by Wendy Vella
“You know him?”
“No, we started chatting through the performance. He’s a lawyer... well, training to be.”
“You can talk to anyone, Kitty Dodds.” Rose shook her head.
“It’s polite to converse, you always tell me.”
Her friend looked happy, her eyes alive as she took in the sights. The hardness had gone from her face; for tonight at least she had left her worries behind.
“This is my friend, Mr. Trent, Miss Rose Abernethy. She’s from Scotland, and if she speaks slowly you may have a chance of understanding her.”
“Och now, that’s not true,” Rose said in her thickest brogue.
Mr. Trent was thin, tall, and had the softest brown eyes, which spent a great deal of time focused on Kitty as they talked. His suit was of a fine cloth in a somber brown, his shirt white, and necktie neatly folded. Brown curls were cut short, and he was in one word... neat.
“Rose,” Kitty whispered.
“What?”
“He’s asked if he could see me one day.”
“Mr. Trent?”
Her friend nodded, eyes wide. She looked nervous, which was not a look Rose was used to seeing on Kitty Dodds.
“I think you should, he seems a nice man.”
“But I’m not a nice woman.”
“Pardon?” Kitty’s words surprised Rose.
“My past, it’s not good, and I’m loud and some would say mouthy, and I curse.”
“And these things make you a bad person?”
Her friend nodded.
“Now you listen to me, Kitty Dodds, and listen well. You are the best person I’ve ever met. I’d be lost without you, so you can stop this silliness at once. You’re kind, and beautiful, and more genuine than most. So you turn round and say yes to Mr. Trent right this minute.”
“Really?” Kitty’s teeth dug into her bottom lip.
“Really.” Rose made a shooing gesture.
She sat facing forward while Kitty replied to Mr. Trent, then her friend gripped her arm.
“I did it.”
“Excellent, and we will have you dressed like a duchess on the day.”
“I’m nervous.”
“That’s a good thing.” Rose patted her hand.
“Rose?”
“Yes, Kitty?”
“I am so pleased you accepted those tickets for us from Captain Sinclair.”
“Me too.”
“Do you suppose he is up there somewhere with the duke?”
Rose’s looked to where the private boxes were filled with society members.
“He puts his trousers on one leg at a time like everyone else, Kitty,” Rose said.
“Very likely, yet his trousers are stitched in gold thread.”
Rose giggled. Yes, he would be there with the Duke and Duchess of Raven, where he should be, way above her.
“Are those men having an argument?” Rose said, looking to where a group below them appeared to be jostling each other, their voices, if possible, raised above those around them.
“Silly young fools,” Kitty said. “Oooh, look right, Rose!”
She did, and saw Captain Sinclair and the Duke of Raven. Why were they down here? Surely this was no place for them.
“One of the men in Ranwich House said the captain was a man not to be messed with. Apparently he was a crack shot and was sometimes used as a sniper or one of the first on the line.”
“Really?” Rose felt sick at the thought of him anywhere near danger, yet knew of course he had been and suffered an injury because of it.
“He was a leader, Mr. Howarth said. His men loved him and would follow him anywhere. When he took the bullet to the leg, he kept fighting until he passed out from blood loss.”
“Dear Lord.”
“They thought he would lose the leg.”
“The duchess told me that.”
“But he fought them off, even delirious. You have to wonder what that kind of pain and what he went through does to a man.”
It makes him go into himself.
“Well I never! They are entering the fray, Rose. I have to say it does my heart good to see such a display of heroic behavior. But then we already know what Captain Sinclair is about; after all, he fought Bull for me.”
“How do you know they are being heroic?”
“I doubt they are down there to pass the time of day.”
“You don’t think they are visiting friends?” Rose couldn’t keep her eyes from the tall form of Captain Sinclair. He seemed to command the space as he walked. So tall, so.... Rose couldn’t think of the word, and refused to sigh yet again over him.
“I doubt that. They’re bloody handsome, the pair of them, don’t you think?”
“Lord yes.” Rose couldn’t lie.
The men were taller than most, so they could watch their progress clearly.
“Well done!” Kitty shrieked. “Captain Sinclair has just bodily picked that man up, shaken him.”
“The duke is now pointing his finger, and can I say, if a duke pointed his finger at me I would be chastened,” Rose said. “I do not like violence.”
“It’s hardly violent. Those silly fools barely touched each other, and now the captain and duke are snuffing out further rumblings. If they had not, then whatever was happening would have escalated.”
“Good shot, Captain!” Kitty yelled, as one of the men swung at him and the captain blocked the punch with one hand and knocked the man down with the other.
“May I enquire what is happening, Miss Dodds?” Mr. Trent asked.
“Those two men,” Kitty pointed to where Captain Sinclair and the Duke of Raven stood, “are friends of Rose’s, Mr. Trent, and have been snuffing out the disturbance down there between two young fools.”
“They are not my friends, Mr. Trent,” Rose said quickly. “I work for the duke.”
“And all those other things the captain has done for you, Rose. Don’t forget those,” Kitty said.
As if that was likely.
