“Good afternoon, ladies.”
“And to you, Mr. Spencer. Please, have a seat,” Julie timidly requested.
What sort of amused him, she still insisted on calling him by his surname even though he’d said she could use his Christian name. Doing as she wished, he waited until she closed the book, after marking her spot with a pink ribbon and set it aside. Casually, or so he hoped, Thomas glanced at the spine to see the tome had been written by none other than Voltaire. What made it even more intriguing was seeingthe title Candide was in French. This had him curious if there was more to her than anyone knew.
“Miss Patrick, you must be bored not being allowed to leave the grounds. Is there anything I may do to make your forced stay more comfortable?”
“There is one. Suzy here is modestly skilled at playing the pianoforte. I would love it if we partook of a waltz.”
This, without a doubt, was one of the strangest requests he’d ever heard.
Bang.
Thomas jumped up and spun around searching for where the shot came from and saw the tiniest hint of smoke coming from the window of the house to their left. He turned back to Julie. Panic overtook him when he saw blood oozing from her arm. Before he could call out, Jones and the rest of the staff, all eight, poured out.
“It came from that house. Send people to the front and back. Cook, help me get Julie inside so you may treat her wound,” Thomas ordered.
“No.Suzy, you do that while I get what I need,” Cook directed, then disappeared inside.
Without a thought, he scooped Julie up, realizing she seemed to weigh no more than a feather and followed the maid in and up to a suite. Hers he supposed. Without thinking, he started to unbutton her dress when a very firm hand stopped him.
****
It had been two days since the attempt to push her in the Serpentine. From the report Mr. Spencer sent over, very little was learned from the man except his name. John Sydney. The man refused to tell the authorities who hired him to try to kill Jolene.
Now, she was anxiously pacing about her mother’s parlor, having to step over Samson who’d placed himself right in her path. The reason for him to lie in her way she could only hazard was to get her to sit beside her mother. Jolene stopped and turned back to the countess.
“I still don’t understand why my godmother and namesake insisted on taking me gown shopping this particular day.”
Jolene waited while her mother went to the door, glanced out, then retook her seat. All of this had Jolene curious as it was something she’d never done before.
“If I’m not mistaken, the duchess is using that as an excuse to remove you from here so Brendon may speak with your father, without you being aware.”
She sat down only to have her collie stand, walk over, and sit with his head in her lap. If Jolene wasn’t mistaken, her brat even sighed then closed his eyes.
“Do you believe he is going to ask father’s permission to offer for me?Finally?”
“Yes. We’ve, in private, discussed exactly that and agree he will be the perfect husband for you.”
“Even with my admitted stubbornness occasionally?”
The countess glanced at her with a raised brow.
“All right, all the time, but only when I’m working on a case,” Jolene said in her defense.
Footsteps in the hall alerted her that someone, not the duchess as they were too heavy, was approaching the sitting room. What had her worried was the fact the man was walking quite quickly, but not running which wasn’t allowed. She saw Bing step into the doorway.
“Excuse this interruption, m’ ladies. Jones has just arrived with a note to personally hand to you Lady Jolene.”
For her, this was highly unusual, as no one at the Brompton Road house knew where she lived. As with the secrecy of that place, they didn’t know of this for the same reason.
“Have him enter,” the countess directed.
Several heartbeats passed before the butler handed Jolene a hastily scribbled note.
Jolene,
Julie has been shot while in the garden at Vikki’s house. The wound is to her left arm and doesn’t appear to be very serious.
I don’t believe it will be safe for her to stay here. I await your direction as to where she may safely be moved.
Thomas
Jolene handed it over to her mother for a suggestion as to where Julie should go. The countess’ face went from a frown to a smile.
“I’ll have the earl order up your carriage while you change into a simpler dress. She’s coming here,” Kristina insisted.
“Jones, meet me in the courtyard in ten minutes.”
“Yes, Jolene.”
The casualness of his reply didn’t come as a surprise, considering that was how the butler knew her. She stood and while her mother went down the hall to her father’s office, she took the servant stairs up to her suite, Samson racing behind her.
After changing into a plain, simple, brown day dress, she went down to the foyer just as the duchess’s carriage came to a halt at the steps. Her coach was waiting ahead with Jones standing beside the door. She went to her godmother.
“Your Grace, my client has been shot. I have to go bring her back here. I’m sorry.”
“I’ll go with you, and that’s not up for debate, my dear.”
With an arm linked with the duchess’, Jolene went over to her carriage. She waited for Samson to climb in, then Jones helped the duchess then her in. Much to her happiness, the drive over was in silence. This allowed Jolene to review all the precautions the princess had set up to prevent something like this from happening. The houses on both sides of 22 Brompton Road were occupied by families loyal to the princess.
The note from Mr. Spencer didn’t say anything about apprehending the shooter. That would be one of her first questions after making sure Julie was strong enough to travel. The coach stopped in front of the house.
Helped out, Jolene rushed in and upstairs to Julie’s room, Samson and the duchess following. In the hall, she saw Thomas leaning against the wall. It appeared he was just staring at the closed door.
