Never Turn Away (Kellington Book Six) (21 page)

“Then the authorities must have apprehended them.”

“Sadly, no.  The gang had been paying off a few
local officers for years.  But there was one honorable man.  Inspector Salinger
was known for his honesty.  I went to him and demanded that he do something. 
But since there was no evidence, there was nothing he could do.”

“But you did something, didn’t you?”  It was a quiet
statement, not a question.  “You wouldn’t let such an injustice stand.”

“I took the law into my own hands.  I knew I would
be no match for all five, so I waited for the right moment.  There was a
hanging, which is always accompanied by a riot.  I waited for my chance, then
in a moment when the crowd was fighting and the leader was separated from his
friends, I took my knife and killed him.  I looked him in the eye and killed
him, telling him I was doing it for the Minsbergs – though it was the exact
opposite of what they’d taught me.”

He waited for the condemnation.  Waited for her to
pull away, though it would kill him when she did.  But she looked at him and
said “Good.  I’m glad you did.”

She continued.  “Did Inspector Salinger ever learn
it was you?”

“He saw me do it.”

“What?”

“As I dropped the body, I looked up to find Inspector
Salinger staring at me.  But I didn’t run.  I didn’t want to hang for what I’d
done, but I’d known what the consequences would be if I were caught.  I was
prepared to face them.  He took me to his office at Bow Street, without saying
a word.  He didn’t say a word once we got there.  All he did was ask for a meal
to be brought to me – I hadn’t eaten on a regular basis in the weeks since the
Minsbergs had been killed. 

“He’d been a friend to them, and he and I had an
acquaintance because of it.  He told me they would have been disappointed in
what I’d done, but he could understand why I’d acted as I had.  He said he was
giving me one chance to make amends to their memory.  I could work as an errand
boy at Bow Street until I was eighteen, living in his home.  But he warned me
that if I made even one mistake, he’d see me hanged.  I believed him because he
was the only honest copper I’d ever met.  It was only years later that I learned
he’d set out to kill the gang leader that night, too, only to have me beat him
to it.  He couldn’t very well have me hanged for a crime he’d been about to
commit.”

“I would like to meet him some day.”

“You would have liked each other.  But sadly that
won’t happen.  He died of a wasting disease two years ago.”

“I am so sorry.”

“As am I.”  He looked at her.  “So that is my story,
my lady.  It is yet another reason why I am not worthy to be your friend, let
alone your lover…or anything else.”

“You are wrong,” she said.  “You are the most worthy
man I have ever met.”

They passed the next few minutes in silence, simply
holding each other, until he heard her slow steady breath of sleep.

*                    *                 *

Joseph awoke to an empty bed.  For a moment, he
thought he might have dreamt the entire interlude.  In a way, he hoped he had. 
But then he saw the indentation where Evelyn had lain.  It was still warm, so
she hadn’t been gone long.  The sun was out, which meant there was no chance of
sneaking her back to Lynwood House.

He got out of bed, then noticed her evening gown was
still on the floor.  That was a good sign.  At least she hadn’t been so
horrified by the night before that she’d fled his house.  Although, now he was
insatiably curious to see what she was wearing.

He pulled on a shirt and some pantaloons, then set
out in search of Evelyn.  He found her in the kitchen, having tea with his
staff.  She was wearing his dressing gown with one of his shirts beneath it. 
Both were ludicrously large for her, which made him want to snatch her up and carry
her back to his bed all the more.

He remained in the doorway, unseen by anyone,
watching Evelyn interact with Goldberg, Mrs. Bly his cook – who was a former
prostitute – and one of his maids, April, who’d been a tavern server until
she’d been savagely attacked by a gang of men.  He watched as all of them
laughed at something Evelyn had said.  She was a lady, through and through, yet
she was talking to the servants as if she did this all the time.

“Mr. Stapleton!”  April rose from the table,
suddenly self-conscious.  “We was just finishing our breakfast.”

