Victorian Vigilantes 01 - Saving Grace (9 page)

“What is it? What’s happening?”

Betsy’s concerned face loomed into view. “Calm yourself, my lady. I didn’t mean to startle you.”

“What time is it? How long have I been asleep?”

“Above five hours.”

“Five hours!”

It couldn’t possibly be true. Eva hadn’t even dreamed. She always had highly colourful dreams that continued to plague her long after she woke, but if she had dreamed this time she couldn’t remember any of them. She glanced out of the window and saw the sun was low in the sky, proving Betsy’s point. She really had slept the day away, and felt rejuvenated as a consequence. Betsy placed a tea tray across her lap and poured for her. There was a plate of delicate sandwiches and fresh cakes, which Eva did justice to as well. When she had drunk two cups of tea and finished most of the food, Betsy removed the tray and asked her if she was ready for her bath.

“Absolutely. Lead the way.”

There was a modern bathroom attached to the bedroom and a steaming bath awaited her. Eva shed her nightgown and shift and stepped into the water with keen anticipation. Betsy sponged her back but Eva insisted upon washing the rest of her body for herself, taking her time, feeling the lifeblood slowly flowing back into her veins.

“Shall I wash your hair for you, ma’am?”

“Is there time to dry it before dinner?”

“Yes, plenty.”

“Then please do.”

Surviving Whitechapel and washing all traces of it from her body would give her spirits a small boost. Eva’s desire to look her best had absolutely nothing to do with impressing her hosts.

Dry from the bath, Eva became suspicious when Betsy produced delicate silk undergarments that she definitely did not own.

“I believe his lordship sent out for a few things he thought you might need,” Betsy replied in response to Eva’s raised eyebrows.

“Did he indeed?”

Eva wasn’t sure what to make of that, nor did she refer to the matter again in Betsy’s hearing. Instead she sat beside the roaring fire in her new drawers, shift and stays while Betsy worked her magic with the hairbrush once again, chattering away about anything and nothing.

“How long have you worked here?” Eva asked when Betsy temporarily ran out of things to say.

“Five year, my lady.”

“Do you enjoy your work?”

“Oh yes. His lordship is a firm but fair master and he treats us all well. We’re lucky to have our positions here. No one ever leaves him.”

Such unmitigated praise from a servant was unusual. Eva had grown up being waited on hand and foot and knew servants spoke as they found—at least when confronted with outsiders such as Eva. That Lord Torbay could inspire such loyalty in his staff told her a lot about his character.

Her hair was now dry and Betsy set about dressing it, humming to herself as she worked. Instead of opting for the usual fashionable braided crown, she arranged it in a slightly puffed style, leaving curls playing around her face.

“What are you doing?” Lost in thought, Eva glanced at her reflection and noticed Betsy had entwined the bulk of her hair with lappets of blue and gold ribbon. “It looks lovely but will hardly go with my gown.”

Betsy grinned, turned to the closet and produced a gown that made Eva gasp.

“Where did that come from? It is very lovely but hardly qualifies as sending out for a few things.”

“You’ll have to ask his lordship, ma’am. It’s not my place to say.”

Betsy held out the petticoats. She most certainly would ask him, Eva thought as she stepped into them. She couldn’t accept such a gift, but nor could she resist wearing it, just this once. With a heavy sigh that didn’t entirely disguise the pleasure she took from beautiful clothes, she slipped into the gown and breathed in as Betsy tightened the laces.

“Aw, ma’am, you look a picture and that’s a fact.”

Eva looked in the mirror and had to agree the gown was a sensation. In white grounded silk, the skirt was elegantly woven with a pattern of full-blown roses and foliage in blue to match the ribbons in her hair. The plain white body and sleeves were relieved with broad bands of blue embossed velvet and pearl ornaments. Her waist appeared tiny and her breasts spilled from the bodice in a manner that would have given William palpitations if he had known she was wearing it while dining with other men. That thought quelled any doubts she might otherwise have entertained and she slipped her feet defiantly into the blue slippers that went with the gown, unsurprised to discover they were a perfect fit.

“Thank you, Betsy, you have worked miracles.”