“What happened?” she demanded.
Jolene heard the latch being lifted then saw the duchess sweep in andclose the door.
“We were sitting on the veranda talking when she was shot. This wasn’t the first time we enjoyed thebeauty of the garden. When the staff arrived, quite quickly I should add, I dispatched them to the front and rear in the hopes of catching the shooter. He currently resides in the basement here.”
“Are you going to take him to your office to interrogate him?”
“I’d rather not, for I’m not trusting anyone there at the moment. Would the earl mind if the prisoner was kept in his basement?”
She was about to answer when the duchess stuck her head out of the door.
“Lady Julie Patrice is fit to travel.”
“What? Who?” Jolene and Mr. Spencer cried out at the same time.
“She’s another of my goddaughters who I thought had died in a boating accident when she was younger.”
“If she’s dressed, I’ll carry her down to the coach and accompany you and Your Grace back to the Hampshire townhouse. I’m assuming that’s where she’s going.”
“Yes, she is, and that is not up for discussion.” Jolene said.
“For the prisoner, I would prefer to move him at night.”
Without having to say anything, Jolene understood his reasoning. Less foot and carriage traffic.
Chapter Eighteen
As Brendon’stown carriage rolled into the Hampshire courtyard, he peered out the window and panic overtook him. The ducal coach was there, and it wasn’t supposed to be. His mother had planned a shopping excursion with Jolene so she’d not learn of him speaking with Robert, privately. Brendon relaxed slightly on spying the earl and countess on the top step. That meant the other two ladies might not be here and everything could proceed as planned.
When his coach came to a stop, he waited
for a footman to open the door then he climbed out and marched up to Robert and Kristina.
“M’ lord and lady, is something amiss?”
“You might say so, m’ lord. Let us retire to my office so we may speak. That is,after you ask your question,” Robert uttered.
He followed them in and up to the earl’s office then, once Kristina, with Robert beside her, were settled he took a seat across from them.
“Simply and quickly put, m’ lord, I would like your permission to formally offer for Lady Jolene.”
“Granted. When are you planning on asking her?”
“I believe it would be for the best to wait until this particular case is resolved. Then we will have the time to enjoy the crush of well-wishers.”
“That, m’ lord, is a very wise decision. Now, as for your mother’s carriage being here and she not, Julie has been shot. Our daughter and your mother have gone to collect her then return her here for the young girl’s safety.”
This wasn’t what he wanted to hear. This setback would most likely extend the case.For how long, he didn’t wish to know.
“Do you have any idea when they will return so I may be gone so Lady Jolene won’t learn of my presence?”
“If I’m not mistaken, considering when they left, they will be returning shortly so you’d best come up with a reason for being here,” Kristina suggested.
Brendon rested his chin in the palm of his hand. After a moment, he lifted his head and focused on Robert.
“M’ lord, you sent me a note of what happened, and I came over almost immediately.”
“Yes, that will be perfect and as I believe the coach is entering the courtyard, we should go down to greet them. I’ve already instructed Mrs. Stoneworth to open the pink suite and prepare to treat a gunshot wound,” Kristina directed to Brendon.
With that, Brendon followed them back down and out to the portico. Once the carriage came to a halt, he started down the steps as a footman opened its door. Helping first his mother then Jolene out, he waited while Thomas passed him the wounded young woman.
Before Brendon could say or do anything, Spencer took her back then carried her up to the earl and countess.
“Sir, this is Mrs. Stoneworth, she will take you to the suite set aside for Julie. You are then to leave the room and not enter until she says you may. Do I make myself clear?”
“Yes, you do, m’ lady.”
Brendon then offered his mother and Jolene his arms, but the duchess refused. Instead,shesweptup to Robert and Kristina.
“We must talk,” the duchess demanded.
“She’s correct. You won’t believe what we learned when we arrived at the house,” Jolene added.
Settled back in the office, with Jolene at his side on a settee, Brendon was curious as to what his mother meant.
“Jolene, the girl you know as Julie Patrick is in reality Lady Julie Patrice. She is my goddaughter who we all thought died years ago in a boating accident. Her parents, Viscount and Viscountess Cullen, became so distraught they went and have for the past fifteen years, been in seclusion on their estate, to the detriment of their tenants from what I understand.”
With this new information, Brendon started pondering the idea they might be behind the counterfeiting. Then again, for what reason?Could it be they wished to rebuild their funds, trading forgeries for real money and Cooper somehow either found out or learned of it. Thusly, he had to be killed. Julie could have seen it, and that’s why someone tied to shoot her earlier. All of this he would have to talk over with Jolene, in private or as close to as possible. Later.
“Godmother, would you feel more comfortable having her with you at the palace?”
“No, Jolene, as she knows you and my son who appears to enjoy being here more than his home. Lady Julie is better off here.”
“Thank you, and here is Thomas to finish informing us of what happened,” Jolene said.
Brendon waited for the Met officer to enter, bow, then stand in front of everyone.
“Your Grace, m’ lords and ladies, as I said earlier I was visiting with Julie. We were on the veranda, and she’d just asked about having her maid Suzy play a waltz so we could dance when Julie was shot. Currently, the shooter is in the basement of the Brompton Road house waiting to be questioned.”
