A Most Peculiar Circumstance (17 page)

“What about us?” Dot asked, causing the officer to pause. “Are you going to let us go, or do we have to wait until morning?”

“You’re all free to go. Bail has been paid for everyone,” the officer said.

“Thank you, Mr. Wilder,” Dot simpered.

“Don’t thank me, Dot. Mrs. Hamilton Beckett insisted on traveling here with me, and she took it upon herself to pay bail for all of you ladies.”

Dot smiled. “That was very kind of Mrs. Beckett. You will thank her for us, won’t you?”

“So much for not accepting help from do-gooders,” Theodore heard Arabella mutter.

Dot drew herself up, but before she could say a word, the officer opened the door and Theodore had to step quickly out of the way as the ladies rushed past him, Dot leading the way. The officer moved to the other cells filled with women, and they rapidly filed out, nodding their thanks as they scurried after their friends. Before he knew it, he was standing
with only Arabella, Katherine, Agatha, and three ladies of the night.

“Sarah, there you are,” a woman he thought was named Lottie said. “Hannah and I were hoping you were in one of the other cells, but with all the commotion, we couldn’t find you.”

“I was trying to stay unnoticed,” Sarah said softly. “You know I don’t like crowds much.”

A piece of his hardened heart suddenly softened. He worked with the dregs of society on a daily basis, but he’d never truly considered their feelings.

The woman Lottie had called Hannah stepped to Sarah’s side and gave her a hug, then released her and smiled. “Not to worry now, dear. The crowds are gone, and we’ll have you home soon.”

His heart gave a lurch at the mere thought of these women traveling back through the streets, probably to a house that was less than a home. His feet suddenly began to move, and he found himself standing right beside Sarah, who regarded him nervously. “You won’t be safe until this culprit is caught. I’m going to suggest you and your friends travel home with me, spend the night there where you can get some sleep without worrying about your safety, and then tomorrow we’ll speak about a better plan.”

He heard Arabella draw in a sharp breath and turned to look at her. She was watching him as if she’d never seen him before, and the look in her eyes was . . . different. Before he could figure out what the look meant, she smiled, and every single thought in his head disappeared.

How long he stood there staring at her, he couldn’t say, but Katherine suddenly laughed, grabbed his arm, and began pulling him away from the cell and down a hallway. “Time for me to face the music,” she said, although her voice was more amused than troubled.

He shook his head in order to clear it, and when Arabella’s smile immediately flashed back to mind, he decided he needed something drastic to chase the image away. “Did I mention that Father is here as well as Harold?”

Katherine came to an immediate stop. “Father’s here?”

“He and Harold came to lecture me earlier this evening.” He smiled as his thoughts finally came into focus. “Once he learned what had happened, he decided he couldn’t miss out on all the excitement.”

“Father doesn’t like excitement,” Katherine said, dropping hold of his arm. To his surprise, she strode back toward the cell, grabbed Agatha’s hand and began dragging her along.

“Did you forget something?” he heard Agatha ask.

Katherine stopped and turned to nod at him. “Agatha and I will be staying in jail tonight. She needs an authentic story, and how much more authentic could it get than sleeping the night away behind bars as if we really were ladies of the night?”

Theodore rolled his eyes and stalked back the way he’d just come. He brushed past Arabella, who looked as if she was trying not to grin, then past Sarah and the other ladies before he reached his sister’s side, took her arm, and pulled her into motion. She tried to pry herself free, but his patience was wearing thin once again, and before he knew it, they were moving through a heavy door, then standing in another long hallway as Katherine finally succeeded in shaking out of his hold.

She looked up at him and bit her lip. “I’m not certain I’m quite ready to face Harold just yet, Theodore, especially dressed like this.” She pushed her wig into place. “I must look like I’ve just escaped from the asylum.”

“I have a wonderful idea,” Agatha said, coming up to stand beside them. “We’ll tell Harold you’ve lost your mind and need to seek immediate medical attention. That will allow you
to escape this little mess we’ve gotten into without causing you to have to explain anything to your husband.”

“She’s not going to claim she lost her mind,” Arabella said, walking up to stand in front of Katherine.

