Heaven Bound (A Blakemore Family Book: Madame Lou Series Book 2) (13 page)

Adeline couldn’t help thinking to herself how silly the whole demonstration looked. Did people really pay to have their fortunes told? And poor Clara had put all her faith in these women.

“It’s true, Clara did have complete faith in the premonitions my cousin saw in her aura.” Madame Lou said, opening her eyes and lowering her head. “Although, your friend is still quite distraught. She’s so very worried about her husband. He took her death very badly.”

“Really, Miss Lou, I don’t think it takes a medium to come to that conclusion.” Adeline set her teacup down, sitting back and crossing her arms defiantly over her bosom.

“It’s Madame Lou, not Miss Lou.” The woman corrected her. “And Clara isn’t finished. She says she saw your falling out with Jack. She says she saw him turn to you for comfort for the briefest of moments before he sent you away. But the thing she wants you to know, the thing she wants you to consider before you leave here today and decide whether or not this is truly a deception that some old woman has created to separate a naive young woman from her pin money, is something that even Madame Lou could not possibly know without your friend’s spirit revealing it.”

“Well, go on then.” Adeline said, trying not to be interested in what the old gypsy had to say. But as she sat there waiting for the woman to reveal her secret knowledge, Addie felt a distinct and unnatural chill travel up her spine. She tried to hide her reaction, but it was as if Madame Lou could sense that her mood had changed.

“On the ship one night there was a wave.” Madame Lou was now watching Adeline closely. “And you and Jack had a moment that neither of you expected. It was intimate and passionate and you cannot forget it and Jack cannot forgive himself for it.”

“But, how did you…?” Addie was speechless. Only she and Jack knew what happened that night. And even if in a moment of weakness she had confessed some of it to Emily, there was no earthly way that this woman could have known of it.

“Clara is with you both often. Her husband dreams of it. Since she visits him when he’s sleeping, trying to comfort him, she saw what he experienced—and you as well. And there is more.”

“No, I don’t want to hear anymore.” Adeline said standing to go.

“You must.” Madame Lou said, her voice stern as a parent’s. “You owe it to Clara.”

“You’re right, I do owe it to my friend. But I don’t know who you are or if any of this is real. I can’t stay here and listen to you any longer. I must go, I’m sorry.” Addie ran from the shop, not looking back.

“Whatever is the matter, Miss?” Emily cried, helping Adeline back into the hackney. “You’re crying. Who has upset you like this? Shall I call a constable? And why were you coming out of the fortune-teller’s shop?”

“No, I’m fine. I just want to go home.”

Emily instructed the driver to take them back to Grosvenor Square.

“Stone, did you ever tell anyone about what happened that night on the ship? When Mr. Bradley and I—you know—got close?” Addie hadn’t told anyone else and, even though she knew servants did like to gossip, she just couldn’t believe Emily had revealed this particular secret.

“I haven’t breathed a word to a living soul, Miss.” The maid crossed her hand over her chest. “Cross my heart and hope to die. Is that why you are so upset? Did the fortune-teller know about it somehow?”

Addie wiped her tears and blew her nose, nodding the affirmative. “I don’t know how she found out, but if anyone else knows, I’ll simply die.”

“She can’t possibly know, Miss. It’s just impossible...unless…” Emily looked at her mistress with a horrified look on her face. “…Unless she’s the real thing.”

“I don’t want to think about it right now.” Adeline said, closing the topic for further discussion. “I can’t think about it right now. It’s too preposterous and, even if it was true, who would believe it?”

“What else did she say?” Emily was now more curious than horrified.

“Not now, Stone. We’ll discuss it tomorrow, or the next day. But I’m not going to even contemplate the possibility today.”

That night, alone in her bed, Adeline allowed herself to think about that night aboard-ship for the first time in months. She thought she had put it out of her mind, but when she allowed herself to go back to that moment again, it was as real and poignant as if it had just happened. She could practically feel Jack’s warm breath on her lips, almost taste his mouth as it was pressed to hers. Remembering the strength of his arms around her, as he held her tight against his body, sent a shiver of pleasure through her. It seemed so sinful to imagine it again and to think about the hard length of Jack’s body pressing into her softness. If she hadn’t known how much he adored his wife, if it had been any other man, Addie might have found some pleasure in the memory. After all, he was a handsome man, still young and very successful. Not a nobleman, but of noble birth certainly.

It was a hopeless sort of a memory though that could only cause her heartache. Adeline could merely pray that she would find a man very soon who would wipe all thoughts and memories of Jackson Bradley from her mind. Somehow, Addie did not think that would ever really be possible. Jack was too memorable, and his touch had been too intoxicating to forget.

