Evangeline glanced up as Sophia slid into a chair on the opposite side of the table. “I have been staring at it for the last half hour, and I cannot make sense of it.”
“Let me see.” Sophia stretched her hand across the table, and Evangeline passed the note to her. A crease appeared between Sophia’s brows as she broke up the continuous string of letters and tried to sound out the note. “WUU AZMLQ YIP FACUPPGN... I give up.” She tossed it on the table. “Is it a strange form of Latin?”
Evangeline shook her head. “I can decipher Latin. This is something different.”
Regina grabbed the note to study it, but soon abandoned the task and returned it to Evangeline. “Languages were never my forte. I will leave the translating to you.”
“I’m uncertain it is worth my time. For all we know, Uncle Charles was deep in his cups when he wrote it.”
It was a rare occasion when their uncle overindulged, but it was not beyond the realm of possibilities.
Regina sat in the chair next to Evangeline. “We should discuss our strategy for keeping Aunt Beatrice out of mischief at the Ellis’s ball tonight. Sophia’s dance card will likely fill up quickly, so I propose you and I divide the evening. I will watch her until the supper dance, and you can relieve me.”
“I could take a turn with Auntie,” Sophia piped up.
Her sister’s thoughtful offer elicited a fullness in Regina’s chest as if her heart were expanding to twice its size. “Most of your days are spent helping Aunt Beatrice on shopping excursions and at garden parties. Your evenings should be free to husband hunt.”
“I enjoy our outings,” Sophia said. “Besides, I would be unable to leave the house if Aunt Beatrice was unwilling to venture out every day.”
Regina smiled. “We all enjoy her company. I didn’t mean to imply—”
A tremendous boom shook the ceiling, and the chandelier crystals clinked together. Regina and her sisters gasped. Their heads shot up, and they gaped at the ceiling.
“Auntie!” Regina bolted from the chair to race for the stairs. Her sisters were close on her heels.
Joy had taken the servant staircase and met them in the corridor. Cupid, who had been napping in the kitchen earlier, accompanied her. Deep lines crisscrossed the maid’s forehead. “I never heard the bell, miss. I’m sorry.”
“Neither did we,” Regina said to reassure her as they reached her aunt’s bedchamber door. She barged in without knocking and found Aunt Beatrice flat on her back beside the wardrobe and groaning. A chair was tipped on its side.
“Dear Lord.” Regina hurried to her aunt, barking orders to the maid and her sisters. “Joy, go for Dr. Portier. You two, help me get her into bed.”
“Yes, miss.” Joy dashed from the chamber while Evangeline and Sophia came forward to assist.
Regina knelt beside her aunt. “What happened?”
Aunt Beatrice blinked up at her. “Isn’t it obvious I fell?”
“Yes, but how did you fall?”
Sophia knelt, too, and cradled their aunt’s head in her lap. Aunt Beatrice winced. “Be careful. I hit my head.”
“You poor dear,” Sophia cooed. “Where does it hurt?”
She gingerly walked her fingers along Aunt Beatrice’s scalp then paused to glance up. “She already has a goose egg on the back of her head.”
Evangeline righted the chair and looked in the wardrobe. “Were you trying to reach something on the top shelf?”
“I wanted my jewelry box.” Aunt Beatrice tried to move and winced.
“You could have rung for Joy or asked one of us.” Evangeline stretched on her toes and pulled the small box from the shelf. “Haven’t we warned you about climbing on the chair to reach items?”
Aunt Beatrice scowled. “I am perfectly capable of getting what I want without anyone’s assistance. I am not an invalid.”
Sophia smoothed their aunt’s gray hair from her face and bent forward, so they were eye-to-eye. “You’re on the floor, Auntie. It is time to surrender.”
“Never.”
Sophia grinned and placed a kiss on their aunt’s forehead. “You are impossibly stubborn. I think we know from whom Regina inherited the trait.”
“Is it any wonder she is my favorite?”
Sophia laughed. “Now Auntie, you said earlier today I am your favorite.”
“No, that cannot be,” Evangeline said as she closed the wardrobe doors. “I am Aunt Beatrice’s favorite. She told me so yesterday on our walk with Mr. Vistoire.”
