“Albion is alive?” Maura finally asked. She leaned into Julius heavily as she took in the news. “Then that means...”
Frank cut in. “You’ve been haunted by nothing more than a man who wants that golden statue just as much as your father did.”
“But Albion was only a boy,” Adrian said. “How could he have thought to haunt my daughter all these years?”
Frank turned to him. “It’s more than likely that your business partner is in on it. Maura said you were thinking of separating yourself from Ora at the time. Could a dead child have moved you to have sympathy?”
Adrian became like stone and then he covered his face. “I am ashamed of what I’ve done.”
Matilda wrapped her arms around him. “You didn’t know,” she whispered over and over again.
* * *
chapter 50
* * *
Maura felt Julius’s arms go around her as though he could shield her from the truth, but there was no protection from this. She felt numb and was amazed at how unprepared she’d been. For over a week, she’d known it to be a possibility. Her ghost was the reason Frank and Francis had left, to discover the truth, but Maura had been sure Frank’s theory would have been proven wrong. How had Albion found her in Bedlam? Francis had mentioned corruption, but it still didn’t seem possible.
She couldn’t make out the voices that were speaking around her. Her mind had parted from her body.
They’d dug up Albion’s grave. Only someone like Bancroft would have thought to do such a wicked thing. And yet, there had been no body. For years, she’d thought herself mad, but now? What would this all mean? A part of her knew she should be rejoicing at being told she was normal, but being normal meant her entire past had been a lie. She didn’t know how to be normal. She didn’t know what to do or say. Madness had been a part of her identity, a sad part, but still no minor thing.
Her head was moved and then she blinked and found Julius. He was gazing down at her, his mouth moving.
“...nothing.” She’d missed the first part.
She narrowed her gaze and concentrated, listening for his voice out of the many that were present.
“This changes nothing between you and me,” he said again, his voice soft. “You’re my wife.”
Wife. It was another part of her identity she was getting used to, but one she felt more comfortable with.
Julius.
She touched his shoulders and trailed her fingers down his arms. “I’m normal.”
“No, you’re not.”
She looked up at him in surprise.
He grinned, his gaze as soft as silk. “You are, and have always been, the most extraordinary woman I know.”
She stilled. They were the exact words she needed to hear. They loosened her from her worries and uncertainty and made her feel like… herself.
Extraordinary. She didn’t know if that word truly belonged to her, but she was inclined to believe anything he said.
Her father’s broken voice reached her. “If this is true then we’ve come here for nothing.”
Her mother asked, “What do you mean?”
Adrian looked at Matilda. “It was not my idea for this to be my last find, but Ora’s. He convinced me that we should look again and if what they say is true, and Ora has been behind this ghostly scheme all this time, then I want no hand in it.” Then he looked at Maura. “I’m sorry, my darling. I… don’t know what else to say. I only hope you can forgive me.”
“Of course,” she said swiftly, even as Julius’s hold on her tightened. “I forgive you. We all mourned Albion’s passing. You cannot be blamed for this.” Another squeeze from her husband told her that Julius didn’t agree.
The despair in her father’s eyes didn’t waver before he turned away and Maura knew it would likely take him time to accept a past that could never be changed.
“I can’t believe Ora did this to me,” Adrian said, despair turning into anger. He tightened his fist. “I can’t believe he did this to my family. I’ll… I never want to speak to him again.”
“That’s good and well,” Frank said. “But in order to catch Albion, we’ll need you to do it one last time.”
Maura turned to Frank just as Julius asked, “Do you have a plan?”
Frank nodded. “We’ve had time to think about it.”
“You and Francis or were there more people involved in this thinking session?” Julius sneered.
Maura touched the hand that rested at her waist. Julius was likely the most private of all the men, which made sense because he had more to lose if the truth of his mother’s demise got out. He’d killed the Marchioness of Darvess. His friends had killed the other men who had attacked him that night. Maura tried to avoid thinking of such a scheme. Ten young men with rifles keeping watch for an attack they knew would come. One shot each. No room for error. They’d had the advantage of knowing when the men Julius’s uncle and his mother had hired planned to attack, knowing the layout of Julius’s house in the dark, and the element of surprise.
“Bancroft and Cross helped,” Frank admitted. “I’d apologize, but I had believed time to be of the essence. If you recall, Francis and I were both working under the assumption that Lord Foxridge planned to place Maura back in Bedlam.”
Julius lifted a hand. “I understand. What is the plan?”
Frank looked at Francis, something passing between them.
Francis cleared his throat. “Lord Foxrdige will write to Ora that he and Maura have returned to London and that Maura has agreed to look for the statue and is sleeping in her room at the Lawrence house. If our theory is right, Albion will come to her.”
Maura shrunk away. Knowing that Albion was a man was more frightening than when he’d been a ghost.
“But what if he sees me with Maura?” Julius said. “He might change his mind when he realizes she’s not alone.”
Frank and Francis looked at one another again. Francis sighed and turned to Julius. “He won’t hesitate, because she will be alone.”
