Chapter 15
CHAPTER 15
“ A nd just where are we going?” Adelaide asked as they ran down the street together, not having to speak to agree that they had to get to Mabel before anyone else did.
Jack was many things, but he was not an idiot. He would know that she was the means to both of them.
“We need to get out of London,” Michael said between breaths. “We can go hide at Edward’s estate for a time.”
“Where is it?”
“Near Horsham,” Michael said grimly. “It is about a half-day’s drive. I know it is not ideal — that you do not want to be with me and that you have plans of your own. But for right now, we need to both stay alive.”
“Of course,” she said, and he looked at her in surprise.
“Really?”
“I am not going to risk my daughter’s life,” she said, more snappily than she meant to, but she was spinning. When she had thought Michael was about to die, she had been overcome by so many emotions. Guilt was present, yes, but it was more than that. Despair. Grief. And not just grief for a friend, an acquaintance, or the father of her daughter.
It was grief for a man she loved.
But she couldn’t love him. That would ruin everything.
Which left her with only two choices.
She could deny her feelings, allow reason to intervene, and keep on the path she had set out for herself – once this situation was resolved.
Or she could give in. Accept that she loved him, give up the dreams she had held to do as he wished, and agree to be his wife.
Either way, she was losing something. It was what she had feared, but she had done everything she could to resist him.
At the worst, she would end up like her mother. Broken, alone, and keeping herself together only for her daughter.
Or the best could happen. A scenario she had denied for so long because to admit its possibility also meant that there was so much more to lose if it didn’t come to be.
She could not properly consider all of the options right now, however.
For right now, they were running for their lives.
They arrived at the shelter, where a very surprised Mrs. Coleman awaited.
“You cannot come in here,” she said, barring the door to Michael, who lifted his arms and nodded his head, understanding.
“I know,” he said, “I know.” He turned to Adelaide. “I’ll return to Edward’s, borrow a carriage, and return for you and Mabel while you prepare to depart. I do not want to take her in a hack.”
“What is going on?” Mrs. Coleman said, directing her question to Adelaide in concern, obviously having picked up on the urgency in their exchange.
“It’s my brother, Jack,” Adelaide said grimly. “He is after us. Both of us. We have to escape before he comes for me or Mabel.”
“This place is as safe as they come,” Mrs. Coleman said with a suspicious glance at Michael, even though he was related to the very man who funded this organization. “Would it not be best that you stay here?”
“We need to leave London,” Michael said stubbornly. “It will be safest for all of us.”
Mrs. Coleman returned her attention to Adelaide, as though to ascertain whether this was her decision as well, and she nodded her assent, warming Michael through that she trusted him, agreed with him, and was allowing him to protect her and Mabel.
Their family.
“I’ll be back,” he promised, and then hurried off into the night, to find a hack and return with the carriage as soon as possible.
Even this brief separation was too much, especially with everything threatening them. He jumped from the hack as it was practically still rolling to a stop, having directed it to the mews so that he could ask the groom to prepare one of the carriages. The man looked sleepy, having been about to retire, but nodded, not asking any questions. Thankfully, Edward and Dot were already abed when he returned home. For once, Michael was grateful for Edward’s predilection to act like a seventy-year-old man.
It wasn’t that he didn’t want to explain himself to them. He simply didn’t have time to tell them all he needed them to know and ask questions.
There would be time for that in the morning.
He would leave this moment if he could, but he knew traveling through the night would be far too dangerous. Instead, he would have Adelaide and Mabel stay at Edward’s London townhouse through the night and leave as soon as they could in the morning.
By the time he returned to the women’s shelter, he was fraught with worry that he would arrive to find Adelaide and Mabel gone, but he was considerably relieved to see them waiting for him. He bundled them into the carriage, taking his first deep breath once they had returned to Edward’s.
Adelaide wished him goodnight right away as she retired to the room she had once called hers, and Michael wished he could lie outside of her bedroom door all night to keep her safe, but he had to make do with sitting in the drawing room.
He knew he was likely too vigilant, but he would never forgive himself if anything happened to them.
Like it or not, they were his, and he would keep them safe.
Whatever it took.
Adelaide paused outside the door of the breakfast room.
Here she was again.
She had left this house months ago to move forward alone, and now here she was, running away from her problems again. She supposed that one couldn’t ignore her past and hope it would disappear.
It was time to face it head-on.
And she supposed it was finally time to admit that meant asking for help, from the man she seemed to continue to return to. The man she had doubted she could ever rely on, but who continued to prove her wrong.
Michael.
“What a wonderful surprise!”
Dot rose as Adelaide entered the breakfast room, Mabel in her arms. She passed her over to Dot, who ignored the rest of them as she gave all her attention to the baby.
Adelaide glanced over at Michael, wondering how much he had told his family.
From how Edward looked at her, she guessed he had shared most of it.