“Aren’t you turning him over to your people at the Met?”
“As I told Her Grace and Lady Jolene, I don’t trust anyone in my department. I’d rather keep the shooting as quiet as possible. To that end, Lord Hampshire, I would like to bring the man here once it gets dark.”
“Granted. Now, how is the patient?”
“Right now, she’s sleeping. Lady Hampshire, do I have your permission to remain for a little while and visit with her?”
“Yes, you may as long as there is a maid in the room to protect Julie’s honor. Also, under no condition are you to refer to the young lady as Lady Julie,” Kristina directed.
“Of course, the chaperone was also the condition laid down by Jolene and Vikki at the house where she had been.”
Now, Brendon needed to convince his mother to take her goddaughter shopping for a new dress as he wished to fully continue with talking, in private, with Robert.
“Mother, Lady Jolene, as the afternoon is still young why don’t you return to your original plan of buying new gowns?”
Patiently, he waited for them to absorb the idea and smiled, to himself, when Jolene agreed they should. He stood when the ladies did then escorted them down and out to the ducal carriage. As he watched, it disappeared onto the road leading toward the dress shop. He turned back to be met by Robert wearing anexpression of confusion possibly about the reason why he wanted the ladies to leave.
“M’ lord, shall we take a walk as I’m tired of sitting,” Brendon suggested.
“Certainly, as I also suspect what you wish to discuss you would prefer Her Ladyship wasn’t aware of?”
Making their way around the townhouse to the garden, Brendon easily chose which of several topics to bring up first.
“M’ lord, I have thought about this long and hard, for the last several years. After Lady Jolene accepts me, if she does, the discussion will then turn to the marriage contract. Simply put, write down what you wish from me and I’ll sign it.”
“First off, to make this go along much easier let’s use Christian names, Brendon. Let me ask you this, are you sure? Don’t forget as she is ten and nine, Jolene has in the past, and continues to be, very expensive. Granted, she does bring in extra funds from the cases she solves. Her private carriage for an example.”
“Along with a team of excellent horses with a coachman and footman. As for that, I’m aware you and Kristina continued your work until she started increasing and only retired when Jolene was born. That too will continue as she loves helping solve the unsolvable. I will, if she needs and wishes, work along-side her. Heaven knows she tends to get herself into situations where she’s in danger. I refer to the white slave case. If it hadn’t been for Samson we might have lost her forever.”
“On that last point, you are more thancorrect. For the others, I’m happy she will be able to continue what could end up being a family tradition. Reining her in at times could be difficult, but I’m happy you will do your best to do that. There were a few times I wasn’t able to with Kristina.”
With those items resolved, he hoped, Brendon decided to speak with Robert about what he’d originally planned to talk to Jolene about. He felt the earl might be able to give more insight into them.
“Robert, do you know Viscount Cullen?”
“Only from what your mother said. Why?”
“I didn’t wish to say anything earlier and had originally planned on discussing my thoughts with Jolene. The more I mulled it over in my mind the more I became convinced we should talk about them. I know of them as they are in the district next to mine. From people in the adjoining villages they appear to be well flushed and the tenants well cared for. The problem being, both have heavy
gambling problems and are deep in debt. As they don’tseem to come to town that is unknown to everyone.”
Brendon waited as Robert took in this damaging information regarding a peer. Of course, betting and winning or losing wasn’t unusual as many did. The only question, if asked, he wasn’t able to answer, how did the fake bank note get into London, specifically the jeweler.
“You are sure about this to where the authorities could step in? But to what end? It still doesn’t explain how the forgery came to London? Or how Jack Cooper ended up with one. Not to mention why and who shot at Julie?” Robert asked.
“As for the Met, we’d need to find firm evidence. With Jolene having her people keeping a watch over the jeweler, there is a possibility we could learn what we wish. What we need to do is find a painting of the viscountess so a rendering in pencil can be made for her informant to use as a reference.”
With so much to learn and resolve, and soon so he could offer for Jolene, Brendon led Robert back to his townhouse. Walking in, he smiled as the ducal carriagewas returning.
Chapter Nineteen
Jolene waited for the ducal carriage carrying her, the duchess, and Samson to move away from her parents’ townhouse before glancing over to her godmother.
“Do you have any idea why Brendon wished us to continue on with our planned trip to the dress shop? I also don’t believe him about receiving a note from father. It appeared too contrived.”
“Yes, my dear. The original plan was go visit Mrs. Holly for a ball gown for you, a gift from myself. With us away, he could come to speak with the earl requesting permission to offer for you. I can only surmise he didn’t have the necessary time and now wished to.”
For Jolene, this was not just good but excellent news. She had already discussed this with her mother and learned approval would be easily given. With that taken care of, her thoughts turned to Viscount Cullen. There had to be more about them that no one was aware of. Somehow, she, through her contacts, would have to not only learn but find out if they were actually short of funds. Was it possible one of them had ordered Julie killed? If so, what would have been the reason?
To Save a Lady Page 10
