I sat up, aching and stiff from having slept in my clothes, and found a note on the side table.
I’ve stepped out to check on a few business matters. I’ll call on you later today.
I set the note aside, feeling a grim sort of reality settle in. Would it really be wise to have Silas call on me? We’d spent so much of the last day together, it was impossible that Hugh wouldn’t hear about it. And while Cunningham was now out of the picture, I had no guarantee that the rest of the board wouldn’t still insist upon my marriage to Hugh. And I was certain that my successful rescue of Birgit had also cost my company the partnership with van der Sant’s. There was no way he would want to continue working with us. So I’d done nothing to help myself and possibly even hurt my company with my actions yesterday.
But I couldn’t regret them. In fact, despite my pragmatic view of the current situation, I still felt a sense of victory. A sense of completion. I’d done the right thing. I’d protected Birgit and I’d seen justice done to Cunningham. And maybe that was worth my bleak future.
Treasures in heaven…That’s what the priest in Ennis used to preach about when I was a girl. So I wouldn’t have treasures on earth. At least I’d done moral good in the world…maybe God would look at that and not at my hedonistic past when I died.
A knock sounded at the door. My lady’s maid came in, carrying a freshly pressed dress. “It’s time to dress, miss. And don’t forget that the dressmaker will be calling later today for your final fitting.”
The dressmaker. For the engagement ball. Which was—fuck—tomorrow night.
“Of course,” I said calmly, although inside I was twisting with unhappiness. “I wouldn’t miss it for the world.”
Molly was out when I came to her house. She’d gone to visit Birgit van der Sant, her butler intoned sternly, and he didn’t know when she’d be back. He also made a point to tell me that Hugh was expected for dinner.
I sometimes got the feeling her butler didn’t like me very much.
I went back to my townhouse and paced my parlor floor for several long hours, until I finally gave up and went to Castor’s, where I held Julian’s baby until I felt better, missing my nieces and nephews. Missing my family. Missing Molly.
Only I could manage to feel lonely in the busiest, most important city in the world.
The next day dawned foggy and gray, mist clinging to trees just this side of turning colors, and the first thing I did after waking was seek out my solicitor. I knew it was early to expect confirmation for our shares, but I also wanted to know what was going on with Molly’s board. Were they still determined to see her married? Were they shaken up by Cunningham’s arrest? Had everything changed for the better?
Or the worse?
The Cecil-Coke solicitor was named Kestwick, an imposing man of equally imposing age, white hair and wrinkles upon wrinkles, with a posture and strength that belied his years. He rose to shake my hand when I entered his office, and then we both sat.
“Have we had confirmation yet?” I asked without preamble.
“I expect it any hour. I’ll send word as soon as I hear,” he promised.
I frowned. I wanted that confirmation before Molly’s engagement ball tonight. I wanted her all to myself, I didn’t want her dancing with Hugh tonight, standing with him, pretending to be happy with him. The thought infuriated me.
I changed the subject, trying to step away from my anger, which wasn’t really directed at anybody but Hugh. “Any word about Cunningham’s arrest?”
Kestwick raised his eyebrows. “You must be joking.”
My frown deepened. “I’m not really in a joking mood,” I said.
“It’s all anybody is talking about. So far, it looks as if the charges are serious enough that he will be imprisoned for quite a long time. Martjin van der Sant is bringing every ounce of influence and money he has against Cunningham, and the rumor is that the court is disposed to side entirely with the van der Sants.”
I nodded. “Good.” It was still difficult to understand why Cunningham had been so foolish, so caught up in his perversion that he sought out a girl so powerfully connected, but I supposed it was a mixture of overconfidence and lust.
And if I had my way, the man would be murdered in jail for what he did to Molly, but I wouldn’t worry about that right now. Right now, I could only think about preventing this terrible marriage from moving forward.
“Unfortunately, the board of O’Flaherty Shipping has not changed its position on Miss O’Flaherty’s marriage. However,” he said, leaning forward, “as this matter with their leader grows inevitably more sordid, I believe that several of the members will be more interested in selling their shares.”
“To distance themselves from the scandal,” I said. “Let’s hope that happens, and if it does, I want to be there to buy them immediately.”
Kestwick nodded. “It will be so.”
“Good.” I got out of the chair and we shook hands once again. “Don’t forget—the minute you hear the confirmation.”
“Yes. You’ll be notified as quickly as humanly possible.”
And with that paltry assurance, I left the solicitor’s and went to pick out a suit to wear to a ball celebrating the engagement of the woman I loved to another man.
