“Oh, Jack! It’s so good to see you. I was worried when you didn’t show up for dinner last night.” Adeline’s blue eyes shone with concern as she entered the room. Her golden hair softly framed her face and, as always, she looked like an angel amongst mortals on earth. As painful as it had once been to compare her vibrant beauty to Clara’s fading life force, right now it was the most welcome sight on earth that Jack could imagine. If it would have been at all proper, he would have walked across the room and taken Addie in his arms and held on to her in order to anchor himself back into the land of the living. But, of course, that wouldn’t be at all appropriate and instead he just smiled at her and bowed slightly.
“The dining room was just a bit more than I was ready for, I suppose. But I can’t think of anywhere I’d rather be tonight than with you two lovely ladies.” He toasted them both and took a sip of his drink.
Sitting at the small table while the waiter served them dinner, they chatted amiably about the ship and the accommodations. Lady Huntingdon tried to remember all that had happened of consequence in Berkshire in the last ten years that Jack had been away from home. He got the distinct impression that she knew his older brother, Winston, quite well since she often referred to him and his children. Finally, when dessert had been cleared and the waiter sent on his way, the three sat in the comfortable furniture before the fireplace with drinks in their hands, feeling quite relaxed and like old friends.
“Adeline promised to tell me one of her secrets tonight.” Lady Huntingdon said pouring more champagne for her and Addie and a brandy for Jack. “Do you know what sort of secrets such a young woman could possibly have, Mr. Bradley?”
“Quite possibly I do, my lady.” Jack smiled at Addie. “Have you been up to any of your tricks aboard ship, Adeline?”
He watched as Addie’s cheeks turned pink and her eyes seemed to get brighter. She looked quite fetching when she got excited about one of her causes. “I’ve wandered about a bit, and have secured the promised assistance of one of the first-class stewards. Tomorrow I will go and investigate more thoroughly. Papa has found himself to be quite fond of the Smoking Room, so he should be well occupied when I sneak down and talk to the third-class passengers again.”
“Will you go as you are or did you bring your costume?” Jack was teasing her but Adeline didn’t take the bait. Still, it felt good to fall back into old habits even if Clara couldn’t join in on the fun.
“Of course I brought it. How ridiculous would I look going about third-class in a Worth frock? I’ve already had it from my lady’s maid that the workers are headed for the shipyards in Belfast and I can’t wait to find out what their status is and to give them some information on their rights.”
“Oh dear, I’m really not quite following the conversation, I’m afraid.” The countess finally interrupted. “Do you mean to say that Adeline dresses up in a working girl costume and instigates herself amongst the commoners to talk about labor reform?”
“Precisely so, Lady Huntingdon.” Jack said wondering at the pride he heard in his own voice. “Back in New York, Adeline has actually led rallies and protests. Of course, she does tend to find trouble without fail.”
“Jackson!” Adeline sounded indignant but there was a mischievous smile on her face.
“One day, she was leading a protest at one of her father’s factories, of all places, and she actually set the building on fire.”
“Oh, not that story again.” Addie groaned and dropped her forehead onto the side of her hand. “Why is this the only story you ever tell, Jack?”
“Because I’m the hero, of course.” Jack felt a familiar rush of excitement flood his body as he warmed to the tale. “Addie and her crew of protesters were at the rally with signs and such, all marching in the vicinity of Simon’s building, over by the loading docks. It was dusk so they had lanterns. Addie started giving a speech and since it was getting dark, someone lit a kerosene lamp and gave it to her to hold. Well, Adeline is quite enthusiastic and passionate when she talks about labor reform, so she was going on about fair hours and swinging that damn lantern...”
“Oh my, I can certainly guess what happened next.” The countess was leaning forward, waiting to hear the rest of the story.
