael stared down incredulously at the note sitting beside his breakfast plate. How Adelaide had identified their third man in less than a day was incredible to start with, but that wasn’t even the part that surprised him most.
It was the second part of the note – the one that told him she would meet him at Lord St. James’s on Friday, if he would be willing to have her as his guest.
If he would be willing? That wasn’t even a question.
He recalled, however, the last time she had attended a society function. It had been the fundraiser for Dot and Edward’s charity home – the very same one where Adelaide was now living, as it happened – and it had caused Adelaide to leave him, never to see him again until she had no other choice.
He wasn’t certain that he wanted more reasons for her to back away from him, not now when he was finally making some progress and was back in her life.
He had to be careful, though, because if he had learned anything about Adelaide, it was that no one told her what to do. She made her own decisions, and an attempt to sway them would only lead her in the opposite direction.
“Michael? Is everything well?”
He had nearly forgotten that he wasn’t alone but that his brother and sister-in-law were sitting around the table with him. Dot had been the one to address him, concern covering her face.
“Will the two of you be attending Lord St. James’s party on Friday?” he asked instead, his question causing Dot and Edward to exchange a concerned glance.
“No, of course not,” Edward said, frowning. “Not only is it a masquerade, but it is not the most… circumspect of events. You know what Lord St. James is like.”
Of course, Edward would disapprove of the marquess.
But then, so did Michael.
“He does like to have his fun, although you are right, it is usually laced with some malice,” Michael said.
“But you are attending?” Edward asked, lifting a brow.
“I am considering it,” Michael said. “Lord Gregory has asked if I would be interested.”
“Lord Gregory,” Edward scoffed, placing his utensils down as he prepared to tell Michael precisely what he thought of Lord Gregory – not that Michael hadn’t heard it before. “The man is?—”
“Michael’s friend,” Dot said, placing a hand on Edward’s arm, instantly calming him. “Is he not, Michael?”
“He is,” Michael answered in the affirmative, hating that after all of this, Edward would likely be right about the man and would certainly take the opportunity to remind Michael of the fact.
“I, for one, am glad to see that you are showing interest in your pastimes again,” Dot said. “You have been rather melancholy as of late.”
“How could I not be?” Michael asked, rubbing his temple, wondering what Dot would think of the truth – that Adelaide herself had brought him back to life. “I lost everything.”
“You cannot lose what was not yours in the first place,” Edward said, earning himself a stern look from his wife, and Michael couldn’t help but smirk at his brother for getting himself into trouble.
“You’re right, Edward,” Michael said, placing his hands on the table and pushing himself to his feet. “Adelaide was never mine. Not truly. But I would still like her to be.”
“Oh, Michael,” Dot began, and Michael hated the pity that crossed her face. He was sick of people judging him, consoling him, encouraging him to better himself.
“Not to worry, Dot, all will be fine,” he muttered as he left the table.
It had to be. He had so much to prove. To Dot and Edward. To Adelaide. To Mabel.
And, most of all, to himself.
Adelaide stood before the grand Mayfair townhouse, questioning herself and her decisions.
She was giving up an evening with her daughter to return to the bear pit.
It wasn’t that she didn’t trust Michael to do this himself. It was that she needed to see this through. She was the one who had brought Michael into this. He was supposed to be helping her, not overseeing the entire investigation.
She smoothed her hands over her dress as she waited nervously. She wore the same gown she had donned for Dot’s society affair, the only one she owned that was appropriate for such an event. She hoped no one would notice, but most would not even recognize her, for she was no one.
Not here.
She hated that these people made her question herself when she had always been so confident in who she was and what she had to offer the world.
It was why she had told herself she couldn’t join Michael’s society or attend such an occasion again.
It was all Jack’s fault that she was back here, and she cursed the man who had become her brother when she and her mother had been so much better off before the Tate men had entered their lives.
Her breath caught at Michael’s voice, which was like a beacon of light in the darkness.
“You look beautiful,” he said, the glow in his gray eyes as they roamed over her face and body proving his sincerity. “But then, you always do.”
“Thank you,” she said, forcing down the words that were about to emerge, words that would tell him she was nothing compared to the other women he saw at such events.
But she was just as good as any of them and would not lose herself to them. Not again.
He held his elbow toward her, and she slipped her arm through.
“You do not look so bad yourself,” she murmured, unable to look him in the eye.
“A bit better than the last time you saw me?” he jested.
“I told you that I liked that look!” she protested. “I meant what I said.”
“Well, I am glad to hear that you enjoy me no matter what I wear,” he countered, and she sighed, knowing that there was no winning with him. “I have something for you,” he said, reaching his other arm into the pocket at his side before passing her a small piece of fabric.
“Is this a mask?” she asked, holding it before her.
“It is,” he said. “I was remiss in sharing that this was a masquerade ball. I chose a silver mask for you, hoping it would match your gown. I see I was correct, for it sets off the dark blue of your dress just beautifully. May I help?”
She nodded her assent, and he stepped behind her, taking up the pieces of string on either side and bringing them together and tying them in a quick bow.
“There,” he said. “Perfect.”
His hands lingered on her shoulders, which she allowed before she stepped away from him and turned around.
“What about you?”
He pulled another mask out of his pocket, and she was shocked to see that it was exactly like hers, only bigger.
“We are matching.” He grinned. “I hope you do not mind?”
“No.”
They stepped through the entrance into the house’s foyer, and Adelaide was instantly overwhelmed by the floral scents descending from the lilies and white roses that lined the room and the cloying perfumes on the women who had invaded the house.
She stepped closer to Michael as though he could shield her from all of them, and he seemed to understand as he pressed her arm against his side.
“Well, who do we have here?” their host said from beneath a full black mask. “You’ve brought company, I see, Mr. Redgrave.”
“I have,” he said. “A woman whose identity I will keep a secret from the likes of you.”
Lord St. James threw his head back as he laughed at that.
“I am glad you understand what a threat I can be,” he said as he turned to Adelaide and picked up her gloved hand. Her eyes widened as he lifted her fingers and kissed them.
“If you tire of Mr. Redgrave, you lovely creature, then be sure to seek me out,” he said with a flourish of both his words and his arms toward the drawing room beyond. “Now, enter if you dare!”