Sebastian was correct. Her life would never be the same as long as Mortimer was somewhere hiding, waiting to ruin another person’s life – or hers. That man needed to be stopped, but she couldn’t do it alone. She needed help. She needed Sebastian Harrington.
Slowly, the passion left her as she was brought back to reality. “Yes, you’re right. Mortimer needs to be dealt with first.”
“I’m hopeful that Officer Rossi and the other policemen will help us.”
“I don’t know, Bash. Mortimer is good at hiding. He’s the master of disguise. And... he knows how to make people bow to his command. He’s all about blackmail, and unfortunately, it works.”
Tears filled her eyes and her throat tightened with emotion. Bash pulled away as he studied her face. His frown deepened.
“There’s something you’re not telling me, Felicia.”
She couldn’t tell him. Her mother’s life depended on Felicia’s secrecy. And yet, she fought an inner battle with her heart.
“Tell him.”
A voice from across the carriage pulled her attention to the other seat. Her well-dressed spirit was here. Hopefully, he hadn’t been watching her and Sebastian kiss... But it didn’t matter. The man whose identity she still didn’t know, was encouraging her to talk to Sebastian.
“You can trust him. He’s a good man.”
She gave her spirit friend a small nod before focusing on Bash once again.
“Yes, Bash. I have been hiding something.” Her voice cracked. “But I must tell you. I must put my faith in you. I cannot do this alone, but maybe the two of us can figure it out.”
He grasped her hands and softly squeezed. “What is it, my love?”
Her heart flipped, loving his new form of endearment for her. “I met Mortimer in secret this morning.”
Bash’s eyes widened.
She glanced at the seat across from her, and her spirit friend was gone. “Last night at the ball,” she told Sebastian, “one of his agents gave me a message. He wanted to talk to me alone. So, I went.” She swallowed hard. “Mortimer admits to kidnapping my mother. But he thinks I have the topaz diamond ring from India, and he wanted to exchange my mother for the ring. I don’t have it, but I couldn’t convince him otherwise, no matter how hard I tried.” Several tears slipped down her cheek, but she didn’t wipe them away.
“What happened?”
“He told me I needed to find the ring, or he’d kill my mother. He also threatened to harm another person in my life that I care deeply about.” She licked her lips.
“Who?”
“You, Bash. He wants me to set you up to make it look like you’re the jewel thief so that the Italian police will arrest you. Mortimer doesn’t want you in his way.”
Sebastian gasped and jerked away from her. “Again? He wants you to set me up like you did in Devonshire four years ago?”
“Yes. But I can’t. I tried, but I just can’t...” Her voice broke as more tears streamed down her face.
“When... When did you try to set me up?”
“This evening. One of the reasons I’d gone to the party was to steal some of Countess Romano’s jewels. I was going to put them in your room at the inn, and then I would leave a hint with Officer Rossi that you were the thief.”
Slowly, Sebastian shook his head. “Then it’s a good thing we found the thief before you could do anything.”
Frowning, she took his hand and brought it to her waist, flattening his palm over the wrist-purse still hidden under her gown. “I already took some jewels.”
Bash hitched a breath, but he didn’t pull his hand away. Instead, his fingers explored the area as he touched the bulges hidden by her gown.
He scowled and shook his head. “No, you’re not the thief. We found the countess’ jewels with the driver.”
She shrugged. “That explains why the woman’s jewelry box was nearly empty when I reached it.”
Releasing a heavy sigh, Bash raked his fingers through his hair and leaned back on the seat. “Are you going to return the jewels?”
“I must, but I don’t know how.” She leaned toward him and touched his chest. “But that’s not the biggest of our worries. How am I going to make Mortimer think that I’ve set you up?”
Silence grew between them. Felicia didn’t want to interrupt him while his mind was trying to create ways out of this mess. Nothing was said and soon the carriage came to a stop.