“Indeed.” Jack grinned and looked over at Adeline, who was still hiding her face, but he could see that her shoulders where shaking; a sure sign that she was trying not to laugh out loud. “Adeline sent that lamp crashing into a pile of old pallets that were dry as kindling and they went up pretty fast, which was the perfect catalyst to set the whole place up in flames with her right in the middle. Needless to say, everyone went screaming from the site, leaving poor Addie trapped trying to put out the flames on her own. Why you didn’t run away, too, I’ll never know.”
“Jack, you know very well I could never have forgiven myself if I’d let Papa’s building burn down by my own hand without at least trying to put it out.” Adeline stuck out her tongue at Jack.
Jack started laughing and it was almost painful, like using a long dormant muscle, but it felt good at the same time. “Well, weren’t you lucky that Clara had insisted I follow you that night to make sure you didn’t get in to any trouble?”
“So what did you do?” The countess was looking for another bottle of champagne to open but appeared to be having no luck.
“I jumped through the flames and dragged Adeline out, then managed to get a nearby fire hydrant opened up. By the time the fire truck showed up, Adeline and I had managed to at least keep the flames from getting out of control.”
“Oh bravo!” Henrietta applauded.
“I’ll never forget when we arrived back at the Bradleys’ and walked in the front door, covered in soot and soaking wet. I was so mad at you Jack.”
“For saving your life and your father’s building?”
Jack watched Adeline smile as she recalled the day. “No, I was upset that you were mad at me for not acting like a lady. You never did understand why I got so involved to the extent I did—and still do.”
“You’re wrong, Addie.” Jack said quietly gazing at his friend with admiration and what he’d always thought must be brotherly affection. “I understand, but that doesn’t mean I don’t worry about you. You must admit that you tend to rush headlong into the unknown and you rarely have a plan in case things go awry.”
Adeline didn’t say anything to that. She just stared back at Jack as if she were captured in his gaze. He wondered what she was thinking just then and he wished they were alone so he could ask her. It was the first time he’d really seen her in this context. A strong, independent woman who knew what it was she stood for. Before, when Clara was alive, she’d just been that silly impetuous friend of Clara’s.
When had that changed? Jack wondered.
“Well, we are out of champagne.” Henrietta’s voice brought Jack back to the present. “Jackson, be a dear and go get us another nice cold bottle.”
“Of course.” Jack stood and bowed to the ladies. “I’ll be right back.”
Jack wandered the deck for a bit, thinking about what lay ahead for him in England. He would go to Berkshire and lay Clara’s remains to rest. Then what? Stay or leave? He still couldn’t decide. Going back without Clara didn’t feel right, but now he was starting to wonder what his real motives were. Did he really just want to start over? Or was he running away from his life with Clara? And did it even matter? Jack still had a lot to think about.
Sighing, Jack went in search of a waiter who found him a cold bottle of bubbly and he went back to the countess’s rooms. He found Adeline and Lady Huntingdon asleep on the sofa with half-empty cut crystal glasses of fine brandy nearby. He was loath to wake them as they looked so peaceful and happy. He leaned over and gently shook the countess’s shoulder. She woke and looked around groggily.
“Oh dear, what time is it? We must have become a bit too liberal with the libations.” Lady Huntingdon looked over at Addie, who was still sleeping soundly. “Jackson, you must make sure
that Miss James makes it safely back to her own cabin. I would never forgive myself if something happened to her at this late hour.”
“Of course. You can rest assured that I will escort her all the way to her door.” Jack helped the unsteady Henrietta to stand up and walk across the room. “Will you be all right, Lady Huntingdon?”
“I can manage from here. My lady’s maid has probably fallen asleep on my bed. I’ll just wake Fulton up and she’ll know what to do with me.” The countess disappeared into her bedroom.
He sat across from Adeline, pouring her unfinished drink into Lady Huntingdon’s glass before adding another splash and taking a long drink himself. Adeline was even lovelier in sleep than awake. Her even breathing emphasized her rounded breasts as they rose and fell beneath the silk of her dress. Her waist was trim, and not unnaturally so. It was obvious that she probably didn’t need confining underclothes to perfect a figure that was quite fine on its own. Her golden hair was curling around her heart-shaped face and a piece was caught between her full pink lips.