“That’s it, shake some sense into him, Captain!” Kitty yelled. “It does my heart good to see those silly fools taken to task.”
Rose shot a look at Mr. Trent to see how he was responding to Kitty’s behavior. The man was smiling at her, and Rose could only find one word for the look on his face: besotted.
Returning to the scene below, she settled her eyes on the handsome captain once more.
“Well that’s been snuffed out,” Kitty said, taking her seat. “Very entertaining.”
“I shall never understand men,” Rose said, doing the same.
“As likely they shall never understand women, Rose, but that is one of the joys of life. Are the duke and captain now coming our way?”
“Of course not.” Rose shook her head to reinforce her words. “Why would they want to come this way?”
“Perhaps they wish to check we are happy with our seats?”
“Men like that don’t do such things.” As the last word left her mouth, Captain Sinclair’s gaze caught and held hers.
Dear Lord, he was coming their way.
“Good evening, Miss Dodds, Miss Abernethy.”
He stood to her left, in the aisle, looking disturbing in a deep blue jacket and matching waistcoat. His trousers were white, his necktie the same. His eyes brushed over Rose before acknowledging Kitty.
“Good evening, Captain Sinclair. Thank you very much for the tickets, we are enjoying the show tremendously.”
“Especially the performance that just took place,” Kitty added.
“Fools.” Just one word, but it conveyed perfectly how Captain Sinclair felt about the men they had just left. “The incident was about to escalate and ruin the theatre for other patrons.”
“Then I’m sure they are grateful for your intervention, Captain.”
“Do you know that actor, Miss Abernethy? The one who appeared shocked at seeing you.”
“I do not, Captain, and believe it must have been a case of mistaken identity.”<
br />
Of course he’d seen what took place; his eyesight would allow that.
“Perhaps.”
Wolf couldn’t keep his eyes off Rose. She was stunning in that dress, her hair bundled high. Around her head was a lavender ribbon, tied in a bow beneath her ear.
“Are you enjoying the performance, Miss Abernethy?”
“Oh yes, thank you, your Grace.”
“Samantha has been practicing diligently on the piece you left her with.”
Rose’s smile made something move in his chest; he hoped like hell it wasn’t his heart.
“She is very talented, your Grace.”
“So she tells me.”
“And a very sweet, young lady.”
The duke sighed. “It was only a year ago she was a sweet, young girl.”
“If you will both excuse me, I wish to get some refreshment for Miss Dodds before the performance begins once more.”
Before he could offer to do it for her, Rose had stepped around her friend and several other guests to reach the stairs in the other aisle. He watched her go, his mind working through what he was suddenly feeling. Agitation was the only option he could come up with. Was it just because he was near Rose?
Looking to the box that his family stood in, he saw all was well, and yet he could not shake the feeling something was off.
“Is all well, Wolf?”
“I think so.”
“You think so?”
“I need to go after Rose, James.”
“Because?”
“I don’t know.”
The duke studied him, and whatever he saw had him nodding.
“Very well, and I shall give Miss Dodds a treat and take her back to my box. Should you require us, look up. Dev will see you.”
Wolf waited no longer, taking the stairs up two at a time.
“A young woman dressed in gray was here seconds ago; did you see which way she went?” he asked a man.
He pointed to a door.
“One of the actors took her in there.”
Wolf didn’t hesitate, he ran. Opening the door, he hurried down the hall and found himself in a room full of performers. Rose stood in the middle.
“Who are you?” the actor who had looked shocked to see her demanded.
“What is going on?” All eyes fell on Wolf as he moved through the actors to Rose’s side. “Why have you brought Miss Abernethy here?”
“This man asked to have a word with me, and I agreed after his reaction to me while on stage.”
“Not a very wise move, considering what has happened to you recently, madam.”
“They are actors, Captain, not villains. I’m sure I am quite safe here backstage.”
“I would disagree, and add that nowhere is safe for you alone!” He hadn’t meant to roar, but the last word had come out that way.
“I don’t answer to you.”
“You need to answer to someone, as you obviously can’t look after yourself.”
“I’m sorry to interrupt, and entertaining though this is, we need to prepare for the next act.”
Rose switched her glare from Wolf back to the man before her.
“Of course, forgive me.” Rose’s words were stiff, telling Wolf she was not happy with him. He cared little for that; the woman was in danger, he could feel it, and she needed to be made aware of that fact. Especially as he had visited the Watch House again today and spoken with a different constable. The man had been shocked by his questions as to why the men were released. Wolf had suggested money had exchanged hands, which the man had not appreciated at all.
“I was shocked to see you, miss, because you look like an actress who once worked here with us. Lavinia Smyth. She was a favorite of many, and performed in front of packed theatres night after night. Then one day she up and left, and we never saw her again, only heard she’d had a babe and it died along with her.”
“I’m sorry for your loss, but I don’t know this woman,” Rose said calmly. “I was born in Edinburgh.”
“You’re her double, right down to the eyes. Her left was slightly darker than the right also.”
These words were spoken by an elderly woman. Painted and powdered, she wore a bright red wig and red robes. Her face was lined, and she was glaring at Rose.
