A Bloom in Winter (25 page)

Was Mrs. Kittredge being sincere or facetious? With Kit’s mother it was difficult to tell. Rowena shot Kit a questioning look. She knew that Sebastian had clued him in as to the reality of their engagement. Had he told his mother?

He shrugged his shoulders and shook his head.

“Any word from Victoria?” her aunt asked with a meaningful glance at the empty place at the table.

Rowena gave another smile, hoping her worry and irritation didn’t show on her face. “I’m afraid her errand must have kept her late.”

In fact, she remained so thoroughly committed to maintaining a smile throughout the dinner that her cheeks ached by the time they got to the third course. Under the eagle eye of both his mother and Aunt Charlotte, Sebastian played his role of attentive fiancé to the hilt and had Rowena blushing with his fulsome compliments.

“Isn’t she lovely this evening? Of course, she’s lovely every
evening, but she’s looking particularly beautiful tonight.” Sebastian’s voice sounded brittle and he kept his wineglass full.

Rowena vacillated between wanting to hit him and feeling concern over his behavior. Lately, he seemed to have an edge about him that wasn’t there before and she wondered what had happened.

Aunt Charlotte had sat Kit’s mother next to Victoria so she could get to know her. Now she had only a deaf general for company and her irritation could be felt all the way across the table. Kit looked as if he’d been struck by lightning. He kept gazing across the table as if he could conjure Victoria up with his eyes.

They had barely begun the fifth course, a flaky beef and burgundy pie, when Aunt Charlotte told everyone she had an announcement to make. Rowena looked up in surprise. Sebastian’s mother gave her a tender look and, her heart pounding, she glanced at Sebastian, who kept his eyes on her aunt.

“As many of you know, Lady Billingsly and I are very good friends and we have made it no secret that we wish our families to be joined. Of course, we had always assumed that it would be Sebastian and Elaine who would make the match.”

Alarmed, Rowena glanced at Elaine, who smiled weakly.

“But to my surprise, it was my darling niece who would be Sebastian’s bride. It’s also no secret that Edith and I did not want a long engagement, and to my joy, we were told by Sebastian that we would not have to wait. The happy couple finally set the date for August first.”

Rowena made a noise of surprise and Sebastian put his hand over hers.

There was a murmur among the guests and her uncle stood.
“If my brother were here, he would do the honors, but in his stead, I am very proud to make the toast myself. To Rowena and Sebastian, may you continue to make each other happy.”

Everyone drank from their glasses while Rowena sat in stunned silence. The dinner resumed and Rowena leaned over to Sebastian. “What on earth did you do that for?”

He whispered back, “Because it’s far enough away that plans won’t get too far out of hand and it gets them off my back. You should be happy, too. You can spend more time with Jon. Smile, people are watching.”

But Rowena was tired of the entire game. She wanted to find a way to be with Jon, to marry Jon, not playact that she was engaged to Sebastian. And where was Victoria?

Her aunt asked her the same thing after the men had gone off for their cigars and claret.

“I think she is staying the night with Prudence,” she answered, even though she had no idea whether that was true or not. It was instinctual to hide the truth from her aunt and she prayed that Victoria would be back soon.

At the mention of Prudence’s name, her aunt called to Kit’s mother across the room and left Rowena standing alone. Rowena sought out Elaine. “I have no idea where Victoria is,” she said in a low voice. “Did she tell you where she was going?”

Elaine shook her head. “She doesn’t tell me anything. Do you think she could be working?”

Rowena shrugged. She didn’t even know where Prudence lived so she could go check on her, though the thought of seeing Prudence made her stomach knot. “I told your mother that she probably stayed the night with Prudence, but I don’t know anything for sure. What should we do?”

“Is it a possibility she stayed with Prudence?”

Rowena frowned down at the tea she held in her hand and wished it were something stronger. “It’s Victoria. Anything is a possibility.”

“We need to tell the boys as soon as possible,” Elaine said. “Kit is going to go crazy when he hears she’s missing.”

“She’s not missing. She’s just . . . absent.” Even though Rowena was none too happy with Sebastian right now, she knew Elaine was right. They needed help.

