Tainted Bride (29 page)

“I’m sure Anthony will help, but Mrs. Braighton has gone to the country.”

“That’s a pity,” Michael said.

“My sister tells me Lady Marlton is an excellent mimic. I understand she can imitate her mother to a tee.”

“Brilliant,” Thomas said.

“Will she do it?” Michael asked.

Thomas shrugged his shoulders. “I’ll ask her.”

“What are the three of you talking about?” Hardwig’s head whipped around from one to the other.

Markus slapped the detective on the back and laughed. “Sorry. We’ve been together so long we sometimes forget that everyone else is not…Well, I’m not sure what you would call it, but we always know what we’re talking about.”

Michael sat in the chair next to the detective. He leaned forward and looked into his eyes. “Can you arrange to have Pundington followed? I’ll do my best to keep an eye on him, but it is always best to have several good trackers, men who know how not to be seen.”

James nodded. “Where would they be following him from?”

Michael looked up for confirmation. “Southerton’s ball?”

“The ballroom has some huge pillars and a few alcoves and the gardens can be quite concealing.” A bubble of excitement started in Thomas’s belly.

Michael said, “We could not ask for a better set up. Are you sure she can do it?”

Thomas nodded. “She can. I have heard her imitate people, including Mrs. Braighton. She is quite good.”

Markus frowned. “The girl has just lost her father and she believes Daniel has taken a mistress. Are you sure she will be willing to help?”

“I have not known her ladyship long, but I believe she loves her husband and she will do what she can to get him back. She will do it.” Thomas sounded convinced.

“Absolutely not.” Sophia’s tone shook the walls.

Thomas gaped at her, a degree of surprise Sophia had not seen before. If she wasn’t so angry with him, she might have found it funny.

After arriving for tea, he explained his suspicions and plans to recover Daniel. He’d already recruited Anthony and brought him along for proprieties sake.

She’d spent the entire night tossing in her sheets. Her mind created every scenario of Daniel in the arms of his opera singer and several other women. She tried to be brave and accept the situation, since it was her own fault. Of course, it hadn’t worked. She’d cried herself to sleep only to be awakened by nightmares and wept once more.

“Perhaps you should rest and we will come back later,” Thomas said.

The comment aggravated her. “I do not need your advice, Tom. I shall do as I please. I’ll not help you with this silly scheme of yours either.”

“Why not, Sophie? He’s your husband. Don’t you want to save him?” There was no mistaking the petulance in Anthony’s questions.

“Save him from the arms of some other woman. I’ll not be made a fool, Tony.

Fire burned in Anthony’s eyes. She’d seen it a thousand times when they fought over the years.

Thomas put his hand up to stop what she was certain would have been a tirade. “Braighton, would you mind giving me a moment alone with your sister?”

“Won’t do any good. Stubborn as an ox, she is. Always has been. From the time she was born, you couldn’t convince her of anything.”

Thomas gave the younger man a stern look.

Anthony left the room mumbling about wives, stubbornness and some other unintelligible things.

Sophia got up and paced the room. She didn’t like being cornered and she definitely didn’t like being reminded that Daniel had chosen another woman over her. “You will not change my mind, Tom. I do not care whom he is sleeping with, but I’ll not have my personal business broadcast all over London. I’m not going to a ball alone while there is speculation of his infidelity.”

“But, no one will even know it is you. They will believe it is your mother and then you will go home.”

“No.” She was being stubborn, but she hated everything about this plan.

When Thomas spoke again, his voice softened though it was tight. It was so different from the easy manner she associated with him. “Sophia, I have known Daniel most of my life. I know him better than anyone else in the world. He has never taken a mistress and disappeared. He is in real trouble, or we would have heard from him by now. I had an appointment with him and I can tell you it was the first time he has ever missed an appointment in his entire life. He is meticulous, prompt, and at least would have sent a note if he could have. If you will not do this for him, then I must beg you to do it for me. I know I’m right about this. You must trust me.”

