by GG Shalton
Andrew gritted his teeth. “Who was the letter from?” He braced himself for her answer. Hoping it would not be Billy as his forgiveness could only go so far.
Mrs. Franklin took a second to remember. “It was a woman named Sally, I believe. Amelia knew her from London.”
Andrew took a deep breath and handed Robert back to Mrs. Franklin.
“I will travel back to Edinburgh at once. The horses are tired and we will need to fetch some fresh ones to make our journey. If she returns before I get back, make sure she doesn’t leave again. Are we clear?”
Mrs. Palmer replied. “Yes sir, Mr. Baird.”
Andrew kissed Robert. “Please pack us a few baskets of food. I want to travel until it gets dark so I can reach Edinburgh by tomorrow evening.”
Chapter 26
The next day they left early. Amelia was famished and ate two apples and a boiled egg to break her fast. The group squeezed into the stagecoach making their way to Edinburgh. Amelia was hoping she could find the small theatre quickly so she could find her mother and get back to Dundee. She also didn’t want to be spotted by any of Andrew’s employees or friends. Dressed in servant clothes gave her a certain amount of protection and peace of mind.
They arrived late in the evening in front of an inn. Amelia secured a room spending more of her dwindling money. She stayed in there the rest of the night to not attract the attentions of the other guests.
The next morning, she changed to a more suitable gown, not wanting to greet her mother in servant clothing. She folded the clothes in her bag for her return trip. She hoped that she could catch the stagecoach the following day, so she didn’t have much time.
The sidewalks were busy with the day’s business. Smoke filled the city and animal scents filled the air. Amelia kept her head down looking for the theatre. A few men made some suggestive comments as she walked down the streets. She ignored them and kept walking hoping they would not try to stop her. An unescorted female could become a target in a city. After a few hours, she relented and went into a candle store to ask for directions.
A very tall man with blond hair greeted her. “Are you needing any assistance, Miss?” Amelia didn’t want to appear rude and thought to buy something small for his trouble.
“Yes, I am. I wish to purchase some candles.” Amelia dug into her reticule upset that she had to spend some of her money. She had to make sure she had enough to buy the tickets back to Dundee.
The man smiled largely. “I am Mr. Johnson. I would be pleased to assist you. Please have a seat.” He helped her to the counter to look at different selections of candles that he thought she would like.
“Mr. Johnson, I thank you for your help.” She picked a few candles that were not expensive and finished paying as he wrapped them up in a bag. She smiled. “I must go to the theatre now and visit a friend of mine while I am in town. If you could be so kind to give me the directions.”
He patted her arm. “Miss, you really should have an escort in the city. It’s about time for me to take my lunch. I could escort you there.”
Amelia smiled. “That would be very kind of you.”
Mr. Johnson strolled with her through the city.
He took her to the theatre and she thanked him for the assistance. The front doors were locked until the show later that night. She walked around the theatre trying to find an entrance. Unable to find any help, she walked to the bakery across the street from the theatre. Perhaps something to drink or eat would help her pass the time until the theater opened. It would be a few more hours before they started selling tickets.
Taking a seat by the window, she watched the activity flurry around her. Merchants sold flowers and trinkets out on the cobblestone sidewalk. Vegetable and fruit stands proved to be popular among the locals. Children ran up and down the streets—some looking for their parents and other begging for money. Amelia studied each customer as they came in to order their drinks and treats. She hid behind her cloak to obscure her identity. The smells in the bakery made her mouth water. Cinnamon and sugar filled the air with sweetness. Memories of her childhood baking with her governess filled her mind.
A touch on her arm surprised her as she turned her head to find the culprit. A heaviness came over her as she recognized the man behind a worn hat and spectacles. “Billy?”
The corner of his mouth turned upward. “I knew you would come.” He sat at the table next to hers looking a different direction to appear nonchalant. He leaned over behind him and whispered, “We must be discreet so wait a moment and then meet me around back. There is an abandoned store next to a dress shop. The side door is unlocked.” He stood up and moved through the front door not looking back and went around the building.
Amelia waited a few moments and walked out the doors going around the side between the stores to the back. She noticed a dress shop across the street and walked to the side until she found a door. She turned the knob and it opened. She walked in looking for Billy when she heard the door slam behind her.
Billy stood beside her without his hat and spectacles. “We meet again, love.”
She took a step away from him. “Are you mad?”
He slanted his head. “Is that any way to thank me? I am the one who found your mother. I knew if I gave that message to Sally, you would come. You found a way, didn’t you?” He put his hand around her waist pulling her closer.
She put her hands on his chest pushing him away. “Billy, stop. You have ruined my life.” She broke away from him. “You left me there with nothing. You took my wedding ring and now my husband hates me. The only reason why I have a place to live is because I was pregnant.”