When the two groups met in the game room, Elaine and Rowena pulled Colin, Kit, and Sebastian aside and filled them in. Kit glanced around the room wild-eyed, as if they were going to find her in a corner somewhere.

“I’m sure she is fine,” Rowena told him, her voice firm. “This is Victoria after all. She is probably with Prudence.”

She noticed Sebastian startle and her eyes narrowed.

Kit straightened. “I think I know how to find her.” Then he reddened. “At least my driver does. He knows where her friend Katie lives. I know she’s been there a couple of times at least.”

“I’m going with you,” Rowena said.

“How are you going to get out of the house?” Elaine asked.

“I’ll tell Aunt Charlotte that I have a headache and am going to bed.” She looked at Kit. “I will meet you out front.”

Kit nodded. “Colin and I are heading to the club, aren’t we, old mate? As long as Mother isn’t ready to leave, we should be fine.”

“Will she be?” Rowena asked, worried.

“Not while bridge is being played,” he said, nodding toward where Aunt Charlotte had paired up with Kit’s mother against Lord Summerset and the deaf general. “See you in a moment.”

She told her aunt that she was retiring early and dutifully kissed Sebastian’s mother’s cheek before she made her way out of the game room and hurried to get her coat.

“Are you ready?” Kit asked a few minutes later.

She nodded and he helped her into the motorcar.

“I don’t understand why she would do this,” he muttered.

“It’s Victoria. It’s not like she has to have a reasonable explanation for everything she does. What do you know about this job she’s taken with the Suffragettes for Female Equality? How did she even become involved in that?”

He shrugged. “That all fell into place after we had an argument . . . so I’m not sure. I know she was incredibly distraught over
The Botanist’s Quarterly
.”

“
The Botanist’s Quarterly
? What do you mean?”

“She didn’t tell you? The editor accepted one of her articles for publication and even sent a check. He was very appreciative of her talent, except of course, he didn’t know that she was a woman. She never revealed her full name to him.”

“Oh, no,” Rowena said softly.

“Oh, yes. He was very surprised when Victoria showed up on his doorstep looking to meet her mentor and get more assignments. She must have gotten connected to the Suffragettes for Female Equality through the friends she stayed with that week.”

“Prudence?” Rowena asked, confused.

“No. She stayed with Katie.”

“So that week she said she was visiting with Prudence, she was actually meeting with the editor of
The Botanist’s Quarterly
, staying with Katie, and getting a job with a women’s suffragette group?”

Kit nodded.

“My God,” Rowena said. “We better hope nothing has actually
happened to her. Scotland Yard wouldn’t know where to start.”

“She is”—Kit paused and Rowena watched his face in the darkness—“rather independent.”

Rowena snorted. “To put it mildly. But honestly, she is more spoiled and indulged than independent, and both Prudence and I are partially responsible. She was such a frail little thing and then before we knew it, she had grown into this monster.”

“She’s not a monster,” Kit snapped. “She’s mercurial and impulsive, but she’s hardly a monster. Her intentions are good.”

“Oh, Lord have mercy. You’re in love with her,” Rowena breathed.

Kit didn’t deny it, and Rowena turned the thought over in her head. She had originally been suspicious of Kit’s motivations regarding her sister, but had been too involved in her own drama to keep an eye on them. When had this turned from friendship into something more? She shivered, regret hollowing her chest. Was Victoria’s behavior these past few weeks partially due to the fact that Rowena had just not been paying attention?

She sighed and then shook her head. None of that was important now. What was important was to find her sister and make sure she was all right. But Rowena promised herself she would change things. She had been too preoccupied, at first with the overwhelming sadness of her father’s death, then with losing Prudence and her part in that, and then, of course, with flying and Jon. But none of it was more important than her baby sister, and Rowena resolved to keep that uppermost in her mind if they found Victoria. She shivered and then changed the wording in her mind.
When
they found Victoria.

It was late by the time they reached Katie’s house. Rowena remembered Katie as the very sweet but shy kitchen maid when
they lived in the Mayfair house. Trust Victoria to have made a friend of the maid. And Prudence had, too. The only person who didn’t know her was Rowena. Maybe she had always been too preoccupied with her own thoughts, Rowena pondered ruefully as they knocked on Katie’s door.

