Viridis - A Steampunk Romance (34 page)

Seth had no words. It was little consolation.
Putting his glass down on the side table, he said, “I’m going to
bed.”

Entering Phoebe’s room, he was surprised to find her
awake, standing before the open window, the cold pouring in. He
crossed to her side and stood behind her, but said
nothing
.

Phoebe stared out the window at the winter garden
below. Without looking at him, she said, “I thought the fresh air
would help me stay awake. The laudanum keeps threatening to pull me
under.”

He gingerly placed a hand on her shoulder, and
though she flinched just a little at his touch, she did eventually
lean back on him, pulling his arm around her. He breathed the
slightest sigh of relief. If she could still bring herself to let
him hold her, perhaps there was hope.

“I do love you so, Phoebe.”

“And I you.”

Chapter Sixty Seven

William spent the following morning with Nelson,
questioning Mr. Brown regarding Victor’s involvement in
blackmailing Niles and stealing Phoebe’s formulas.

It turned out Victor had not wanted to be directly
involved with anything illegal, so he hired his solicitors’ office
to take care of it, instead. Despite being unable to refuse one of
their largest clients, his solicitors also wanted no direct
involvement, knowing the consequences of getting caught to be dire
if directly involved.

Mr. Brown, a clerk at the office, had been chosen as
the one to meet with Niles, primarily because he was not only
expendable and easy to control, but because he was also in no
position to refuse. If caught, the head solicitors could claim
ignorance with little evidence to prove otherwise. With poor
parents too old to work and several younger siblings counting on
him as their primary source of income, he could not afford to lose
his position, and so he had done as he was told.

Going to prison, however, would have made it even
more difficult for him to care for his family, so Brown had given
in and answered William’s questions
.
Though Brown admitted
to blackmailing Niles into stealing the formula on Victor’s behalf,
he still swore he knew nothing about the Lord’s murder or any
involvement that Victor may or may not have had.

The evidence had been enough for Nelson to issue a
warrant of arrest and have Victor hauled down to the station on
charges of theft and blackmail just later that afternoon. William
sat in his office, flipping through his notes, and making sure all
was in order for Victor’s interview, which would start as soon as
his solicitors arrived. There could be no mistakes made.

Nelson came to the door. “They’re here.” With
Victor’s solicitors now present, they would be bringing him to the
interrogation room for further questioning.

On William’s way out the door, he passed Victor who
turned to him with a sly smile, his voice filled with arrogance.
“I’ll have you know that the charges, true or not, will never
stand. But have no worries, sir, for I will not forget your role in
this.”

Chapter Sixty Eight

Phoebe sat at Gabriel’s bedside, clutching his limp
hand in hers. He was the only family she had left in the world, and
she was perilously close to losing him.

Seth rested a comforting hand on her shoulder.
Though she appreciated the gesture, she had to fight the urge to
shrug it off, struggling to keep the images of Victor out of her
mind.

“Phoebe, come and have a bite to eat. You’ve been
sitting here for hours and it’ll do Gabriel no good if you fall ill
yourself. Please, my love, won’t you join me?”

She managed to nod, but could not bring herself to
leave Gabriel’s side. “Who could do such a thing? The man did not
have a mean bone in his body.” She reached over and brushed her
hand down his face, tears running down her own.

“He’s young and strong,
a ghaoil
. He’ll pull
through.” He reached over and with an arm around her shoulders,
pulled her gently away, and steered her towards the door. “Come on,
love. We’ll send Martha to tend to him.”

Seth led her to the kitchen and sat her down at the
table. Gavin was once again at the stove, though the light-hearted
atmosphere of the night before had disappeared. Phoebe wondered if
things would ever feel normal again
.

“Here ye are, lass.” Gavin handed Phoebe and Seth
their plates piled high with eggs, bacon and buttered toast before
sitting down with his own.

The men ate in uncomfortable silence while Phoebe
pushed her food around her plate.

“Is it nae to yer liking, love? I could make ye
something else if ye’d like.” Gavin frowned with concern, worry
etched in his face.