Julius became stiff as a rod before he growled, “Over my dead body. I’ll not let that man anywhere near her.” He pulled Maura impossibly close and away from Frank and Francis.
“We’ve little choice,” Frank said. “Besides, Albion has never hurt her before. It’s been thirteen years. Why would he do so now? We’ll simply have to keep word of your marriage a secret for the moment.”
Maura didn’t like any of this. “Albion didn’t come to me every night for thirteen years, just a few times a year. Why are you sure he’d come now?”
“We’re not,” Frank said. “But he might.”
Maura thought about it and then nodded. “All right. I’ll—”
“No,” Julius interrupted. “We’ll think of another plan. It’s hardly late. We’ve the time.”
Francis walked down the final steps with Genie. “Very well, but I’d still like Lord Foxridge to write the letter. Any man who’d like to include himself in this discussion follow me.” Every man in the room left.
Julius touched her cheek. “We’ll think of something, but I won’t let you do anything I don’t believe to be safe.”
She smiled. “I love you.” The words were out before she could stop them, and she closed her eyes when she realized they couldn’t be taken back.
Nervously, she opened her eyes to find Julius staring at her with what looked like fear. His face twisted before he set it into something plain as stone.
She’d said it far too soon and wanted to curse herself. “It was always inevitable,” she added, trying to make her confession seem less than the outpouring of her heart it was.
Julius nodded, though she didn’t think he entirely agreed. Then he turned to Lorena. “Protect her while I’m gone.”
Lorena rushed over and hugged Maura. “Of course.” She’d not heard Maura’s whispered confession.
He didn’t look at Maura again before he departed from the foyer.
Maura watched him leave and felt her
eyes begin to burn. She’d not expected him to say the words back, but this reaction spoke loudly about just how guarded his heart was. He’d surrounded it long ago with a wall so high that no woman could climb and too thick for her to break through.
If the thought of her loving him after everything they’d been through left him in disgust, then there was no hope of him changing.
The other Spinsters came over.
Genie spoke to Lorena with a hush. “I can’t believe the men wouldn’t allow us in on the meeting.”
Lorena smiled. “Oh, I’d rather we speak alone anyway. I always come up with my best plans when Emmett isn’t around to tell me no.” And that was usually because all of Lorena’s plans led everyone into danger.
Genie grinned and said, “I knew there to be a reason you said nothing.”
The conversation was distracting enough to pull Maura out of her painful thoughts.
“Well, we must think of something quickly.” Matilda took Maura away from Lorena and wrapped her own arms around her. “I’m with Julius on this. My daughter will not be used for bait.”
The comfort of her mother’s arms forced the tears from Maura’s eyes. She clung to her mother and everyone surrounded her, no one able to guess the true reason for her pain.
* * *
chapter 51
* * *
Julius listened as the men spoke around him and fought to pull himself from his brooding thoughts of Maura’s declaration of love.
Hugh said, “If Albion is still alive and in contact with his father, then the best thing to do would be to follow him and whoever he sends to deliver messages.”
Julius liked any idea that kept Maura out of danger. He may never love her the way Hugh loved Taygete or any of the other men loved their wives, but he planned to keep her. He enjoyed her and hoped they found happiness in one another.
“Let’s do it,” Julius said.
“I’m sure Bancroft could find us a few men for the job,” Frank said, once again bringing his brother-in-law into their fold. Julius didn’t fight it though. Bancroft owned the streets of London and had men everywhere. It only made sense to ask for his assistance.
A knock sounded on the door.
“It’s likely the women.” Morris stood. “I suppose we should tell them our plans.” He opened the door, but instead of the Spinsters, there was no one but Jane, Lorena’s lady’s maid.
Jane glanced around the room. “I was to inform you twenty minutes after they left that they were gone.”
Julius stiffened.
“Gone?” Anthony asked in confusion, obviously not used to the Spinsters’ tactics. “Gone where?”
Morris cursed and waited for Jane to answer.
Jane shrugged. “I don’t know where they’ve gone, but I was also to inform you that they planned to return before daybreak.”
More cursing. Everyone stood and started for the door.
Frank said, “Someone should remain here just in case they return.”
There were nods. They’d done this before.
Morris said, “I’ll check brothels in Covent Garden.”
“Taverns,” Hugh declared. “They have gone hunting for information.”
Prince Garrett’s eyes widened. “You allow your wives to visit brothels and taverns?”
“The word isn’t allow,” Frank growled as he started from the door. “They simply do as they please.”
Garrett turned to Julius. “I don’t envy you the headache.”
Allen seemed inclined to agree.
Anthony smiled and then chuckled. “Oh, I do.”
Julius rolled his eyes and caught up with Francis. “Where are you going?”
“Next door,” he said. “Perhaps, we’ll get lucky and find our wives sitting in the drawing room having tea.”
Julius grunted even though his heart raced. The women were in danger, but Maura more so than anyone else. A man had haunted her for years to find a statue and Julius didn’t think it likely he’d give up any time soon. He needed to find his wife.