“It was a pleasure to be of service, my lady.”

“Now, perhaps you’d better escort me to the dining room or I shall be late. This house is so large that I’ll never find my way unaccompanied.”

Jake and Isaac, in formal evening dress, stood in the drawing room savouring their whisky as they awaited Lady Eva’s arrival.

“What if she has decided to leave?” Isaac asked anxiously. “We gave our word we wouldn’t try to prevent her.”

“She won’t leave.”

“How can you be so sure? She appears to be just about the only woman in London who doesn’t fall victim to your rather disgusting charm campaigns.”

Jake laughed. “She has nowhere to go, other than back to Woodstock. Besides, she appears to enjoy your company.”

“You think so?” Isaac flashed a wicked smile. “If only things were different, then I would—”

“I am well aware what you would like to do.”

“She’s vulnerable and has been badly used by her family. She needs someone to look out for her interests. Damn it, Jake, she needs protecting.”

“Protection, certainly, but don’t lose sight of the fact that she’s also married and beholden to us. She is a charming distraction, I’ll grant you that, but we have an assignment that will be harder to discharge now we have decided not to involve her.” Jake paused to rub his chin. “I had been counting on her to help us.”

“She is not married through choice. If she can regain custody of her daughter and freedom from Woodstock, do you suppose she would choose to remain true to him?”

Jake shook his head. “It’s a mute point, Isaac. All the time Woodstock breathes, he won’t let her go and she will never feel safe.”

“All the more reason to expose his part in the plot to steal the diamond.”

“The Home Secretary doesn’t care about Woodstock. He’s more interested in learning the identity of the man who put him up to it.”

“Then we shall give him that man, and Woodstock also. Two for the price of one.”

Jake chuckled. “Glad to see you so motivated, all of a sudden.”

“Motivated, absolutely, but how shall we go about delivering? Without Lady Eva to intercede, I’m not sure Franklin can get the information we need, even though he is in the house.”

Jake scowled. “I still have to work that part out.”

“Woodstock must meet with his handler. It’s just a case of following him.”

“How often have we tried that?” Jake’s scowl deepened. “We know he sometimes meets a person in Hyde Park but we have no idea whom. We’ve tried following the other person’s carriage but have never managed to discover who’s actually in it. It’s always a handsome, always hired in different locations, and the jarveys never actually see their customer’s face.”

It was Isaac’s turn to scowl. “The blaggard’s toying with us.”

“No one said this would be easy. If it was, the Home Secretary wouldn’t need us. All we can do now is wait for Franklin’s next communication. We have time yet, which means someone might make a mistake that will give us the edge. Woodstock doesn’t have those Sikhs under proper control. If he did, that murder never would have occurred.” Jake refilled their glasses. “I take heart from that, at least.”

“What do we do while we wait?” Isaac asked. “I hate inactivity.”

Jake grinned. “Entertaining our lovely house guest ought to keep you occupied.”

“But I thought you just said—”

“She needs to feel she can trust us. I shall be going out immediately after dinner. I have new arrangements to make, and so I’m afraid the burden of entertaining Lady Eva will fall to you.”

“Do you not need me to come with you?” Isaac tried not to show how much he would prefer to remain with Lady Eva.

Jake chuckled. “I wouldn’t be that cruel. Besides, I’m sure you will have a much better time without me cramping your style.”

“I don’t understand you.” Isaac scowled. “One moment you’re warning me off Lady Eva, the next you’re leaving the field clear and actively encouraging me.”

“All I am warning you against is getting ideas about permanent involvement.” Jake shrugged. “Anything you can do to persuade her to stay here with us is another matter.”

A swish of silk alerted them to Lady Eva’s arrival. They turned in unison and blinked at the vision that greeted them. Gone was the tired and frightened creature whom they had confronted that morning. Isaac already knew that Lady Eva was a beautiful woman. Turned out in a fashionable evening gown she was nothing short of sensational. No wonder Woodstock was so enamoured of her.

Jake was the first to recover his composure. He stepped up to her and bowed.

“I don’t need to ask if you are feeling rested,” he said, taking her hand and kissing the back of it. “You look ravishing.”