Theodore caught a whiff of her perfume when she brushed past him. The scent tickled his nose, and he felt the most unusual urge to lean closer to her. He winced when Agatha elbowed him in the ribs and sent him a wink.

He wasn’t certain, but he thought the heat that took over his face just might be a blush. He narrowed his eyes at Agatha and then shifted his attention back to Arabella, who was now holding his sister’s hand and smiling.

“You, Katherine Gibson, are a strong, incredibly intelligent woman, who has finally decided to take charge of your life. You didn’t do anything illegal or harmful, and you simply need to tell your husband that.”

Katherine drew in a breath, squared her shoulders, and nodded. “You’re right. I haven’t done anything wrong.”

Arabella’s smile widened, and she dropped Katherine’s hand. “That’s the attitude. Now, go tell Harold that.”

Katherine grabbed Theodore’s arm, tightened her fingers into the sleeve of his coat, and smiled a rather wobbly smile. “I’m ready, but just don’t leave my side.”

He placed his other hand over her arm, squeezed it once, and then they began walking once again, pausing for just a second as he opened the door to where he knew Harold, Samuel, Eliza, and Violet waited.

Dead silence greeted their arrival into the room.

Theodore’s gaze went directly to Harold, who was staring back at them, his eyes narrowed as he glanced at Katherine and then back at Theodore.

“Well, where is she?” Harold demanded.

Katherine released his arm and stepped forward. “I’m right here, Harold.”

A muffled laugh caught Theodore’s attention, and he saw his father spinning around to face the wall, his shoulders shaking with what could only be amusement. Before he could process that peculiar state of affairs, Harold began to rant.

“I assume you’ve concocted some type of explanation for your deplorable condition?”

Theodore opened his mouth, intent on interceding, but snapped it shut when Arabella moved to Katherine’s side and took hold of his sister’s hand again.

“I’m certain Eliza has already explained the situation to you fairly well, Mr. Gibson,” Arabella said as she nodded to Eliza, who was standing by the window with Violet.

Harold puffed himself up, his face beginning to mottle. “You’re Arabella Beckett, aren’t you?”

“I readily admit that I am.”

“Well, girl, what do you have to say for yourself?”

Theodore’s temper flared, and he took a step forward, but then paused when Arabella drew herself up and didn’t so much as flinch when Harold stepped closer to her. His respect for her increased immensely, and he felt his lips twitch when Arabella lifted her chin, fixed Harold with an icy look of disdain, and opened her mouth.

“I suppose what I have to say is this: I haven’t been called ‘girl’ in quite some time, and if you wish me to answer your questions, I suggest you use caution in the manner you use to address me.”

A tic began to pulse on Harold’s cheek. “Your frank demeanor is very unbecoming for a woman.”

“As it has already been pointed out to me this evening that I’m judgmental, smug, and act somewhat superior to everyone, your opinion of me barely leaves a mark on my obviously unfeminine skin.”

Harold blinked, but then continued on as if Arabella hadn’t spoken. “You’re to blame for my wife being ruined.”

Arabella glanced at Katherine. “She doesn’t appear ruined to me.”

“She’s dressed like a tart.”

“I’m actually dressed like an opera singer,” Katherine said, speaking up.

Harold’s face went from mottled to deep red. He glared at Arabella. “Are you proud of yourself? Proud of the fact you’ve managed to turn my completely respectable wife into a woman of questionable character?”

“I’m afraid you’re giving me too much credit.”

“Of course I’m giving you too much credit. You’re most likely incapable of figuring out the ramifications of your actions.”

Arabella’s eyes began shooting sparks. “Are you suggesting I’m unintelligent?”

“I’m not suggesting anything,” Harold countered. “It is silly women like you who will be the downfall of our great country. Just because you’ve decided to abandon your God-given position in life does not mean it is remotely acceptable to coerce innocent women to join your side.”

Theodore moved then, not coming to a stop until he stood between Harold and Arabella. “That’s enough, Harold. Arabella has done nothing to provoke your anger. Katherine admitted she is the one who convinced them to let her go along tonight. Although I certainly don’t condone their actions, they believed they were doing something honorable.”

Harold looked at him for a long moment and then took a sideways step before shaking a finger at Arabella. “This is all your fault, no matter what anyone else says. You’ve caused an unfixable rift in my marriage, not that you would understand that as a spinster.” He let out a mean laugh. “You’ll always be a spinster, what with your radical ideas and masculine behavior.”

