Chapter 12 #2
One thing was certain. There were secrets to Aidan that he was not disclosing. His sister had been engaged in a scandal just a few weeks earlier, and this was the first she knew that he had blamed himself for what had happened.
And one more thing was certain. Gwen had been so absorbed by her own issues, her own needs and wants, that it had not struck her to think what Aidan might need.
Learning he was shouldering guilt over his sister made her realize her own selfishness over the past two weeks. What of her husband’s needs?
He had stepped in to save her from scandal when he could have walked away. His family had been generous in negotiating financial terms because her father did not have the funds for a large dowry.
Instead of moping around, she needed to forge a true connection with Aidan. To become his partner and assist him with his burdens. They were to traverse life together, so she must stop feeling sorry for herself and demand her place at his side.
“You are a good girl, Gwen. My son and my future grandchildren are fortunate to have a woman like you to steer their lives.”
Gwen was touched. When she first met Lady Moreland, she had thought the viscountess would be like the other mamas of the ton, dismissive of Gwen and her appearance. But from their first meeting, she had been warm and welcoming, embarrassing her and Aidan with talk of babes.
“You are a good mama, Mama Abbott. Watching over your children.”
Lady Moreland sighed. “I do wish they would not keep secrets from me. They think I cannot handle the truth, and I confess it has been a trying time, especially after Sophia’s troubles last year.
I will allow them their privacy for now, but it does not prevent me from visiting you to secure your promise that you will take care of Aidan while we are gone from Town.
He is a true gentleman, but he needs you.
He attempts to carry his burdens without assistance, but do not allow him to do so. ”
Gwen took hold of Lady Moreland’s hand and squeezed. “I promise to assist him.”
Lady Moreland nodded. “Then I shall leave you to it. I hope to hear news of a prospective grandchild soon.”
Gwen smiled, not precisely sure what came next, but determined to figure it out somehow. She must convince Aidan to talk to her about his problems.
Upon arriving at Ridley House, Aidan was greeted by utter chaos. Servants bustled through the hall, trunks hoisted, instructions shouted across the floors. The air was thick with tension.
Michaels caught sight of him but did not stop, only nodding toward the staircase before striding off to handle yet another unseen emergency.
A sharp bolt of dread struck Aidan, spurring him up the stairs two at a time. He raced to the drawing room, breath caught in his throat, and burst through the doors, only to find Lily in her husband’s arms.
“Lily!”
Her delicate face rose from Filminster’s chest. “Aidan, please do not panic.”
But her words did nothing to quell the rising alarm within him.
“What is happening?” he demanded.
Filminster stepped back, his manner calm but grave. “There was another attempt to breach Ridley House.”
“I know. Your letter said as much.” Aidan gestured wildly to the tumult outside the room. “Why are the servants packing?”
Lily turned away, moving to the window that overlooked the street.
“We have decided it is no longer safe to remain here,” she said quietly.
“I went to the library early this morning to fetch a book before breakfast. It was still rather dark … I was in there for several minutes before I noticed a draught. When I looked toward the window …”
She swallowed.
“I saw a man climbing in. I screamed.”
Aidan’s stomach twisted. Her voice was hoarse, and he flinched at the realization.
“You screamed yourself hoarse,” he murmured. “Did he … did he harm you?”
His sister—his small, fierce Lily, who had already endured more than most—shook her head. “No. He fled the moment I cried out.”
Aidan strode forward and gathered her into a fierce embrace. “I am so sorry, Lily.”
She leaned into him for a moment, then pulled back to look up at him with tired eyes. “It is not your fault, Aidan. You must not carry this.”
“How can I not?”
Her pale features were calm, but the weight of recent weeks showed in every line.
“I am happy. I love Brendan. This is the work of a madman … whoever murdered the baron. He is to blame, not you.”
Aidan nodded slowly. “If anything happened to you …”
He did not finish.
“What now?” he asked instead. “Are you finally leaving for Somerset?”
Lily shook her head. “Briggs fears the roads are too exposed. Whoever is behind this is growing bolder.”
Filminster cleared his throat. “We have been invited to stay with the duke and my sister at their London home. They have taken precautions. Guards have been hired, and our own servants and the Johns will remain here to defend Ridley House.”
Aidan frowned. “The Johns?”
Lily offered a faint smile. “They are all named John. At least, that is what Brendan claims.”
Aidan gave a soft exhale. “Thank God. You must be protected at all costs.”
“Agreed.”
Aidan let Lily go and raked a hand through his hair. His boots clicked sharply on the polished floor as he paced, the carved trim of the mantel glinting with morning light streaming through the tall, uncovered windows.
“Surely at this point,” he said, voice taut with urgency, “if the killer is becoming so bold, we should report what we know to the authorities? Then he will lose interest in Ridley House once his secret is out.”
Filminster sighed. “I have thought of that. That we might end his interest in us by disclosing the matter to the Home Secretary. But the perpetrator still believes that there remains a chance he can conceal his deeds … that the baron’s letter remains hidden.
Which means we can still lure him out, draw him into the open. If we act too soon, he will vanish.”
Lily crossed to the window and rested her hands lightly against the sill, the thin muslin of her sleeve catching the pale daylight.
“I agree,” she said, her voice unmistakably hoarse from her earlier fright.
“So long as he believes the letter is in Ridley House and that we do not know why the baron was killed, we retain an advantage. A formal investigation would force his hand. He would flee, and we would never find him if he escapes England’s reach. ”
Aidan watched her closely. The drawn lines around her eyes, the set of her jaw. Signs of weariness, yes, but also steel. “But what if he suspects that you and Filminster have already found the letter?”
She turned her head, her gaze steady. “I do not know. But he must still believe his inheritance can be secured. That hope keeps him within reach.”
He stared at his sister. This pale, resolute woman bore little resemblance to the carefree girl he remembered, and he felt an unexpected swell of admiration.
“When did you become so clever?”
“I am not a girl anymore, Aidan Abbott. While you were away, I grew up. I improved my French. I read books on military strategy. Much happened in the past few years.”
It was true. His return to England had revealed a family transformed. Cousins married to reformed rakes, sisters ruined for honor’s sake. The women of his family had proven themselves to be as tenacious as they were courageous.
The thought of Gwen flickered through his mind, bringing a shift of warmth to his chest. She was observant, capable, certainly bright, but would she prove as resilient as Lily if she were forced to confront harsh truths about her own father?
“Faugh! What a tangled web this is!”
At that, Lily and Filminster both laughed. Short, startled sounds of amusement edged with strain. Aidan joined them, the absurdity of it all rising briefly to the surface like bubbles rising in a glass. Spies, secrets, murder, and hidden letters. It was all beginning to resemble a bad pantomime.