Tainted Bride (27 page)

* * * *

The seat at the head of the table was empty, leaving a gaping hole in the conversation as Sophia, Janette and Cissy sat down for supper. Daniel had not come home. It was the first night, since papa’s death, that Daniel missed supper. In fact, it was the first meal he’d missed since they arrived in London.

Sophia understood while Daniel had been a dutiful husband when she was above stairs, now he probably returned to his own life. His mistress must be well pleased that his inconvenient wife was feeling better. Bitterness and jealousy pierced her heart in a flash, surprising her. She hadn’t known how hurt she’d be when he returned to his opera singer. She shouldn’t be surprised. She had no one to blame but herself. After neglecting him all this time, what did she expect? Men would always be eager to have their needs met.

He’d been so sweet and patient while she mourned and refused to eat and slept so fitfully. He’d stayed by her side. The least she could do was to allow him his own life. If that included another woman, she would just have to live with it. It was her behavior that had pushed him to it.

Straining against tears, she ate some of the soup and avoided the pitying looks of Janette and Cissy.

Janette broke the silence. “We are to leave tomorrow for the country.”

“It will be strange to be here without you.” Sophia liked Janette and Cissy. They were both sweet and charming.

“I’m so pleased your mother has decided to go with us.”

Sophia nodded. “The fresh air will be good for her. I appreciate you having her with you until Daniel and I can go to Marlton Hall.”

“You will go to the country soon as well and then we shall all visit regularly.”

“I cannot wait for Christmas. I do so love the country at Christmas.” Cissy clapped her hands causing her spoon to clatter against the china.

“I wish to invite my family for the holidays. If that would be all right with you,” Sophia said to Janette.

“You are the countess now, Sophia. You need not ask my permission for anything. Anyway, I adore your mother and aunt. I look forward to getting to know your brother as well.”

“Thank you.” Sophia went back to her soup.

By the time the first course arrived, Sophia had chewed the inside of her cheek raw. “Did his Lordship mention to you, he would be out this evening?”

Janette shook her head. “I would not worry, my dear. I’m sure he has just been detained by some business or another. His father was often late.”

“I have not noticed that trait in Daniel.” Sophia’s voice softened as the observation was made more to herself.

Janette took a small bite of the duck. “No. Daniel is normally prompt. I would guess whatever has delayed him must be of the highest importance.”

“Yes. I suppose it must be.”

Cissy described Christmas at Marlton Hall in great detail. Sophia didn’t listen. Her mind whirled with worry over her husband’s whereabouts.

* * * *

It was close to three in the morning, when Sophia padded down the steps. She had planned to surprise Daniel by joining him, but he hadn’t come to his room as yet. She walked to the study and knocked but heard nothing. Opening the door, she found the room dark and empty.

She spun around at the sound of footsteps, but it was Fenton walking across the foyer. “Do you know where my husband is, Fenton?”

“His lordship is not at home, My Lady.” Fenton’s tone gave no hint to his thoughts on the matter. He gave the facts and nothing more.

“I see. Thank you.” She climbed back up the steps.

Fenton called up the steps in a lighter tone than before. “Would your ladyship care for tea or chocolate? I can have cook bring it up for you.”

“No. Thank you, Fenton. I think I’ll just go to sleep. Goodnight.” Exhaustion shrouded her and climbing the steps was an arduous task.

“Goodnight, my lady.”

* * * *

Sophia sipped her chocolate at the breakfast table. She’d spent the night tossing and turning while hoping Daniel would come home. It was annoying the way the sun shone through the front window as if all was right in the world. Nothing was right.

She picked up the morning paper from the corner of the table.

Mr. W was seen rushing from the home of the prominent Lord M. This correspondent has it on the best authority that M was not at home and it was the lady of the house called upon. Scandal seems to follow the new Lady M wherever she goes. Sources tell me, it was the lady’s brother who discovered them and evidence of pugilism was present. Signs are not good for that house. One can only speculate what Lord M thought upon arrival at home after a long day.

“Fenton!” Sophia rushed out of the dining room.