Phoebe could barely look him in the eyes, recalling
the state he’d found her in at Victor’s. Forcing herself to take a
bite, she said, “No, it’s fine, Gavin. Thank you. I’m afraid I’m
just not terribly hungry. Perhaps I’ll go to the shelter and see if
I can get Martha some help. She’s been alone since Sarah left and
now with Gabriel here, I’m afraid she has her hands full.”

Seth gave her hand a squeeze. “Why don’t you let me
take care of that for you? I’ll also see about getting Gabriel a
nurse to care for him.”

“Perhaps, that would be best. I think I may lie down
for a bit.” Phoebe wanted to hide under the covers of her bed and
sleep for the next ten years. Perhaps then, when she awoke, she
would not feel like she wanted to crawl out of her skin.

Chapter Sixty Nine

Seth headed to the shelter first, thinking he could
find Phoebe a maid and send her over to the house, while he
continued on to find a nurse for Gabriel. Once there, they sat him
down with a steaming cup of tea as he waited for Mrs. Farthing.

“Och, there ye are.” She pulled up a seat next to
him and put a work hardened hand on his arm, her face filled with
concern. “How’s the Lady and her brother? We heard what happened to
him, poor thing. ‘Tis tragic is what that is, such a nice young
lad.”

“The doctors are hopeful that with time and rest, he
will come to. As a result, Phoebe is short of help around the
house”

“Well, we’ve plenty of girls that’d be happy to have
the work. Would ye like me to see who might be readily available?”
Her eyes were already scanning around the room taking in the girls
at hand.

She started to rise when a slim young girl
approached them, her blond hair pulled back neatly from her
face.

With a quick curtsey, she said, “I beg yer pardon,
Mum, but I couldn’t help but overhear. Please, Mum, I could do with
the work, and ye know me to be honest and hard working.”

Mrs. Farthing turned to Seth in question. Though the
girl seemed nice, there was something in her demeanor that felt off
somehow. Perhaps it was her forwardness or that she had been
listening to their conversation, but he brushed it aside, happy to
have found someone so he could finish his other errand and get back
to Phoebe. “Sure, if you think it will be a good fit.”

Mrs. Farthing looked the girl up and down. “Och,
she’s a hard worker that one, and smart enough, too. I’d say she’ll
do. Her name is Anne.”

“Thank ye, Mum, Sir. I promise I’ll not
disappoint.”

Chapter Seventy

Despite the fact that William had done all the work
gathering the evidence against Victor, he would not be allowed to
participate in the bastard’s interrogation. Murdock had personally
made sure of that. Instead, he was left to spend the last two hours
pacing the corridor, unable to control his anger and
frustration.

William let his mind wander over the latest bits of
evidence he’d found at Gabriel’s, trying to determine if the attack
on Gabriel Hughes was in any way related to Niles’s murder. Up
until now, he’d been working under the assumption that the murder
was related to the blackmail and theft, however, Brown’s testimony
had not implicated Victor in Niles’s murder. Could it be the
evidence he had found was not actually evidence for the murder? But
surely there would have to be some connection. After all it was
Gabriel who had the spare key and combination. Could Gabriel have
been put in jeopardy because the murderer thought he may have a way
to decode the formula?

And then there was Lilly. He would need to try and
find her again. She had been with Gabriel recently and might know
who would wish Gabriel harm. As much as William liked her, there
was a good chance she could also be involved in some way. He know
wondered if she was aware of Niles’s relationship with Gabriel.

William’s thoughts were interrupted by footsteps
making their way down the corridor. He looked up to see Murdock
heading his way, accompanied by another man, who looked vaguely
familiar. William’s heart sank as he placed the face.

“Inspector Thomas. I had not thought to see you so
soon.” Alexander Barnes stood before him, a faint smile on his
face. “I do hope you’ve been giving my offer some thought.”

William mentally cursed the sudden involvement of
the SS in his case. “Why are you here, Mr. Barnes?” William had all
too good an idea what he may be doing here, and if it were indeed
the reason, he truly thought he may be capable of murder
himself.

“Just tending to some business. Good day to you,
Inspector.” Barnes tipped his head in farewell and walked on with
Murdock in tow.

Murdock opened the door where Nelson was currently
interviewing Victor. He then stepped out of the way so Barnes could
get by, though he did not bother to go any further than the
doorway. “I’m afraid this interview is over. Lord Fenwick, you are
free to go.”

