Temptations of Anna Jacobs

by Robyn DeHart

  Alex nodded. “Very well, we shall be there.”

  Drew handed him the invitation. “Thank you.”

  Chapter Twenty-One

  Anna couldn’t remember the last time she’d been this nervous, nor the last time they’d had any sort of social affair at their house. The servants were all abuzz getting everything ready. Her mother flitted about, going from the dining room to the parlor to the kitchen, ensuring every detail was precisely carried out. If Anna wasn’t mistaken, there was a new energy to her mother, a youthful surge.

  She suspected a certain doctor was to be given the credit for such a change, and Anna was ready to thank him personally. Since the death of her husband, Lady Wickersham had spent all of her time and efforts on her children, when she herself still had so much living to do. Anna found herself smiling as Risa finished the buttons on Anna’s gown.

  “You look lovely, my dear,” Risa said.

  “Thank you. You’ve truly outdone yourself with my hair this evening.” Anna touched the soft curls bundled at the nape of her neck. Sapphire hair pins sparkled throughout the strands, winking at the matching necklace and earbobs. The deep blue gown was spectacular, another that her mother had purchased without Anna’s presence. Anna would never have sought out such a rich hue and was surprised to see how well it suited her.

  The clock hanging on the opposite wall chimed. It was time; the guests would be arriving at any moment, and Anna would wager Lady Wickersham was tied in knots down below, pacing holes in the corridor rug. Anna stood, took one last look in the mirror, then left her room. Her shoes made only a whisper of a noise as she made her way down the stairs.

  As she’d predicted, her mother walked back and forth in the corridor, her hands clasped tightly together.

  “Mother, what are you so nervous about?”

  She started at the sound of Anna’s voice. “Gracious, child, you cannot simply sneak up on a person in such a fashion. You nearly gave me a fright.”

  Anna grinned. “I could probably assist you were to you have such a medical emergency. Or Doctor Harrison could—you did invite him, did you not?”

  “Yes, Mitchell is coming. He was pleased, as the particular show he was going to take me to has received wretched reviews in The Times.”

  “Very good then. Tonight should be a lovely affair.” Anna sounded calm, for which she was thankful. Inside, though, her stomach stirred with nerves. “I do think wandering the halls is perhaps not a good idea. Shall we adjourn to the parlor and allow the butler to answer the door?”

  “Oh, yes, that’s precisely what we should do.” Her mother smiled warmly at her. “You know, I’m not certain how this dinner party will come off, but I admit I enjoyed putting it together. Thank you for suggesting it.”

  “Anytime.” They moved into the parlor, where her mother sat, then stood, then sat again.

  Someone knocked on the door and Anna and her mother both jumped. “Good heavens, you’d think the two of us never have company.”

  Her mother laughed and in walked Doctor Harrison. “I’m sorry that I missed whatever elicited that lovely laugh.” He stepped over to Anna’s mother and leaned over her hand. “You look beautiful, Lucinda.”

  She blushed prettily. “Thank you, Mitchell.”

  Before Anna and her professor could greet one another, Drew arrived with the Duke and Duchess of Carrington in tow. Introductions were made and Anna was struck by the duchess’s beauty. She was striking, with her dark hair, fair skin and unusual blue eyes. And she looked right at Anna as if she could see her. Anna decided immediately that she liked Mia, quite a bit.

  The bell rang and the adjoining dining room doors were opened. Her mother had seen to it that the duke was seated at the head of the table and herself at the foot. The rest of the guests were scattered about, with Drew next to Anna. It would seem her mother was, indeed, still playing matchmaker.

  The first course of dinner was served, and Anna’s stomach growled in response to the rich aroma steaming up from her soup. She took a spoonful and savored the layers of flavor.

  “You look beautiful, Anna,” Drew whispered next to her.

  She looked over at him and smiled. “You do as well.”

  His brows rose, and she felt the utter fool. “Thank you,” he said with a grin.

