by Aria Norton
"I s'pose yer her cousin, too, are ya?" The woman opened the door but then seemed to change her mind. "You said something about compensation. Well, you'll not enter without it."
Lord Brampton dug in the waistcoat pocket and produced a five-pound note. "Will that suffice?"
The woman gave a black-toothed smile and opened the door wide so they could enter. "Right this way." She showed them to a room filled with tables. The room was mostly old men and women, with only a young sprinkling in their midst. Abigail searched their downturned faces as best she could. Many of them were infirm, too old to find work elsewhere, and with no family to care for them.
"This is her. You have visitors, your ladyship," the woman mocked as they neared. "Mind your manners, hear? Watch her. She's a temper on her, that one." The woman left them alone, standing at the edge of the room, scowling at the inmates.
"What a pleasant woman," Joshua said sarcastically to the side. Abigail glowered at her. No matter what had befallen these people, they did not deserve this life.
"Lady Elisa?" Abigail stepped forward, her heart pounding in her chest.
"Who are you? I don't know you," she said. Her face was covered in black smudges, her fingers shaking from the damp.
Abigail knelt before her and took her hands, stilling them from their work. "We are here to help you."
Chapter 17
Thomas watched tears spring to Lady Elisa's eyes at Abigail's simple act of kindness. He was sure that no one at the workhouse had spoken to her so kindly, or touched her tenderly like a mother tending a child.
"Who are you?" Lady Elisa asked again, this time without suspicion. She scooted over on the rudimentary bench so that Abigail could sit beside her.
"My name is Abigail Staton, and this is my brother, Joshua Staton. And this is Lord Thomas Brampton. I'm afraid we gained entry under false pretenses, telling the woman who opened the door to us that I was your cousin. Please play along if she comes over here again."
"Alright. But I still don't understand," she said, eyeing the gentlemen warily. She turned her attention back to Abigail. "What do you want from me?"
"Nothing. Only information," Abigail began. She lowered her voice, giving the woman in the corner a cursory glance. "We have reason to believe that you have been wronged by a Sir Ezra Filmore, or someone who now goes by that name."
Elisa's face crumpled. "You know Ezra Filmore? Has he sent you to find me?"
Thomas stepped forward, his hat in hand. "No, I’m afraid not. He is running for a political office against Mr. Staton. But we cannot allow him to be elected. It would be disastrous for the people."
"Of course it would!" Elisa said vehemently. "He tricked me into eloping and then left me stranded here."
"It's true, then?" Abigail took her hand again. "I am so sorry for the pain he has caused you. We needed to come here and find you to confirm the story."
"So that's it? You came to ask me about my story and just leave me here?" Elisa hung her head, tears streaming down her face. "My child died last winter because of that evil man. His own son died in this awful place because he did not want to take responsibility."
"We want to help you get out of here. Perhaps we can find you a job in London?"
Joshua stepped forward then, taking Abigail's arm and pulling her off the bench. "Excuse us for a moment." He took her aside, his anger seething just below the surface.
"Do you know how hard it is to get people out of the workhouse? Once they are in, they rarely come out!"
"Let go of my arm, Joshua. You're hurting me." Abigail jerked her arm free. Thomas joined them, stepping between Joshua and Abigail.
"She's right, Mr. Staton. We cannot just leave her here. Now that we've found her, we have to help her."
Joshua looked between them, scowling. "Very well. If you want to ruin your reputations by associating with the woman, then so be it. But I will have no more part in this scheme. She is a fallen woman."
"She was lied to and robbed, Joshua. What if something like this had happened to me? Would you not want someone to help me if they were able?" Abigail pleaded with her brother, but he did not look like he was going to listen. Something had caused a break in their relationship. Thomas could sense it. He placed a hand on Joshua's shoulder, trying to reason with him.
"We are not going to take her into our own homes, Mr. Staton. But I have many connections in London. Perhaps she will be able to start fresh there. No matter what we decide to do, I cannot in good conscience leave her here." He took a step backward and meant to rejoin Lady Elisa.
"On your own heads be it!" Mr. Staton whispered hotly and stormed out of the workhouse.
Abigail joined him at Elisa's side, letting out a breath. "Now, where were we?"
Thomas watched as she conversed with the unfortunate Lady Elisa, brought so low by that blackguard, Filmore. At least Sarah had not befallen the same fate. Yet. He had to make sure that he could not hurt anyone else the way he had hurt Elisa.