William heard Nelson protest, but Murdock barked at
him to keep quiet. Only a moment later, Victor strode out of the
room, his solicitors trailing behind him.

As he passed William, he paused to say, “Have
yourself a good day, Inspector. And if you do see Phoebe, please be
sure to give her my regards.”

Chapter Seventy One

Seth returned to Phoebe’s home, having hired a nurse
to care for Gabriel. She seemed a competent and sturdy woman in her
mid thirties, pleasant and polite. “Martha, would you please put
Ms. Emily in the room next to Gabriel’s, and show her around?”

Martha nodded. “Yes, sir. Also, the new girl you
sent, Anne, is already here and getting settled. The Lady is
upstairs with her brother and Mr. MacKay.”

“Thank you.”

Seth headed upstairs and found Phoebe at Gabriel’s
bedside, with Gavin sitting opposite her. “How is he, love?” Seth
was happy to see Phoebe looking in better spirits. The distant look
in her eyes was nearly gone, and some of the color had returned to
her cheeks. He took a seat by her side and gave her a smile when
she reached out and took his hand, giving it a squeeze.

“He actually awoke, even if it was for just a
moment. That’s good, is it not?” She sounded desperate for some
reassurance that her brother would be all right.

“That’s remarkably well, my dear. I’m sure he’ll be
coming around any day now.” His heart lifted when she smiled at
him, and he gave her hand a squeeze in return.

Once Gabriel’s nurse, Emily, came into the room,
they decided it would be best to get out of her way. Leaving the
room, they ran into Anne who was busy sweeping the hall.

“Anne?” Phoebe approached her with a smile, setting
some of Seth’s concerns at ease. “I had not realized you were the
new maid. I do hope you’re getting settled with little
difficulty.”

“No problems at all, Mum. When I heard ye were
looking for help, I jumped at the chance.”

“Well, I’m glad of it. How is your sister doing? I
heard she was safe.”

Anne blushed a bit but said, “Lilly’s doing fine,
Mum. I’ll let her know ye asked.”

So the girl was Lilly’s sister… Seth had not
realized. Anne headed down the steps, leaving the three of them
standing there.

“I think I might call it an early night.” Phoebe
looked exhausted, and it would do her some good to catch up on her
sleep.

Seth ran a hand down her arm. “Aye. I think we could
all do with turning in early for the night.”

As they bid Gavin a good night’s sleep, Seth noticed
Phoebe glance at Gavin.

Phoebe turned towards their room, when Gavin said,
“A word if ye would,
mo charaid
.”

Seth gave Phoebe a gentle smile, and said, “I’ll be
but a minute, love. You go on ahead without me.”

Gavin waited until Phoebe had entered her room and
closed the door, before putting a hand on Seth’s shoulder. “Ye’ll
give her time, aye?”

Seth cursed. “I ken ye’re just worried about her,
but ye said it once, aye? ‘Twas enough.”

“There’s one more thing. If ye’ll not be needing me,
I may head home for a bit. Maybe get a head start on seeing Moore
and Clarke’s order settled.”

Seth looked away, knowing Gavin was leaving because
of the tension between them. “I do wish ye’d stay,
mo
charaid
. I know I’ve been a difficult bastard to deal with as
of late, and I apologize for it.”

Gavin nodded. “I havena been any better, aye? I just
dinna want to be overstepping my bounds with two of ye, and I’m
afraid it’s been too easy to do just that with what’s happened. If
ye’re sure I’ll not be getting in the way, I’ll stay a wee bit
longer. Good night to ye.”

“And to you.”

Chapter Seventy Two

While Phoebe waited for Seth, she poured herself a
large glass of Viridis and drank it in a matter of minutes, hoping
it would be enough to settle her nerves. More importantly, she
hoped by sensitizing herself, it would keep her anchored in the
here and now rather than letting her mind retreat to what had
happened.

Gavin said she should give herself time to heal and
come to terms with what happened, but she knew herself too well. If
she did not deal with the matter as soon as possible, she would let
herself withdraw, and let the problem take on a life all its own,
until it became too large an issue for her to tackle. No. As
difficult as it may be, she needed to see this through, and needed
to do so now. She needed to replace the images in her head with new
ones— ones of Seth.