Cast in Shadows

by Laura Landon

  “And why Mother? From what Father said, she didn’t have an enemy in the world.”

  “What about a relative?” her father asked. “Was there anyone in her family who held something against her?”

  Gideon thought for a moment. “There was a cousin. A Baron Tumberline. Father said he was terribly upset when they married. Mother’s grandfather, Viscount Bromley, included Tumberline Estate in Mother’s dowry when she married Father. Mother’s cousin always thought it would go to him, and became most violent when he discovered that his grandfather left it to Mother.”

  “Do you know why your mother got it instead of her cousin?” Eve asked.

  “According to Father, it was because Tumberline was known to be a wastrel and a gambler. Viscount Bromley feared his grandson would lose Tumberline at the gaming tables and wanted assurance that it remained safe.”

  “What happened to the estate upon your mother’s death?” Dr. Cornwell asked.

  The expression on Gideon’s face was one of concern. “It went to me. Well, actually, it went to father until I reached my majority. Which I did seven years ago.”

  “Where is this Tumberline Estate located?” Dr. Cornwell asked.

  “It’s several hour’s ride north of Shadowdown.”

  “Does someone live there now? Or is it vacant?”

  “No, it is inhabited. Baron Tumberline lives there. Since I don’t require a place to live, Father and I didn’t think it necessary to remove Tumberline from the premises. He doesn’t possess the deed so he can’t gamble it away, and it is better to have the manor house inhabited rather than remain unoccupied.”

  Gideon paced the room. “But why would Tumberline attempt to kill me now? Why not years ago when I was younger? When I was not nearly so well guarded?”

  “I’m not suggesting that your mother’s cousin is behind the attempt on your life,” Eve’s father said, propping his elbows on the arms of the chair and resting his chin on his steepled fingers. “I simply think we should look at any and all possibilities.”

  Gideon walked back to the center of the room and sat beside her on the sofa. “What do you think, Eve?” he said, turning toward her. “You’ve been terribly quiet for the last few minutes.”

  She tried to smile, but her lips simply wouldn’t cooperate. Instead, she felt as if her features locked and the fear that threatened to consume her was all she’d ever feel. She looked at her father, then back at Gideon. “I’m trying to keep a positive outlook, my lord, but I’m frightened.”

  Gideon reached for her hands and held them. “Now’s not the time to lose your courage, my brave lady.” He gently squeezed her fingers. “Haven’t you been the one to say with such certainty that we were going to find a cause for my seizures?”

  “Yes, and I believe we have,” she assured him. “But the possibilities we’ve uncovered are as dangerous and as deadly as the seizures.”

  “Then we will handle them as we’ve handled everything else,” Gideon said, his smile filled with reassurance.

  “My lord,” her father interrupted. “Would you mind if I spoke with your father? Perhaps he might be able to offer more.”

  “By all means. In fact, I’ll send a message to him immediately to ask if it’s convenient for him to meet us here. I have several questions I’d like to ask him, too.”

  “Excellent.” Dr. Cornwell rose from his chair. “I’ll send Thomas with a message. There are a few matters I need to attend to at Shadowdown, so I’ll take care of those now. Send Thomas with word when your father can meet with us.”

  “If he’s at home,” Gideon said as he walked her father to the door, “I expect him to come at once.”

  “That will be wonderful. I don’t think this is a matter that can wait.”

  “Neither do I,” Eve heard Gideon reply as he showed her father out. Even though she couldn’t see his face, she heard the concern in his voice. But what did she expect? The deeper they delved into the cause for his seizures, the more convinced she was that someone was intentionally trying to harm him. Now, she knew whoever was behind this wanted him dead.

  “You’re worrying entirely too much,” he said.

  Eve hadn’t heard him come back into the room but when she looked up, she found him standing before her. He held out his hands and she took them. He pulled her to her feet and brought her against him.

  “I’m afraid. I’ve seen the lengths to which someone is willing to go to harm you.”

