Page 39 of The Gilded Lady
Glory smiled down at her, amazed at how she’d changed from the girl who’d grown up in Victoria House to the beautiful young woman she was today. No one would have guessed that she’d been in a salon in Victoria House mere months ago auctioning off her virginity. Or that marriage to the man who’d placed the highest bid would come so soon. Glory had been uncertain given the unconventional way that Emmy and Hunter had met, but marriage seemed to agree with her. She was glowing like a woman in love and well taken care of.
“Thank you for agreeing to see us on such short notice.” She squeezed Emmy’s hand and addressed the room. She’d onlyrang them on the telephone a scarce half hour earlier and Hunter had urged them to come as soon as they could.
“Anytime, Glory,” Hunter said.
“Come and have a seat.” Emmy led her to the settee that sat across from Castillo and Caroline. Then she greeted Able and Zane. Once Able was seated in a high-backed chair facing the fireplace, and Emmy sat beside her, it was time to get to the reason they were there. Glory absolutely hated having to ask for help, yet here she was and it was the second time this week she’d had to come to them.
As if sensing her discomfort, Zane reached forward from where he stood behind her and placed a hand on her shoulder. He’d naturally seemed to gravitate toward her and she’d liked that a lot.
“I assume Zane told you all about my predicament?”
Castillo leaned forward, wincing. “He said that a man from your past had found both you and Able. That he’s possibly on his way here.”
“Yes, that’s right. I’ve decided that if we’re to be ready for him, I need to close the boardinghouse.” She explained her plan and about Emily and Edward.
“Say no more.” Emmy took her hand again. “We’ll take them out to the ranch. They’ll be safe there. Hunter has enough hands out there that this man won’t know what hit him if he tries to follow them.”
“Are you certain you can keep them safe?” Glory asked, looking from Emmy to Hunter.
“We’d be honored to have them.” Hunter answered.
Emmy smiled. “We handled my stepfather and his gang of thieves, we can handle the mystery man from your past.”
Before Glory could say more, Emmy said to Able, “You should consider sending Clara as well. She’ll be safer out there.”
“I’d be obliged to you,” said Able.
“It’s not an obligation. We’re happy to help out. We’ve come to think of you and Glory as extended family.” Hunter’s wide smile lit up the parlor. It was no wonder every debutante in town had gone into fits when they’d heard he was engaged. Or at least that had been the rumor, Glory wasn’t close with any debutantes.
“You should come too, Glory,” Emmy said more quietly.
“I agree.” Able added. “You go wait it out at the ranch and we’ll take care of Dubose.”
Glory didn’t know whether to be offended that he wouldn’t want her included or grateful that she had people who cared about her. She decided to remain neutral. “I’m not running. It’s time to end this.”
Able gave her a firm nod and Emmy smiled. “When do you think we should go? Today? In the morning?” Emmy asked.
Glory’s mind started swimming with all the things they needed to do within the next few days. Now that it was finally happening, she had too many things to do to be worried. She barely noticed when Hunter called for Zane and motioned that they should step into the other room.
Zane followed Hunter across the wide hallway that bisected the house into a room nearly identical to the parlor they’d left. The only difference was that this one was deep red and cream. He’d never understand why people needed so many rooms for socializing. He couldn’t ever imagine wanting that many people in his space.
Hunter stopped near the window and pulled out a folded piece of yellow paper from inside his coat. It looked like a telegram. “I received this minutes before you arrived. It’s from the Charleston solicitor I telegrammed last night.”
“Already?”
Hunter sneered. “It must’ve been the outrageous sum I agreed to wire to his bank.” His smile faded as he looked down at thepaper. “It turns out Dubose is a wealthy landowner in the low country. He’s fairly well-known in Charleston social circles.”
All of that was to be expected. Glory wouldn’t be so afraid if the man wasn’t without some means to pose a serious threat to her. “Has he left yet?”
Hunter frowned and handed over the piece of paper before running a hand over his chin. “That’s the strange part. He says that Dubose has been gone for weeks. To Europe. Something about a tour of France.”
Zane scanned the telegram confirming that Dubose had left three weeks ago, which meant he’d be in France by now. “I don’t believe it. He’s on his way.”
“Or already here.”
At those ominous words, Zane looked up. Hunter looked concerned. “You don’t think he’s been here all along?”
Hunter shook his head. “Probably not. We don’t know how long he’s been looking for them. The investigator he hired only just made contact, so I think it’s likely that he had no idea where she was before then. Maybe he’s only now decided to find her and set off on his own to do that. Hell, I don’t know.” Hunter ran his fingers through his hair and paced the length of the window.