Billy creased his forehead. “Pregnant?” He eyed her body checking out her stomach. He shook his head, “It’s not my fault! I told you to wait in the carriage. It’s your fault they found you. Don’t blame me. I told you I would take care of you and you didn’t trust me.”
He grabbed her hands squeezing them. “Don’t you understand that I had to leave? Your husband was trying to kill me. I had no choice.”
Amelia pulled her hands out of his grip and took a step away. “It doesn’t matter. I am only here to see my mother.”
Billy took a step toward her and touched her face. “I thought about you every day.”
Amelia met his eyes with hers. “I was told you were married. Is that true?”
Billy took his hand away and looked down. “In name only. We never loved each other. You’re the one I want to be with.”
Amelia sighed heavily at the realization of who he really was. No longer was she infatuated with the man. “I can’t, Billy. After you left me, I realized that I was wrong. I was married and now I have a baby. He hates me, but I still can’t be with you. I have too much to lose.”
Billy stared at her. “Don’t say that. We can work it out.”
She shook her head. “No, I won’t lose my child. Please, if you care about me, just leave me alone.”
He stared at her without saying a word. After a moment, he shook his head. “We could have been great together Amelia. You and me traveling the world.”
She looked away. “You will always be a dreamer, Billy. Trust me, I am not the girl you think I am. I need stability. Please, move aside. I must go.”
He reached for her and pulled her next to his chest. She tried to push away, but he held her tighter.
He kissed her on the forehead and finally released her. “I hope you find what you are looking for.” He walked out the door and shut it behind him.
Amelia stared at the door for a few moments before letting a tear come down her face. Billy may have been her first love, but he was not her future. She was happy that he was not her husband. Her thoughts turned to her mother and finding out the truth. Then she would have to figure out how to get her husband back.
The theatre doors were
open and Amelia paid for a ticket. She snuck around to the side doors finding her way to the back behind the curtains. A few dressing rooms were locked and stage hands were busy with the set. The costume props and wardrobe were in a back room and Amelia couldn’t help but to touch the beautiful gowns.
“Are you working in costumes?” A voice echoed across the room.
Amelia quickly took her hand away from the dress. “Forgive me—I was looking for a woman.” She noticed the man narrowed his eyes at her deciding if she was going to be trouble.
“Who may that be?” He took a few steps in her direction. Amelia dropped her shoulders trying to mask her nerves.
“Miss Mary Brady.” Amelia trembled a little at his large stature towering over her. He rubbed his chin and stared at her from head to toe. “Who may you be? We don’t allow guests back here.”
Amelia lifted her chin. “I am her daughter.”
The man cracked a smile. “Mary Brady doesn’t have children.”
Amelia rubbed her lips together. “Sir, I am her daughter. If you could tell her I am here to see her, I would be most grateful.”
The man touched Amelia’s chin turning her face from right to left. Amelia swallowed hard willing herself not to jerk away. He dropped his hand to his side. “You do look like her, only a better version.” He raised his brow checking out her body. “You would look good on stage. Have you considered the theatre?”
Amelia wanted to cover herself as his eyes drank her in. She stepped away from him trying to keep her senses.
Not wanting to upset him, she played along hoping to gather information about her mother. “Perhaps it’s something we could discuss later. If it’s not too much trouble, could you escort me to my mother?”
He snorted and held out his elbow. “I would love to escort a beautiful woman.”
She took his arm hoping that his flirtation would end. They walked through some paths of wood boxes full of stage props to a few rooms in the back. He turned to Amelia. “Wait here, and I will get her for you.” Amelia nodded as he disappeared through the door.
Amelia’s heart was pounding through her chest. Her mother was on the other side of that door and she was going to see her for the first time. Her whole life she had prayed for this moment. The door opened and the man lifted his chin toward the door. “She is getting dressed for her performance and claims she has no daughter.”
Amelia’s heart hurt and she looked down. The man touched her hand. “You look too much like her not to be hers. Go on in. I will give you a few minutes.”
Amelia looked up and whispered, “Thank you.” She reached for the door, closing her eyes.
The room was small and smelled of flowers. They lined the tables and curtains covered the small windows. It was dark, but the candlelight allowed her to see a woman brushing her hair looking at herself in a looking glass.
Amelia cleared her throat. “Miss Brady?”
The woman stopped brushing her hair and looked to Amelia. She stared at her for a few moments. “You shouldn’t have come.”
Amelia’s bottom lip began to tremble. “I thought about you my whole life. They told me you were dead.”
The woman took a deep breath. “Those were my wishes.”
Heaviness came over Amelia as she tried to digest what the woman had just told her. She shook her head. “Why?”
Her mother walked across the room and gestured to a chair. Amelia sat down and she sat in the chair across from her. Soaking in her appearance the woman spoke, “Amelia, is that what they still call you?”
Amelia nodded.
“It was not my wish to be found. I was young when I found out I was with child. Your father was rich and a gambler. He would occasionally visit my family’s inn on his way out of town. My family were innkeepers. That is where I learned to sing and dance.”