If only their kiss had happened later, after Clara had been gone for longer, giving Jack a chance to grieve in peace. But even if that had been the case, there was still no reason for either of them to continue with any sort of a relationship. Jack was a third son and had no chance to inherit a title, which put him solidly out of the running for the role of her future husband.

Sleep eluded Adeline for most of the night and, when she did finally succumb to slumber, it was restless and filled with competing dreams of Jack leaning down to kiss her but turning into the viscount accosting her intermixed with visions of an otherworldly Clara telling Addie to go to Jack. Then the gypsy was there as well, repeating everything that Clara said. Finally the morning came and Adeline prayed that there would be something to distract her from her errant thoughts.

“Addie, we’ve been invited to a country house party.” Simon said, scanning his correspondence at breakfast the next morning. “At the Basildon Park estate of the Earl of Abingdon. Apparently the man is widowed with six children and needs a rich bride to save his estate.”

“Six children?” Adeline nearly choked on her coffee. “Father, I don’t think I’m going to want to marry a man who already has a family.”

“No, of course not, Addie.” Simon James assured his daughter. “But I’m sure the earl has some friends attending this party who are fellow noblemen. Henrietta will be there as well. That should make you happy. Finally, a gathering that we can actually make some real progress on your quest to marry a lord. Frankly, I wasn’t sure we’d be invited anywhere again after you put the viscount off like that.”

“I didn’t completely refuse him, Papa.” Adeline pouted. She had sorely disappointed her sire by not accepting the viscount, but she had also seen the wisdom in his suggestion of simply delaying her answer. Mr. James had convinced his daughter that only by having the man on the hook would she be able to attract more appealing offers. So, although she dreaded the possibility of finding herself alone with the cad again, she had not completely alienated him either.

“Well, no matter. I’m looking forward to spending some time in the country. We’ll take the train on Thursday, if you don’t mind arriving with the early crowd. I know it’s not fashionable, but I’m ready to get out of London for a spell.” Simon picked up his paper, leaving Adeline to finish her breakfast and get on with her day.

“Emily—Stone,” Adeline corrected herself. It was far too easy to slip into her old habits when she was so tired. But she recovered, determined to act like a proper English lady. “What can I expect at one of these country parties? Are they anything like our excursions to the Adirondacks?”

Emily grew thoughtful as she pulled dresses and hats from her mistress’s wardrobe. “There are certainly similarities, of course. After all, a Toff’s idea of a party from one country to the next is still mostly the same. I suppose the biggest difference is probably that the traditions are much older and so are the houses. All sorts of secret passages and places to get lost in, forgotten hideaways that no one has been to or thought about in years, maybe even decades.”

“Like what?” Adeline was curious to find out more.

“Oh, hunting lodges, dungeons and walled gardens, and mazes to name a few. All sorts of ancient treasures just waiting to be rediscovered.” Emily held up a sky-blue riding habit. “I like this one, although I do worry you might get it dirty out there in the middle of all those trees and bushes.”

“If I ruin it, I’ll just buy another one.” Addie sighed, realizing too late how thoughtless a comment that was. The habit cost more than what Emily’s salary was for a year. “No, you’re right. Let’s pack the gray bombazine one instead.”

“Miss, you don’t have to beat yourself up just because your father spoils you. We all know that you would give every dime you have to help those less fortunate than you. So I’ve decided you’re taking the blue one.” Emily continued packing the trunks and wouldn’t hear any more arguments from her mistress as she picked out all her prettiest clothes to take with them to Lord Abingdon’s.

The following day, they boarded the train and were led to a private car that Mr. James had acquired for the trip. It was luxuriously furnished, with a sitting room and two small, but comfortable, bedrooms in case they wanted to rest on the journey. A waiter was employed to serve tea or something stronger and a luncheon.

“I knew I recognized that name,” Simon said, suddenly looking up from his newspaper when they were about halfway to their destination. “Earl Abingdon is Jackson Bradley’s older brother. How fortunate. I was wondering if I’d get a chance to see Jack again. I’d be curious to know if that is why we were included on the invitation list. Well, we should thank Jack when we see him. Don’t you agree, Addie? And I’m sure you are looking forward to seeing him again. He’s had a few more months to deal with his grief and being with his family should be a great comfort to him.”