“You are all my favorites, but you were not supposed to tell each other I had singled you out.”
“Can you move everything?” Regina asked.
Aunt Beatrice tested both arms and legs. “Yes, but I’m stiff as always.”
“I think you’ll be more comfortable in bed.” Regina motioned Evangeline to grab Aunt Beatrice’s legs. “I’ll support her back. Sophia, you hold her shoulders.”
Surprisingly, Aunt Beatrice didn’t insist on walking, which reinforced Regina’s fears that she was suffering more than she wanted to admit.
“On the count of three. One. Two. Three.”
Aunt Beatrice hissed when they lifted her from the floor, but she offered no complaint. Her slight frame was easy to bear, although maneuvering her proved challenging. Regina and her sisters managed to shuffle the short distance to the bed and place their aunt on the mattress without incident.
When Dr. Portier arrived, their aunt reached her hand toward Regina. “Will you stay with me, dearest?”
“Of course.”
Aunt Beatrice shooed Regina’s sisters from the room with instructions to send a message to Lady Seabrook requesting a favor. “If she will act as chaperone, there is no need for any of you to miss tonight’s ball.”
“The ball is the least of our concerns,” Regina said.
“I must insist you go without me. Mr. Vistoire is expecting you.”
“Let’s allow the doctor to examine you.” She nodded to Sophia to do as Aunt Beatrice requested, although she had no intention of leaving Wedmore House with her aunt laid up in bed.
A couple of hours later, the doctor was gone and Aunt Beatrice was sleeping soundly after a dose of laudanum. Regina joined Evangeline in Aunt Beatrice’s sitting room below stairs and collapsed on the velvet sofa with a weary sigh.
Her sister closed her book. “Lord and Lady Seabrook came for Sophia. How is Aunt Beatrice?”
“Resting,” Regina said. “Dr. Portier gave her laudanum for the pain. He said at her age, it is a wonder she didn’t break a bone.”
“She made a lot of racket for a small woman,” Evangeline said. “Is the doctor certain about her having no broken bones?”
“He said she bruised her ribs. She must have hit the chair when she came down. As Sophia noted, she has a large knot on the back of her head, but we are not to worry.” Regina wished she felt as confident in Dr. Portier as he did in his diagnosis. Doctors made mistakes the same as everyone, but she had no choice except to trust his word. “I will look in on her often and send for the doctor again if her condition worsens.”
“I’m certain Auntie will be all right. Sleep is likely the best medicine. Perhaps we shouldn’t look in on her until morning unless she rings for assistance.”
Regina tossed a dubious look in Evangeline’s direction.
Her sister chuckled. “Point taken.”
At least the creaky floorboards would alert them if she crawled from bed. For the moment, the floor above them was silent, so Regina allowed herself to sink into the plush sofa cushions and relax. “Why didn’t you go to the Ellis’s ball with Sophia? Lady Seabrook’s offer to chaperone was extended to any of us who wished to go.”
“It should come as no surprise I chose to remain at home.” Evangeline held up the book she’d been reading. “Besides, between Lord and Lady Seabrook, their daughters, and Sophia taking the seats, I would have been forced to ride on the box with the driver. There is still time for you to dress and meet Sophia at the b
all. I allowed Joy to go visit her sister, but I could help with your gown.”
Regina waved off her sister’s offer.
“Mr. Vistoire is expecting you,” Evangeline reminded her.
“It cannot be helped. My duty is to Aunt Beatrice. If Mr. Vistoire does not understand, I see no reason to further our association.”
The uneasiness that had been pestering her since her conversation with him yesterday returned, making her stomach churn.
“It’s not any more your responsibility to care for Aunt Beatrice than it is mine,” Evangeline said. “I will look after her while you are at the ball.”
“No, it is best for me to stay. I shouldn’t have promised to meet Mr. Vistoire. It was unwise to encourage him.”
“I thought you decided you liked him.”
Last night she had joined Evangeline in her bedchamber to share her conundrum. They had stayed up much too late talking, as sisters often did when they were the best of friends.