  It was a stupid thing to say, though not untrue. He was beautiful; there was no denying that. She wished her mother’s efforts at matchmaking weren’t in vain, wished that things might have been different between her and Drew, as he’d told her once. But he had said himself that they couldn’t be together. Now that she thought about it, he’d never said precisely why they couldn’t be together, but she’d seen the haunted look in his gaze when he’d said it. She’d known he meant what he said, no matter how much she might wish otherwise.

  “Have you had a chance to discuss matters with your professor?” he asked.

  “No, I haven’t.” She blotted her mouth with her napkin. “Doctor Harrison, since you have already assisted with one aspect of the investigation, I wonder if perhaps you could spare another opinion.”

  “Annabelle, honestly, I should hardly think that is appropriate dinner conversation. Not to mention the duke and duchess probably do not wish to hear such things.”

  “Don’t censure yourselves on our account,” Mia said. “Considering everything we went through earlier this year with that monster, nothing said here can unsettle us.”

  “My wife is right. This is an intimate setting,” the duke said. “If you have matters of business to discuss, by all means, please proceed.”

  But Anna’s mother was still horrified.

  “Lucinda, I don’t believe Anna will say anything graphic about the killings themselves so you needn’t worry about that. And I want to do anything I can to assist. We all want this criminal caught,” Doctor Harrison said gently.

  “Correct. I don’t have any details, merely an observation I’d like evaluated,” Anna said.

  “Yes, of course, I simply didn’t want anyone to be offended.” Lady Wickersham smiled. “I want him caught, too. Then my dear son might return from Scotland. And we’ll all be safer.”

  Anna had never seen her mother handled so expertly. She obviously trusted Doctor Harrison a great deal. “Very well. In studying my notes, I noticed one other thing about the previous murders. It is quite obvious that the killer is quite skilled with his weapon. I wondered if perhaps he’d had medical training.”

  He met her gaze as she spoke and immediately she felt the fool for even mentioning such a thing. To assume that someone who had studied medicine could perform such cruel acts was asinine.

  But then he exhaled slowly. “It is a crime against the profession to abuse your training in such a way,” he said. “I’d have to review your notes again, but after what I’ve seen so far, I’d say it is certainly a possibility that Jack the Ripper is a doctor, but it’s doubtful.”

  Anna’s heart sank. She’d thought for certain she was onto something with that theory.

  “I’d wager, though, that he has had some manner of training, gone to school. I doubt though that he completed his degree, or at the very least doesn’t practice the profession. I simply cannot see a practicing doctor being so cruel, to kill a woman in such a painful way.”

  So she had been right.

  “I read in The Times about the newest murder,” the duke said. “It said there was a witness.”

  Drew set his spoon down and eyed his brother. “Indeed. I’m doubtful he’s a true witness though. I find his story rather suspicious.”

  Anna wondered if Drew would tell the rest of their party about the second killer. But that seemed unlikely.

  “You think he might be the Ripper himself?” Mia asked. “I would know if it was him. You should allow me to meet him.”

  Alex came to his feet. “Absolutely not.”

  Drew hel
d his hand up. “Wait, Alex, before you make a decision. It’s actually a great idea. I should very much like to rule him out as a suspect for the Ripper. Mia would be the perfect way to do that.”

  “I’m confused,” Lady Wickersham said, “why is it that the duchess would know anything about Jack the Ripper?”

  Anna couldn’t help but smile that even her mother could be lured into one aspect of the mystery.

  “I witnessed one of his murders. It was how Alex and I met,” Mia said. “I wouldn’t know him by sight, obviously, but there are other means. For instance, I can tell that you, Lady Wickersham, have a lovely smile. I can hear the kindness in your voice.”

  Anna’s mother smiled and thanked the duchess.