  “Shh,” he whispered, then brought his mouth down over hers.

  Eve wrapped her arms around his neck and held him to her as if this were the last time she would have him in her arms.

  CHAPTER 17

  Gideon watched the color drain from his father’s face as Dr. Cornwell explained what he and Eve thought. Then, as he read the note Eve had found in Dr. Milton’s file, the duke’s eyes blazed with a fury so intense it would have frightened anyone who did not know him. For the first time in his life, Gideon believed the rumors he’d heard of times when his father had intimidated other members of the House when they disagreed with an issue he felt passionately about. He could believe the opinion others had that his father wasn’t a man to be crossed.

  “What is it, Father?” Benjamin asked.

  Gideon was glad Ben was here. He’d come with his father when he received word that he was needed immediately. Ben needed to know what was going on, and having him here would eliminate having to repeat what they’d discovered.

  “Where did you find this?” His Grace asked waving Dr. Milton’s paper in the air.

  Gideon was relieved that his father hadn’t directed the question toward Eve. The harsh tone of his voice was frightening, and his words were nothing short of a demand.

  “Miss Cornwell found it in a file Dr. Milton kept regarding Mother’s progress,” Gideon answered.

  Ben was in the process of reading the short note. Gideon saw the instant Dr. Milton’s words registered. Ben’s eyes opened wide and his jaw dropped.

  “Bloody hell, Gideon.” His eyes contained a terrifying expression. He glanced back to the words on the paper, then lifted his gaze and looked at Gideon. “Do you know what Dr. Milton is suggesting?”

  “Yes, Ben. Dr. Milton is suggesting that my mother was in danger. That someone may have been poisoning her with something that caused her seizures.”

  “That means that someone may be doing the same to you.”

  Gideon rose from his chair and walked to the other side of the room “Yes, it seems that’s a possibility.”

  “Who?” Benjamin asked. “Who could possibly want to harm you? Who could have wanted to harm your mother?”

  “That’s what we want to find out,” Eve’s father said. “That’s why we asked you and your father to join us.” Dr. Cornwell turned his gaze to the duke. “Can you think of anyone who might have wanted to harm your wife, Your Grace?”

  “No!” the duke bellowed. “Rebecca didn’t have an enemy in the world. There wasn’t a reason anyone had to harm her.”

  “Can you think of anyone who might have benefitted from her death?” her father asked. “As well as benefit from your son’s death?”

  The Duke of Townsend thought a moment, then shook his head. “No. There’s no one.”

  Gideon turned from the window. “What about Mother’s cousin, Baron Tumberline?”

  “Tumberline?” His Grace seemed shocked. “But why—?”

  His Grace stopped short. “Tumberline Manor. Of course he wanted the estate. Had always assumed he’d get it and was furious when he didn’t. But surely he wouldn’t resort to killing Rebecca to get it.”

  “We’re not suggesting that he did,” Eve interjected. “At this point, we’re simply discussing anyone who might have gained from your wife’s death. Can you think of anyone else?” she added. “Any problems you’ve had either in London, or at Townsend Manor? A long-time rival? A jealous colleague?”

  The men in the room were silent for several minutes. One by one, they shook th
eir heads in the negative.

  “There’s been nothing in London,” His Grace said. “And nothing concerning matters on the estate.” He looked up. “Except there was a scuffle a little more than a month ago.” He turned to Gideon. “You remember Clyve Woodman, Cook’s son?”

  Gideon nodded. “He was killing animals on the grounds several years ago and Henry caught him.”

  “Yes. The same one. He was ordered off Townsend property and told never to step foot on the estate again. A couple of our men caught him breaking into one of the storage buildings not long ago.”

  “What was he after?” Gideon asked.

  “I’m not sure. He dropped a can of kerosene and some lanterns when they gave chase. This is the second time one of our buildings was broken into. The first time the thief made off with several lanterns and a large can of kerosene”

  “So clearly he intends to start a fire,” Ben said, joining the conversation. “We’d best keep a close watch on things at Townsend Manor and here at Shadowdown.”

