Page 90 of Rescued from Betrayal
She removed the lid and pulled back the paper. Her jewelry. She glanced up at him and realized he’d done far more than retrieve her trunk from her parents. What sort of confrontation must have happened for him to retrieve the property her mother had stolen from her? That he had saved her from having to endure such an uncomfortable accusation brought tears to her eyes.
“Thank you.” She reached out and grasped his hand.
He smiled and squeezed her fingers. “Anything for my girl.”
She let his words warm her heart, latching onto them and holding them close for the times when she was bound to feel lost and alone.
He sat as she looked through the pieces. When she reached the sapphire and diamond necklace, she pulled it out of the box. “Are you sure you do not want these… for your own daughter one day?”
Lady Jillian’s cheeks pinked at the reference, but Uncle Percy shook his head. “If we are blessed to have a daughter, I have many other pieces that will do just as well. That set is for you. A reminder of your grandmother’s legacy.”
She peered into his softly weathered face, knowing exactly what he meant. He wanted her to find love. To bond her heart with Nathaniel’s and find joy in creating a life together much as her grandparents had. She clutched the necklace to her chest.
“Thank you.”
When Javenia returned later that day, Melior was surprised to see her alone.
“Did you not take a maid with you? And where is Algenon?”
“How should I know where the man has traipsed off to? I am not my neighbor’s keeper.” Javenia cast her a cheeky grin. “As for the maid, I did not need one. I accompanied an…acquaintanceabout town for a few hours. It was quite enlightening.”
“Acquaintance? What sort of acquaintance? Not a gentleman, I hope.”
“No, no. There are no gentlemen of my acquaintance who would be worth enough to jeopardize my reputation simply for a jaunt about London. No, I was with Lady Braithwaite.”
Melior took a step back as if pushed by an unseen hand. “The young widow? I am not sure accompanying her anywhere is any better for your reputation than riding about with a gentleman.”
“Nonsense. I know the rumors surrounding her, but she is harmless. Besides, with her connections and knowledge she makes for a good resource when one needs to find out the dirt on certain members of the Ton.”
Intrigued, Melior motioned her to sit. “What sort of information?”
“It seems Mr. Tom Fairchild keeps a mistress in Cheapside.”
“That does not surprise me.”
“Yes, well, said mistress is currently infuriated with him and was more than happy to talk.”
“You visited his mistress?” she squeaked. “Javenia, what if someone had seen you?”
“I did not. Lady Braithwaite did. I stayed in the carriage with the curtains drawn.”
Melior did not know if she should be relieved or enraged. What if someone had known Javenia was alone in that part of Town?
“From what was said, it seems Mr. Fairchild brought a lady to his mistress’s home when she was out andstayedwith her.” Javenia’s eyebrows rose, reinforcing the implication.
“No!” Melior shook her head trying to get the disgusting thought out of her head. The man was a cesspool of unsavory qualities. Why in the world were such people allowed to frequent the ballrooms of London with no repercussions, while she’d been sent like a lamb to the slaughter for one innocent mistake?
Well, not completely innocent.
The guilt that always hung at the back of her mind pushed its way forward, clouding out all other thoughts until Javenia spoke again.
“That is not all. It seems his companion was a lady of quality.”
“How would his mistress know that?”
“She had an earring that was left behind. Not only that, but several of her neighbors reported seeing them come and go.”
Melior’s stomach churned. The man was a menace to Society. She wrapped an arm around her middle. “I think we should speak of something else.”