Gasping, Fenton raced into the foyer brandishing the candlestick from the table in the back hallway. It was no wonder, after the events of the day before, Fenton came armed. He must have expected to find bloodshed.

He found the countess standing with one hand on the banister of the stairs and the other waving the morning paper.

“My lady?” He let down the candlestick.

She lowered her voice. “Fenton, thank god you are here.”

Fenton’s eyes widened, but his tone was as reserved as usual. “How may I assist, my lady?”

It was the first time she’d seen surprise on his face and it almost made her smile, but she returned to the issue at hand. Several maids and the cook peeked around doors and down the steps. She shouldn’t have raised her voice, but she was so shocked by what the paper said, she’d lost her temper. What was Daniel going to think? “I need a word with you in his lordship’s study, please.”

Fenton followed her and gave the other servants a stern look as he closed the doors.

She still waved the paper around. “We have a snitch in the house, Fenton.”

“A snitch, my lady?”

“Yes. Snitch, informant, you may call it what you want, but someone who was in this house yesterday told the newspaper the story I have just read. Though I cannot tell you if they gave only half truths, or the reporter took some license with the facts. I do not approve of my personal life being fodder for the gossips, Fenton. I charge you with finding out who did this and I expect they will be dealt with accordingly.”

“I’ll see to it, my lady.” Fenton sounded even graver than usual.

She leaned over the desk while attempting to work out the details. “Fenton, is his lordship a good employer? I mean to say, is he good to those who work for him? Does he pay well?”

“His lordship is a fair man, as his father was before him.”

“Then why would someone do such a thing?”

Fenton spoke evenly. “For some, the lure of easy money is too great to resist.”

She stood straight and looked him in the eye. “Find the culprit and deal with this, Fenton. I entrust the task to you. I’ll not be afraid to speak in my own home. It is one thing to gossip with the servants in other homes, but this is quite another. This story made the paper in a matter of hours. Someone here, in this house, sold the story to a reporter. I want to know who.”

Fenton bowed stiffly and left the room.

Sophia collapsed into the nearest chair and rubbed the side of her head, which was now pounding. Why had Daniel not come home? Where was he? She was determined to handle his having a mistress, but he must not be so indiscreet as to not come home. God only knew what would be in tomorrow’s paper.

* * * *

At one minute before eleven in the morning, Anthony and Thomas arrived at Fallon House. Sophia had expected to see Anthony, but Thomas’s presence was a surprise. Janette and Cissy had left for the country only an hour earlier so Sophia was alone.

The two men looked so grave, panic built in the pit of her stomach. “Tom, what’s wrong? Has something happened?”

He was about to answer, but she held up a hand. “Let’s talk in the study.”

“What was that all about, Sophie?” Anthony demanded as soon as the study door closed behind them.

“Have either of you read this morning’s paper?”

Thomas frowned. “I have. You suspect one of your staff?”

“I have Fenton looking into the matter.”

Anthony looked from one to the other. “What was in the paper? What do you suspect? What is going on?”

“Calm yourself, man,” Thomas said.

Sophia retrieved the newspaper from the desk and handed it to Anthony.

Anthony frowned and slapped the paper against his leg. “None of this is true.”

“And yet, none of it is false either. I did rush from here, you did arrive just before and there was a fight. As you can see, the story holds facts but little truth. That is the way of these things.”

She took the paper back and threw it on the desk. “What are you two doing here? What has happened to Daniel?”

Thomas’s eyes were ringed dark and his shoulders slumped. “The truth is, I’m not sure, Sophia. I cannot find him.”

Hating her thoughts, she turned away. “There was that opera singer…” Most women would never admit their husband was having an affair. Such things were known, but never discussed. Sophia was tired of lies. They had only made bad situations worse.

“I already went to see her. She has not seen him since the night of the theatre. That was quite a bit before your marriage.”

Relief washed over Sophia, but panic overshadowed it. “Then, where is he, Tom?”

“I do not know, but it is not like him to just disappear. I know him, Sophia. He is prone to run when things are bad, but he would not go without saying so. He would not worry his family.”

