Diana Sensational Spinster's Society (The Spinster’s Society) (A Regency Romance Book)

by Charlotte Stone

  Lulu’s housekeeper opened it, her eyes widened at seeing Diana. By now, Diana was sure she looked maddened. Crazed even.

  “I have to see her.”

  The housekeeper opened her mouth, likely ready to reject Diana, but something on Diana’s face must have made it clear she wouldn’t leave until she saw Lulu. A moment later, the housekeeper moved to the side. “She’s in the drawing room, doing absolutely nothing but staring out the window. She won’t eat. She won’t take tea. Miss Banns, I’ve no idea what to do. I’m not even sure you can help, but someone must do something.”

  Diana listened as they walked. Frank grabbed her hand as they entered the lavender sitting room.

  Lulu turned as the trio entered. Her gray eyes were blank of emotion. She looked perfectly well. Her hair was in place. Her coloring was a little pale but nothing that would make anyone think she wasn’t otherwise in good shape.

  But those dead eyes gave it all away. Lulu’s eyes always held some sort of emotion. She was always plotting, always thinking ten steps ahead of everyone. Usually when she saw Diana, there was distaste or revulsion in her gaze as though Diana’s bastardy were contagious.

  But she was greeted with eerie nothingness.

  There was a bandage around her arm and another around her throat, though she’d tried to hide it with a high collared dress. She’d been cut.

  Diana covered her mouth as tears sprang to her eyes. “Oh, Lulu.” She shook her head, unable to say anything more. She’d been right, and it made her sick. “I’m so sorry.”

  Lulu’s mask cracked and, in a blink, her face crumbled and she burst into tears.

  Diana let go of Frank, felt his fingers release her before she sprinted across the room and wrapped her arms about Lulu.

  Lulu held her tightly and wailed loudly, burying her face in Diana’s shoulder. “He…”

  “I know.” Diana stroked her hair and heard the door close. She noticed they were alone and closed her eyes. “It’s all right.”

  Lulu shook her head. Her voice was strangled, deepened by grief. “No, it will never be all right.” She pulled away, a storm of anger on her face. “I’ll never be all right again! God, I want to die.” She covered her face. “I can’t get his scent off me, Diana. I… I tried to, but Mrs. White pulled me out of the tub and…” She looked up, her face reddened, but stained white with tears. “I just wanted to be clean again.”

  Diana understood her well, and numbly imagined the scene in Lulu’s bathroom. No wonder the housekeeper, Mrs. White, had been so urgent for Diana to speak to her. Diana likely would have tried the same had Bancroft not been there and then Frank. Lulu shouldn’t be alone. This was the worst time to be alone.

  “You are clean, Lulu,” she whispered. “It’s him who is not.”

  Lulu frowned. “How do you know what happened?”

  Diana grabbed her hand and grew wary about sharing the truth. This was, after all, Lulu Lévêque. It was a risk to share anything with her. “I… He… When I was ill last year.”

  Lulu sighed dramatically. “Quelle horreur, not you, too!” Her eyes widened. “That was why you stopped dancing last year.” She covered her mouth and made a broken sound. “Oh, I’m a horrible person.” She started up again, crying deeply, her body shaking with her every struggled breath. “I was so horrible to you and…” She shook her head. “Why are you here?”

  When Lulu tried to take her hand away, Diana tightened her hold on her. “Because, someone has to be.”

  “Not you.” That old disgusted look covered her features as she shook her head. “Not you, Diana.”

  Diana blinked and let her go. There was some hurt at the woman’s words, but she buried them. Her grief was nowhere near where Lulu’s was currently. “I know we come from different classes.”

  Lulu heaved a breath. “That’s not what I mean. I mean I…” She looked at Diana for a moment, studying her before she said, “Had I known the truth about what had happened to you all those months ago, I’d have not been kind to you, Diana. I know I would have blamed your upbringing. Said you deserved it. That is what you should be saying to me at this moment. I’m not a nice person, Diana. I deserve—”

  “No one deserves this!” Diana felt anger rush into her blood. “No one ever deserves this, Lulu. Ever! He wronged us and I swear I will not stop until he is…” She looked away.

  Lulu’s fingers tightened on her.

  “How did you get away?” Diana asked quietly, surprised there was no one here for Lulu. No on at all. “Did someone save you?”

  “I… overpowered him,” she whispered. “We were in an alley. He used a blade while me…. When it cut me I reacted, knowing what he would do. I fought and ran. Screamed. There were people, but I kept away from them. I didn’t want anyone to see me.”

  Diana understood. She too had wanted to push everyone away.

  That the man had acted in an alley proved Diana’s earlier thoughts. The earl only did the kidnapping, taking the women to hidden place for this other man. This man, whoever hurt Lulu and herself, didn’t seemed to be bright enough to make sure the women were well caged, before acting. She was amazed by Lulu’s courage and strength, though both seemed to be waning.

