Chapter Twelve
Kitty locked the front door of the bookshop and made her way to the printing press warehouse.
She would give her Uncle Dominic the money there.
Kitty suspected he’d wanted to meet in her office so he could see the contents of the safe containing the bookshop and printing press’s revenue. She refused to allow that.
She pulled the door open and found Shannon and Jack standing inside with the sourest expressions on their faces she’d ever seen. Kitty smiled apologetically at them. “I know you hate this.”
Jack, a gruff, older man, harrumphed. “Shannon informed me what you planned to give him. It is a fortune. But we know him. It won’t be enough. He will want more.”
“I’m only doing this one time. I plan to tell Oliver the truth about the bookshop and printing press when he returns, and then my uncle will have nothing to hold over me.”
They both stayed silent, and Kitty added, “I mean it.”
Jack shook his head, and Shannon asked, “Where do your sisters and his family think you are?”
“Anna is sleeping, and everyone else is at a ball. I told them I was unwell.”
Kitty’s own words made her cringe. She wasn’t just deceiving Oliver but everyone.
No one commented further because the door to the warehouse opened.
Her Uncle Dominic walked in, completely at ease with the situation.
He looked like the epitome of a wealthy businessman, even if he wasn’t one.
No, her uncle had lived off her father for as long as she could remember, and now, he was scheming to live off of her efforts.
He beamed at her. “I’m so glad you made it this time.”
She did not return his smile. “This will be the only money I give you.”
Uncle Dominic smirked as if she’d said the most absurd thing. Yes, she needed to tell Oliver because it was apparent her uncle thought he was in control of this arrangement, since it was obvious to him that her husband was unaware of all her business activities.
“If my ventures turn out fine, I won’t be back.”
“Come back, but you will find no one here willing to pay you.”
The smirk grew wider. Uncle Dominic thought he had her. It was only for this one time, she reminded herself. Kitty pulled a pouch from the folds of her skirts. It contained banknotes totaling 5,000 pounds. Jack was right. It was an outrageous sum.
Her uncle snatched it from her grasp, startling her. Jack stepped forward, ready to do damage. Kitty held up a hand. Her Uncle Dominic glanced at Jack and chuckled. “If you sic your hired help on me, I will take you to the Court of Common Pleas.”
“Do not threaten my employees. If you spent half the time you wasted on schemes actually working at profitable pursuits, you wouldn’t need to blackmail me.”
Uncle Dominic sighed. “That was always the problem with your father as well. He cared too much about everyone. Well, except me. Can you imagine not giving Hazel or Anna, your siblings, a portion of the bookshop and printing press? That is what he did to me.”
“My sisters assist me in our business. They work hard. But you never worked a day in your life. In spite of that, my father always tried to help you, and yet you just took and took, and never gave,” Kitty exclaimed.
Her uncle’s face went red and splotchy. “When I send you a missive for money, you’d better meet me. I know all about your market. I’m arranging a meeting with Beth Martin.”
“She has no interest in speaking with you.”
He took a deep breath and then smirked again.
“Can you imagine what your husband will think when he finds out you are peddling scandalous trash to women? His mother is the patron of various charities. He is well respected in the House of Lords. Do you think once Everly discovers what you’ve been up to, he will allow you to continue? ”
Jack, having had enough, stalked to the door and yanked it open. “Mr. Larson, you’ve collected your money. It is time to go.”
Her uncle glared at Jack but walked to the exit. Still, before departing, he said, “Your husband’s family doesn’t endure scandals. They remove them. That is exactly what will happen to this place once he becomes aware of your secrets.”
“Thank you for your wisdom,” Kitty bit out. She would not show this man how much his words affected her. Still, her heart pounded because he was speaking aloud every fear she had.
“You keep me happy, and I will keep your secret,” Uncle Dominic said, and then he disappeared into the night.
Jack slammed the door. “I detest that man. He did similar things to your father all the time. Always threatening that the underground books were on the cusp of being discovered, and it was always his doing.”
The books were too important, Kitty thought to herself. She wouldn’t allow anyone to shut it down. Not her uncle or Oliver.
“You must tell Lord Everly, and make a decision together,” Jack advised.
“It isn’t his business.”
Shannon walked to Kitty and placed a comforting hand on her arm. “No, it isn’t, but your uncle will always blackmail you if you don’t. It isn’t right.”