“I need to ask you about this gown.”

“Oh, that.” Isaac suppressed a smile as he watched Jake wave a hand in casual dismissal. “Think nothing of it.”

“But I think a very great deal of it.” She took a glass of champagne from Parker with a nod of thanks. “I can’t accept expensive gifts of clothing from you.”

“Then look upon it as a loan.”

“It’s probably best not to argue with him,” Isaac said with a puerile grin. “He will have his way, you know.”

A tiny smile slipped past Lady Eva’s guard, implying she enjoyed wearing the gown almost as much as he enjoyed seeing her in it.

“Dinner is served, my lord,” Parker said.

“Good,” Jake replied. “I’m sharp set.”

Isaac proffered his arm to Lady Eva, she placed her hand on his sleeve and the three of them walked through to the adjoining dining room. Isaac noticed their guest ate more sparingly than she had that morning, but still did justice to the many courses set before her. He and Jake entertained her with idle gossip, updating her on the situations of people known to her.

“How have you managed to evade the match making mamas all these years, if you don’t mind my asking?” Lady Eva enquired. “You must both be prime targets.”

“By avoiding an awful lot of social engagements where we’re likely to
be
targeted,” Jake replied. “We enjoy our independence and are not yet ready to take the plunge.”

“But surely you have a duty to produce an heir, Lord Torbay, and keep the title alive?”

“There’s time yet,” he answered evasively.

“In my case I am under no pressure,” Isaac told her. “I have two older brothers who seem to take the matter of procreation exceedingly seriously.”

She laughed. “How fortunate.”

Their conversation continued in similar vein, with Lady Eva coaxing them to talk about their families and interests. She was very good at it, Isaac thought. She sat between them, eyes sparkling with amusement as she drew them out. Born to bringing out the best in people without appearing to try, she had lost none of her skill in the years since her marriage, even though she had probably had precious little opportunity to put it into practise. Isaac was happy to go along with the general banter, glad to see her relaxing in their company.

***

Eva felt slightly intoxicated, but not because she had partaken of too much wine. Alone in the drawing room with her two guardian angels she felt convinced her earlier premonition of excitement was about to bear fruit. Their manners were elegantly correct and they had neither said nor done anything to make her think they intended to behave inappropriately towards her. Even so, there was just something in the atmosphere that made her feel giddy with anticipation. There were so many questions she really ought to ask but this rare opportunity to enjoy a sophisticated dinner with compelling companions, free from her husband’s disapproving scrutiny, deprived her of the ability to formulate them.

She stared at the fire, acutely aware of the ticking of the long clock in the corner of the room, even more aware of two male gazes focused intently on her profile.

“You will not return to Sloane Street.”

Lord Torbay’s words, a statement rather than a question, sounded too loud, too assertive, as though by speaking so firmly the matter was already settled.

She sighed. “I have no wish to, other than to see Grace, but I can’t stay here indefinitely.”

“It won’t be an indefinite stay,” he replied. “Franklin ought to be able to take advantage of your husband’s preoccupation and search for incriminating evidence without being discovered.”

“We have thought of a few ways in which we might be able to divert him further,” Lord Isaac added, grinning.

“Then I would like to hear them.”

“And so you shall,” Lord Torbay replied. “As soon as we have thoroughly worked through them for ourselves.”

“Have you thought where he might keep any sensitive documents that would be if interest us?” Lord Isaac asked.

“What makes you suppose he would
have
any documents to connect him to an act of treason?”

“Because that is what he does,” Lord Torbay replied. “He keeps written evidence about everything and everyone he comes into contact with, if only for self-protection.”

“Well, if he does, such documents would be in his study. It adjoins his bedroom. My room is approached from the other end of the corridor so I have little occasion to go in there.” She lifted her shoulders. “I’m sorry not to be more specific.”

Lord Torbay nodded. “That’s perfectly all right. But just so we are absolutely clear, anything important to him would be in the house, not his warehouse?”

“Yes, almost certainly. Other people have access to his office at the warehouse. However, he knows his servants are too frightened to touch anything they shouldn’t inside the house. Only one of the maids is ever permitted to go in there.”