“I do. Maybe. Are you warm?” Regina hopped from the sofa, paced to the window, and threw the sash up. She breathed in the cooler air in a bid to clear her mind. “Liking a gentleman does not mean one should marry him, however.”
Evangeline gasped. “Gi, you never said he’d offered marriage.”
Regina twirled to face her sister with a denial on the tip of her tongue, but it died away when she saw Evangeline’s glowing smile. Regina’s sister had admitted to liking Mr. Vistoire as well now that she’d spent time with him.
Regina sighed. “I did not mention it, because I will not marry him.”
“I don’t understand.” Evangeline left her seat to come stand at her side. Her sister’s eyebrows were drawn together in concern. “I realize it is too soon to know if you love him, but why are you certain you won’t marry him?”
Regina’s bottom lip trembled. She pressed her lips tightly together as tears threatened to fill her eyes.
Evangeline touched her shoulder. “What is wrong?”
She inhaled deeply and tried to make sense of the onslaught of sadness. “I don’t know,” she admitted eventually. “When I think I could fall in love with him...”
The blasted tears fell on her cheeks. She brushed the wetness away with her fist and forced a smile. “It is simply the excitement of the afternoon. I am still shaken from Aunt Beatrice’s fall. When I saw her lying there, I thought—”
Evangeline grabbed Regina’s hands. “You thought Aunt Beatrice was seriously injured.”
“I thought perhaps we’d lost her.”
“Oh, Gigi.” Her sister smiled sadly. “Auntie is fine. Her eyesight is failing, and she’s not as steady on her feet as she once was. Accidents are bound to happen when she refuses to listen to sound advice, but she will recover. Come sit with me.”
Evangeline led her back to the sofa and sat beside her, still holding hands. Her grip was firm and kept Regina tethered to her. “What does Aunt Beatrice have to do with Mr. Vistoire?”
Regina sniffled, the tickling of her nose warning of more tears to come. She was struggling to sort through the riot of emotions inside. Explaining to her sister seemed impossible.
“Aunt Beatrice is older. I realize she will not live forever, but I cannot stand the thought of saying good-bye to her. Or Uncle Charles or Sophia or you. I have so much to lose already. Does it make sense to love a man when I will lose him eventually, too?”
“Regina.” Evangeline released her hand to hold her own head. Regina could almost see the thoughts swirling in her sister’s mind. “How long have you thought this way?”
She shrugged a shoulder. Perhaps this fear had always lurked in the background, but it had never taken form until now. When she said it aloud, it sounded ridiculous, but she couldn’t deny the turmoil inside of her eased when she discarded any thoughts of marriage.
Evangeline dropped her hands to her lap and smiled sadly. “Loving someone is a risk to the heart, but is falling in love truly a choice?”
“Probably not after one reaches a certain point, but I am not there yet. Wouldn’t it be better for me to end my association with Mr. Vistoire now while I still have the wherewithal to choose?”
“I have never been able to follow your logic,” Evangeline said with a sigh. “As I see it, you have two alternatives: love and risk heartbreak, or keep every man at arm’s length and secure a loveless existence.”
“True.” Regina nodded slowly, mulling over the situation.
“For pity’s sake,” Evangeline blurted and grabbed Regina by the shoulders. “How is a life without love even a consideration for you? Don’t you want what our parents had?”
Their father and mother had been uncommonly smitten with each other well beyond their newlywed days. Every memory Regina kept of their parents together, they were touching, engrossed in conversation, or laughing and teasing one another. Of course she wanted what they had. But she wanted it forever, not fleetingly like her parents, and she didn’t believe something so beautiful could last.
Regina clenched her fists. “Who are you to lecture me? You are guilty of the same crime. Before long, you will be traveling the world with Uncle Charles and immersed in your digs and research. Why is it acceptable for you to be a spinster but not me?”
“I never said I wouldn’t marry. If I am fortunate enough to find a man who loves me and I love him, I will not hesitate to become his wife.”
As usual, Evangeline obliterated Regina’s argument before they had gotten a good row going. “You never said.”
“You never asked,” Evangeline retorted.
No, she hadn’t. Regina had simply assumed her sister wouldn’t want a husband to possibly interfere with her travels.