* * *
chapter 52
* * *
Lorena had the simplest of plans. The Spinsters would follow the messenger that would deliver Maura’s father’s message to Ora and see if Albion showed up.
Maura had thought it good, but never had she thought it would be so easy. Most of Lorena’s plans weren’t, yet the messenger had never paid attention to the two carriages that followed after him and as he’d knocked on Ora’s door, Maura had been amazed to see Albion stroll from the townhouse as plain as day. Yes, she noticed immediately that his hair was a different color. He’d been dark as a child, but now he was blond. Often, when he’d visited as a ghost, she’d thought the white hair simply part of his conversion to another realm, but now she knew what it truly was.
A disguise.
She’d never have known it to be him if she’d not watched him age over the last thirteen years. Indeed, he was a different man than he’d been as a sixteen-year-old boy. He was taller and his body well defined. Likely climbing through her window had helped tone his lean muscles.
Maura didn’t know what came over her as she watched him trot down the stairs from the townhouse. The other women had seen him, but they didn’t know what Albion looked like. They didn’t know what seeing him dressed in a suit and appearing… normal would do to her.
She opened the carriage door without thought and heard the shouting that came from behind her as she moved toward the townhouse.
Albion turned his back on her and Maura found her voice.
“You!”
He jumped and turned. In the lamplight from outside the townhouse, she could see his eyes as they grew wide. There were others on the street. Even with the season over, there were still those who enjoyed hosting parties for those members of the beau monde who chose to remain in the city.
Albion turned away and began to run down the street.
Maura didn’t think, at least not completely. She had to catch Albion. Nothing else mattered. She moved swiftly, following in the path he cut through the crowd and thankful that she’d worn boots.
There were more shouts and she witnessed Albion push men and women out of his way. There came a yelp from one gentleman and a scream from another.
Then the street emptied and he turned down an alley.
Maura cut around the dark corner and stopped when she could barely see.
She felt him around her before he touched her. She was used to his energy. He crept behind her and before she could move, she felt the pressure of something sharp and cold at her throat. A knife. Her pulse beat against the blade.
His voice was just as she remembered it, smooth and level. There wasn’t a hint of exhaustion from their chase. “How did you find out?”
She frowned, wondering where he found the audacity to ask her questions. Then she felt the pinch of the blade again and knew. “Why?” she whispered, trying to not move her throat too much.
“You know why. I want the statue.” The blade was pulled away and then he pushed her forward. She tried to struggle, but the blade was only moved to her back. She heard her dress rip as it was dug into her clothing.
She started to move then. “Where are we going?”
“The Lawrence house. That’s where the statue is. My father told me he’d convinced yours to return you to London to search for it.”
Her heart leaped with joy. The Lawrence house was right next to the Valdeston Mansion. With the women gone, the men were bound to search the house. Her thoughts were stolen by the breathing of a nearby horse. “Why don’t you look for it yourself?”
“I have! But you know the house better than I. You found the other treasures.” He sneered. “You didn’t even try. You’re just like your father, never having to work for what you want.” She didn’t bother to tell Albion that she hadn’t been looking for the treasure at all when she’d found it. He stopped her just before the horse. In the darkness, it was hard to see, but he helped her onto i
ts back and then got on behind her before he moved it farther down the alley.
He’d all but led her into the trap, but it was a trap of her own making. She’d followed, and he’d used it to his advantage. He’d set his horse here and now led it through the black pathways of London, man and beast clearly knowing where they were going.
“How long have you lived in London?” she asked, now that she could no longer feel the blade.
“Three years,” he said. “Just as long as you have.”
Finding him to be in the mood for a chat, she asked, “Why did you think I knew where the statue was all those years ago?”
“Because, you spent much of your time with your father. Adrian never told my father everything about what they searched for. That was always the problem. Your father controlled the hunt by keeping all the information to himself. I thought if you asked your father during his visits or in the letters you wrote to him, he would tell you.”
“But surely, along the way, you should have given up.” Only someone mad would continue to ask the same person the same question. If this had been his father’s way of finding things, it was no wonder hers had been better at it.
His answer surprised her. “I did want to give up and move on with my life, but you were my only connection to who I’d been. I could only ever be Albion with you. To the rest of the world, I had to take on a new identity and hope one day you’d receive a letter from your father that would lead to the statue.”
She thought about all the many letters she’d exchanged with her father in the past. He visited her when he was in England, but whenever he was away, he would write. “Did you read our letters?”
“Yes,” he hissed. “I’d read them always before I woke you. I thought he’d tell you the moment he found out.”
“And you pretended to be dead, so my father would allow yours to continue traveling with him?” she asked, though she suspected she knew the answer.
“It was my father’s idea. That entire day by the river was his idea. Not even my brother or mother knew what I would do. It had to look real. Now, tell me what you know about the statue. What does it look like? I imagine it’s large and gold.”
Maura’s Special Spinster’s Society (The Spinster’s Society) (A Regency Romance Book) Page 19
