by Lisa Reisner
“May it only contain good news, madam,” Grumman said and then made his way out of the dining room.
Abigail feared it contained the exact opposite of good news. The only correspondence she had received during her stay at the Everton household had been from Jane. However, the unfamiliar seal on the envelope made it very clear it was not from Jane.
“I wonder what could be so urgent at this hour,” Abigail said to Marcus. “It is probably just Jane needing my assistance with the charity auction.” She swallowed against the bitterness of the lie. Abigail wished she could unburden herself and tell Marcus the truth. He deserved nothing less than total honesty.
Marcus gave her a worried glance. “Are you alright? You suddenly look very pale. Can I offer you some sherry or perhaps a little brandy?”
Abigail found an opportunity for privacy in Marcus’s words. “You know, I think you may be right. Perhaps I am feeling a bit under the weather. Would you be terribly disappointed if I retired early to get some rest? I think the past few weeks have taken a toll on me,” Abigail said, as she faked a yawn. “As much as I would love to spend the night in your arms, I fear I will get very little sleep if I do so.”
“I have been so thoughtless, keeping you up every night. Especially when you’ve been busy tending to Olivia and curing the ailments of the entire British aristocracy,” Marcus said as he stood to help Abigail up from her chair. She hated hearing the genuine remorse in his voice. “I will have the servants prepare you a hot bath and will make certain no one disturbs you.”
Marcus’s kindness was like acid on a burn. All he sought was her comfort and in return she had done nothing but repay him with lies. “Promise me that tomorrow you will join me in my hot bath,” Abigail whispered as they reached the entrance to her room.
“Absolutely.” Marcus kissed her with such passionate ardor it made her knees weak. “I shall keep every promise I ever make to you.”
Abigail ran her hand down Marcus’s cheek. She could no longer hold back what was in her heart. “Even if you broke every promise you ever made to me, I would find a way to forgive you, because I could not live without you.”
Marcus smiled. “As would I.” Marcus pressed a gentle kiss to her forehead. “Now try to get some rest because I guarantee there will be no reprieve tomorrow night.”
Abigail shared one last embrace with him and walked into her bedroom. When Marcus left, she shut the door behind her and practically collapsed against it. In her heart she knew her days basking in Marcus’s warm glow were numbered.
Her fingers trembled as she stared with dread at the letter in her hands. She took a deep breath and decided not to prolong her agony. Abigail tore open the seal and read the words inside.
Dear Miss Jenner,
It is imperative you meet with me tonight to discuss your delicate situation. There is some new and unpleasant information I must inform you of at once. I will be at the White Bear Inn at midnight. It is in your best interest that you meet me there to talk about your present state of affairs.
Yours Truly,
Liam Stone
Abigail found it suddenly hard to breath. Unconsciously, she sat down in her rocking chair and pushed herself back and forth in an effort to calm down.
The soothing motion did little to take away from the crippling fear that was taking over. Her mind drifted back to a dark place filled with unspeakable physical and emotional pain. It was as if she could still taste the blood in her mouth each time Clayton struck her jaw. Of course, that type of hurt was nothing compared to how she felt when he belittled her every day and made her feel worthless; in many ways that treatment did much more harm than any beating ever could.
Abigail knew whatever information Liam Stone had, it would lead her straight back into that nightmare. It was something she could simply not allow to happen ever again. She rose to her feet and forced herself to face the reality of the situation. When she stared at her reflection in the mirror her shoulders straightened with pride. You are no coward. He will never hurt you again, because you will not let him.
The wall clock ticked away the seconds until she had to take her leave from the townhouse. She methodically dressed in all black and covered herself with a thick muslin shawl. Satisfied that most of the household was in bed, she tiptoed down the back stairs and left through the servant’s entrance.
Abigail walked several blocks in the dark, damp streets of London. Most females would have been petrified, but Abigail was no stranger to pure terror. She flagged down a hackney and paid the driver a generous sum to deliver her safely to the White Bear Inn.
