Wonderland By Night (Heroic Rogues Series) (35 page)

She glanced across the yard to the road on the other side of the fence. Not many people walked by today, but then she had noticed this part of town wasn’t as busy as the inn where the Hamptons were staying.

Staying with her mother had been wonderful. Even Anna relished the fact that she was away from the high-and-mighty Miss Hampton. Anna got along splendidly with Mrs. Winterbourne’s servants, as well.

Looking back at her mother, a similar pair of eyes stared back at Emmie. A small frown tugged on her mother’s mouth as she wore a forlorn expression.

“Mother? What is wrong?” Emmie reached across the table and touched her mother’s hand before withdrawing.

“Not to worry, my dear. I’m all right. I have just been thinking about what could have possibly kept us away from each other for fifteen, very long years.”

“I, too, have thought of that very thing lately.” Emiline lifted the cup to her lips and sipped. “How could both of us have gotten the same kind of message?”

“Did your message state that the ship had been attacked by the fearsome pirate, Captain Hawk?”

“Indeed it did, Mother. When Father wanted us to sail here to visit his brother a few months past, I worried that Captain Hawk might still be alive and attacking ships.”

Daphne nodded. “That would frighten me, as well. Do you know if Captain Hawk is alive?”

“I could not tell you.” She reached out her hand and grasped her mother’s. “When you received the message about us dying, why didn’t you come back to England?”

“Because I was told the bodies were lost in the sea, so there really was no burial service.” She frowned. “Why did you and Forester not come here upon hearing of my demise?”

“The same reason—that your body was lost at sea.” Emiline shrugged. “Not only that, but Father was quite upset with your family for wanting you to visit. At times I think he blamed them for making you sail across the sea to come see them.”

Daphne shook her head. “There were times I blamed my family, as well. My mother wanted me to stay there with her after Elias was born, but I could not. A few years after that was when I was introduced to Estelle Winterbourne. She needed a companion, and didn’t mind that I came with a small child. She had grandchildren, but was never able to visit them because they lived in Ireland.”

Emmie released a wistful sigh. “If you would have stayed with your mother, then I would have met you sooner.” She told her mother about the time she and Gabe were caught in the rainstorm. “If not for Grandmother, I would have not known where you were.”

Daphne squeezed
Emmie’s
hand. “The Lord was certainly helping us along, was He not?”

“He certainly was.” She frowned. “But that still doesn’t explain why we received the same kind of notes fifteen years ago.”

“No, it doesn’t. Who would want us separated that desperately they would go to such great lengths?”

“Well, Father thought Grandmother or one of your sisters was behind it at first.”

Daphne shook her head. “They didn’t hate Forester. They just resented him for taking me to live in England.”

“Then who else would want to separate us?”

Daphne released
Emmie’s
hand to sip her tea. Emmie sipped hers as well, hoping for some inspiration to strike. But the more they sat in silence, the more frustrated she became. Would they ever discover the culprit in this mess?

Suddenly, her mother’s eyes widened and she locked her stare with
Emmie’s
. “Tell me, who delivered the note to your father? Who was the initial person?”

Emmie tried to remember the events from that fateful day. “I was visiting a friend of mine, and when I returned home, Father had already received the letter. He was sitting in the parlor clutching your miniature, and crying. The letter was on the table next to him.” She paused, trying to remember more. “Come to think about it, Uncle Oliver was there as well, consoling Father the best he could.”

Daphne gasped, then muttered a curse that shocked Emiline since she’d never heard a lady speak in such a way. Her mother stood and paced around the table. Emiline lifted the teacup to her mouth and asked before sipping, “What is it, Mother?”

Stopping, Daphne closed her eyes and rubbed her forehead. “Oh, my dear. This makes no sense.” He opened her eyes and looked at Emmie. “But your Uncle Oliver was the one who sent me the letter about you and your father.”

Emiline’s body grew numb, and the teacup slipped out of her hand, falling to the table and shattering. Her chest tightened as if a house had fallen on it. Tears built in her eyes as she shook her head, not believing what she’d just heard. This had to be some kind of mistake! “Uncle Oliver? But…he knew that didn’t happen. He knew… Why… I don’t understand.”

Daphne rushed to Emmie and took her in her arms. “Oh, my little Emmie. Your father’s brother never approved of me. All the while your father and I were courting, Oliver tried to convince his brother that I was not the right woman. Several times during our courtship, Oliver tried to separate us.”

“But why?” A tear slipped down
Emmie’s
face.

“Because he said your father was meant for other things. Oliver wanted Forester to go into politics with him. He didn’t want Forester marrying anyone unless she was from England.”