“Do you think Oliver will want me to shut it down?”
Shannon and Jack glanced at each other, and unease bubbled in Kitty’s belly. Shannon stated, “We’ve been so lucky no one has revealed the illegal side of the business yet. Maybe it is time.”
Kitty shook her head. “No, it is too important. Women who come here understand the value of this place when it comes to banned books. They will always protect it.”
“But your uncle knows about it, and he won’t,” Jack said bluntly.
Their illicit publications were especially important for women. Some purchases furthered their knowledge, provided pure enjoyment, or explained something not openly discussed in public. None of it was truly scandalous, and was often information that men readily had access to. It wasn’t right.
She wouldn’t allow anyone to take books away from the women who relied on them, not her uncle nor Oliver.
“Don’t let your Uncle Dominic get in your head,” Shannon said.
His words already were. She asked Jack, “Can you please tell the driver to ready the carriage?”
An hour later, the vehicle came to a stop.
Kitty was exhausted and thankful Anna was the only one home.
No one in the townhouse should know she was gone.
The carriage and driver were employed by her business, and earlier she had departed for the bookshop after most of the townhouse staff escaped to their rooms and floor for the evening.
Hanson would be back down when her sister, Julia, and Oliver’s mother, Eloise, returned from the ball, but that wasn’t for at least another hour or two. The driver helped her out of the carriage. She smiled politely. “Thank you, Richards.”
He lit a lantern from the carriage lamp before handing it to her. “Of course, my lady. I will stay until you enter the building.”
She nodded and quietly walked toward the back of the townhouse, but passed the kitchen.
Oliver had shown her a secret door used by the staff when wanting to circumvent the usual entrances.
It had been built and used by one of his ancestors to sneak in his mistress.
The hidden entrance opened into a narrow hallway, leading to a secret door that led to the study.
Kitty pressed her hand along the stonewall, searching for a latch, and breathed a sigh of relief when the discreet door pushed inward.
Kitty waved goodbye to Richards and walked through the entrance.
She weaved her way down the corridor but stumbled to a stop when she saw light sneaking out of the study.
It had been dark when she left. Who could it be?
Her heart pounded, sensing it was her husband. She stared down the corridor, wondering if she should try another way, but what was the use if Oliver was home and knew she was out but not at the ball.
Taking a deep breath, Kitty pushed open the panel leading into the study. Her handsome husband sat in a wingback chair facing the corridor entrance, his legs spread wide and a glass of brandy resting on his knee.
Kitty swallowed nervously. “Hello, Oliver.”
Oliver’s gaze flicked over his wife. She seemed tired and rumpled, and an evil feeling of jealousy uncoiled in his belly. What was she doing, using the secret entrance? Why? What had she been up to, and who had she been with?
She placed the lantern on a table. He said nothing.
He wanted to roar at her, but he didn’t.
He loved this woman and couldn’t fathom on any other occasion bellowing at her, so he wouldn’t now.
Suppressing his baser instinct, he forced himself to be calm and waited, raising his glass to his lips to sip the brandy.
She shifted back and forth on her feet. Still, Oliver said nothing.
He searched his mind for any valid reason his wife would be out late and alone in the evening, yet nothing but salacious ideas filled his head.
If he stepped near her, would he smell the scent of another man’s pipe?
If he kissed her, would he taste another man’s favorite brandy on her lips?
She still hadn’t said anything. He placed his glass on the table and rose. Kitty walked backward until her back bumped into the panel hiding the secret entrance. He moved closer to her, gently placing a hand on either side of her head, boxing her in. “Where have you been, Kitty?”
His wife remained quiet.
“Were you with another man?”
Her eyes went wide. “Of course not!”
Oliver believed her. Why did her words soothe his fractured heart? Deep down he knew why; the thought of another touching her filled him with a hurt that seemed unfathomable to overcome. But what else could it be? He pushed off the wall with his hand and stepped back. “Are you in danger?”
Kitty hesitated and then shook her head. Alarm filled him, knowing something was amiss.
“Does this have something to do with why you sought out Mrs. Dove-Lyon’s assistance?”
Kitty’s eyes became watery. “Yes.” She swallowed visibly, then whispered, “I need to share something with you.”
“What is it?”
“Oliver—”