  “I don’t know what to do,” Lulu cried forcibly.

  Neither did Diana, but Frank would.

  “Frank is a doctor who is very good at these sorts of situations. If I let him in, could you tell us what happened?”

  Lulu looked away. “I don’t think I can. Not… not now. Please.” She made a whimpering sound.

  “All right,” Diana rushed in. “It’s all right.” She stared at Lulu’s distressed profile and knew she couldn’t leave her this way. Not even for a day.

  “I’m going to send Mrs. White in with tea. Please drink it. Then I’m going to speak with Frank and then I’ll return.” She slowly let go of Lulu’s hand and moved to the door.

  Outside, she found both Mrs. White and Frank sitting against the opposite wall. Both stood as she approached.

  Mrs. White was wringing her hands. “What’s wrong with my mistress?”

  Diana gave her a small smile and put a hand on her shoulder. “Take her tea. I’ll make sure she drinks it.”

  It seemed a great weight left the woman. “Oh, bless you, Miss Banns.” Then she rushed off toward the kitchens.

  Frank pulled her closer but remained far enough so that their eyes could meet. “Are you all right?”

  Diana nodded. “I want to bring Lulu with us when we go to the country. I can’t leave her here, Frank.” She had a feeling Lulu would not survive if left alone. “And I want you to speak to her.”

  Frank grimaced. “She’ll have to be willing to speak to me for anything I say to be effective.”

  Diana lifted a brow. “I wasn’t willing. You found a way to save me.”

  He touched her cheek. “You were different. Always. From the moment I saw you, something inside me knew that you were mine, that I would do anything to see you smile again.”

  Diana smiled and wanted to tell him how much she loved him but didn’t want to ruin the moment with doubt. He’d not believe her, but in time he would. She vowed it.

  Mrs. White returned with the tea.

  Diana turned to Frank. “I have to go. I have to stay with her. Please have Hit ready my things so that we can depart as scheduled.”

  Frank left, and Diana returned to the sitting room with Lulu.

  And together, they drank their tea.

  * * *

  33

  .

  .

  .

  * * *

  * * *

  .

  .

  .

  CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE

  .

  Frank sent a messenger to deliver Diana’s words to Hit, while he placed himself at the mercy of a hack and set off for Anthony’s home with a feeling that he’d find Allen Blackfall there, as opposed to his own residence.

  Moments after, the butler showed Frank into th
e parlor of Lawton’s mansion, and he was glad that he’d been right.

  Anthony was leaning back on a couch. His eyes were closed, but he lazily opened them as Frank entered.

  Allen sat in a wingback chair with a drink in hand.

  “It’s time,” Frank said and then started toward the exit.

  He heard footsteps following him and when there were too many, he turned around to find that Lawton had followed them as well.

  The earl was there and, not for the first time, Frank realized how much he and Diana looked alike. Even Bancroft, though Frank doubted any one would see past Bancroft’s anger to notice much of anything else. Anthony lifted a brow. “I want to know what’s going on as well. I’m terribly bored.”

  Frank’s irritation spiked. “This is not a game, Anthony.”

  “No, I’m sure it’s not,” Anthony replied. “But it is a puzzle, I gather, isn’t it, Pick?”

  Frank was struck by the leisurely way the earl had used his street name.

  “Pick?” Allen asked.

  Anthony smiled. “As I said, I’ve friends everywhere. I might be able to help.” He crossed his arms and waited.

  Frank shook his head but then begrudgingly said, “Come on, then.” He was actually quite impressed that Anthony knew something like that about him, and wondered what else he knew, and where his information came from.

  They all loaded themselves in the hack and set off.

  “Where are we going?” Anthony asked.

  “Lord Dahl’s home.”

  “I knew it.” Allen fisted his hands on his knees, looking anxious and excited. “Does he know we’re to arrive?”

  “No. It’ll be a surprise.”

  “Oh, dear,” Anthony said. “Stew doesn’t like surprises. His brother was mad. He always tries to keep order everywhere else.”

  “What do you know about him?” Frank asked.

  Anthony shook his head. “No. You first. What is this about?”

  Frank looked between the men and then said, “He may have raped a woman, someone close to Diana.” He said the last so that neither would think one of his victims to actually be Diana, but Frank knew it to be the secret she’d kept from him.

  He wondered why she had though. He could think of very good reasons for her to do so. Perhaps, she’d believed he’d look at her as a soiled woman. That would never be the case. He’d watched Diana work one party after another, and though she was kind to many, she never outlandishly flirted with any one man in particular. Though he thought this may have been because of his presence, but when he asked Hit about it, the bodyguard had said, “She doesn’t need to flirt,” which was true. Diana smiled and Frank got hard.