Jackson resisted the urge to touch her mouth and brush the hair off her face. Instead he took another drink and then set the glass down with a loud bang. It had the desired effect of waking Addie without the necessity of touching her. Although, watching her sleepy blue eyes flutter open and those pink lips yawn widely had the unexpected and unwanted effect of setting off alarms of desire in him. He stood abruptly and turned away.
“Ah, awake at last, Adeline.” Jackson attempted to regain his control.
“Oh dear,” Adeline said obviously disoriented at finding herself waking up in a strange place. “I must have had too much of that brandy. Where did Lady Huntingdon go?”
“It’s late—she retired. Let me escort you back to your cabin.”
“Oh, no,” Adeline said standing and straightening her clothing. “I couldn’t impose on you. Besides, I’m sure I will be safe on board the ship.”
“Don’t be daft, Addie. Sailors aren’t to be trusted any more than any man when he sees a beautiful young woman wandering about alone. I insist. Besides, your father would never forgive me if I allowed any harm to come to you.”
Adeline blushed prettily at the compliment he had unintentionally given her. Apparently she was even more innocent of the world than he’d always suspected. “Come along then, it’s quite late and your father will be worried if you don’t show up soon.”
Jackson extended his arm to Adeline and however casual her touch was intended to be, it had an immediate physical effect on his person. Where had these new feelings about Addie come from, he wondered? When Clara was alive, he’d cared for her, but he had continued to look at her like a young girl. But tonight, he suddenly noticed that she had fully blossomed into a beautiful desirable woman.
Jack tried not to notice that Adeline practically had to run to keep stride with him as he hurried her through the ship, finally depositing her at her door with a gruff goodnight bow.
He found himself seeking out the cool air on deck before returning to his quarters. Jackson felt like such a cad, responding to her when she was simply trying to be nice. Adeline had no notion of what she was doing to him; the guilt she instilled in his already tortured thoughts. Thank goodness they would arrive in Liverpool in a few days and he would set off for his ancestral village in Berkshire immediately, nowhere near the London Season that Mr. James had planned for his daughter.
CHAPTER FIVE
“Are you sure you want to do this?” Emily helped Adeline dress in her factory-girl outfit. “We’re only onboard a few more days. It seems silly to waste time on a cause that you can’t follow up with.”
“I can’t seem to help myself.” Adeline said. “I’m just so bored with all the promenade- walking and sitting in the Writing Room and the Grand Salon. It’s like being trapped in a visit to my aunt Josephine’s.”
“Thomas is waiting at the elevator for you. He’ll escort you to D-deck then come back for you in two hours. Will you be having supper in the dining room or with Lady Huntingdon tonight?”
“I haven’t heard from Henrietta yet. I’m hoping that Jack will show up wherever she does, but he’s been so unpredictable lately. Just be ready with two gowns, Stone. And after dinner I’d like to go below deck again and see what that dance is all about. We can go together. It should be fun.”
“Fun for who?” Emily didn’t look convinced. “I’ll be so busy watching out for you I won’t be able to fit in any snogging on the side.”
“Emily!” Addie pretended to be outraged, but she dissolved into laughter. “I promise to give you plenty of opportunities for side snogging.”
“And don’t forget to call me ‘Emily’ below decks. We are equals as far as they are concerned, so I’ll call you ‘Addie’.” Emily looked extremely uncomfortable with the idea.
“Harder for you than me.” Adeline confirmed. “I’ll be back soon.”
Adeline met Thomas at the elevator that went from first-class all the way to the lower decks. He was properly deferential to her as they rode down.
“I’ll be back in precisely two hours, Miss James. But if you’d like, I could just wait here.”
“Oh, no need, Thomas. I will be fine. I’m just going to walk around the deck and see if I can meet a few of the ladies.” Adeline had no intention of limiting her conversations to women, but telling Thomas that would not be wise.
“Very well, Miss.” Thomas didn’t look convinced but he knew when to leave well enough alone.
