Chapter Seven
O nce Adeline was inside, she handed her things to her maid. “Mary, I think I will go up to see my mother.”
“Yes, miss.”
Adeline climbed the stairs to visit her mother’s suite. The third floor was her mother’s domain. She reached the top of the stairs and gave the footman standing sentry a smile. “How is she today, David?”
“Painting mostly. Been quiet,” he replied.
Painting was good. It meant Mother was out of bed. Adeline headed down to the room that served as her mother’s studio. The room was filled with natural sunlight from three large windows and a skylight. The doctor had stressed the importance of sunlight as part of her mother’s treatment. Sunshine was hard to come by during English winters, and her mother’s melancholy was particularly persistent during those months. Today, though, the skies were clear of clouds, and sunlight filled the room.
“Good afternoon, Mother,” Adeline said.
Her mother turned around, her long dark hair swirling around her waist. “Addy, dear! I wondered where you were.”
She brandished a paintbrush in one hand. A smear of cerulean blue paint graced one cheek. She wore a smock over her dress, but her feet were bare.
“I was working in the library on a project for Father this afternoon.”
“Really?” Her mother’s eyebrows rose. “What sort of project did he have you working on?”
“Identifying the age of some Greek artifacts he has come by. A shipment of some sort he invested in.”
“Oh yes, he is always investing in something or another. Were any of the items special?”
“Yes, I think they may be. Definitely very old,” Adeline murmured.
Her mother had already turned back to the painting she was working on. Adeline crossed to stand by her. Swirls of bright-colored paint covered the large canvas. Yellow, green, red, and blue circles layered and overlapped in a wild cacophony. The painting was one of wild joy. Her mother’s art was often a reflection of her moods.
Adeline wrapped an arm around her mother’s shoulder and squeezed. “It makes me happy to look at it.” Today was a good day.
“Thank you, dear. Come sit. Tell me about your plans for this week. Have you looked through our invitations?”
Adeline followed her mother to the window seat. “Well, we have been invited to the Janson fete on Saturday evening. I was going to make George escort me, but if you are up for it, we could attend.”
“Of course, my darling. I am feeling quite well. I will let your father know that we will be going. Now, tell me who is on your list of prospective suitors. Did you like that Hannover boy?”
Adeline was glad that her mother was up and about. Often, she was unable to get out of bed and face the day. Sometimes for weeks or months at a time. Her loyal maid, Louise, kept vigil at her mistress’s side during these dark periods to prevent her from harming herself as she had attempted many times in the past.
Adeline glanced around the large room. “Where is Louise?”
“I gave her the day to go visit her sister. Now stop avoiding my question.”
The Hannover boy, as her mother had couched him, was actually the Earl of Hannover. He had danced with her one supper waltz a month ago, and she had never spoken with him again. Her mother always believed that gentlemen were seeking her out when truly the only reason he had danced with her was because her brother had asked him to. Not that Adeline was supposed to know that.
She patted her mother’s hand. “No, he wasn’t for me. But I did dance with a nice gentleman at a party this past weekend. The Marquess of Kingsbury. George knows him from when they were younger.”
“Oooh, tell me all about him.” Her mother’s eyes gleamed with interest.
Adeline leaned back against the pillows and let the sunshine warm her face as she told her mother about Lord Kingsbury. “Well, he is rather impertinent, but in a way that makes me laugh. And he asked me about the books I was reading while we danced.”
“Well, now that’s one to keep an eye on. Hmmm, the Marquess of Kingsbury; we used to know the family a long time ago.”
“He is in the Royal Navy, a captain, or did George say commander? Anyway, he has been in the service since he was fifteen. The rumor mill says he is in town looking for a wife. But he seemed reluctant to talk about why he was in London.”
“Adeline, men never feel comfortable speaking about matrimony.” Her mother patted her knee. “I cannot wait to meet him at the Janson ball.”
“I don’t even know if he will be there, Mother.”
“If he is, he will want to dance with you again, I am sure, and then I will get to meet this impertinent fellow. It will give me something to look forward to this week.”
Adeline leaned her head against her mother’s shoulder. Everything was topsy-turvy in her world, but she wouldn’t share the disturbing things she’d overheard and upset her mother when she was clearly having a good day. It was enough to spend time with her in this sunlight-filled room and discuss the happy minutiae of life.
Adeline would figure out what to do about the artifacts and her suspicions that her father was embroiled in something dangerous, and not for the first time. She bit back a sigh. What she really needed was to find a way out of her father’s house. Someone safe and reliable to marry. Someone with broad shoulders and bright green eyes? She sighed. A girl could dream.