Time for Love (18 page)

He shook his head. “We shall discuss that later. Answer my other question. Why was the house in disrepair?”

Meghan squeezed their mother’s hands, which lay quietly on her knees. Odd, his mother had always been so full of life. His memories of her were of constant motion, not this deathlike stillness. He found he preferred movement.

“He will find out, Mother. Isn’t it preferable for us to prepare him before he is confronted with the truth at the first society function he attends?”

Mother sighed, squared her shoulders and looked at him. “I did not wish for you to know the truth of how we have lived these past few years.”

He sat in a chair across from her, his hands on his knees and leaned forward to keep his eyes on hers. “My understanding is that my brother was quite wealthy.”

“Yes. As are you now. However, he did not feel obligated to drown his father’s widow in luxury, as he claimed your father was wont to do.”

Meghan gave a most unladylike snort. It pleased him to hear it. Some things had not changed so drastically. “Meaning, he did not feel it necessary to spend a penny to support us.”

“He did not provide you with an allowance? I understood from father’s will that you were to be taken care of to the end of your days.” He forced his hands to unclench. His brother’s neck was quite far beyond his reach.

“However, the will did not state in any direct terms the extent of that allowance.” Mother shook her head and smiled sadly. “Your father believed your brother would gladly take care of us all. He fell quite short of my expectations.”

“Bastard!”

“Nicky!” Mother gasped. “You may be used to such rough language on board your ship, but I will not tolerate it in my drawing room.”

He grinned. “Ah, Mother. It’s a pleasure to be back in the fold. I haven’t been chastised in years.”

Her lips quirked, and Meghan put a hand over her smile.

“I am so happy to have you finally at home,” Mother said. “It is awful of me, yet I could wish your father’s eldest son had drunk himself to death years ago. Then perhaps I would not have had to give up my own son to satisfy Lucius’s spiteful nature.”

“Lucius drank himself to death?”

“Essentially,” she replied. “He made the foolhardy decision to ride a horse he could not manage when sober. He was thrown. I confide in you, my son, but that knowledge is not to be discussed. It would be a dreadful scandal.”

He nodded. He could not manage to dredge up any regret for their loss, other than a wish to inflict on his half-brother some measure of the pain Lucius had inflicted on his mother and sister, not to mention himself. “I am sorry, Mother. Meghan. I did not realize your troubles. I imagined Lucius’s grievances were confined to my person. I had always planned on returning when I amassed a large enough fortune to keep you in the lifestyle in which I believed you were accustomed. Had I realized…”

“It isn’t your fault, Nicky,” Meghan chimed in. “We saw no reason to burden you.”

“There was nothing you could do, in any case. Lucius was appointed Meghan’s guardian. He never would have allowed you to take her. And I would never have left her to his care.”

Meghan grinned. “Your gifts came in quite handy in recent years.”

“I would have sent more.”

Mother shook her head. “Lucius would have found out and taken it away.” She waved her hand. “Enough. We will discuss it no more. Let us discuss the future.”

He wasn’t sure he liked the sound of that, but he returned the wide grins his family sent his way.

It was good to be home.

Chapter Fifteen

April 30 (29 Days Remaining)

Alex looked up at the elegant townhouse as she walked under the wrought iron archway, Evelyn beside her. She started up the few steps leading to the front door, but Evelyn put a hand to her arm, holding her back.

“Oh, no. We need to go down here to the servants’ entrance, not the front door,” Evelyn said, a slight frown on her face. She squinted her eyes and scrutinized Alex before leading her off to the side.

“What’s with that look?” Alex followed Evelyn down a steep set of stairs.

At the bottom, Evelyn led her to a door on their right. She paused, turning to look at her. “It’s just…” She hesitated. “…the way you naturally went to the front door. I knew you were quality the moment you mentioned your relation to the Creswell family. You are, aren’t you?”

“I have no idea what you’re talking about.”

“You’re quality, a noble, not a servant like me.” She smiled. “It’s okay. You have your reasons for keeping it secret, I won’t pry.” She turned and knocked on the door as if satisfied she had her answer.

Almost immediately the door swung open, and a young woman about Evelyn’s age answered, “Can I help you?” When she got a good look at them, she let out a squeal of delight. “Evie!”

