Page 63 of A Fearless Heart
“No, he has a place of his own. That’s where I write to him.”
“Would you feel safe staying at your town house?”
“I…think so? There aren’t any regular servants, though.”
He smiled suddenly. “Now, that problem is easily solved. Leave it to me.”
“I haven’t agreed to go yet,” she warned him.
“We’re just talking about the possibility, blossom,” he said, leaning over to brush her lips with his. “It’s good to plan for several outcomes. Then you’re less likely to be surprised when things don’t go as you expect.”
“Did you make multiple plans when you first came here?”
“Of course. But no one can plan for Arcadia Osbourne.”
* * * *
It didn’t take very long for Cady to decide that the need to discover who was using clephobine to kill was far more important than her own trepidation about leaving her home. Gabe assured her several times that he’d be with her as much as social rules would allow (and probably more, she reflected, thinking about how much Gabe flouted the rules so far). He told her that she could return to Calderwood at any time. No one would blame her for not wanting to get involved in the matter. But Cady knew she was already involved. Someone had exploited her work, and possibly stolen her supply of the chemical. She had a duty to help find out what happened.
The announcement that Lady Arcadia was not only leaving Calderwood, but actually going to busy London, was met was stunned disbelief by the remaining servants.
“My lady!” Martha gasped out. “You can’t!”
“Excuse me?” Cady gave the maid a sharp look.
“I mean, you’re certain that’s wise? It’s not safe out there in the world, my lady.”
“Is staying locked up for the rest of my life wise?” she asked. “I must go to London to address some matters about the letters patent.” In their talks, Cady and Gabe had agreed that this issue would make for a very plausible explanation not only for the servants, but for the local gentry and villagers who might learn of Cady’s sudden decision.
“For how long, my lady?”
“I am not sure. But my brother will provide anything I may need. And I will need you to help pack everything I might require.”
It was indeed a hectic few days. Cady almost forgot that Mr Addison was going to visit her, and thus when he drove up, she was in the herb garden, smeared with mud, thanks to rain the previous night.
If it had been any other neighbor but Mr Addison, she would have been embarrassed to be caught like that. But one gardener understands another. When he took in her appearance, he merely nodded in approval.
“Good morning,” he said, kneeling down momentarily to set a large wooden bucket on the ground. “Beautiful day, isn’t it? I’m glad to be back in Kent.”
“Oh? Were you traveling?”
“Just a short trip to London to secure some specimens I’d ordered for the spring planting. The roses from Germany arrived at last.”
“What’s in there?” she asked, gesturing to the bucket. “Doesn’t look like a rose to me.”
“A surprise for you, little Cady! A species of Nymphaeaceae known as Sleeping Lotus.”
She removed the lid and saw two small, green aquatic plants tucked at the bottom of the bucket, half-full of clear water.
“I’ve been on the hunt for something rare enough to meet your exacting standards, and I found it,” Addison explained. “Ship came in from the China route, with six specimens alive from the journey. Four are destined for the pond at Kew Park, but I procured these two for you. Here.” He handed her a scroll of paper. “This is an image of the mature plant. I’m told the flower looks almost blue!”
She unrolled the rice paper and regarded the illustration with delight. “This is wonderful, Mr Addison. It’s a true beauty.”
“Precisely! It is purely ornamental, so none of your plucking and snipping and distilling for this. You simply enjoy its appearance, knowing that nature has created it with no interference from man.”
“Can you imagine how the pond would look if it thrives and spreads? Like a fairy garden.”
“I knew you would appreciate it, my dear.”