The seats inside the vehicle were made of a hard, sturdy wood. They felt quite different than the plush, cushioned benches in Marcus’s coach. Each time the wheels dipped into a break in the road, Abigail felt the impact deep in her back and shoulders. With bitter irony, Abigail knew her feelings of discomfort were only just beginning.
The hackney came to a full stop and the driver opened the door. Abigail spied a large red sign with White Bear Inn written in white letters. When she exited the coach, her mouth felt as dry as sand and her mind swirled with dread. Abigail walked up to the entrance. It was time to face the truth.
She had never been in an establishment like this before. The main floor was decorated in a Baroque style, with several ornate tables and chairs. Several well-dressed gentlemen were accompanied by ladies dressed in questionable attire and the room was lit with candlelight, while soft piano music was being played by an older musician. It struck her as the type of place a wealthy man would bring his mistress.
Liam Stone stood up from one of the tables at the back of the room and motioned for her to join him.
Abigail thought he looked guilty. “Good evening, Mr. Stone.”
Liam sighed as he rubbed the back of his neck. “You may not think so after you hear what I have to say. Please take a seat.” They both sat down, and Liam motioned for some refreshments. The scantily clad barmaid gave Liam a seductive smile and brought them both glasses of red wine. “You may want to drink some of that before I relay my news.”
Abigail waived her hand at the goblet. “I am certain it is best I have my head about me, something tells me I’m going to need it,” Abigail said with a ghost of a smile. She was making a conscious effort to remain cool and collected. Acting like a nervous wreck would not help matters. “I am tougher than I look. Whatever it is, you can tell me, and I can handle it. But I must beg you to not keep me in suspense any longer.”
Liam took a large gulp of his wine. “It is a terrible shame the world has made you so tough, Miss Jenner.”
“Sometimes, we must play the hand we are dealt. Life, at times, can simply be unfair.”
Liam shifted uncomfortably in his seat and Abigail sensed that her words resonated with Mr. Stone’s own life. He seemed to drift off into his own world.
“Unfortunately, your words ring true, Miss Jenner. It seems that sometimes the gentlest people in the world have to face the harshest realities,” Liam granted with a sigh, but quickly snapped himself out of his own personal thoughts and focused himself directly on Abigail. “I am sorry. You didn’t come here tonight to discuss life’s dilemmas. So, I will get right to the point.”
“Thank you,” Abigail said
“My home office was broken into today. Apparently, your file was the only thing missing.”
Abigail’s stomach lurched. The idea that a stranger would know the intimate details of her life made her feel totally violated. “Do you have any idea who was behind the robbery?”
“I had an early meeting with Lady Applewood. I told her explicitly that I found nothing of interest on you, but I sensed from her demeanor she did not believe me,” Liam said, shrugging his shoulders. “Later on, in the afternoon, I stepped out of the office to handle another case I was working on and when I came back, the place was ransacked. It is my belief that she bribed one of my servants to take your file.”
Fear tingled up Abigail’s spine. She knew
the answer to her next question but felt compelled to ask it anyway. “Was the information on me very detailed?”
“I could say it wasn’t, but I would be lying. My investigator was very thorough. In my opinion, you have very little time left before your identity will be revealed.” Liam’s nostril’s flared with anger and his eyes widened with regret as he combed his fingers through his thick brown hair. “This is my fault. I should have never left my home without locking my office. This is the first time anything like this has ever happened.”
“Don’t you dare take any blame for this situation,” Abigail demanded in a soft, but direct tone. Abigail’s intuition told her something in Mr. Stone’s past had riddled him with guilt. The last thing she wanted was for him to feel worse than he apparently already did. Abigail put her hand on his shirtsleeve and looked him directly in the eye. “You seem to forget that I am the fraud here and you have gone above and beyond to help me. I will never be able to thank you enough.”
