Love Engineered (25 page)

Charles persuaded Louise to allow the Prentices to stay as his guests, until such a time as it was deemed safe for them to return home. She was easily convinced. She didn't want to risk taking them to her house.

Edward Lucas arrived a short time later, and was told of the current situation. He listened attentively, was professional in his advice and assented at Miss Thomas's heartfelt request to take over immediately as her lawyer until the situation with Mr Russell could be resolved.

As the authorities and newly appointed lawyer undertook their commissions, the child was sent to bed and the parents retired for much needed sleep, even though it was the early morning.

“I will return home,” Louise said. “Your brother will keep me informed of any important developments.”

“But surely you should not return home yet?” Charles said desperately. “Not until Mr Risinger has been captured? Not until we know all who were involved.”

“I cannot stay here. If I send for clothes then word will soon get around my staff where I am. Besides, I shall call for the protection of my cousin, Lord Philip.”

Charles struggled to contain his sudden jealousy. “Miss Thomas, I do not believe you should contact any friends or family until Mr Russell has been questioned, and if at all possible until Mr Risinger is recaptured.”

“But Philip cannot be involved. I know him. He is practically the only family I have. He is as honest as they come. He is a little frivolous in a few of his pursuits, but he would never be party to such a thing.”

“I understand all this, but you must let things take their course.”

“Philip would have nothing to gain by being involved. Nothing. Twenty thousand pounds is nothing to a man such as he. Why, it's pin money!” Her voice became nearly frantic as she spoke. She knew her cousin would have nothing to do with such a loathsome scheme.

“I know you would like your cousin to help you, but I still believe you should not contact him until Mr Russell has been questioned. Is not the child's long term safety paramount?”

She could offer no further argument and turned away. He had annoyed her, especially because he had shown in the past little enough aptitude when it came to judging good characters from bad.

Eventually, she turned back and managed to say, “Very well, I will stay here for a little longer – at least a few more hours, but only with the understanding that you do not inconvenience yourself. You need sleep.”

“Very well. I will sleep here.”

He made himself comfortable on one of the sofas, but sleep was far from his thoughts at first and Louise still had many questions unanswered.

The tension between them seemed to ease.

“You haven't told me what happened once you found the Prentices,” she remarked.

“I spoke to Mr and Mrs Prentice. They had no idea that you were told the child was kidnapped. They believed all was well. We quickly agreed it would be best if we all travelled back to London together, and then to send word to you once we arrived. We travelled by train, and arrived about an hour before you came here this morning.”

She stood up and looked out of the window at the street, which had started to fill with people going about their morning business. She was desperate to overcome the dreadful feeling of betrayal from one of those she had trusted all her life. Such secrets Mr Russell knew, so much harm he could do her! She dreaded to think what he might have already told Risinger, what he might have done already to cause her further injury. She would have to form a contingency plan.

After minutes of reflection like this, she turned around and saw that Mr Lucas had fallen asleep. She smiled at the almost boyish peacefulness of his face. After several minutes, she tore her gaze away. She couldn't sleep herself, but quietly paced the room, unable to resist watching him occasionally, and trying to understand her own feelings towards him. Her heart questioned why he acted on her behalf, going even so far as Scotland to recover the child. Could he love her? Could he have done it for her? No. She called herself a fool for thinking such a thing. He obviously felt obliged to her because of Robert Adams. That was all it was. She silently forgave him his earlier transgression against Philip. She could never be angry with him for long.

A few hours later came the news that Mr Russell had been taken into custody and questioned. It took little persuasion for him to confess everything. Having been so easily discovered, he protested to the police that he had been coerced into it by Mr Risinger. He claimed the whole business had been the other man's idea and he only went along with it because he had some excessively pressing gambling debts.

He readily gave the whereabouts of Mr Risinger in exchange for leniency. Risinger was captured by the afternoon, and in the evening Louise summoned Lord Philip. He came immediately and cancelled a night at a concert in order to talk over the events of the day. Louise was exhausted, but in need of further companionship before she could be persuaded to retire for the evening.