Despite his best efforts, his heart was warming towards Abigail. The more time he spent with her, the more time he wanted to devote to her company. She was kind and compassionate, as shown by how she was unafraid to take Elisa's hand. People contracted any number of diseases and illnesses in the workhouse. However, this did not seem to phase Abigail. She saw a fellow human in need and did what she could to help.
When they had finished talking with Elisa, they went over to the sour-faced woman. "I would like to pay Lady Elisa's debts and take her away from here. May I speak to the warden?"
Thomas went and made arrangements for Elisa to come back to London with them. He would secure her a place at a respectable home. She could change her name and quickly disappear within the masses. With no one the wiser about her past, she could start fresh and, if not forget what Sir Filmore had done to her, at least move past it.
Joshua was appalled when they came out of the workhouse several hours later with Lady Elisa in tow. "You told me that we would not be taking her to London with us."
Abigail led him aside so that Lady Elisa would not hear his rude remarks. Thomas watched them argue for a few moments. He felt guilty watching how passionate Abigail was about helping Elisa. He would never have thought of coming all the way to Bath to rescue the young woman if it had not been for Abigail. Would he have saved Elisa if not for Abigail as well? He was ashamed to admit that he would probably have left her there to rot after she had confirmed her story.
Joshua refused to ride in the carriage with the ruined Lady Elisa. "You may sit on the top of the coach with the driver, brother. We will not be offended," Abigail stated, dismissing her brother. Joshua's mouth hung open in shock, no doubt believing that Abigail would leave Lady Elisa at the workhouse at his outburst.
His face hardened, and he quickly retrieved his coat from the carriage. "Very well. Have it your way," he said and climbed up to sit next to the driver.
Thomas stepped to the door and held out his hand for Lady Elisa. She took it, her fingers as cold as ice. When she was settled, he turned to help Abigail into the coach.
"You were very brave today." He took her hand, her face colouring slightly at his touch. She looked up into his eyes, her eyes shining with tears. When she did speak, her voice quivered.
"I am only sorry that we cannot help all of the poor souls we saw in that workhouse today. We have helped one person escape, but there are at least one hundred more who have no hope of rescue."
Her words sliced through his heart like a knife. She was right, of course. He had been so focused on finding Lady Elisa so that they might find out the information they needed against Sir Filmore. He had not even glanced at the others. Ashamed, he handed her into the carriage.
Lady Elisa soon drifted off to sleep, no doubt feeling at ease to do so without keeping one eye open, as the expression went. How terror-filled had her slumber been since entering the workhouse? How miserable and lonely the days since her family had abandoned her and her child's death? His anger rekindled, he
vowed to make Sir Filmore pay for what he had done. Abigail took off her cloak and laid it over Lady Elisa's shoulders.
He offered her his hand and she took it this time, helping her over to his side of the carriage. "Thank you," she replied. "She'll be able to stretch out a bit now."
Thomas took off his coat and laid it over her shoulders. "I'm sorry I didn't think of that sooner. It must be chilly for her. Hopefully I will be able to find her a suitable position soon."
"Yes. She looks as if she has not known warmth or kindness or a full belly in a long time. Poor woman. I am glad that we were able to find her."
"You were wonderful, you know. I would have given up at the door if not for you pressing the warden's wife."
Abigail shook her head. "I only did what any other decent human being would have done."
Thomas took her hand, finding her fingers cold. He raised her hand to his lips and kissed her knuckles, lingering a little longer than was proper. "No. You are a rare treasure, Miss Abigail. I daresay not many people would have done what you did today. I am ashamed to say that I would never have come in search of her if not for you."
"She would still be there if you had not come to Joshua and me for help. Everything is connected. Everything happens for a reason." Abigail gazed out at the setting sun. "The stars will be out soon. There is no greater pleasure on earth than to gaze up at the stars and realise how small we are. And yet the Good Book says that the creator of the universe cares for us. Isn't that profound?"
Her eyes sparkled with such passion and conviction, making him feel guilty once again. "You are a marvel, Miss Abigail. I take for granted almost everything that brings you wonder. How do you do it?"
She turned to him, her eyes stricken. "I did not mean to offend you, sir. If I have said anything out of turn, I beg your forgiveness."
"On the contrary. I believe you are showing me just how selfish I have been all my life." He took her hand in a familiar gesture. Feeling her tense, he immediately let go. "I beg your pardon. I just feel that I could tell you anything and you would not judge me."
"It is not my place to judge you." Smiling up at him, she did not break his gaze this time. "Thank you for letting me come along. And I am sorry for my brother's behavior. He is not usually like this. He has been under tremendous strain with the campaign. I will speak to him when we get home and ask him to apologise."
"There is no need. He cares for you and wants to protect you."