“Who will care for Aunt Beatrice and Uncle Charles if I leave Wedmore House?” Regina asked. “After today, there is no doubt she will need a caretaker before long.”
“We could take our turns caring for Aunt Beatrice. Just like we do now.”
“Not if I’m living in New Orleans.”
Evangeline’s eyebrows shot up on her forehead. “Would Mr. Vistoire take you away? His family is in England, and I thought he had no other relatives in America.”
“He has a house and land. That is reason enough to return.”
“Well, we will not allow it. He must first agree to stay in England before you will accept his proposal. Tell him I said so.”
Regina laughed at the determined set to Evangeline’s jaw. “Perhaps I should save the conversation for when he actually proposes.”
“I will leave the timing up to you, but no promise means no wedding. I will not be swayed.”
“Duly noted.” Regina tossed her arms around her sister’s neck and squeezed. “I love you, dearest sister.”
Evangeline returned her hug. “And I love you, even though I want to shake you until your teeth rattle sometimes.”
“Oh, now you are just being sappy.”
Seventeen
“I am going to hell,” Xavier muttered as he stood in the back garden outside Wedmore House with a crowbar he’d taken from the mews. Aside from the occasional croak of a frog or the echo of horses’ hooves from the front street, the neighborhood was quiet. The town houses were like slumbering giants nestled among one another, appearing deserted this time of night.
Anyone of consequence in Mayfair was attending a party while their servants were snug in their beds—at least until the family returned home. He’d watched from the corner as Regina and her family left for the ball half an hour earlier. It had taken him that long to decide if he was going to search for the map while they were gone.
He was still debating.
After Farrin had complimented him on seducing his way into Wedmore House, Xavier felt queasy anytime he thought of searching for the map when he called on Regina. His intentions with her were honest, but this business with the map tainted everything. He just wanted the task behind him, so he could concentrate on discovering who was responsible for placing the ones he cared about in danger.
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br /> His grip tightened on the crowbar as he approached the servants’ entrance. Before breaking another lock, he tried the handle and cursed when it opened without resistance. Not only had Regina disregarded his counsel on employing a manservant, she hadn’t barred the doors.
He leaned the crowbar against the house and slipped inside, closing the door behind him. Skimming his hand along the wall to find his way in the dark, he located the servants’ staircase. Since Regina had interrupted him before he’d thoroughly searched Lord Wedmore’s private chambers, he would continue his search upstairs before visiting the earl’s study and library. If the ladies returned home before he was finished, a first floor escape would be easier. He just hoped the lady’s maid was visiting her sister again.
Recalling his fall on these very stairs, he took more care with his footing than usual then hurried along the corridor toward Wedmore’s chambers. Whimpering and the scrape of nails came from behind a closed door. Cupid must have gotten stuck in one of the bedchambers when the ladies left for the evening. He briefly considered setting him free then thought better of it. The dog would only cause a delay with his persistent begging for attention.
The uncovered windows in the master’s chamber allowed enough light for him to make out the shadows of the massive Tudor bed and wardrobe. He crossed to the mantle to retrieve the tinderbox and candle he’d noticed the other day and worked to light the wick. Once the flame flickered to life and burned steadily, Xavier carried the candle to the desk. He jerked open the top drawer only to discover an ebony hair comb and various cufflinks that appeared to have no match. Drawer after drawer held nothing of interest, not even a stack of foolscap.
Snatching the books stacked on the desk, he grabbed the top one by its cover, flipped it upside down, and shook. No stray sheets fluttered from the pages. None of the books proved to be hiding a map.
He pivoted on his heel, surveying the room. Searching the wardrobe again might uncover something he’d missed the other day, but he couldn’t afford to waste time. His gaze landed on the bed and his eyebrow inched up. Maybe Lord Wedmore preferred to keep the map close. He stalked toward the bed to check beneath the mattress. Cupid’s high-pitched bark shattered the quiet. The floorboards groaned as someone briskly moved along the corridor, headed in his direction.
Secrets to a Gentleman's Heart (Gentlemen of Intrigue Book 1) Page 14