Felicia pulled back the curtain on the window. She was home. “Bash? Does my driver know you’re here?”
“I don’t think he saw me get in.”
She scooted to the edge of the seat, hoping to block Sebastian from her driver’s eyes when he opens the door. “Sneak into my house tonight. We have so much to talk about.”
“I will.”
She gave him a smile before moving toward the door. It opened and she hopped down. Thankfully, the driver didn’t look inside the vehicle.
SEBASTIAN’S THOUGHTS clouded with confusion, giving him a headache. So far, the only thing that took away the pound in his head was a bottle of whiskey. He lay propped up on his bed as he stared at the bare walls. He’d hoped that drinking would make the ache disappear from his heart, but so far, nothing was working. Anger and forgiveness were playing tug-of-war with his heart.
Part of him wanted to lash out at Felicia for what she’d tried to do. She’d actually gone as far as to take the jewels. She’d indeed wanted to set him up like she had four years ago. And yet, she’d confessed everything to him and begged for his help. That told him she’d struggled with the decision to frame him... and yet she still had taken the jewels. No wonder she appeared panicked when the police interrupted Countess Romano’s party. Felicia’s face had even turned pale, making her wide eyes that much larger. She had actually thought the police were coming to arrest her.
Maybe they should have.
He grumbled and lifted the bottle to his mouth, taking another drink. She’d wanted him to come to her house tonight, but he couldn’t. He needed time to think. Unfortunately, thinking wasn’t on his list of things to do this evening. Drinking and sleeping topped the list.
But even if the whiskey made him sleepy, he still couldn’t sleep. Every time he closed his eyes, he could see her sorrowful expression and the tears streaking down her face as she confessed. Seeing her cry was his downfall. But he must be strong. He must figure out what he was going to do about her.
He loved her... but could love repair the damage that had been done? It was hard to trust her. He’d known that from the very beginning after meeting up with her here in Capri. Of course, at that time, he didn’t think he would fall in love with her, either.
Chuckling, he shook his head. Why hadn’t he figured that out? He’d been in love with her four years ago, and although he’d tried to harden his heart, seeing her again caused it to soften.
He inhaled deeply and exhaled slowly, trying to clear his fuzzy mind. Perhaps he’d consumed too much whiskey for that. Yet, he must make a decision. Doubts filled his head, but his heart gave him the answer. He’d help her. He couldn’t allow a man like Mortimer to win. After they had Mortimer locked away behind bars, then Sebastian would seriously consider his future and whether Felicia would be in it or not.
He placed the near empty bottle on the night stand next to the bed before rolling on his side and closing his eyes. Her words echoed through his head, so he covered the pillow over his head, hoping that would help. Instead, he nearly suffocated himself.
Grumbling, he threw the pillow to the floor. Killing himself wasn’t the answer. That’s exactly what Mortimer wanted. That man knew how clever Sebastian was and that he’d catch the criminal sooner or later, which of course, was the reason Mortimer wanted Felicia to frame him for robbery.
Well, Sebastian wasn’t going to fall over dead just to please Mortimer...
His thoughts skidded to a halt as an idea popped into his fuzzy head. What if Mortimer thought Sebastian was dead? If they’d traded places and S
ebastian had the evil mind, he’d actually feel relaxed knowing that his enemy was no longer trying to find him and arrest him.
Sebastian snapped to a sitting position. Dizziness assaulted him, but he kept focused and tried not to pass out. He was on to something, he just knew it.
What would happen if he and Felicia made it look like Sebastian was dead? They could even have Officer Rossi in on the plan to make it look really good. Sebastian would be able to watch Felicia constantly, and he’d be able to see when Mortimer came to visit. The man wouldn’t be watching over his shoulder for Sebastian.
This might work!
Slowly, he climbed off the bed, slapping his face as he tried to sober himself up. But the room continued to spin, so he sat back down. Unfortunately, he’d have to wait to tell Felicia his plan on the morrow. Besides that, he couldn’t show her his intoxicated state. She’d know immediately that he’d gotten this way because of her, and although she’d hurt him – again – he would recover quicker this time. He would tread more carefully from here on out.