“Louise!” Evelyn shrieked. The girls fell together, hugging and laughing like the young women they were.

Louise started a stream of chatter whose speed surpassed any radio advertisement disclaimer Alex had ever heard. As the girls caught up on each other’s lives over the past few months, Alex’s attention wandered to her surroundings. A small hatch behind them seemed to lead out under the street, and she wondered what it could possibly be for, but the girls had moved, still chattering, and she followed.

Servants rushed back and forth everywhere. She flattened her back against the wall as someone rushed past, a foul smelling bucket in her hands.
Eww.
She recognized a chamber pot and prayed the girl didn’t run into anyone as she rushed about with the thing. “Is it normally so busy around here?”

“Oh, no miss. It’s just my lady is having a small dinner party tonight, and we’re a bit short handed.” She glanced at Evelyn before continuing. “Young Mr. Thorpe has become engaged, and his betrothed’s family and a few close friends are celebrating the announcement of their union tonight.”

Evelyn looked crestfallen but visibly pulled herself together before asking, “How can we be understaffed? The Thorpes have always kept a large household. Certainly enough to handle a small dinner party. Is something amiss?”

“A few of the maids have taken ill and…” Louise rambled off a list of the household woes. The girl could really talk.

“I can help,” Alex chimed in, trying to cut Louise off before she fell over from lack of oxygen. Alex had yet to see her take a full breath.

“No, don’t be silly.” Evelyn perched her hands on her hips and frowned.

“Why not? I may not be able to cook, but I can help with the cleaning or other manual labor.” Keeping busy might help keep her mind off other…things.

“But, but, it just wouldn’t be proper!”

“Nonsense, I want to help. Maybe I can borrow a change of clothes? Then I can get right to work.”

****

Soon enough, dressed in borrowed clothes, Alex sent Evelyn off to be reunited with her mother and set to work assisting one of the upstairs maids. The shy young woman barely spoke except to point Alex to her next chore, which left Alex plenty of time to think.

Her thoughts dwelled on Nicholas. What was he doing? Did he realize she wasn’t there? Her heart ached as she thought of him coming back to the ship to find her missing. She had left a short note, but it didn’t explain anything.

She couldn’t explain, not really. She had simply said she’d gone to begin the search for her sister and wished him well. Heartless, but all she had been able to manage. The truth was impossible.

The truth! They would lock her up in an insane asylum if she tried to tell anyone the truth. And yet, somehow, she had been tempted to tell Nicholas. She had started to write it out but had come to her senses and ripped it up.

The afternoon wore on in a daze of menial chores, the hardest part of which was doing it while wearing a full-length skirt. She kept tripping over it. She thought that was why the servants kept giving her odd looks until Evelyn explained what was bothering them.

“They all know my theory that you’re a lady, and they’re wondering what you’re doing here,” Evelyn explained. “They’re all quite intrigued by you and have been pestering me with questions. Why are you here? Why were you dressed as a man when you arrived? They can’t stop talking about it.”

“I hope I haven’t caused any problems for you or your mother?”

“Oh, no, not a bit. They’re thrilled. They live for gossip. Even Mr. Dobson.” Evelyn led her down a narrow, winding staircase to the basement servant level.

“Mr. Dobson?”

“The butler. He was scandalized, of course. But I’ve known him since I was a young child, and he has a soft spot for me. Once I told him what you did for me, he was willing to overlook your unusual arrival. Now, come and meet my mother.”

She led Alex to the kitchen, toward the back of the house. As far as possible from the main house in case of fire, Evelyn explained. All work stopped as everyone looked around at her entrance but quickly started again. Still too much work to be done for the party.

A woman about the same height as Evelyn but twice the width stood from the table and stepped forward to greet her. She had brown hair liberally streaked with gray and a kind smile. “There you are! I have been so looking forward to meeting you. My daughter’s savior.” Her eyes twinkled and her smile widened. “Yes, she told me about what you did for her, and I am so grateful.” She pulled Alex to her, kissing both cheeks and then stepping back to get a good look at her. “Now, sit down and have a little something to eat. You are much too skinny.”

Alex sat at the long table.