  “You want me to give you permission to bring my wife into the room with a man who is possibly the worst killer this city has ever seen?” the duke asked. “Have you lost your senses completely, Drew? Even if she hadn’t already been through a horrific ordeal”—he shook his head—“no, I most certainly cannot allow this.”

  “She would be perfectly safe. We’d be at the Scotland Yard offices,” Drew said.

  “Yes, I’d be perfectly safe,” Mia chimed in.

  Anna liked the woman more and more as the dinner progressed. She’d wager they weren’t the only dinner party in London discussing Jack the Ripper. The crimes had captivated the city, and everyone was talking about it. Still, she knew that at this table, here in her family’s house, they had more of the truth at their hands than anyone else.

  “If that is supposed to make me feel better”—Alex shook his head—“it doesn’t. You can’t possibly understand, Drew. You don’t know what it’s like to love a woman and nearly lose her.”

  “You’re right, I don’t know what that’s like. But I do believe I can imagine,” Drew said, and he met Anna’s gaze.

  Her heart seemed to stop beating and her breath caught. Certainly he wasn’t trying to imply that he loved her; she knew that much was true. More than likely he merely thought of the night he saved her from that leech in the pub. Drew had been so angry when that man had pawed at her.

  “Love, I offered. You know how I feel about this. If I can be of assistance in catching him, I want to be. He knows where I am. If he still wanted to kill me, he’d have tried again,” Mia said.

  “Good heavens,” Anna’s mother said, her hand coming to her throat. “You poor dear.”

  Doctor Harrison reached his hand across the table and covered Lady Wickersham’s hand, and surprisingly enough, she didn’t pull away.

  “If you believe me to be in such danger, come along and protect me,” Mia told her husband.

  “So you will help me?” Drew asked.

  “I’m the duke, for heaven’s sake. Doesn’t that count for something with my family?” Alex asked.

  “It gets us all the best invitations in London, and I’m told we have wonderful seats at the theatre,” Mia said.

  Everyone at the table laughed. For the rest of the dinner they shared more standard mealtime conversation: new engagements announced, the horrible play that Doctor Harrison had nearly taken Anna’s mother to, the unusually chilly weather for this time of year.

  When it was over, they retired briefly to the parlor and Mia regaled them with tales of what she thought people looked like based on how they smelled and sounded. Anna hadn’t laughed in such a fashion in so very long. Nor had she seen her mother so happy.

  When Doctor Harrison rose to leave, he pulled Anna aside. “I should expect you’ve deduced that I’m attempting to woo your mother.”

  Anna smiled. “By all accounts, you’re doing an excellent job.”

  “I know it’s not customary to seek permission from a daughter, but you and I have a professional relationship, and you must know I’m rather fond of you. I’d hate to go against your wishes.”

  Anna pulled the man into a quick embrace. “You may definitely have my permission to court my mother. I haven’t seen her this happy in years, and I thank you. Not merely because she’s suddenly become slightly more supportive of my education, but because she’s living her life again. She needed that.”

  “Is that a yes?”

  “Yes, please keep doing whatever it is you’re doing.”

  “We should retire for the evening as well,” Mia said. “Evidently I have a big day tomorrow.” She grinned up at her husband, who pulled her to him.

  “You, my dear, are incorrigible.”

  “And you love me.”

  Their mutual adoration shot a wistful pain through Anna. She did want that. More than ever now that she’d met Drew. But he’d made it abundantly clear they did not have a future.

  “I’ll see you out,” Lady Wickersham said, and suddenly Anna and Drew were left alone in the parlor.

  “Will you meet me tonight?” she asked.

  “Of course.” He frowned. “For what?”

  She chewed at her lip. “I’ll tell you later. Meet me at Simon’s.”

  He nodded and then closed the distance between them and kissed her softly. “I’ve been wanting to do that all evening.”

  She looked up at him, breathless.

  “That dress makes me want to do all sorts of wicked things to you.” His eyes darkened and he kissed her again, this time more deeply.