Theodore’s blood began to boil. “You’ve gone too far, Harold. Apologize to Miss Beckett.”

Harold threw him an incredulous look. “I will not apologize, Theodore. Besides, you know everything I’ve said so far is true. Need I remind you that on our way over here, you mentioned to me you thought Miss Beckett was a menace to men everywhere?”

A soft hiccup of distress drew his attention, and he forced himself to turn from Harold and look at Arabella. Her eyes shone with unshed tears, and he felt a stab of remorse. He’d only spoken those careless words out of anger, but . . . no, that wasn’t actually true. He’d meant the words at the time, meant them because finding out Arabella had been taken to jail along with his sister had infuriated him. Gently bred young ladies were not supposed to be hauled off to jail.

It just wasn’t done.

He simply didn’t know how to deal with a lady like Arabella. She was infuriating, but . . . she also intrigued him.

He blinked and allowed that thought to settle in his mind.

Arabella Beckett intrigued him.

There, that was the reason why she constantly plagued his thoughts. But what was he supposed to do now?

“I do hate to interrupt this lovely conversation everyone is having, but the night is slipping away from us,” Eliza said. She walked away from the window and strode briskly across the room. Her expression softened when she reached Arabella’s side and took her arm. “You, darling, will ride with me.” She sent Theodore a look, which he didn’t really understand until he remembered that before he’d gotten lost in his little epiphany, Arabella had learned he’d called her a menace. “You are not invited to follow us home, Mr. Wilder. Arabella has been through enough this evening and certainly doesn’t need to suffer your company any longer tonight.”

He needed to make amends now, before it was too late and
before Arabella had time to stew about it. “I should not have called you a menace. I’m afraid I allowed my temper to get the best of me, and I spoke out of anger.”

Arabella’s eyes turned a little misty. “That’s when the truth comes out the loudest.” She drew in a breath and lifted her chin. “I do want to extend you my gratitude for coming to get us, but your obligation toward me is at an end.” She turned to Eliza. “Ready?”

“My carriage is waiting out front.”

“That’s it?” Harold sputtered, causing everyone to look at him. His face was red and splotchy again, and his eyes were wide and slightly crazed. “Everyone’s just going to blithely take their leave with no apologies spoken?”

Katherine was the first to respond. “You want us to apologize?”

“Indeed I do,” Harold said. “We were forced out into this blustery night in order to fetch you. An apology is the least you can offer us for that inconvenience.”

Katherine tilted her head, the action causing her wig to float to the floor. She ignored it as she considered Harold for a long moment. “I will apologize for inconveniencing you, Harold, but I’m not apologizing for ending up in jail. If anyone should be apologizing, it should be you and Theodore. You’ve treated Arabella horribly tonight, and she did absolutely nothing to earn your disdain.”

Arabella cleared her throat. “There’s no need for them to apologize to me.”

“There’s every need,” Samuel said, speaking up for the first time as he stepped around Harold and stopped in front of Arabella. “You, my dear, have shown a tremendous amount of poise. I must extend to you my deepest regret regarding remarks I made to Theodore and Harold earlier this evening, even though you weren’t present to hear those remarks. I was mistakenly under the belief you were the reason my wife has
not been herself lately. I see now I was completely off the mark. It is quite clear you are a charming young lady who is not responsible for the recent behavior of my wife
or
my daughter. I hope you will forgive me. I should know better than to form an opinion based on gossip.”

“You’ve heard gossip about me?” Arabella asked.

Samuel sent her a small smile. “Men do talk, and you are often a subject of contemplation.” He sighed. “I’m afraid to tell you that I fear gentlemen everywhere blame you for the mischief their wives get into. I think it’s easier to blame you than to admit that perhaps we as husbands have not been treating our wives very well.”

“I’m sure you treat your wife just fine,” Arabella said.

“That’s very gracious of you to say, my dear, but I have to admit that I do think I’ve been a bit neglectful of late, with both my wife and my daughter.” Samuel turned from Arabella and nodded to Katherine. “It’s very late, and I’m sure you want to get out of here. May I offer you a ride home?”