Thomas remained seated throughout his argument. She turned to look at him and his blue eyes seemed to implore her. He worried about Daniel. Was he right? Was Daniel really in trouble? Sophia walked over and stood in front of him. “Let me see if I understand you correctly, Tom. You want me to go to the Southerton ball, pretend to be my mother and pretend to convince Anthony that it is only fair to give Alistair Pundington part of my father’s money.”

She put up a hand before he spoke. “First, no one will believe I’m my mother, certainly not Alistair. Second, if he realizes our trickery, he will certainly kill me, or Anthony, or both. I cannot risk my brother’s life, Tom.”

“You will remain in the shadows. You are excellent at imitating your mother. Pundington will never see you only overhear the conversation. Markus and I will both be watching to make sure you and your brother are perfectly safe.”

“You really think Daniel is in danger?” Her voice broke. She walked to the other side of the room to hide the start of more tears.

“I know he is.”

“He might have taken a mistress and will turn up in a few days. Then, we will all feel like fools, but I’ll be the one who will have to live with him knowing I care more for him than he for me.” She kept her gaze lowered, not making eye contact.

“You will not be alone, Sophia. Daniel is very much in love with you.”

“He told you that?”

There was a long pause. “No, but it is obvious.”

Sophia’s head hung, but then she stood straight and looked him in the eye. “I’ll do it, Tom. I’m not certain I believe he is in danger, but I’ll do it because I have not been a good wife thus far and he deserves better.”

“I’m sure that is not true. You are just tired. You should rest now. You are looking very pale.”

“I have not been feeling well for the last few days,” she admitted.

“Go and rest now.” He rose and kissed her hand. “Thank you, Sophia. I do not know what I would have done if you had refused.”

She chuckled. “I did refuse.”

He had the good grace to look contrite in spite of his grin. “Sir Michael and I’ll return later with full details of the plan. He is going to take a look at the ballroom and garden to see what will be best for our little charade.”

“How will he do that? Is he close with the Southertons?”

He shrugged. “No, but Michael has his ways of getting in and out of places without being noticed.”

“Interesting.”

* * * *

The girl with the gray eyes returned the next morning, removed the old tray and brought him another. It was only tea and bread, but the tea was warm and the bread was better than nothing. He was grateful to have something to stop the grumbling in his stomach.

She was emaciated and jerked away nervously every time he moved. Her feet were black with dirt and grime.

“What happened to your shoes, Susan?”

She took several steps back at the sound of her name from a stranger. There was intelligence in their depths and she narrowed them at him. “He took ’em to keep me from runnin’.”

Daniel looked at her more closely. She was young and frightened, but he had a suspicion. “He took more than just your shoes, didn’t he, Susan?”

Tears sprang to her eyes. “I’m not s’posed to talk to you.”

“Do they just beat you or is it more than that.”

Her expression darkened and she dashed the tears from her face.

“Where are we, Susan? If you help me, I’ll get you away from him. I swear it.”

She shrugged helplessly. “On a dock, somewhere. I don’t know.”

“Can you get word to someone that the Earl of Marlton is being held captive?”

Her eyes widened at his title. “He’ll kill me.” She picked up the tray and started toward the door.

Daniel rushed forward and grabbed her arm. “I’ll get you away from him, I swear it.” He repeated his words desperate to get her to comply. She might be his only chance to survive and keep Sophia safe.

She scoffed in a way that was much older than her years. These men had battered and likely raped this young girl. All of it showed in the hard line of her mouth and emptiness in her eyes. “What good will it do me now? I was only a serving girl at a pub before. Now, I’m only good as a whore. I was a good girl.” Her tears rolled unchecked.

Daniel pulled the handkerchief from his pocket and wiped her face. She was dirty and the tears created clean spots exaggerating the dirt. “You still are a good girl, Susan. I can help you, if you will help me. If not, he will sell you, have you shipped away to some island somewhere and you will never see your family and friends again. He will kill me as soon as he has what he wants. I think I can stall him for a day, maybe two, but no longer. We can help each other.”

“I’ll try to get word to someone, but I can’t promise you nothin’.” She pulled away and looked up at him.

“Where is he keeping you?” Daniel asked.

“There’s a rundown building a block from here. He keeps me on the second floor, but Bill guards me and he’s too big to get past.”