  He wanted her, she knew that much. But he didn’t want her for his wife, for whatever reason. There was no legitimate reason why. His brother, the duke, had married a blind girl. Even her mother seemed to have found love.

  If he wasn’t courting her properly, then it must be because of some fault that lay with her. Which meant that all the flirting and kissing wasn’t rooted in genuine attraction, but rather in some ridiculous notion that it was the only way to keep her working with him.

  It was that thought and that thought alone that gave her the strength to pull away from him.

  “My mother could return,” she said in a whisper.

  “Of course. My apologies, Anna. I shall meet you later tonight.”

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  Anna met Drew at the carriage door before he could even step down.

  “Anna!” Drew said. “You startled me. I was expecting to meet you inside the house.”

  She climbed into the carriage and gave Drew the address to tell the driver.

  He sat back. “Where precisely are we going in such a hurry?”

  “London’s School of Medicine. It neighbors my college.”

  He’d half hoped—thought that she’d requested a meeting tonight because she’d wanted to start an affair. He’d spent the better part of the time since he’d left her trying to think of how he’d tell her no. He’d considered all of the reasons why they shouldn’t be together, and compared to his desire for her, all of those arguments seemed weak at best. But the medical school—he hadn’t anticipated that. “Why, might I ask?” The carriage lurched forward.

  “We are going to investigate my theory about the Ripper having been a medical student. I thought we could go and look through the records and see if any of the names match any of those on the tobacco shop list of yours,” she said.

  His brows shot upward. “Impressive idea. Is your professor going to be meeting us there?” he asked.

  “Not precisely. This school is different than the one I attend, so I don’t exactly have any contacts to get us inside.” She pulled her cloak tighter around her. “We’re going to have to simply sneak in.”

  He chuckled. “You are becoming quite the little criminal. Are you getting a taste for breaking into buildings? Should I be concerned?” he teased. “Have I brought out your criminal nature?”

  “No, I think I shall be able to control myself. But I’d be a liar if I said I didn’t enjoy the thrill of it all.”

  “Indeed.” Damn, he wished he didn’t enjoy her company so much. It would make it much easier to break ties with he
r when this investigation came to an end. Speaking of which, he hadn’t told her his decision. “So I thought about the question you asked me, that first day in Simon’s study.”

  “About you staying on with the Yard?”

  “Yes. I’m not certain if the offer will still be there when this case is closed, but if it is I should very much like to stay on. I’ve found I’ve developed a taste for investigation.”

  She smiled. “I am pleased to hear that, and I suspect Simon will be as well. He’s coming home, did you hear?”

  “When?”

  “Next week. He’s nearly wrapped up the training and he’s got the clearance to return.” She shrugged. “I suppose the commander who sent him there has decided he’s paid enough penance.”

  “More than likely they’re ready to have him return now that they believe the Ripper murders have started up again,” Drew said.

  They were quiet for several moments as the carriage continued to wind through the streets of London. Drew heard Anna’s soft exhalations in the darkness between them. He seemed to be holding his own breath, wanting to quiet himself so he could hear her every move. He wished she had sat next to him so she could be closer, but she’d sat in the seat across from him. Which in truth was better, considering he had already put his paws on her earlier that night. He was beginning to not be able to control himself around her.

  The carriage rolled to a stop and Drew stepped down, then helped her exit as well. “Where to?”

  “Around this way.” She grabbed his hand and pulled him along with her beside the stone wall that surrounded the two white limestone buildings. They rose ominously in the night sky like large, bulky soldiers. There was a heavy metal gate blocking their entrance. Thankfully they were able to shimmy between the iron curls to get into the school’s courtyard.

  Next they padded along in the darkness, hand in hand, creeping to the back of the larger of the two buildings. Shrubberies grew up around the base of the limestone, some of the vines climbing the walls to the windows on the upper stories. Behind one shrub, they discovered a black door.