Evelyn’s mother—“Call me Maggie, dear”—placed a huge plate of food in front of her and another for her daughter.

“We’re informal here in the kitchen, probably not what you’re used to, but with all the preparations for the party, we nibble a little here and there when we have a moment.”

“No, this is great, thank you. I’m starved.” Alex dug into the huge meal, wondering how she could possibly manage even half.

“So tell me how I can help. Evelyn tells me you’re on a bit of a quest.”

“I’m trying to find my sister. I have distant relations in London and plan to start with them. However, I don’t want to just show up on their doorstep. I’m not really sure whether I’d be welcome.” Alex stifled her guilt at all the lies she had to tell these nice people. “If I could stay here tonight, I would appreciate it.” She smiled at Maggie’s nod. “Tomorrow I’ll find a hotel and maybe start by contacting the authorities.”

“You should seek an audience with Lord Thorpe. He has many connections and may be able to help you, without bringing the authorities into it.” She tapped a finger against her lip, her brow wrinkled. “You would not wish to create a scandal if it can be avoided. Lord Thorpe will know how to handle the thing properly.”

“I’m not really concerned about scandal. Once I find my sister, I’ll be leaving, so it doesn’t really matter what people think of me.”

“What about your sister? What if she minds? Or the rest of your family?” Maggie asked. “No. You will start by speaking with Lord Thorpe. After that, if you still wish to go to the authorities you may.” She nodded as if the matter were settled. “Are you finished with your meal, dear? It’s time to get back to work.”

****

Alex had placed a huge arrangement of flowers on a table in the drawing room when the door opened behind her. Two gentlemen walked in, completely absorbed in their conversation.

“She’s an angel. Wait until you meet her,” the shorter of the two men said in an animated tone of voice, his excitement spilling over not only in his voice but in his agitated gestures and eager posture.

Alex coughed slightly to let them know she was in the room and went to walk past them with a muttered, “Excuse me.” Unfortunately, she still wasn’t used to walking around in such long skirts and tripped on her hem just as she reached the door.

The taller of the two men caught her arm, steadying her. He looked into her face and turned deathly white. “What…Who…Who are you?”

She looked back at him in surprise. “My name’s Alex. I’m helping out today.”

He turned even paler when she said her name.

“If you’ll excuse me, I should be getting back to work.” Confused at his reaction, she made to continue out of the room, but he wouldn’t release her arm. She glared at his hand and raised her eyebrows. “Let go,” she said, in as authoritative a voice as she could manage.
What’s wrong with him?

“Alex. Alexandra?”

“Creswell? What’s wrong?” the other man asked. He grasped his friend’s shoulder and gave Alex a once over.

She stifled a gasp at the man’s name. Evelyn had thought it likely the family would attend tonight. Alex had planned to hide in the servants’ quarters during the dinner. Maybe sneak a peek into the dining room when no one was looking and catch a glimpse of her ancestors. This was too much.

“Can’t you see it? She looks just like Mary. A little older and her hair’s darker, but the resemblance is astonishing.” His head swiveled back and forth between Alex and his friend as if seeking reassurance he wasn’t hallucinating. “And her name is Alex.”

“You don’t think she’s…”

“That’s exactly what I’m thinking!” He turned from his friend to look at her again. “But what are you doing here? How did you get here? Where did you come from? How long have you been here?” He paused for a fraction of a second. “Answer me, damn it!”

His friend gasped.

A feverish light shone in the man’s eye. Even his friend seemed alarmed at his behavior.

She hadn’t thought anyone would think she was part of the Creswell family. She should have done some research on them before she came. Too late now. Now, she just wanted to get away from them. She’d have to bluster her way out of this. “I’m sorry. I don’t know what the problem is, but I should be going.” She tried to pull her arm from his grasp, but he tightened his hold.

“No. You can’t go. Answer me,” he demanded.

“Creswell, calm down,” his friend interrupted. “Let her go. You’re frightening her.”

The crazed look faded from Creswell’s eyes, and he seemed to come back to his senses. He dropped her arm but moved to stand between her and the door, effectively keeping her there all the same. “I’m terribly sorry. This has been a bit of a shock. Please sit.” He waved her to an ornate sofa positioned on the far side of the room next to a huge fireplace.