Page 11 of Lady Gambit
Dorian drew a notebook and pencil from his pocket and scribbled down the woman’s ramblings lest he forget. He wasn’t sure why, but his thoughts turned to Miss Chance. That said, it was hardly surprising. He’d thought of little else since they’d parted ways in Miss Darrow’s yard.
Nora’s cries had prompted the other patients to shout and jeer and mimic her mindless rants. The din was deafening. Worn out from her grand performance, Nora returned to her bed, where she stared at the ceiling in a trance-like state.
“A friend was here recently.” Dorian caught himself. He was a professional man. Miss Chance was his client, not his friend. A fact he would do well to remember. “You spoke to her through the bars. She said you called her Sofia.”
Nora did not move, speak or blink.
Dorian tried to coax a response but to no avail.
He returned his notebook to his pocket and moved to walk away. That’s when he caught Nora Adkins’ faint whisper.
“Sofia is dead. Find the girl. Find Caterina.”
Chapter Three
One long week had passed since Delphine had met Mr Flynn in Miss Darrow’s yard. She had spent endless hours fretting over their conversation, deciding what to do. But her sleepless nights were consumed with thoughts other than guilt and betrayal.
Why did she feel oddly connected to a stranger?
Why had his warm embrace left her craving his company?
She looked out the carriage window as the vehicle trundled along Ludgate Hill. Mr Flynn’s handkerchief was not in the blue reticule she clutched in her lap. It was wrapped in silk and tucked in the back of her drawer. The musky scent of his cologne diminished by the day. All remnants of the man would soon be lost, along with these precious moments of freedom.
“Why so glum? Anyone would think we were bound for debtors’ prison.” Theo chuckled and brushed an errant blonde lock from his brow. He wore his new blue coat and the bergamot and rosewood cologne ladies loved. “I thought Aaron’s compromise would lift your spirits.”
Aaron had summoned her to his office and spent silent seconds watching her from behind his imposing desk. She fearedhe knew about Mr Flynn. Knew the man had held her close and whispered soothing words against her hair.
Aaron had not asked what she thought about parties, gowns or visiting a ladies’ club. With deep furrows marring his brow, he had issued a blunt statement. The words were still ingrained in her memory.
Purchase what you desire and send me the bill. Your sisters-in-law will take you to dine at Mivart’s and to the theatre. You’ll not visit The Burnished Jade. There’s no way of knowing who Miss Lovelace permits in her club.
Aaron would be at Mivart’s, watching from the shadows. He would hide in a theatre box, pistol at the ready to shoot anyone who dared approach her.
She had smiled and thanked him for his generosity.
How could she tell the man who’d saved her life that he fell short of her expectations? How did she explain she was slowly dying inside, withering away like a rose starved of sunlight?
Perhaps it was foolish to find hope in a square of linen.
Perhaps it was wrong to think the wearer of such an enticing cologne might be the answer to her prayers. The person with the key to her prison.
“Give Aaron time to adjust,” Theo said with his usual optimism. It was a means of hiding his own disappointment in a life that had gone awry. “We should trust him. He’s stubborn to a fault but always does what is right for our family.”
Knots of guilt twisted in her gut. She had tried to talk to Aaron this morning and had begun by asking what he remembered about the night they first met. His reply had helped her reach a decision.
You looked so lost, so helpless. I swore you’d never look that way again. I’ve done everything in my power to keep you safe.
She was still lost.
She was still helpless.
She was a frightened child trapped in a woman’s body.
Ignoring the problem had not made it go away.
“Sometimes it’s hard to breathe at home,” she confessed. With Theo being her youngest brother, surely he understood. “Sometimes I feel like an ornament in a cupboard.” A useless knick-knack kept out of sight.
Theo reached for her hand and gripped it tightly. “There are times I wish we still lived above Mrs Maloney’s bookshop. Life was much simpler then.” His smile brimmed with compassion. “Let me talk to Aaron. What say we keep pushing the boundaries a little?”