After a few moments, a thin, older woman opened the door a crack. She frowned when she saw Kit. “What are you doing here, you drunken sot?” Then she spotted Rowena and her eyes widened. She threw open the door. “Miss Rowena! What are you doing here?”

Rowena frowned, puzzled. “Do I know you?”

“Oh, no, miss. I’m sorry. I have seen you a few times from afar. I’m Katie’s mother. Come in, come in.”

Katie’s mother ushered them inside, scowling at Kit. Rowena found herself in the front room with arched doors on either side. Katie stood in one of them in a wrapper, blinking away sleep.

Rowena didn’t waste any time. “Has anyone seen Victoria today?”

Katie shook her head. “I haven’t. She didn’t come to the house, did she, Mum?”

Katie’s mother also shook her head. “No, I haven’t seen her for a week.”

“Do you know where she might be?” Rowena asked, disappointed. “She ran out this morning after receiving a note and hasn’t been seen since.”

Katie turned her head. “Lottie,” she called. “Was Victoria at the SFE today?”

“Not when I was there,” came the response. A woman with a voluminous nightgown and a nightcap appeared in the doorway
next to Katie. She reddened when she saw Kit and crossed her arms over her chest.

“Can I get the address of the building where she worked?” Rowena asked. If Victoria didn’t show up tonight, that was going to be her first stop in the morning.

Katie’s mother got a pencil and paper and the woman in the nightcap scribbled down the address, rather reluctantly, it seemed to Rowena.

“Do you know where Prudence lives?” Rowena asked Katie. “We’re going to try there next.”

“Sure. I’ll give you the address.”

“Thank you so much for your help,” Rowena said as they prepared to take their leave. “If my sister does show up here, tell her that we are looking for her and are desperately worried.”

They promised to keep an eye open, and Rowena and Kit hurried back to the motorcar.

“Did you find it odd that the woman in the nightdress was so reluctant to part with the address for the women’s society?” Rowena asked once they got settled back in the car.

“I could only focus on the oddly shaped nightcap.”

Rowena rolled her eyes in the dark. “Kit.”

He shrugged. “No, you’re right. She didn’t seem too keen on giving us the address.”

“Right. Victoria certainly has some questions to answer about this society when we find her,” Rowena said.

“I know she was very happy working there, but I’m not exactly sure what she did,” Kit said.

Rowena sighed as the motorcar came to a stop in front of a greengrocer. “Is this it?” Rowena asked. “There must be some mistake.”

“I think the lady in question lives in a flat above the greengrocer,” the driver said, his voice patronizing.

Rowena frowned. Prudence lives above a grocer? Rowena’s heart ached.
Oh, Prudence
, she thought.
What have I done to you?

*   *   *

“Is there anything you would like to tell me?”

Andrew’s words stopped Prudence in her tracks. Her pulse raced and she swallowed, her mind going immediately to the kiss she shared with Sebastian. “I’m not sure what you’re talking about.”

She and Andrew were standing in their bedroom. He had worked a long day at the docks and was heading to bed early. Because Susie was still visiting, Prudence had taken to tucking her husband in so they could steal a few minutes alone. He stood with his back to her at the small dresser he used for his clothes, as hers took up their entire wardrobe.

Could he have found out about the kiss? Her face flushed with guilt. Prudence had managed to put Sebastian mostly out of her mind. Nothing would come of telling Andrew of it—it would only hurt him. And she knew that it never would, never
could
happen again. In her mind, it was simply the kiss she should have received on that long-ago afternoon, back when Sebastian had first hinted at his feelings for her.

Andrew turned, holding up a T-shirt, one brow raised. “I just noticed these T-shirts are not my type. Why did you buy me all new T-shirts? I didn’t need them and we really can’t afford them.”

Relief weakened her knees and she stumbled to the bed and sat. Andrew came and sat next to her, the offending shirt in his hands. She leaned against him, sniffing deeply. He was wearing
a nightshirt that was worn and soft and he smelled cleanly of fresh soap. Her eyes filled with tears. She didn’t deserve this good man.

“I ruined your other shirts,” she confessed. “I used too much bluing and ruined them. I didn’t want you to know . . . especially after Victoria told you how incompetent I was at keeping house, so I went and bought some new shirts and new sheets.”