Thomas looked away rubbing his neck. “I’m worried.”

She didn’t know what to say or do. She wanted to scream, but it would do no good and it was unlikely to make her feel any better. She preferred thinking he was an unfaithful husband over the possibility he had met with an accident of some kind. “Perhaps there is another woman whom you do not know about.”

“I’ll look into it. I shall call in some additional help and we will find him.” His voice rang with intensity and determination. Daniel was his friend and his interest in finding him was personal. It had little to do with her.

Still, she worried. She was not entirely convinced he’d met with some kind of trouble. It was possible, tired of waiting for her, he found a more willing woman. Perhaps once he found her, he saw no reason to return home.

Thomas and Anthony discussed how to proceed.

She lost the thread of the conversation. There was nothing for her to do but wait and worry. The room wavered and she closed her eyes willing the dizziness away. “I’m going to rest.”

“Are you ill?” Anthony took her arm.

She patted his hand. “No, just tired. I didn’t sleep well last night. You will contact me if you have any information?”

Thomas bowed, his face a mask of concern and perhaps disappointment. “Of course.”

She was used to disappointing those around her. After excusing herself, she went up to her room.

Marie helped her to remove her dress and she sent the maid away.

She padded across her room and for the first time went through the adjoining door to Daniel’s room. She stood in the open doorway and stared at the large bed.

Heavy blue drapes were drawn back across the dark wood canopy revealing the high, down bed. She ran her hand over the bedding, pulled back the covers and climbed in. Warm familiarity surrounded her in Daniel’s bed. She snuggled in deeper. Even with the sunshine streaming into the room, exhaustion overcame her.

* * * *

Thomas sat behind the desk and penned notes to Michael, Markus and a third to police detective Hardwig. James Hardwig had been a comrade a few years ago when they were both on the continent working for the king. He’d kept in touch and Thomas had no doubt he would be of assistance.

Thomas called a footman to dispatch the messages then turned to the young man sitting across from him. “Your sister does not believe anything is amiss. I think she is quite certain Marlton has taken a mistress.”

Anthony shrugged. “It’s not an unlikely scenario. Many men do take on a paramour.”

“Not Marlton, not after his marriage.” Thomas was certain he was right.

Anthony cocked his head to one side. “I hope you are wrong. I fear if you’re correct then your friend is in serious danger.”

“That is my fear as well.” He paused to think. He was still calculating several different scenarios.

“I may need your sister’s help at some point. I hope her low opinion will not sway her ability to assist.”

Anthony screwed up his mouth. Thomas had learned in the last few hours, this meant he was thinking something through. “I think she is in love with her husband. She will help if she believes it will bring him home.”

“I hope it will not be necessary to employ her in our endeavor.”

It was Thomas’s first visit to James Hardwig’s office. It retained the thick odor that comes from years of cigar smoke. The wallpaper peeling and the rug worn, the man himself was in similar condition. His brown, thinning hair looked as if it hadn’t been washed in weeks.

James desperately needed a shave, but his brown eyes lit up at the sight of his old friend in the doorway. He came around his desk, hand outstretched and pumped Thomas’s hand vigorously. “Got your note, Wheel. No idea what to make of it. But it is good to see you, old man. How are you? Not married yet, I know. I always check the banns to see who’s gone to the gallows.”

“Good to see you, Hardwig. I have a problem and I need your help.”

James had put on weight since Thomas had last seen him and his belly hung unceremoniously over his trousers. He went back around to his chair offering Thomas the small wooden chair in front of the desk. “What’s the trouble, then?”

“I’ll need this to be kept quiet.”

James grinned and rubbed his belly. “Just like old times then, Wheel. Everything on the hush-hush.”

“Just like old times, James.” Except, this time the outcome was personal.

Once he’d explained the entire story of Daniel’s disappearance, he waited while James thought it all through. He’d worked with James enough to know, while he was a clever man, he took his time to process information. When they were in France, the waiting had driven Thomas crazy. However, James’s careful thought process had saved them more than once and he had learned patience. The office was sparse with no furniture besides the desk and chairs.