Lady Elisa stirred, but without opening her eyes she lay down across the cramped seat of the coach, her legs curled up underneath her and fell back to sleep. The sun had set behind the rolling hills, and he could now only make out the outline of her face.
"I know he wishes to protect me. I think his focus has shifted to himself, though. I have never seen him like this before."
"It is not easy to become the man of the house. When my father died, I felt all the pressure of becoming Lord Brampton. The responsibility of caring for one's family can drive a man to distraction. It is not easy to have others depend on you."
"Do you have any siblings?"
"No surviving siblings. My little brother was taken by fever when he was three. All the rest died before they were born." The pain of being an only child for most of his life had haunted him. He was jealous of people like Abigail and Joshua. They at least had someone to walk through life with after their parents passed away. He had no one now that Sarah had left him.
"I'm so sorry, Lord Brampton." She took his hand and gave it a light squeeze. His heart beat madly in his chest at her touch. Did she ever think of herself? He did not think he had ever met someone as selfless as Abigail Staton.
He enveloped her dainty hand in his, wanting to give her a bit of warmth from his own hands. "Thank you. It's been a long time since I've had someone to talk to like this."
"I will always be here to listen."
Chapter 18
The next morning, Joshua had calmed down a bit. He had come home for luncheon, something he rarely did.
"I have just heard a rumor about Sir Filmore. It turns out that his name might not be Filmore after all!" Joshua took a sip of tea as his luncheon was served to him.
"Really? Who told you this?" Abigail set her silverware down and wiped her hands on the napkin in her lap. She stifled a yawn, still tired from their long journey the night before.
"One of my associates at the club. You wouldn't know him. Anyway, he told me that he heard that Filmore was born Jedediah Graham, a lowly cobbler's son. He has made his living by conning people. Now he wishes to cement his place in the ruling class by marrying well and having a brilliant political career." He took a bite of his food. While he chewed, she had a chance to think. Filmore must have changed his name just before his relationship with Lady Elisa. After interviewing the young woman, she had been unable to tell them anything about his past.
Abigail was at a loss as to why Lady Elisa would put her trust in a man she barely knew. However, some women were susceptible to any man with a charming wit and reasonably handsome face. She was thankful to her father for unwittingly teaching her was to judge people by their actions rather than appearances. He had always put on airs around his high-class patients, putting on that they were the perfect family. Oh, how appearances had deceived their neighbours and friends.
"We have to make this knowledge public. Who knows who else he's been lying to?" Abigail thought again of the new Mrs. Filmore. Perhaps she had fallen prey to his lies. She was trapped now, with little to be done for her save for divorce.
With so few possessing the means to get a divorce, much less the courage to go through with the scandal, it was unlikely that she would go through with a divorce. Mrs. Filmore was stuck for the rest of her days, and she may still be unaware of her husband's true nature.
"How are we going to make this public? Everyone is enamored of Sir Filmore. What if he turns the tables against me and it is I who is ruined instead?"
Joshua had a point. People would be hard to convince of Sir Filmore's dark past and sinister dealings.
"You could warn your colleagues, quietly. Let the rumor mill do its work. You know how quickly gossip travels in this city. I dare say, by this week’s end, he and his young wife will be driven from London if we get enough tongues wagging about his misdeeds."
"The trouble is not spreading the rumors, my dear sister, but having people believe them. It is worth a try though, I suppose. We need to have this mission over and done with as soon as possible. I'm sorry to say it, but I believe Lord Brampton is more of a loose cannon than I had bargained for. We need to distance ourselves from his as quickly as possible."
Abigail's heart nearly stopped. Not see Lord Brampton? She could not even comprehend her brother's statement. "Why would we do that?" she blurted.
"You just heard what I said didn't you? Lord Brampton is unpredictable. He made that very clear with our trip to Bath, do not you agree?"
Abigail looked down at her plate, her appetite suddenly gone. "No. I do not think we need to distance ourselves. He has been very generous. His actions in Bath yesterday saved a woman's life. I have come to admire him, really."
Joshua halted with his fork halfway to his mouth. Raising an eyebrow, he glared at her. "Don't tell me you are developing feelings for the man?"
Abigail swallowed hard. "Absolutely not. I see no reason to sever ties with him, though. We may all remain friends after our mission is complete, may we not?"
"He is not out friend, Abigail. He is paying us to do a job, nothing more. The sooner you get that in your head, the better. No doubt he will sever the connection when we have delivered what he wants. We will not have the unpleasant task of doing so ourselves." Joshua took his bite and turned his attention to the newspaper while Abigail boiled in her own misery.