Evelyn looked at him and his heart stopped.  She was
more beautiful today than she had been yesterday.  Her hair was hanging down
and she looked deliciously tumbled.  As he watched, a rosy blush broke out on
her cheeks and a shy smile curved her perfect lips.  “I am afraid I am
disturbing your household, Joseph.  I came in search of tea, then could not leave
until I sampled Mrs. Bly’s delicious rolls.”

“I’m glad someone appreciates my cooking,” said Mrs.
Bly.  “The Inspector hardly eats enough to stay alive.  I have to remind him to
eat and even then he only eats half of what I give him.  It don’t make sense,
what with him such a large, strapping man who eats so little.  He needs someone
to make sure he gets his meals and eats them, too.”  Here she cast an
appraising glance at Evelyn.  “I was thinking maybe Lady Evelyn could….”

“Thank you, Mrs. Bly,” said Joseph, as he cut into
what was sure to be an embarrassing suggestion.  “We shall keep that in mind.”

“Be sure that you do,” she said, as she went back to
work.  “This place could use a woman’s touch.”

“Lady Evelyn,” said Joseph, “have you seen the rest
of the house?”

“I have not, sir, though I can say your kitchen is
impressive and quite well maintained.”

“It is, at that,” said Mrs. Bly, from inside the
pantry.

“Then pray allow me to take you on a tour,” said
Joseph.

He led her up to the wood-paneled entryway, wanting
nothing more than to take her in his arms.  He settled for placing a hand on
the small of her back as he pointed out the sconces he ordered from France. 

Evelyn looked around, smiling.  “Your house makes an
elegant first impression.  Rather like its owner.”

“Thank you, Evelyn, though I seem to remember making
an ass of myself when we first met.” 

He showed her the dining room.  “I often feel like a
fool at this table when I seldom have enough guests to fill it.  My sergeant
and his wife used to dine with me often, but now that Mrs. Fisk is increasing,
I fear I will not see them as often.  And, of course, the Kellingtons have been
frequent guests, though they too have more familial obligations.” 

Suddenly he remembered he had not pulled out the
night before.  Soon it might not just be the Kellingtons, Rivertons and Fisks
with familial obligations.

“Joseph, is anything wrong?”

“Nothing, thank you.”  Other than the thought of
having a child with Evelyn made him weak in the knees.  He led her into the
modest sitting room. 

“This room is nicely situated,” said Evelyn.  “The
morning sun makes it a place where one could happily while away the hours.”

“I do not spend much time here, in part because I am
rarely home during the day.  And in the evenings, I am in the library.  May I
show it to you?”

“I have long looked forward to seeing it.”

He escorted her upstairs to his favorite room in the
house.   

“It is lovely,” she said, looking around at the
hundreds of volumes.  “It is an extensive collection.”

“Not compared to yours.”

“But my library was started generations ago.  You
have built yours from the first volume.  I am very impressed, though I fear you
do not possess enough novels.”

“You can add as many as you’d like,” he said without
thinking. 

“How, Joseph?” she asked softly.  “What would give
me the right to add books to your library?”

He was well and truly caught, for he could think of
only one reason why she would.  So he said it.  “If you were my wife.”

Her eyes widened.  “Are you asking me to be your
wife?”

“There is every reason in the world why I should
not.”

“There is only one reason why you should not.  And
that is if you do not love me.”

“How can you even ask?  I love you more than life
itself.  I love you so much that I am still asking you to marry me, though I
know you will suffer because of it.”

“Joseph,” she said, as she put her arms around his
neck.  “I have suffered enough waiting for you to ask me.  I love you, as
well.  I love you so much that I will see you go into danger every day, not
knowing if you will come back to me.  Because I know that is who you are.  I
know how much your work means to you.  And I want to wake up next to you in
this lovely home every day.”

He kissed her.  Passionately, lovingly.  After a
moment, he pulled back the smallest distance.

“What about your estate?  The people there need you.”

“We will find a way.  At least if we marry before
the deadline we know my tenants won’t be turned off the land.”

“I hate to think of living off your money.”

She grinned.  “I will do my best to make you
accustomed to it.  And you can do your best to let me see the stars from
London.”

CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE

It was nearly tea time when Joseph returned Evelyn
to Lynwood House, dressed in a day gown that the ever resourceful Goldberg had
managed to find which fit her surprisingly well.  Joseph had been tempted to
simply walk her to the door, then quickly depart.  But he could not subject
Evelyn to the embarrassment of facing the Kellingtons alone.  He knew they
would not be unkind, but they would have questions.

He would supply the answers.

They entered the house to find the entire family at
tea.  He and Evelyn were met with smug, inquisitive faces.

“Rak,” said Jane with a grin.  “Can you please take
Violet to the nursery?  I believe there are some topics the adults wish to
discuss.”

“I wish to discuss, too!” said Vi. 

“Yes, Poppet,” said her papa, “but I believe Merry
Man and Titania miss you.  Don’t you want to play with them?”

“Can’t I play with them down here?”

“Not right now, sweetling.  But we’ll be up to play
with you soon.”

“All right,” said Vi, milking the situation for all
it was worth.  “As long as I can take another biscuit before I go.”

Jane said “no,” while Ned said “yes.”  The girl
happily obeyed her father, then left with Rak.

“I hope I did not worry you last night,” said
Evelyn. 

“Not at all,” said Vanessa with a smile.  “Joseph
sent word with the coachman.”

“Very well.  I am glad that is settled,” said
Joseph, as he bowed to Evelyn.  “I shall see you later.”

“Do not think you’re getting away that easily,” said
Lizzie in full marchioness mode.  “We knew where she was, but I imagine there
is much more to the story.”

“At least, there had better be,” muttered Ned.

Joseph looked at the room filled with eager faces.  “Evelyn
has made me the happiest of men by agreeing to marry me.”

The ladies fell upon Evelyn hugging her, while
Marcus was the first to congratulate Joseph. 

Arthur turned to Hal.  “Tell Rak to bring
champagne.”

“Why do I always have to tend to the drinks?” asked
Hal.

“Because you have the most experience with them,”
said Mel, as she kissed her husband.

Evelyn recounted Joseph’s proposal.  The ladies thought
he was exceedingly romantic, while the gentlemen made sport.

“I would say that proposal was even worse than
mine,” said Marcus.

“That would be an impossible feat,” said his wife.

“Where will you live?” asked Jane.

“London,” said Evelyn.

“With significant time spent in Caversham,” said
Joseph.  “I’m not sure how I will arrange matters with Bow Street, but Evelyn’s
duties on her estate are too important to neglect.  A good steward will help,
but I also know how much it means to her to tend to things personally.  Any
number of sheep could go missing in her absence.”

Evelyn laughed, then kissed him.

“If I might make a suggestion,” said Vanessa.  “We
could always use you at the Home Office as a consultant, Joseph.  You could
more easily split your time between the two places.”

“I think I would like that,” said Joseph. 

“That is all well and good,” said Lizzie. “But I’m
much more concerned about the wedding and, unsurprisingly, have just the place
for it – the chapel at Lynwood Manor.  That is, if you are both planning to
join us for Christmas.  Rosalind will be most disappointed if you do not.”

Hal added, “Keep in mind that if you disappoint
Rosalind, Liam is likely to challenge you to a duel.”

“While I would be honored to be married at Lynwood
Manor,” said Evelyn, “that would necessitate us staying in Hertfordshire for
three weeks for the reading of the banns.  I would hate to impose on the duke
and duchess that long.”

“That will not be necessary,” said Marcus.  “I took
the liberty of securing a special license for you today.  You may marry when
you wish.”

“How did you do that?” asked Joseph.  “Isn’t the
groom’s signature required?”  Here he cast a wary glance at Lizzie.

“I did not forge your signature, if that’s what
you’re implying.  Although do not think for a moment that I wouldn’t if
necessary.  There was no need.  Marcus can be very persuasive.  And before you
try to insist on reimbursing us, it is a wedding gift.  Hal, where is that
champagne?”

Once everyone had a glass, Marcus made the toast. 
“To Joseph and Evelyn -- a love that will last the ages.”