Adeline sat stunned, staring at her father with her mouth hanging open. How in the world had this happened? The coincidences were starting to overwhelm her. First, Madame Lou making her recollect that unexpected kiss on the ship and now she was about to be trapped in a house with the man she’d been having impure thoughts about. She wasn’t sure she was going to come out of this weekend without some emotional scars. Would Jack be angry when he saw her? Or had he really been responsible for inviting them to this festivity?

If she thought it wouldn’t upset her father, Addie would feign a sickness for the whole weekend and never come out of her room. But Papa was so excited for her finally being around a whole passel of possible fiancés, that she knew she’d never be able to disappoint him in such a cowardly manner.

They arrived at the grand estate as the sun was setting. Some of the other guests had already arrived, with the rest due to show up in the morning. Adeline was so nervous about meeting up with Jack again that she had Emily bring her a supper tray in her room. Tomorrow would be soon enough to face that meeting. Thankfully, he hadn’t been present to greet the house guests as they arrived and she was beginning to wonder if he even knew his brother had invited them. The earl, on the other hand, had made a special point to find the Jameses. Father’s wealth could have that effect on most gentlemen who might need a loan or a business partner or, in this instance, a wealthy bride.

Winston Bradley was charming enough, and Adeline thought that she might genuinely like him as well, but he did not exactly fit her ideal of the husband she had been imagining. Besides, it would be unbearable to be married to the one man and be haunted by memories of his brother’s embrace all the while, especially when he looked so much like an older version of Jack.

Adeline wished she could stop feeling this attraction to Jack. It was an impossible situation, as neither one would ever be able to ever forget Clara while in each other’s presence which made such a union completely unrealistic. Shaking her head, trying to clear it of these torturous thoughts, Addie wondered how she was going to make it through this party unscathed.

That did not go very well, Cassiopeia thought, feeling as if maybe she had bitten off more than she could chew with this match. Clara wasn’t giving her anything to work with and it was obvious to her that both Jackson and Adeline felt so guilty about that kiss and their own passions that, even with her blessing, the specter of Clara was haunting them both. Cassie had removed her Madame Lou costume and was getting ready to close up both of her shops when she noticed that her little brother, Danny, was slipping in the back door.

“Where have you been, Daniel Blakemore?” she asked, hands on her hips.

“
That
gentleman asked me to bring Madame Lou an invitation.” He handed the sealed envelope to Cassie and she turned it over in her hands.

She knew Danny meant Lord Suffolk when he referred to
that
gentleman. The earl had been persistent in his attentions of both herself and Madame Lou for over a year now, and to what end she didn’t know. Even the spirits were keeping mum when it came to
that
gentleman.

Jackson paced the library as if he were a caged animal. He had changed his mind and wanted his brother to cancel the party, but Winston had insisted it was too late. Even if he’d been able to send out proper communications, half of the guests would already be en route. His brother had also pointed out that they were probably safer with a crowd of witnesses anyway. They had decided that the men should all strive to have at least two other people with them at all times, not including each other, which would be too dangerous.

“As long as we don’t all gather in the same place or eat the same food at the same time, we shouldn’t have to worry.” Winston insisted.

The most difficult part had been trying to explain the new house rules to Winston’s two boys. But they thought it was a splendid game, and so the Bradley men decided to let them think that and not to worry them with too many details.

“We have to figure this mystery out, and soon.” They were all in agreement and had spent another long day and night poring over their father’s books and papers.

“Let me take a look at your guest list.” Jack had said to Winston on the evening that guests were starting to arrive. “Maybe we can at least eliminate any concerns there.”

“They are mostly family and friends, but a few strangers to make things a bit more interesting.” Winston went over the list with his brother, discussing all the guests, especially the ones Jackson wasn’t familiar with.

When he got to one name in particular, it took him a minute to come to terms with what it meant. Gritting his teeth, he listened as Winston talked about the heiress, Miss James, and how beneficial a marriage to her would be for the family estate. Since the brothers hadn’t had regular contact over the last ten years, Winston had no way of knowing that Jackson was very familiar with Adeline James.

“I’ll find where father hid his assets,” Jack finally said when he could speak without giving away the emotions that the thought of seeing Adeline again brought up in him. “I’d rather have you marry someone you want to spend your life with, not a woman who is only good for the bottom line.”

“Ah, well,” Winston said with a shrug. “It’s always better to have a backup plan. Now if you’ll excuse me, I need to get ready to greet my guests.”