  Not wishing to be in that state currently, he returned to the conversation.

  Both Allen and Anthony seemed amazed by Frank’s proclamation.

  Anthony then shook his head. “Perhaps, the madness simply ran in the family.”

  That was Frank’s thinking as well.

  He told the men everything after that, without making mention of either victim’s name.

  After studying two poems with the same words, but different hand, Frank had discovered that the letters sent to Lord Charles, the former Earl of Dahl’s, victims had originally never been meant for him. They’d been written from Mr. Stewart to his older brother, a promise to leave the country… or even a threat.

  My addiction consumes me again

  And like a warm fire I’m drawn to her dance

  She moves like flickering flame

  My desire’s inferno ever expands

  They were confessions of a crime Mr. Stewart wished to commit, and he’d gotten his brother to help him. Frank was still uncertain why Lord Charles had then rewritten the poems and sent them to his victims, but he supposed that the man was mad enough to wish to warn them. Perhaps, Charles wasn’t the murderer at all. Perhaps it had always been Mr. Stewart who did the raping and killing. Charles simply delivered the women and warned them of where their bodies would be left.

  Thames River.

  Hyde Park.

  Diana had been found at Saint Ramsey school for girls.

  The poems all fit places that the women had been found.

  The only thing Frank couldn’t understand was why the missives from Mr. Stewart to his brother that were not the poems looked to have been written in a different hand.

  “That’s simply enough,” Anthony said. “Mr. Stewart never writes anything himself. He always has Lord Ash send missives for him. It drives everyone mad.” Which explained why the poem didn’t match simple messages to meet. Anthony was useful after all.

  Allen said, “It will be hard to get an earl sent to prison much less hang for his crimes. Also, the woman will have to come forward.”

  “What if the victim is dead?” Frank asked. They could just as easily get Mr. Stewart to confess to killing one of the ladies of the night.

  “That could work,” Allen said.

  “So, you’ll have to get a confession out of him,” Frank said. He would not leave London until he was sure that Mr. Stewart was under arrest.

  The hack stopped in front of Mr. Stewart’s flat and the men got out.

  When the butler answered the door, Frank could hear a heated argument on the other side.

  “Let us through, man!” Anthony said before brushing past the man and leading the way down the hall.

  They walked into a study to find Mr. Stewart and Lady Dahl glaring at one another.

  The couple turned toward the men as they entered.

  Lady Dahl was younger than her husband. In her early thirties, she was of average looks and had yet to secure an heir, though the title had just befallen her. She had pale red hair and dark brown eyes. She scowled at her husband again. “Are you to have another party?”

  “Lydia, please.” The earl seemed tired. Exhaustion lined his face. Could it be the fatigue of attempted murder the previous night?

  “We’ve come to speak to your husband, my lady.” Frank moved forward and then turned to Lord Dahl. “You may wish for your wife to leave the room, my lord.”

  “I’m not leaving.” The woman looked enraged. Her face grew red as she stomped a foot.

  Dahl took his seat and sighed. “What’s this about?” His eyes had a weariness that said he had much on his mind.

  “Where were you last night?” Allen asked as he moved closer to Dahl.

  The earl lifted a brow.

  His wife’s eyes narrowed. “What’s this about?” She turned to her husband. “What happened last night? Don’t tell me you caused more of a disgraceful scene than I’d originally thought.”

  “A scene?” Allen asked. “Where did this take place?”

  “There was no scene.” Dahl rubbed his temples. “Lydia, you should go.”

  “No!” The woman crossed her arms. “I… I won’t stand for this anymore, Stewart. I will not.”

  Frank wondered what the lady knew.

  Anthony spoke then, putting on his most dazzling grin. “What seems to be the problem, Lady Dahl?”

  Lydia glared at Anthony, setting him back a pace. “You and men like you. Those lavish parties always get out of hand. It’s you scoundrels that caused this.”

  “You were at a party?” Allen asked the earl.

  The earl shook his head. “I don’t recall.”

  “He never recalls anything,” the woman spat. “And ever since his brother’s death, it’s grown worse.”

  Did he simply miss his brother or did he miss the presents his brother would give him in the form of bound and gagged women?

  “Lydia.” The earl straightened. “Leave at once.”

  Lydia’s eyes clouded with tears. “I just want to know what happened? When you came home…”

  “What happened, my lady?” Allen asked in a sympathetic tone. His face became almost boyish as he tried to give the woman comfort.

  She blinked. “I think he was hurt. He was covered in blood and smelled of…”

  Frank
put Lydia’s rage and despair together and guessed what she’d been ready to say. “Perfume? Women?”

  The woman’s eyes widened and her lips trembled.

  “I don’t recall what happened,” Dahl said again. “I already told you, Lydia.”

  Allen looked at Frank and lifted a brow.