Liam looked far from pleased or comforted by her words. “We will have to agree to disagree on the subject, but I guess it really doesn’t matter now. The most important thing at this point is to keep you as safe as possible. Do you have anyone that can help you hide for awhile? If not, I could help.”
Abigail was touched by his genuine kindness. “You are too generous Mr. Stone. Thank you, but you have done more than enough already.” It took all of Abigail’s strength to push aside all the chaos in her mind and focus on a plan of action. “Besides, I already know someone that will be able to find a place for me to stay. But there is something else you could help me with.”
“Anything, just say the word.”
“I will need you to oversee the delivery of two letters. One letter will be to Lady Caroline Sunderland. I will be requesting an early morning meeting with her. The second letter will be to my friend Jane. I must inform her of all the latest developments. Jane lives in the village near Clayton’s estate. She can update me on all his movements. Jane will know when he learns that I am still alive.”
Without hesitation, Liam motioned to someone that seemed to be hiding in the shadows. A very large and intimidating man stepped forward. “Matthew, Miss Jenner needs to write some letters. Please fetch her any materials she might need.”
“Straight away, Mr. Stone,” Matthew responded. Abigail could feel the loyalty he had for his employer. Before Matthew took his leave, he turned to Abigail and said with conviction, “If you don’t mind me saying, I think you are one of the bravest lassies I have ever come across. It took a great deal of courage to pull the wool over your husband’s eyes the way you did. It is my pleasure to help you in any way I can.”
Abigail watched him leave and was quite taken aback by his heartening words. At the moment, she felt anything but brave. In truth, she was frightened out of her mind.
“My man is right,” Liam asserted. “You should be very proud of yourself. Most women would have stayed, but you chose another course.”
“I chose to survive, Mr. Stone, but I feel anything but proud of what I have done.” Abigail’s thoughts turned to Marcus and Olivia. They meant everything to her. How in the world was she going to leave them? The thought of making up some phony reason why she needed to leave made her sick to her stomach. Of course, once they learned of her deception, they would probably be glad to be rid of her.
Liam Stone seemed to read her thoughts. “You care a great deal for Lord Everton and his niece?”
“Yes. They are very special,” Abigail cried brokenly. “And all I have done is lie and deceive them. They both deserve far better.”
Liam looked intently at the tearful woman before him. Life experiences had hardened him, and he was not easily moved, but Liam imagined even the bitterest of hearts would be touched by Abigail’s pure adoration for these two people. Evidently, Miss Jenner was exactly what they both deserved.
Chapter 20
“Conniving little whore,” Marcus mumbled to himself as he poured himself another glass of scotch.
The shades were drawn in his study, but the sunlight was trying to stream in; it was morning. He had been up all night.
Marcus watched Abigail leave the townhouse at midnight. At first, he thought his eyes were playing tricks on him. Marcus could not fathom where she would be going at such a late hour. He had been worried, so he followed her.
The scene he witnessed played in his mind, repeatedly. His anger peaked as he recalled the tender way she touched Liam Stone’s arm. He drained the contents of his glass and threw it against the wall, smashing it into several pieces. I’m such a bloody fool! To think, I was going to marry that scheming little actress.
The buried memories of Marissa’s betrayal felt fresh in his mind. He could not believe he had allowed another woman to manipulate him. Marcus remembered Abigail’s convincing plea at dinner. “You know, I think you may be right. Perhaps I am feeling a bit under the weather. Would you be terribly disappointed if I retired early to get some rest? I think the past few weeks have taken a toll on me. As much as I would love to spend the night in your arms, I fear I will get very little sleep if I do so.” Marcus laughed bitterly. Obviously, she needed to save her strength for her evening rendezvous with her new lover.
Marcus heard her reenter the house just before dawn. He should have confronted her then, but he just sat in his chair, immobilized by disbelief. Now that disbelief had turned into pure, unadulterated rage. Just as he was about to go in search of his prey, a knock sounded at the door.
Every fiber of his being knew it was Abigail at the door. “Come in.”