FIFTEEN
Felicia sat on the edge of her bed, staring at the floor in despair. The curtains were pulled back from her window, letting in the sunshine of a new day. From outside, birds sang the same tune Felicia had heard since she first started living in Capri. But neither the sun nor the birds could cheer her up. Not when her heart was broken because of Sebastian. She’d waited until two o’clock in the morning for him to sneak into her house, but he hadn’t come. That only meant one thing... He was having doubts about her.
Could she blame him? She would have done the same thing if roles were reversed. Their past made them distrust each other, and now it was happening all over again.
All because of Mortimer. That man needed to be stopped, and very quickly.
Tears stung her eyes and she wiped them away. She had to put this heartbreak behind her and move on. She’d done it four years ago, so she could do it now, even if it was harder this time.
She dressed and headed downstairs for breakfast. She wasn’t that hungry, but she had to eat to keep her strength up and her mind alert. If Sebastian backed out on her now, she’d have to figure out a way to find Mortimer and have him arrested... and pray he didn’t hurt her mother during that time.
Following her normal daily schedule, she moved into the dining room and sat waiting for one of the kitchen staff to bring her breakfast. She stared at the table as she clasped her hands on her lap. Her mind spun with different disguises she could use that Mortimer wouldn’t recognize, but dismissed each idea that came into her head. That man would be able to see through her. She was surprised he wasn’t a mind reader.
A servant walked in, carrying a tray of food. Her stare remained on the table, although she saw the servant’s movements out of the corner of her eye as they walked up beside her and placed the food in front of her.
She rubbed her forehead, wishing the ache would leave her skull. “Thank you,” she muttered just like she did every day.
“Are you aware of how easily it is to break into your home?”
Sebastian’s voice startled her and she jumped out of her sadness and swung her gaze to him. Dressed as one of her servants, wearing the customary maroon velvet jacket and matching breeches with black shoes, Sebastian stood holding the empty tray. She blinked, not believing her eyes.
“Bash? What are you doing?”
He walked to the door and closed it before returning back to the table. He took a chair beside her and gave her a slight smile.
“We need to fix your home to make it harder for people to break in. No wonder that thief was able to get inside and up to your room the other day.”
“Why are you dressed like my footman?”
“Because, my dear, I wanted to get into your house. Didn’t you ask me to sneak in?”
She hiccupped a laugh. “Yes, but I thought you’d do it last night.”
“Forgive me, my dear, but something came up and kept me from coming until this morning.”
She narrowed her gaze on him, trying to read his expression, but once again, this man made it impossible to know his thoughts or his feelings. “What kept you from coming?”
“A bottle of whiskey, if you must know.”
She held her breath, not knowing exactly how to react. Men usually kept company with a whiskey bottle if they were either celebrating or grieving. Her chest tightened. Just as she’d suspected... he hadn’t taken her confession very well.
Inwardly, she groaned. Why had her spirit friend encouraged her to trust Sebastian?
She swallowed, to moisten her suddenly dry throat. “Well, why didn’t you bring the bottle with you and share it with me?”
His eyes widened, and he chuckled. “That, my dear, hadn’t even crossed my mind.”
“Keep it in mind for next time.”
He nodded. “I will do that.” He tugged at his cravat and grimaced. “You really need to find other clothes for your servants. This is very uncomfortable.”
“Bash, have you thought of our conversation last night in the carriage?”
The humor on his face gradually left his expression. “It wouldn’t leave my mind.” He stood and moved to the window to peer outside. “And I think I’ve come up with a solution to our Mortimer problem.”
Hope bounced in her chest and she rose from her chair. She didn’t dare move closer, so she stayed by the table. “Please enlighten me.”