Jack sat looking at the list for a long time, not seeing the paper, but instead going back in his mind to the last time he’d seen Adeline. He had been cruel, sending her away like that, but if he hadn’t, he never would have been able to let her go. Standing next to Clara’s coffin had made his wife’s death seem so fresh and raw on his emotions, and Addie was the only living breathing link he had to his wife. But he realized in that moment that anything he said or did would have been based only on the profound desperation of a man without hope.

The last few months had been good for him, distracting Jackson from the lonely life that lay ahead of him like an endless ocean. But the manner with which he’d sent Addie away had been cruel and, now that he was going to see her again, he found himself wanting to apologize and somehow make her understand that the comfort she’d offered that day was too much for his damaged psyche to accept at the time. Now, well, now he would welcome a friend’s comfort. At least, that is what he kept telling himself he wanted. Would she forgive him? He knew there was only one way to find out.

Jack watched from one of the upper floors as carriages and automobiles arrived at the grand estate. When the Jameses showed up in one of the carriages that Winston had sent to the train station, he watched as Adeline stepped down with the help of a footman. He noticed she wasn’t smiling and he wondered if she was as nervous about their reunion as he was. Frightened of his reaction to seeing her again, was more likely. He waited for Addie to be shown to her room, before descending into the main salon to greet the guests as they came down for dinner.

“Good to see you again, Bradley.” Simon James came over and shook Jackson’s hand as soon as Winston finished lavishing his wealthy guest with compliments, and offering the man anything he desired, from French champagne and Russian caviar to the use of his own valet.

“Simon, it’s very good to see you again, sir.”

“I hope you’re feeling some closure, now that you are back at home.” Simon was obviously referring to how moody Jack had been since Clara’s death.

Jack was still not comfortable speaking of his grief, so he simply nodded.

“It’s been a many years since Addie and I lost her mother, but sometimes it feels like yesterday,” Simon said, getting a faraway look in his eyes as he remembered his own wife’s passing. “Maggie had only one wish, that Adeline would marry nobility. She also made me promise that if I did remarry and have a son, I would make sure that our daughter’s future would be secure with an ample inheritance.”

“But you never remarried,” Jack said, remembering that he and Mr. James had more in common than just being self-made successful businessmen.

“It’s the only thing I really regret,” Simon confessed. “There was a woman I fell in love with, and she would have married me in an instant, but I was afraid that I was somehow not honoring Margaret’s memory by taking a new wife, so I let her slip through my fingers.”

“She gave up on you and married another?” Jack asked. He thought maybe Simon James had narrowly escaped a gold-digger if this woman had been so fickle.

“That would have been easy to put behind me if that were the case.” Simon frowned, thinking about the past. “No, she waited for me and waited for me and then, one day, when she finally gave up hope that I would actually let my dear Maggie rest in peace, she took her own life. And for that, Mr. Bradley, I’ve never truly forgiven myself. Thank God I have Adeline, or I would have locked up my heart forever after that.”

“I’m so sorry, Mr. James,” Jackson said, reeling from the man’s confession.

“I see myself in you, Jack. I hope you can learn from my mistakes. Don’t waste the rest of your life in regret and remorse. I don’t think your wife would have wanted it. I’m sure my Margaret was furious with me for allowing my grief for her to get in the way of any future happiness with another woman. I’m actually dreading this entertainment that Lord Suffolk has planned for us this weekend.”

“I don’t believe I’m acquainted with Lord Suffolk. He must be a friend of my brother’s, maybe from his club in town.” Jackson tried to recall what Winston had said about the man. “What sort of amusement is the earl planning for us?”

“I heard that he is sending for a spiritualist from London to hold a séance for us,” Simon said looking a bit worried. “I just hope that Margaret isn’t planning on visiting with me. I don’t think I could take her telling her me what a fool I’ve been over the years, pining for her and not giving Adeline a new mother.”

“A spiritualist? That’s an odd entertainment for a peer to be arranging, isn’t it?” Jackson had been gone from London society for so long that he couldn’t really be sure what was on-dit these days. He was quite aware that New Yorkers loved these mediums and psychics—his deceased wife having been one of their staunchest supporters—but he’d had no idea that the upper ten thousand were patronizing these spiritualists.

“It’s all the rage, and seems to have taken over polite society on both sides of the Pond.” Simon glanced at Jackson with some concern. “You might not want to attend, what with your wife’s passing being so recent. I can’t imagine it would be a fitting circumstance if for some reason this Madame Lou were to bring forth Clara’s spirit while you are still in mourning.”

Jack nodded, wondering if this was the same medium that Clara had begged him to find once he reached England. It would be a very strange coincidence if that were indeed the case.