The afternoon was uneventful for Adeline. She managed to convince a few families to tell her about the conditions of the shipyards they were headed to, but they had little information to share. The bad news was that the Irish shipyards did not share the same benefits that the English labor laws guaranteed, like ten hour workdays. It was clear to Adeline that there would be a need for unions, which meant hard days ahead for these people. Fighting the status quo was never popular and the rich men who ran these companies would not be happy to see the unions arrive.
It would mean their ships would not get built as quickly or cheaply as they hoped. And if they didn’t allow the unions to set themselves up, there would be riots and men would be hurt, maybe even killed, as a result.
Two hours later, Adeline showed up at the appointed place and Thomas escorted her back to her suite. “If you please, Miss James, may I be of any further assistance?”
“Why don’t you come in for a moment and if I have a message from the countess, would you deliver my reply?”
“I would be honored.” Thomas said practically holding his breath as they entered the sitting room.
“Stone.” Adeline called out. “Do we have dinner plans?”
Emily came out of her bedroom and stopped in her tracks when she saw Thomas. She raised her eyebrows but didn’t waver. “Lady Huntingdon suggested a repeat of last night. Here is her invitation.” She handed over the velum envelope to Adeline.
“She says that Jack has also agreed that it was a nice alternative from the crowded dining room.” Adeline read the rest of the note. “Father is invited, too, although I’ll be surprised if he accepts. I believe he does not approve of the countess.”
Thomas tried to pretend not to listen, looking around the room and focusing on the artwork.
“Thomas, please let the countess know that I will be attending and I’ll send a message around later if Papa will be joining us.”
“Of course, Miss James. Right away.” Thomas bowed and retreated.
“I think I’ll rest for a bit.” Adeline was quite tired and decided a nap was just what she needed, especially if she were to stay up late tonight. “Stone, would you remember to ask Papa about dinner and send a note to Lady Huntingdon with his reply?”
“Of course, Miss. I’ll wake you when it’s time to dress.”
Later that evening, Adeline, Jack, and Henrietta enjoyed another companionable meal while Simon played cards. Papa said he was on a winning streak and he might as well carry on with it. Dinner
ended too soon as far as Addie was concerned. She hated to say goodnight to Jack, but she and Emily had a party to attend. As soon as she entered her room, Emily was helping her into a dress that she’d altered specifically for tonight. It was one of Addie’s older day-dresses with the expensive trimmings removed.
“Come now—Addie—we don’t want to miss the fun.” Emily had put on her best dress and the two looked like a couple of working city girls on their way to have a good time.
The below-deck party was already well under way and they joined in, dancing and drinking the watered-down beer and wine.
A big rough Irishman grabbed Addie around the waist and swung her into a country square dance. She enjoyed herself up until the bloke pulled her off into a dark corner and tried to steal a kiss.
Much to her surprise, Thomas came to her rescue. “Sorry fella, the lady promised this dance to me.” Thomas grasped her hand and pulled her onto the dance floor. He was dressed in his street clothes and gave her a wink as he led her in the more modern two-step the band was attempting. “You shouldn’t be here while they are getting foxed, Miss. Proper manners don’t mean much after a few too many beers.”
“I know you’re right, Thomas, but I had to see the merriment for myself.” Adeline laughed as the steward spun her around. “And you must admit, we are having a good time.”
“I’ll take you back upside after this tune is over.” Thomas lifted Addie up and spun her about again. “Your maid will be wanting to stay a bit longer I think.” He nodded over to the other side of the room, where Emily was deep in conversation with a handsome young man.
“Thank you, Thomas. You’ve been so good to me.”
Adeline managed to undress herself that night without her maid’s help and she crawled into bed, feeling like she’d made a friend for life in Thomas. She hoped she would encounter the young steward again before the voyage was over. She’d told him that she would gladly give him a reference anytime he asked.
Heaven Bound (A Blakemore Family Book: Madame Lou Series Book 2) Page 5
