Chapter Fourteen #2
“I suppose I could have been, but I didn’t. I spent much of the last few days walking the shore or sitting on the beach, reading or watching the waves, gathering the courage to come and speak with you.”
“Was it Danforth or Knapp who spoke with your husband about investments?”
She tilted her head to one side. “I believe it was Danforth.”
Interesting. “Why? He wasn’t the one who put the funds on the market.”
“I wouldn’t know. Jacob refused to discuss business ventures with me, for he wished not to worry me.”
Was it possible Danforth, though not the actual investor, was in on the con? Or perhaps he found the clients, and therefore took a percentage off the top before Knapp invested the funds.
“Did anyone spend time with you while you were here?”
“No one of note.” She shrugged. “I met a Mr. Foster yesterday as I walked the shore.”
“Oh? What was he doing?”
“I assumed he was taking in the air and enduring the exercise of walking on the beach, but then he kept poking about garden fences. Perhaps he is an avid garner or budding florist.”
“Perhaps.” That was indeed odd, but then, the motley crew of guests lingering about Brighton would have anyone questioning things.
Again, she dabbed at the corners of her eyes with the handkerchief.
“I promised Jacob I’d rest and be calm for the babe’s sake.
” When she lifted her moist gaze to his, honesty showed in those rich brown depths.
“I only wanted to ask Lord Danforth why he did that, why if he knew Mr. Knapp was unscrupulous, why he would convince others to invest with him. Had he no conscience?”
“It’s debatable if he did.” He put away his notebook and pencil. “Were you at the wedding breakfast with Felicity?”
“I was.”
“In that time, did you witness anything odd or out of place? See a man who didn’t seem to belong there? I’ve yet to come across Mr. Knapp.”
“Hmm.” Mrs. Standish frowned. “I can’t say that I did. There were many people there, all talking and laughing. I did meet a lovely man named… uh… Mr. Foster.” A tiny laugh left her throat. “He had this funny little lopsided grin that lifted my spirits.”
“Was that before or after you encountered him on the beach?”
“Before. He didn’t remember that meeting and introduced himself all over again at the wedding.” She shook her head. “I think he’s quite scatterbrained.”
Clearly, the woman wasn’t a suspect. “Thank you for your time, Mrs. Standish. I have no reason to have you remain in Brighton or to seek you out for further questioning. If you’d like, I shall ask Lord and Lady Beckham to take you to London when they return.”
“Oh, that would be wonderful. I was fretting about my transportation problem.”
The gratitude in her expression discomfited him, for he wasn’t one to share emotions. “It would be my pleasure.”
“I hope you find the killer, Major.”
“So do I. And try not to fret. Life has a way of coming back to center. One way or another.”
God, he hoped that were true, for he suspected his own was about to be shaken.
Later that night
Once the sun went down and the shoreline was plunged into shadow, Felix left the cottage. The housekeeper had come to him worried about Caroline. She said his wife had gone to contemplate the sea an hour past and hadn’t returned. He said he’d go after her, that she’d needed some time to herself.
Now, he went off in search of her, clad only in navy breeches, a loose linen shirt with the sleeves rolled to his elbows, and his boots.
When he finally located her, she stood with her slippers and stockings in hand, the skirting of the light blue dress she’d worn earlier hitched up slightly to avoid the ever-moving waves.
They were the only ones on the beach, and many of the windows from the nearby cottages were dark.
Either the occupants retired early, they were elsewhere in Brighton, or their holidays had ended.
Forced to raise his voice above the crashing surf, he asked, “Caroline?”
Startling a bit, she glanced over her shoulder at him. “Oh. How long have I been out here?”
“A couple of hours.” He paused beside her and tightened his hand around the round silver head of his cane. “Why did you run? You’ve never quit an interview before.”
“I found I couldn’t stomach it any longer.”
“Ah.” Yet she still hadn’t come forward with whatever it was she withheld from him. Though he respected her privacy, he also wished to help her. That was what a good husband did. Until she was ready, he would lend silent support.
With a soft sigh, she lifted her face to the sky. “Look how clear the heavens are tonight, how many stars are twinkling there with the moon standing guard.”
“Poets would swear it was a night made for romance while painters would dash to their canvases to capture the image.” Was he a nodcock to wax poetic like that?
“Would you have any interest in sea bathing tonight?” Touching her hand with his, he gave her a grin he hoped was cheeky.
“You’ve wanted to do that ever since we arrived in Brighton, but we haven’t had the time until now.
” Perhaps that would make her happy and relax her so that she would talk with him.
This time, she turned fully toward him. “Truly?”
“Yes.” Felix nodded in the event she misheard him.
“I am not completely unbending.” Yes, he had the responsibility of the case to solve, but more and more, he realized that caring for his wife was more important.
“We both deserve a night removed from investigating. After all, we are on our honeymoon.”
“How do you know exactly when I need you the most?” The inquiry was couched in a soft whisper. “Oh, I hope the water isn’t too cold.”
“It is late June, sweeting. I’m sure it’s not overly frigid, and if it is, we’ll rush back to the cottage and spend time warming each other in novel ways.” Even as she said that, awareness rippled over his skin. In fact, that sounded like a fine idea.
“Don’t tempt me, Major. I am already in a vulnerable and suggestive mood.” But her eyes sparkled in the faint illumination of the moon.
He kept his own counsel as he stripped down to only his breeches while Caroline removed all her clothing except for her lawn shift. “Come, then. Let’s see you wet this way first.” With a tug on her hand, he let his cane fall to the beach near their abandoned clothing and led her into the sea.
As the surf swirled about his calves then thighs, he braced himself against the relatively cool temperature of the water.