“But…why didn’t he even stop to think of the little girl who
needed
her mother?” Emiline sobbed against her mother’s shoulder. “I thought he loved me, but he doesn’t. All he cares about is himself.”

“I know, dear. I know.” Daphne stroked
Emmie’s
hair, rocking her slowly back and forth. “I feel so bad that I didn’t realize it was Oliver, until now. After he sent me the letter of your deaths, when he came to the colonies to live, he brought me a few things of yours and your father’s so I could have something to remember you by. It touched my heart that he was so thoughtful when I knew he didn’t like me.” She blew out a frustrated breath. “I should have known better. He was being too nice.”

Emiline jerked back and stared into her mother’s teary eyes. “Oh, dear. What will Oliver do when he discovers we have found each other?”

Daphne shrugged. “Then I suppose he’s not going to like it when Forester hears the truth.”

“That man needs to be put away,” Emmie sobbed. “If he tried this, what is going to stop him from trying to separate us again?”

“Hopefully, your father will take care of that.” Daphne offered a shaky smile and caressed
Emmie’s
wet cheek. “But nothing is going to tear us apart ever again.”

Emiline glanced at the table. “I’m sorry I broke Mrs. Winterbourne’s teacup.”

“There is nothing to be sorry about. I shall have one of the servants clean it up. I think you should go lie down on my bed. I’m certain a little rest will do wonders for you right now.”

“I think I will.” Emmie wiped her eyes and started walking toward the door. Her mother went to the servant’s door to fetch someone to clean up the mess.

Before Emmie reached the door, she noticed a movement out by the street again. Elias was talking to some man with abnormally orange hair, and another man who had his back toward her wearing a hat. But the way he stood, a spark of familiarity hit her, but she couldn’t put her finger on who the man could be. The orange-hair man and Elias were discussing something serious—as was evident by their drawn expressions.

She almost stopped and called out to Elias, but decided against it. She was certain her face looked a fright after she’d been crying. She didn’t feel like talking to anyone right now, especially meeting anyone new, which was what would happen if she interrupted Elias and the other two men.

Emiline slowly walked to her mother’s room, her heart wrenching with sadness over her uncle’s betrayal. How could he do that to his brother and niece?

Her head pounded with anger as well. She wanted to inform her father of what his self-centered brother had done, yet she needed to tell him face-to-face…and to let him see his wife as well. Soon all would be out in the open, and she prayed her father told his brother to stay away from all of them.

She walked into her mother’s room and lay down on her bed, but the stuffy air and warm room made resting impossible. She rose and opened a window to let in the breeze before returning to the bed. Just as she rested her head on the pillow, the sounds from outside drifted through the air, making her hear most everything going on outdoors. More specifically, she heard her brother and the two men. Why did the street have to be so close to her mother’s room?

Groaning, she rose once again to shut the window, when one of the men spoke a name that made her pause. They couldn’t have said what she thought.

Moving closer to the window, she peeked outside. All three men were hidden by the leaves from the bushes, but their voices were much clearer.

“You cannot let her near him,” one of the men said. “He is a dangerous man. There is a reason Captain Hawk’s name strikes fear into women and children.”

She sucked in a breath and quickly slapped her hand over her mouth.
Captain Hawk is still around after all these years?

“But how can I stop her from seeing him if you don’t want me to let her know what is going on?” Elias asked.

“That, Mr. Townshend, you will have to figure out on your own. We just came to inform you of what is going to happen.”

“Does she know about Captain Hawk?”

“No, and I don’t think you should tell her. Just protect her the best you can, and whatever you do, keep your sister away from him.”

“As you wish. I shall try my best.”

The two men left her brother, but she couldn’t see them very clearly as they walked up the street away from the house. Elias stood watching them for a few brief moments before he turned and headed back toward the house.

Her heart pounded fiercely. They were discussing her! But why would they talk about Captain Hawk in the same conversation? Nothing made sense, and fright consumed her, almost as much as it had when she was younger and thought about sailing across the sea. At this moment, she felt vulnerable, which was something she could
not
feel.

Gabe will protect me.

Yes, she must get Gabe.

Hurrying out of the bedroom to find her mother,
Emmie’s
mind scrambled with thoughts about why her name would be connected with Captain Hawk’s. Helplessness washed over her for not being able to figure anything out. If asking her brother would help, she’d do it in a heartbeat, but she received the impression from listening to the conversation Elias had with the two men, her poor brother was nearly as confused as she was.

She found her mother quickly as she was coming from the kitchen. Emmie ran to her mother and clutched her hands.

“I must leave immediately. I need to talk to Gabe.”

“Why so sudden?”

“I cannot explain now,” Emmie continued in a rush. “I shall explain later. I must leave.” She tore away from her mother and strode toward the front door.