“You’d mentioned how uneasy Mortimer acted whenever I was getting closer to figuring out his plans. Correct?”
“Yes. That’s what happened four years ago, too.”
“Then the solution is to take me out of the situation.”
Her heart dropped. He couldn’t mean that.
She rushed to him and grasped his arm. “What do you mean by that? Are you going to leave me? Leave Italy? Do you want to return home to England?” Her voice tightened, so she cleared her throat. “Please, Bash. Tell me what you mean.”
His gaze locked with hers for several quiet seconds. Her heart thudded in a rough rhythm as her stomach twisted with agony. She prayed he wasn’t planning on leaving her to handle this alone. However, she wouldn’t blame him if those were his thoughts. How could he trust her again, especially after she’d confessed to trying to frame him for robbery?
“Although the idea was tempting a time or two last night during my pondering,” he began slowly, “I feel that isn’t the right choice to make at this time.”
A relieved sigh rushed from her mouth, but she didn’t dare become too relaxed yet. Not until she heard about his plan.
She dropped her hand from his arm. “I appreciate your honesty.”
“And I appreciate yours.” He paused briefly. “Which is why I decided on this specific plan.”
“What is it?” she asked warily.
“I’m going to die.”
She couldn’t have heard him correctly, and yet the seriousness on his expression told her she’d heard him perfectly. “Die?”
“Yes. You and I will come up with a way to kill me. I want Officer Rossi in on this as well. Perhaps he’ll be able to help, too. If Mortimer thinks I’m out of the way, then he won’t have to threaten you any longer. And, Mortimer won’t have to keep himself hidden. I’ll be in disguise and I’ll be able to watch your house better. When I spot Mortimer, I’ll follow him, which will of course, lead us to your mother.”
She sucked in a quick breath. “Oh, Bash. Do you think this will really work?”
“I do, but we must make it look believable to Mortimer, which means my death needs to look real.”
“This could be dangerous for you. Are you sure this is the only way?”
He nodded. “It makes perfect sense. With Sebastian Harrington, Metropolitan Police’s best investigator, out of the way, Mortimer will relax enough to slip up.”
“Then I suppose we need to plan your death, don’t we?”
One side of his mouth lifted in a half-grin. “Don’t look so excited about it
, my dear. I might think you really want me out of your life.”
Frowning, tears slowly filled her eyes as her heart wrenched once again. “That’s exactly the opposite of what I want.” She moved closer and placed her hand on his chest. “It would literally kill me if anything terrible happened to you.”
His gaze softened. “It would?”
“Indeed. You have become part of my life, and I never want to lose you again. Don’t you see...” she stepped closer, staring up into his eyes, “that is why I couldn’t go through with Mortimer’s plan to frame you. That’s why I gave you my confession last night. You mean too much to me and I can’t lose you.”
He cupped her face. “What about your mother? Are you putting me before her?”
Sighing, she shook her head. “No, but I’m putting both of you first. I didn’t like Mortimer’s threat then, and I certainly don’t like it now.” She stood straighter, pulling back her shoulders. “But I’m not going to fall for his blackmail any longer. I need to be in charge of my life, not him.”
“And together, we’ll show Mortimer that we are not people to mess with.” Sebastian nodded sharply.
“Precisely.” She smiled. “So, with that being said, let’s get started on what we need to do to make this work.”
Sebastian motioned toward the table. “Right here?”
“Actually, no. I want you to return to your room at the inn and change out of these ridiculous clothes. Then the two of us will take a walk in the park. I don’t want to chance anyone overhearing our plans.”
“I agree.”
Sebastian took a step to leave but stopped and turned back to Felicia. He gave her a genuine smile before dropping a brief kiss on her mouth. Warmth filled her, allowing happiness to enter her heart once again.
“I’ll meet you at the park in one hour,” he said.
“This time, you’d better be there,” she warned with a laugh.
“I wouldn’t miss it for the world.”
Felicia's Spirits Page 15