It wasn’t quite so bad, and when Caroline squealed as a particularly exuberant wave smacked into her, he chuckled.
Wrapping his arms about her, he stood behind her, kept her upright as the next wave rocked them both.
“Steady and acclimate yourself to the sea’s power,” he whispered into her ear, and then because he couldn’t leave it at that, he pressed his lips to the side of her neck. “Let it move through you and build your confidence, your own strength.”
“There is something about being down here with the roar of the waves, watching them ebb and flow, never concerned about anything else. I often wish I could be like that.” Clutching his hand, she moved deeper into the water until it lapped just at her breasts.
“Of course you can be. In fact, you are. Challenging societal norms is something you are especially talented at.” He nearly lost his balance at the next wave, for his false leg wasn’t as sure in the water with the shifting pebbles beneath as he would have liked.
“Hell, even bathing in the sea right now is considered scandalous.”
“Yet here we are.” Carefully, she turned in his arms to face him. “It’s especially significant that you, the man who follows the rules, has indulged me in this.”
“How can I deny you anything?” As the waves kept coming, they were soon completely drenched in sea water. Her dark hair hung in clumps about her shoulders, but she clung to him, and the force of the moving tide pressed them together. “God, you’re gorgeous.”
“I’m drenched from the sea and probably resemble a drowned rat.”
“It doesn’t matter. You’re mine.” Then he claimed her lips in a sweet kiss.
While the waves caused them both to sway in the water, he gently moved over her mouth with a series of tender kisses, and when he pulled back, he merely peered into her eyes.
“I can’t believe it hasn’t yet been a week since I married you.
” How had he waited so long to do just that?
“At times, it’s very much surreal.” She trembled. Was it from the cool water or from something else? “Felix?”
“Hmm?”
“I need to confess a secret to you.”
Ah, there it was. Though his gut clenched, he nodded. “Another one?”
“It’s the last, I swear it.”
As the sea lapped around them, he held her in a loose embrace. “I’m here. Whenever you are ready to empty the contents of your heart. I suspect you’ve been struggling with this for quite some time.”
“I have.” When she swallowed hard, the chords of her neck worked. “It’s news I’ve known for a bit but have been frightened to share with you.”
The poor thing. Was he so intimidating, then? I need to make more changes for her. Felix cupped her cheek, drew the pad of his thumb along her lower lip. “Perhaps this will help. You are enceinte.” It wasn’t a question, and he hoped it would ease her into the confession.
For the space of a few heartbeats, the crashing of the waves was the only sound.
Then she nodded. “Yes.” With her arms still looped around his shoulders, he felt every quiver, heard every soft inhalation of breath, the tiny tremble of her chin.
“I am carrying your babe, due in late December, but how did you know?”
“I suspected from your odd behavior. And besides, I know you quite well.” Yet shock welled through his chest. Actually, he felt gobsmacked, and held her in more than a bit of awe.
Words tumbled over in his mind, but none stuck to his tongue until he forced himself to focus.
“Whether you’ve noticed or not, there has been a change in you.
There is joy in your eyes when you think no one is looking, and at times, you are quite serene, but during a few interviews, you’ve had more of a reaction to things than before.
That means you’re looking at these stories from your own experience, putting yourself in their places because you have a new responsibility.
To say nothing of the fact that you struggle with feeling ill. ”
It all made so much sense now.
A sigh of relief shuddered from her. “You’re a good investigator, Felix.”
“Ha.” Slowly, he shook his head while shock ravaged his body.
“In this moment, I’m your husband and I care for you.
” He took her hands and his own shook. Peering deeply into her eyes, he added, “Since you said you were frightened to tell me, I’ll wager you think I don’t wish for children. ” Again, it wasn’t a question.
She nodded, her eyes wide and round in the darkness. “You said you didn’t want them any time soon.”
“I know what I said, and that was because I wished to spend more time with you. Our engagement period and courtship were far too long, and I’ve been nearly out of my mind with wanting to be in your company.
” He ran the pads of his thumbs over her knuckles.
“However, with this new revelation, I’m thrilled and shocked with the realization that a babe won’t prevent us being together. ”
God, he hoped. But since Inspector Bright made his family and attending to his wife seamless, why couldn’t his own life reflect the same?
“You are?” So much hope infused that inquiry that his heart squeezed.
“I am.” Needing to show her, Felix kissed first one of her hands and then the other.
He met her gaze with determination. “I truly am, sweeting. To know I’ll be a father…
at my age…” Damnation, it was incredible.
He shook his head. “That you and I will have a babe, become parents? It’s miraculous, and I hope I can be a decent father, but I still wish to be a husband first. For once the child is grown, I’ll still have you. ”
“Oh.” Tears made her blue eyes luminous. “That makes me so glad.” Caroline threw herself into his arms and hugged him tightly as he held her. “It’s such a relief to tell you finally.”
If there was suspicious moisture in his own eyes, he didn’t call attention to it. “You should always trust me enough to tell me everything. I’m not going anywhere, and I’ll meet every challenge with you by your side. No matter what.”
“I know that now.” Lifting on her toes, she brushed her lips over his. “But I also don’t want this to hinder your new business or my involvement with it.”
“Somehow, I don’t believe it will.”
“Why?”
“Because we’re us and we’re stubborn.” He slipped a hand to her still flat belly and rested it there.
“Together, we will do amazing things.” Unable to help himself, he kissed her again.
“Come with me.” Taking her hand, he tugged her out of the sea and back onto the shore where they’d left their clothing.
“Where?”
“To our cottage. I want to show you how I’m feeling just now.”