They sat for some time in the sitting room. She was apologetic for her selfishness that kept him away from an evening's entertainment.

“It's nothing. It's only a concert. There will be others,” he said. “Did we not a long time ago agree to help each other when we could? If we cannot turn to each other, then I do not know what we will do!”

He took her hand and placed his arm around her to reaffirm their friendship.

Just at that moment the sitting room door opened and Mr Lucas was shown in.

She stood immediately and greeted him. His demeanour tensed when he saw Philip.

“Mr Lucas, do you bring further news of today?”

“Yes, I wanted you to hear it from a friend.” He sat down in the chair she indicated. “You know Lord Philip?”

The two men nodded at each other.

“Edward, as you know,” Charles said, “has spent the day investigating Mr Russell, and he has uncovered evidence that Mr Russell has been stealing money from you for years.”

“Nothing surprises me now,” she sighed.

“Is it much?” Lord Philip asked.

“He thinks it may be in excess of twenty thousand pounds, all in all. Mostly from investments.”

“Oh,” was all she could respond with.

“I'm sorry to be the one to tell you of this. Edward doesn't know yet whether the money may be recovered, but by his own admission, Mr Russell is a gambling man, so he does not hold much hope.”

“Thank you Mr Lucas. It was kind of you to bring this news yourself.”

“I'm sorry to be the bearer of such bad news. Edward wanted to come himself, but I volunteered my services.” He then turned to Lord Philip. “I must apologise to you, too. Earlier today I persuaded Miss Thomas to refrain from contacting you until all the perpetrators were uncovered. I didn't mean any offence to you and I beg your pardon.”

“Oh pish, do not worry.” Lord Philip waved his hand about. “Louise has told me everything, including that. There is little she ever keeps from me,” he said, with a sideways glance at her. “I can't say I wouldn't have done the same myself.”

“I would think that Mr and Mrs Prentice will return to Devon shortly,” said Charles. “But they are more than welcome to stay at my house for as long as they need. I have told them.”

“Thank you. I'm sure they will return to Devon presently. They have been absent from their home for long enough. We may well travel together. I have grown to dislike London a great deal recently. I think I will need time away to recover.” She spoke quietly and with such a note of sadness that Charles was overwhelmed by the anguish in her face. But it seemed he was powerless to help her. He wanted to hold her. Comfort her. Kiss her.

“Come now, dear Louise,” Lord Philip interjected and stood to place a supportive arm around her shoulder. “Do not grow despondent. I cannot bear to see you thus. You will rally! You need not attend the trial; in fact, it will probably be better that you do not. I will attend for you and tell you everything necessary.”

She offered him a small smile. “Before you leave, Mr Lucas, I wanted to thank you for everything you have done. I do not believe I have done it until now. Can you forgive me for such an omission?”

“Yes, but it's not necessary to thank me.”

“It is,” she said incredulously. “If you hadn't pursued this, and gone to so much trouble, they both would have got away with this scheme.”

“Then I accept your gratitude,” he said in a stiff manner and without meeting her gaze, for he could bear no further evidence of her tender feelings towards another man.

She noticed his cold manner and couldn't understand how he could take offence at her words. She could see that his mood had suddenly changed, and he was no longer the open and engaging Mr Lucas who, only that morning, had taken command of a truly desperate situation. But she responded with heartfelt gratitude. “Please, I wouldn't want you to have financial loss for everything you did. Be so kind as to forward all your expenses to me.”

That made him look at her with something like anger. “I assure you there was little expense and, even if there were, I wouldn't dream of expecting you to pay me back.”

“Leave him be Louise,” Lord Philip said. “A gentleman does not ask for such recompense, especially when the recipient is a lady.”

She was too tired to argue and she simply nodded. Charles stood up and took his leave.

He stole one last lingering look at her as he left.