“This building, is it to the east?”

“Away from the water, one block. You’re only feet from the boats.”

“Is there another woman with dark hair and golden eyes?”

“Who is this woman?”

“My wife.” His heart ached so painfully he had trouble getting the words out.

“There’s no other women inside. He keeps ’em in a boat somewhere.”

He shuddered at the idea Sophia might be held somewhere in the dark hull of a boat. “Thank you, Susan.”

Daniel backed away as the door lock clicked and Bill’s beefy hand grabbed her and pulled her out.

* * * *

The rest of the day Sophia spent either in bed or waiting near the bedpan placed behind a screen in the corner of the room. She might become ill but so far, she was just nauseous. Cataloguing her food for the past day, she remembered her illness went back at least three days.

“Sophia?” Aunt Daphne’s voice called from the doorway.

“I’m here.” Sophia was behind the screen.

“What are you doing back there? Why are you above stairs again? I thought we had gotten past that. You are eating, aren’t you?” Daphne’s demand was aggressive, kind and particular to her personality.

“I’m eating, for all the good it does and I’ll be out in a moment.” Sophia found Daphne’s gruffness comforting.

When she emerged, her legs wobbled. She’d put on her favorite lavender day dress hoping to lift her spirits, but her weak stomach left her dragging.

Daphne said, “My word, child, you look terrible. Are you ill?”

“I don’t know what it is. I have had an unsettled stomach for days now. I feel sick if I eat and I feel sick if I don’t eat.”

Daphne sat on the chair near the dressing table and watched her shuffle back to the bed. “Sophia, I do not mean to be indelicate.”

“What is it?”

“When was your last cycle?”

Sophia considered the question. “I don’t know. I was in the country with Daniel, then Papa was ill and I didn’t think about it. I think it has been quite a while.”

Daphne just looked at her and smiled pleasantly.

“Oh, aunt.” Sophia rushed forward and knelt before Daphne. “I’m with child. I never thought about it. What a fool I am.” She quivered and wanted to dance, sing and jump for joy. Most of all she wanted to run to Daniel and tell him the news. That sobered her.

“Do not look as though it is the end of the world. You are going to be a mother. I would guess in about seven months, perhaps less.”

Sophia stood and touched her stomach. Daniel’s son grew inside her. “A mother.”

“I shall have cook prepare some gingerroot tea and toast. Toast was the only thing I could keep down for the first few months I was with child and the tea settles things a bit. Get yourself cleaned up and come down as soon as you can.”

“Yes, Aunt.”

“I shall call my physician and have him come to take a look at you, unless Marlton has a particular doctor. Where is Marlton? I should like to see his face when you tell him.” Daphne smiled brighter than Sophia had ever seen her smile before.

“He is not at home. I don’t expect him for some time.” At least it was honest if not the whole truth.

Aunt Daphne shrugged and continued beaming. “Well, wash your face and come to the parlor for tea. I shall arrange everything.”

Watching Daphne bound out of the room, Sophia sank slowly down onto the chair by her dressing table. A baby. She might have a son who resembled Daniel, or maybe he would be the image of papa. A tear slid down her cheek. Wiping it away, she wished her father had lived to see his grandchild. Perhaps, it would be a little girl with golden curls, bright blue eyes and papa’s nose. She would dress her in lace and bows and name her after Daniel’s mother. She realized she didn’t even know his mother’s name. Better wait to hear what it was, before committing to that.

What if Daniel was in mortal danger? He might be dead already. Panic started in her belly and lodged in her throat. She sprinted behind the screen before what little was in her stomach expelled itself.

Stumbling to the washbasin, she found a towel and wiped her mouth and then washed her face as instructed. She actually felt a bit better physically, but now her worry over her husband consumed her.

To keep herself from complete panic, she made a plan to go down to the parlor and have a nice tea with Aunt Daphne. Then, she would try to rest until it was time to dress for the Southerton ball. Suddenly, the dread of being seen out in society without Daniel didn’t matter. He was in danger. He needed her. He wouldn’t stay away when she was going to be the mother of his child. He must be in trouble.