  “I’ve already given the order to the men at the estate, and I’ll make sure Mr. Wallace knows about it before we leave.”

  “Is there anyone else you can think of?” Dr. Cornwell asked.

  His Grace shook his head. “No, but if someone comes to mind, I’ll let you know immediately.”

  Gideon had to be satisfied for now. The list of possibilities was so short, and none of those suggested seemed to have that desperate a reason that they would resort to murder.

  His Grace stood. “I’d appreciate your assistance, Benjamin. I think we need to pay a call on Baron Tumberline.”

  Gideon’s brother moved toward the door. “It’ll be my pleasure, Father. If we leave now we should get there before nightfall. But if I think for one moment that Tumberline has anything to do with the seizures Gideon’s been having, I’m not sure you’ll be able to stop me from killing the man.”

  His Grace clasped his son’s shoulder. “If we conclude he’s involved in Gideon’s seizures, nothing will stop either one of us from doing what we must.”

  “Take a couple of men with you, Father,” Gideon said as his father and brother headed for the door.

  “We will,” his father answered. “We’ll return tomorrow if possible. The next day for sure.” He and Ben turned from the room, then left the house.

  When they were gone, Gideon turned back to where Eve sat. Her face was pale and she was worrying her bottom lip. He could tell she was more than alarmed. “Are you all right, Eve?” he asked.

  She looked from Gideon to her father, then back to Gideon again. “I don’t know. I’m frightened.” She clutched her fingers in her lap. Her grip eased when he placed his hand atop hers. “I was so consumed with searching for the source of your seizures that I didn’t once consider the cause for your attacks could be intentional. That someone intended to harm you. Even…worse.”

  She took in a breath that shuddered. “What if I’m right? What if someone has been poisoning you for years with the intent of causing your death? Considering your mother’s past, as well as your own, your death would never have been questioned. They would have gotten away with causing your death without anyone suspecting that you’d been murdered.”

  “And what if that person did the same to my mother and they succeeded in killing her?” Gideon added. “Do you think I’d want to go to my grave not knowing that, Eve? Do you think I could live with myself if I hadn’t done everything I could to discover who’d killed my mother, and not punish them for what they’d done?

  “Lord Sheffield is right, Eve. If what you suspect is right, this has gone beyond a medical mystery. This could be murder. And you may have saved such a tragedy from being repeated.”

  The terror in Eve’s eyes was unmistakable, and Gideon was at a loss as to how to comfort her. He wanted to gather her in his arms and hold her, but he could hardly do that with her father looking on.

  He turned his head and let his gaze lock with hers. He hoped she saw the concern in his eyes and it helped.

  “I knew there would be no turning back once I revealed Dr. Milton’s message,” she said. “And I was right. I just don’t want you or anyone in your family to be hurt.”

  Gideon reached for her hand and twined his fingers with hers. “Don’t you realize someone already has been hurt? It’s possible that my mother was killed by someone’s hatred. And that hatred has been focused on me for years.” A wave of vile bitterness consumed him. “I just wish I knew who it was.”

  Eve’s father rose. “If there is an answer, we’ll hopefully find it in Dr. Milton’s files. If you’ll excuse me, I’ll begin that search right now.” He looked at Eve. “You said there was one more storeroom to look through didn’t you?”

  She nodded. “The room at the back in the south corner.”

  “Hopefully, we’ll find our answer when we’ve finished our search.”

  “I’ll join you in a moment, Father.”

  Gideon walked Dr. Cornwell to the door, then returned. Eve was on her feet. “Sit with me for a moment, Eve,” he said, then led her back to the sofa. When she was seated, he wrapped his arm around her shoulders and held her close to him. “I want you to know that no matter what happens, you’ve done what you had to do. And I’ll be eternally grateful.”