“I am sorry for all that you have gone through,” Dot said, leaning over and patting Adelaide’s hand. “You shouldn’t have to deal with that from anyone, let alone family.”
“Michael told you about the counterfeiting scheme, then? About my brother?”
Edward’s face darkened. “He did. I would like to take the information to the authorities, but Michael has convinced me that would not be in your best interest. At least for now.” He looked at Michael. “I told you that Lord Gregory was a good-for-nothing scoundrel who?—”
“Edward,” Dot murmured, placing her hand on his arm and lowering his finger. “We talked about this.”
Edward sighed. “Yes. It is an unfortunate circumstance and no one’s fault. But that doesn’t mean we cannot affect change for the future. Are you certain you feel safest at Mandrake Hall?” he asked her and Michael, looking between them.
“I cannot see Jack making the journey,” Adelaide said, about to pull out her chair, but Michael swiftly rose and did it for her. She smiled her thanks. “He said he wanted to leave London, but he would have saved for one particular plan. He wouldn’t have any money left if he came after me.”
“I will hire a man to keep an eye on him,” Edward said. “That way, we will know if he has any designs to leave London.”
“Oh, you do not have to do that!” Adelaide exclaimed. This family had spent far too much on her already.
“I do not have to, but I want to,” Edward said sternly. “You are part of our family, and we will care for you.”
A twinge of guilt rippled through Adelaide at that statement, for she wasn’t truly part of their family. Mabel was, but Adelaide had declined the opportunity to join the family herself.
Dot seemed to understand her thought, for she leaned over and patted Adelaide’s hands.
“Edward is right. No matter what, you are one of us.” She paused. “Actually, we would like to join you at Mandrake Hall in a few days. We will see to everything here, stay apprised of Jack’s movements, and then start on our way.”
“I would like that,” Adelaide said, telling the truth. She did enjoy Dot’s company, and it would be nice to have her help with Mabel.
But for a few days… maybe she would appreciate some time alone with Michael. For the last time.
She realized she’d had more than one “last time” with him, but this time she meant it. She had to, for she was getting so far into this that to fall any further would mean to lose herself to him forever.
Dot helped them prepare for the journey, expressing some concern for Mabel over the long roads but encouraging Adelaide that all would be well. It was so rushed that when they finally departed, Adelaide had to take a deep breath before looking across the seat at Michael.
“Well, here we are,” she said with a crooked smile.
“Here we are,” he agreed before his gaze dropped to Mabel in her arms.
Adelaide’s breath caught, for she wasn’t sure she had ever seen such a look of pure adoration cross over someone’s face. Especially a man’s. Especially Michael’s.
It made her heart melt, washing away any concern she might have previously felt about Michael being the father to her baby.
“Would you like to hold her again?” she asked softly, and he nodded, not removing his eyes from the baby’s face.
He stiffened his arms in front of him in a very rigid cradle, and she laughed lowly before reaching one arm out and softening his arms.
“If you are concerned, she will feel it,” she said. “Be open to her.”
He nodded slowly, his shoulders drawing down as he tried to relax them before holding his arms out to welcome Mabel. When Adelaide placed her in his arms, the baby blinked up at him, cooing, before reaching out one chubby fist and grabbing his finger, bringing it up to her face.
Michael stared at her with so much love that Adelaide struggled to contain her own emotion, watching the two of them. Michael’s lips curled upward, his dimples appearing, and he met Adelaide’s gaze in amazement.
“I do think she likes me,” he said, just above a whisper.
“Of course she does,” Adelaide said with a smile of her own. “She recognizes you.”
“She’s barely seen me.”
“She recognizes your soul. As her father.”
He lifted his head, and their eyes caught and held in a moment of complete vulnerability, as he seemed to understand that Adelaide didn’t just mean that he was Mabel’s father by blood, but by far more than that. That maybe, just maybe, she was considering involving him in their lives.
She knew it might be folly.
But she couldn’t help but feel that it was the right choice.
“You said the ride to Horsham is about a half day?” she asked, as, now that they finally felt safe in the carriage, the events of the previous night began to catch up to her and her eyes felt heavy.
“It is about four hours, yes, depending on the roads,” Michael said, “but we can stop anytime you or Mabel need a break.”
“Perhaps I will just rest my eyes for a moment,” she said, the yawn sneaking out before she could stop it.
“Sleep,” he said, his voice a low rumble. “I have you. Both of you.”
Adelaide nodded, telling herself that all she needed was a few minutes, and she would be refreshed enough to make it through the day.
Then the peace that had eluded her for so long finally wrapped itself around her, and she fell into a deeper sleep than she had in months.
Just as she drifted off, she admitted the truth to herself, somewhere in the deep recesses of her mind.
The safety wasn’t from being away from Jack and London.
It was Michael.
He was safety.
He was home.