“She’s obviously not this woman,” Wolf said.
“Not her,” the woman said. “Her daughter.”
“Miss Abernethy was born in Scotland, as she’s told you,” Wolf said, resting the palm of his hand on Rose’s back. She’d shuffled closer to his side as the lady’s hostility increased. “Is this Lavinia Smyth from there?”
Everyone in the room shook their heads.
“Well then, I think it is a case of mistaken identity,” he added.
“It’s her, I tell you! No one had that hair, nor those eyes.” The woman spat the words.
“Adjust your tone, madam. You have no right to speak to Miss Abernethy that way, as she has done nothing to deserve it.”
“It’s all right, Captain. I’m sure they mean me no harm,”
Wolf looked at the woman and wasn’t so sure.
“There’s only one way to prove it,” the woman said, stepping closer. “I was her best friend, and she told me that all Smyth women had a birthmark on their left shoulder. Looks like a set of wings.”
Rose jerked beneath his hand. The movement was small, but he felt it.
“It’s all right.” He slid the hand to her waist and eased her closer still. “I’m here.”
Her eyes were filled with shock as she looked up at him.
“Do you have this birthmark?” a man demanded.
“Step back now,” Wolf said softly. “I will not ask next time,” he added. The man stepped back.
“I want to know the truth!” the woman said.
“Back away.” Wolf kept his voice even. “Now.”
She did, her face losing its anger.
“She was my friend, and he killed her.”
“Who?” Rose stepped forward and took the woman’s hand, seeing the hurt so clearly etched in her face now the anger had gone. “Who hurt your friend?”
“Don’t know his name. Some man who came here to see Lavinia. Lured her away from us with promises of jewels and marriage, then she died. We loved her. All of us, and he took her from us.”
“And you do not know who this man was?” Rose whispered.
“She wouldn’t tell us his name... not even me,” the woman said. “And then she was gone, and we never saw her again.”
“I am not her daughter.”
Rose was now comforting the woman who minutes ago had scared her. She had a great capacity for caring, and it was just another facet of her personality that he responded to. He saw it with Miss Dodds and the veterans at Ranwich House, plus the way she was with his little cousins and Samantha.
“My mother and father died from an illness just after I was born, and I went to live with my aunt in Edinburgh.” Rose spoke slowly, precisely. “I’m truly sorry.”
The woman cupped both Rose’s cheeks, then kissed one softly before letting her go. Rose turned to Wolf, and he saw the panic. She reached for him, taking the hand he offered, gripping his fingers tight as he led her from the room.
Chapter 22
They had walked a few paces along the hall before she stopped suddenly to look up at him.
“It can’t be true, don’t you see. My aunt would never have lied to me about my parents, it wasn’t her way.” Her look was desperate.
“You did not believe it in there, so why now?”
“I could not allow them to see my doubt.”
Worry marred her lovely features. Worry that what she’d always believed her life was had been a lie.
“Did you believe them, Captain Sinclair?”
“A few people saying something is so does not mean it is, Rose. Yes, you obviously look like this Lavinia Smyth, but then there are many people who share the same face, I’m sure.”
“But did you beli
eve them?” Her words were fierce.
“I neither believed nor disbelieved, and rarely do so without solid facts.”
“Perhaps this will help you decide.”
Before he could stop her she’d eased the sleeve of her dress slightly off one shoulder.
“I have the birthmark.”
A few inches; he just had to lean in and he could place his lips on the pale curve of her shoulder.
Christ, what was wrong with him?
“I—ah, I’m sure others have your coloring and that mark.” Wolf couldn’t make himself look away. The shape definitely looked like a delicate set of wings.
“Do you truly believe that another could have my coloring and this, Captain? Also my odd eyes?”
“Rose—”
“Don’t you see! I cannot contemplate that my life was a lie. That every day I spent in the company of my aunt was a facade, hiding the fact that I am the daughter of an actress and a man with no name.”
“You have no facts, Rose. To believe something without first obtaining those is not wise and will only upset you.”
“How can I not be upset? How will I obtain those facts?”
“I will help you.”
“Why?” She stepped closer. “I don’t understand this... any of it. I came to London because I had to leave Edinburgh, but since coming here my life has turned on its head. I do not like it. I would return were it not for Kitty and my cousin.”
“Why did you have to leave?” Wolf took the hand she raised and rested it on his chest, trapping it there with his.
Wolf had never seen Rose look beaten. She always seemed indomitable, facing life with spirit.
“Because my cousin decided that as well as taking control of my aunt’s house, he would take control of me also. So I fled one night while he slept rather than let him force me into his bed.”
“I would kill him for that, for scaring you.” Wolf’s words were gruff.
Rose had suffered at the hands of her cousin, been forced to leave the only life she had known, and there were surely other things she’d endured, and yet she still found a way to smile and live each day the best she could. It shamed him that he could not do the same.
“I’m sure you’ve seen enough killing in your lifetime, Captain Sinclair, and I would never wish for you to do so on my behalf... well anyone’s behalf actually.”