  “But, what if—”

  He pressed his finger against her lips to stop her words. “There are no what ifs. No matter what, I will be eternally grateful for your help. For the efforts you made on my behalf.”

  She leaned against him and he held her close. “I wish this were over,” she whispered, whether to herself or to him, he didn’t know. But he answered her anyway.

  “It will be soon. Now, let me tell Lettie where I’ll be and I’ll go with you,” he said.

  “No. You need to stay here. It isn’t safe for you to go beyond Shadowdown cottage. The men your father hired to guard you don’t need you moving from place to place. It will only make their job of protecting you more difficult.”

  Gideon wanted to argue, but knew she was right. “Very well, I’ll stay. Only because I know you’re right.”

  The smile she gave him weakened his knees.

  “Of course I’m right,” she said, reaching for his hands and holding them.

  He tightened his fingers around hers and pulled her to him. Then he lowered his head and kissed her like he’d been wanting to do all day. She was his. It suddenly occurred to him that he’d considered her his for a very long time now, but had only this moment realized what that meant.

  He brushed the backs of his fingers against her cheek then wrapped them around her neck. He held her close and kissed her again, before releasing her.

  “Will you return when you finish?” he asked.

  She nodded.

  Her cheeks were colored with two rosy circles. He loved that his kisses could do that to her. He loved that the dreamy look in her eyes told him how much she cared for him. If only he could convince her that her lack of title meant nothing to him. They were meant for each other. If only he could convince her that they were. But she was trying to protect herself. And until she trusted him with her heart, she’d never believe that he intended to spend his life taking care of her the same as she’d taken care of him.

  . . .

  Eve pressed her fingers to her lips as she made her way back to the asylum. They still tingled from his kisses. Her body still burned with a passion his kisses ignited. It was always this way.

  Her heart hammered in her breast every time he touched her, or held her, or kissed her, even though she knew she would be the one who was hurt when he left her.

  She entered the back hall of the sanitarium, then made her way through the kitchen to the storage room, then to the stairs that led to the basement.

  “Have you found anything?” she said when she saw her father sifting through one of the boxes on the table in the center of the room.

  “I’ve found several files that I think are of interest, but I haven’t taken
the time to read through them. We’ll take them back and read them where there’s better light.”

  Eve stepped to the table and started going through the box her father slid in front of her.

  “I’m surprised you convinced Lord Sheffield to stay behind,” her father said.

  “He wanted to come, but I told him the men guarding him couldn’t adequately protect him if he moved about out of doors.”

  “That was wise of you.” Her father placed another file on the growing stack he intended to take with him. “You’re good for him, Eve. He’s become quite fond of you.”

  Her breath hitched in her throat. “Is that a warning, Papa?”

  “Perhaps. I just don’t want to see you hurt.”

  “I’m afraid it’s too late to prevent that from happening. Lord Sheffield and I have been caught up in a world that isn’t real, a world where he doesn’t belong, but where he’s been forced to live. When this is over, he’ll walk away from Shadowdown and take his place in the world in which he’s destined to make his mark.

  “And when that happens?” her father asked. “What then Eve?”

  She pretended to concentrate on her search through the box in front of her. “He’ll discover a world that has always been beyond his reach. A world filled with friends he’s yet to meet. With places he’s only heard his father and brother talk about. With females who will take one look at him and fall at his feet.”

  “And what about you, Eve? Where will you be?”

  “I’ll be here, Papa. With you. Where I belong.”

  “You don’t think it’s possible for you to—”

  “No, Papa. It’s not. I don’t belong in Lord Sheffield’s world, and it wouldn’t be fair to try to hold him in ours. He’s the future Duke of Townsend. Someday he’ll follow in his father’s footsteps. He needs to walk away from here and try to forget this nightmare ever happened. He needs to take his rightful place in society.”

  A long, painful silence blanketed the small space where she and her father stood. Finally, Eve broke the silence. “But first we need to find some answers. And we won’t do that if we don’t finish looking through the rest of these boxes.”