As he made his way home, he berated himself. He didn't mean to be so cold, so distant. Sheer exhaustion despite his earlier slumber had caused his emotions to be heightened. But how could he help himself? Not once, but twice he was witness to their obvious intimacy. She had made no attempt to withdraw her hand from Lord Philip's when he entered. And then, later, Lord Philip placed his arm around her shoulder. Cousins did marry; it wasn't unusual, especially with the upper classes.

Such a display would only be shown if they had a special understanding. And then, she had been most fervent in her defence of her cousin earlier that day. No, he must face the fact that the love she had at one time so determinedly given to him had transferred to another. There could be no other reason.

He walked home in a daze; needing sleep, but dreading being kept awake all night by this heartbreaking revelation.

Two days later, Mr Russell and William Risinger appeared before the Magistrate’s Court under charges of deception and fraud. Further charges of theft were brought against Mr Russell. Bail wasn't applied for, and they were remanded in custody pending their trial.

Word spread quickly around London society about their crimes, particularly Mr Russell's, and there was a small article in The Times related to the charges and who the gentlemen were. Edward Lucas had been efficient at keeping the exact details quiet, but there was still a large amount of speculation as to who Mr Russell had stolen from, and of course, all of his clients were eager to know if they had fallen victim.

Louise kept in constant contact with Edward, and appointed him as her new lawyer permanently. He showed little reaction when she told him her pseudonym Robert Adams, but he was secretly pleased that his brother had benefited from such an eminent lady.

He was, however, somewhat distressed when Miss Thomas insisted that she have a private interview with Mr Risinger the day of the Magistrate’s hearing. He soon found out that when she had set her mind on something, argument was fruitless. He therefore somewhat reluctantly arranged for this unusual meeting to take place.

She sat in the public gallery to watch the proceedings with Lord Philip. Afterwards, as she made her way to the holding area underneath the court, she became agitated. The walls and floor grew more worn as they approached and the musty smell and stench of sewage lingered in the air, adding to her distress.

“Are you sure you do not want me to accompany you?” Lord Philip asked as she gripped his arm.

“No. This is something I must do by myself,” she insisted, as they stood outside the cell.

The guard opened the door and she was ushered in. It took her eyes a few moments to adjust to the darkness; there was only one small dirty window the size of a letterbox.

The door closed, and two prison guards stood behind Mr Risinger. He was seated on a wooden chair in shabby prison clothes; his hair was longer and more unkempt than she had ever seen it, and despite his desperate situation, he appeared calm and composed.

“Come to take one last look?” he said in an indignant tone. “You could never resist me, could you Louise? Admit it!”

She said nothing. What could she say in return?

His flicked his head in the direction of the guards. “Why don't you ask them to leave, then we'll see how brave you really are.”

She raised her eyebrows. “I'm not as stupid as I used to be. You would like that, wouldn't you? To be alone in a room with me. What would you do? Place your hands around my neck and squeeze as hard as you could?”

“I wouldn't know whether to squeeze your neck or kiss it. Don't go putting ideas in my head now,” he retorted.

She shivered at the thought of him kissing her. “I wouldn't dream of it. You're evil enough without the need for help.”

“I could have been much more amicable if you had married me.”

She gave a small snort. “I never looked at you in that way.”

“Pity. I could have been something if I had your money.”

“You could have been something without my money – you chose the wrong path.”

He responded with a shrug. She wanted this over with quickly, so said with passion in her voice. “Why didn't you go to America?”

“Because I wanted to bring you down.”

“And ruin your own life in the process?”

“But what was there for me in America? Why, you only gave me fifty pounds. I would have starved on the street with that measly amount. You were always so generous before. I was almost insulted.”

“Perhaps if you had starved it would have saved everyone a lot of trouble and heartache, including Mr Russell. I gave you five thousand pounds before. What did you do with it?”

He didn't respond at first, only looked at her standing before him so defiantly. Finally he said, “When I came back from France I watched you for a while. I wanted one last chance to get money out of you. Imagine my mirth when you became friends with Jane Lucas – the sister of my old school friend.”