Abigail was dressed in a pale pink morning dress and matching bonnet. Most men would have found her charming, but all Marcus could see was the calculating bitch who had the audacity to dupe him. Marcus noticed she was carrying a suitcase. Evidently she was leaving him.
“Well, well, well, if it isn’t the lovely, Miss Jenner.” Marcus’s tone was laced with cynicism. “Going somewhere?”
Abigail took in his haggard appearance. “Is everything all right, Marcus? You do not seem like yourself.”
“What? Do you not like what you see? As I recall, you seemed to enjoy my appearance at the Crowley masquerade, but maybe you only like my appearance when I give you pretty jewels to wear,” Marcus taunted.
Abigail looked confused. “Have you been drinking?”
“As a matter of fact, I have. I would probably be in no condition to service your needs this morning.” Marcus pictured her in bed with Liam and his fury reached a boiling point. “It’s probably in your best interest to run along and spread your legs for somebody else.”
Abigail was clearly shocked by his vulgarity. “What in the devil is going on, Marcus? I demand to know why you are acting this way.”
Marcus stood up and took several menacing steps toward her. He briefly caught a glimpse of stark terror in her eyes as she grabbed her suitcase and ran into the hallway entrance like a frightened rabbit.
“You better run, far away from here.” A small group of servants, including Grumman, had formed by the staircase to see what all the commotion was about. He spoke directly to his staff. “Miss Jenner is no longer welcome in this household.” Marcus gave Abigail a twisted smile. “Perhaps Mr. Stone will take you in.”
Abigail froze the moment she realized what he was implying. “Marcus, it is not what you think.”
Her denial infuriated him. She had been caught red-handed, the least she could do was own up to her actions. “In my experience, things are always what they seem, Miss Jenner.” Marcus looked down at her suitcase. “Why else would you be leaving, unless it was to be with Mr. Stone? After all, the two of you made quite a cozy pair last night. I am sure you would not want to deny him your excellent company.”
“Mr. Stone and I do not have that kind of relationship. We met for very different reasons,” Abigail pleaded. “You must believe me.”
“Alright then, I will give you the benefit of the doubt,” Marcus mocked. He suddenly felt w
eary and could hardly stand to be in her company for much longer. “Please explain why you met Mr. Stone at a private inn in the middle of the night. Obviously, there must be so many plausible explanations.”
Abigail looked defeated. “I cannot tell you the reason why I met with him. I know things do not appear to be in my favor, but all I ask is for you to trust that I would never be with any other man but you. I love you.” Tears began to fall from her eyes. “You are the best man I have ever known.”
Marcus resented the fact that Abigail told him she loved him now, of all times. How dare she throw around words of love! Her actions made it very clear that she did not. If she was truly innocent, she could have explained her purpose of meeting with Mr. Stone, but she did not, because Abigail Jenner wasn’t innocent. She was a liar and a damn good one.
Marcus went inside his study for a moment. When he returned, he was carrying a sealed packet. “Here are your wages.” Marcus placed the envelope in Abigail’s limp hand. He was too exhausted to argue anymore. “It is best you take your leave immediately.”
Abigail bit back her tears. “Can I at least say goodbye to Olivia?”
“I will not have my niece consorting with a woman such as you.” Marcus opened the door. He wanted Abigail out of his sight.
Abigail picked up her suitcase and turned to look at the servants. They were staring at her with a mixture of sorrow and pity. “I will miss you all.”
Abigail stared at the ground as she walked out. Marcus shut the door; he felt like a small part of him had died. Loneliness settled in his chest and it suddenly felt hard to breathe.
He realized he had an audience. “Please return to your work. There is nothing to see here,” Marcus announced as he started to walk up the stairs to his bedroom. He was feeling the effects of his sleepless night. “No one is to disturb me for the remainder of the day.”
Marcus froze when he spotted Olivia at the top of the stairs. Fresh tears were running down her cheeks.