She took a moment and rubbed her hands together. Cracking a smile, she looked at Amelia in the eyes. “He took my innocence. I was so naïve and believed everything he told me. I soon learned that I was going to have his baby. He left me alone when I told him. I never wanted children. I wanted to travel the world and become an actress.”
Amelia looked down at her hands in her lap. Her mother was nothing as she imagined and it was breaking her heart. “What happened?”
Her mother leaned back in the chair. She took a bottle of brandy off the table, drinking it without pouring it into a glass. “I had you. My parents kicked me out of their home when they found out I was with child and I lived with one of my sister’s until you were born. I found out where he lived and took you to his house. He had become a baron. I didn’t even know he was a baron’s son. I found out through some men who knew him. I interrupted a garden party with him and his family.” She laughed out loud. “You can imagine the shock on his face.”
She took another drink wiping her mouth with the back of her hand. “His mother—your grandmother—was mortified. She offered me money to leave immediately. I took her money, but left you too.”
Amelia’s face burned. “You left me there?”
She shrugged her shoulders. “I told you that I wanted to be an actress. I couldn’t have a kid hanging around. Besides, you were better off with them. I told the old bat to tell you that I died.”
Amelia’s tears streamed down her cheeks. “I was not better off with them. Do you have any idea how hard my life has been?”
Her mother’s smile faded. “Poor little rich girl. You probably never wanted for a thing. I know they kept you. I checked back a few weeks later.”
Amelia’s voice quivered. “My grandmother died before I knew her. My father ignored me for most of my childhood, blaming me for being born.” She rubbed her lips together wondering if her mother was listening. She wiped her face. “When I was twelve, he lost his country house and I moved to the city. My stepmother resented me.”
Her mother rolled her eyes leaning back in her chair. “She was jealous.”
Amelia nodded and lifted the corner of her mouth. “She deserved him. He lost his fortune and was being sent to a debtor’s prison. He blamed me for everything that went wrong in his life. I used to dream that you would rescue me. That you loved me. I found the box. It was all I had of you.”
She narrowed her eyes. “Box?”
Amelia pinched the bridge of her nose trying to stop it from running. “The box that said Amelia Rose. It had an old rose, locket, and a chain inside of it.”
Her mother’s face creased with bewilderment. “The box was a gift from my sister when you were born. I didn’t realize they would keep it. I gave it to the servants that day. The locket was a gift from your father. He gave it to me the day he used me along with the rose. I gave it all back to him as I wanted to forget him.”
Amelia’s body trembled thinking about how her childhood dreams had been based on falsehoods. The box held no regards of her past, only bad memories that her mother gave away.
She looked at Amelia with no expression on her face. “I think you read too many books with happy endings.” She closed her eyes and sighed. “Amelia, I don’t mean to hurt your feelings. Honestly, I put you out of my mind years ago and never spoke of you again. I may have given birth to you, but I am not your mother. You are a stranger to me.”
Amelia’s head felt dizzy as the world crashed around her. Never had she felt so defeated. She tried to compose herself and stood up. “Forgive me for taking up your time today. It has been enlightening.” She walked to the door.
Her mother called after her, but she closed the door and kept walking until she reached the side of the building that led to the outside. After letting herself out, she leaned against the building and sobbed. A strange man approached her. “Miss, may I assist you?”
Amelia caught her breath. “Could you call me a hack, sir?”
He nodded and showe
d her to the front, calling for a ride.
Andrew went to the theatre after the performance. He searched the crowds not finding Amelia. He walked into drawing room near the box office as actors were conversing with important guests after the show. One of the stage managers recognized him and quickly came to greet him.
“Mr. Baird, it’s a pleasure you could join us tonight. I would have reserved you a special seat had I known you would be in town.” He bowed and stood in front of him. A few of the waitresses whispered to the actresses of his presence.
“It’s quite all right, Mr. Samberg. It was unexpected.” He smiled at the man as a woman approached the group.
“Mr. Baird, how nice of you to visit with us. Can I get you a drink?”
Andrew smiled. “Yes, as a matter of fact. A brandy would be nice.”
The woman smiled. “Of course. May I also introduce you to Laura Myers and Janice Kilpatrick? They are the stars of tonight’s performance.”
The women smiled holding out their hands for Andrew to kiss them. He obliged and took their hands to his mouth. “I am sorry I missed the show. I came afterward.”
Laura rubbed his arm. “Would you like to join me for a drink?”
Andrew smiled. “I would, but need to take care of some business first.”
She stuck out her bottom lip to pout. “I will take you up on that.”
Andrew rubbed his nose with his finger. “I am looking for a woman named Mary.”
The girl looked at her friend. “Why? She is a little old for you. We would be better company.”
He raised his brow. “I am sure you would. This is another matter. She may have some information that I am interested in obtaining.”