“Is Adeline not joining you for dinner this evening?” Jackson asked, changing the subject. He didn’t want to think any more about the departed.

“I fear the journey was taxing on Addie and she won’t be joining the party until tomorrow.” Simon glanced around the room and, spotting a group of titled gentlemen near the liquor cart, made his excuses to Jackson. “Sorry to abandon you, Jack, but I need to see about finding a suitable husband for my daughter.”

Jack watched Mr. James join the other group of men and, deciding that he had done his duty for the evening as youngest brother of the host, retired. If Adeline would not be joining her father for dinner, then he had a reprieve from facing her and finding a way to explain his behavior the last time they had met. He wandered downstairs to the kitchen and knocked on the doorframe to announce his intrusion into the realm of the servants.

He noticed a familiar-looking young woman leaving the kitchen with a supper tray and realized it was Adeline’s lady’s maid. He recognized her from the ship. When she saw him standing there, she almost dropped her tray in surprise.

“Stone.” Jackson acknowledged the maid and bowed slightly as he moved aside to allow her to pass.

“Mr.—Mr. Bradley; so good to see you again.” Emily Stone stammered. She curtsied quickly and then hurried on her way to deliver the meal to her mistress.

Smiling at the maid’s reaction to his presence without really knowing why, Jack proceeded into the cook’s domain. He knew he wasn’t going to be welcomed, especially on this exceptionally busy evening.

“Why, Master Jack, what are you doing pestering the maids while we are all too busy this week for the likes of you?” Cook had always had a soft spot for Jackson when he was a boy and, since returning home, he’d noticed that she’d been serving up many of his favorite dishes from childhood.

“I’m not feeling up to anymore socializing for today, Mrs. Smithson.” He gave the woman the pleading look he’d perfected as a lad that he knew would melt her instantly. “And since it’s not a formal sit-down dinner tonight, I don’t think my presence will be overly missed.”

“So you thought you’d come a begging for a bite to eat hidden away from the guests,” she said with a knowing look. “Well, I can’t have you in my kitchen underfoot with all the extra help I have here, so you’ll have to make due with whatever I decide to send up to your room.”

“Yes, ma’am.” Jack knew when he’d been put in his place.

“Now, off with you, boy.” Mrs. Smithson shooed Jackson out of her kitchen, while calling for one of the kitchen maids to prepare anther supper tray.

Jack hustled out of the kitchen and back upstairs. He paused at the door to the drawing room, and glanced at his brothers to make sure all was well before he escaped to his room. He stopped in the study to grab several of the estate account books to look over again. Maybe in the quiet of his bedroom he might be able to finally make heads or tails of his father’s cryptic entries.

A few minutes later, Griffin knocked on the door and entered with Jack’s dinner. The man set the tray on a small side table and quietly left the room. Jack looked the food over, then decided he wasn’t quite hungry yet and poured himself a brandy from the silver salver with several decanters arranged on it. The tray had been placed in his room by one of the servants, who had noticed that there was glass of the liquor by his bed the first few nights he was at home. The sign of a good servant, of course, was one who could anticipate their employer’s wants and needs. Jack had to give Winston’s staff credit for being more than adequate. He sincerely hoped it would not become necessary to let them all go in the near future. Jack picked at his meal as he thumbed through the books again. He’d been over and over the accounts, looking for a pattern or something that stood out as a clue. Eventually, the pages began to blur before his eyes and he had to stop.

Concentrating on the rest of his dinner, he thought about the conversation he’d just had with Simon James. Jack hadn’t been expecting the man to share such intimate recollections with him, but it must have been obvious to him that Jack was still thinking about his wife and having been unable to do anything to save her. He knew what the older man was trying to communicate—don’t waste your life wishing for something that will never be. It was good advice, and Jack hoped he could use it someday, but right now he was just grateful for something else to occupy his time.

Pouring another glass of brandy, Jack settled back to examining the estate records. Maybe with a full stomach he would be able to concentrate on them with a new perspective. Maybe he just needed to think about the entries differently. Jackson thought about it for a few minutes, trying to get inside his father’s head. “If I was old Earl Abingdon and I had something I wanted to hide, how would I go about it?” Jack went over the possibilities in his head. Expenses that were just slightly lower than the numbers recorded in the accounts? No, too easy to verify with the actual bills. Purchases that appeared normal but didn’t have a corresponding bill, but only occasionally so it wouldn’t seem odd if only a few were missing? No, that wouldn’t add up to the amounts Winston felt were missing. What about…Jack suddenly had a flashback of one of the treasure hunts that their father had arranged for them when they were boys.