My task completed, I checked my watch. It was nearing the time for the Burnhams to return but I had enough time to send the most important of my communications. I picked up the sealed note I had written first and went to the door, where I pulled the chair free of the knob. Opening the door, I glanced out into the hallway. It was all quiet, and I slipped out.
Feeling nervous and shaky, I returned to the lower levels once more, this time to the kitchen. As I expected, the footmen were alone at the table, drinking. They both jerked to their feet when I entered. “Miss Nelson,” Edward, the flirtatious one of the pair, flashed a grin at me. “What brings you to us?”
“I would like to have this sent round to Mr. Harper’s residence,” I informed him, not caring what they would naturally assume by that. My reputation in this household no longer mattered. I held the missive out to him. “It is vitally important that this is delivered tonight.”
Raising his eyebrow, Edward took it from me and made a show of studying it. “Mr. Harper, hmm? I didn’t know you’d set your cap at him, Miss Nelson. You aim high. What do I get out of this?”
I flicked a pointed glance toward the decanter on the table. “I will not tell Mr. Burnham that you have a habit of drinking his good brandy.” Better that than offering up the few coins I had brought along to bribe him. I didn’t know whether I would need them or not.
The other footman scowled. “You’ve convinced me,” Edward said immediately. “I will leave immediately, Miss Nelson.”
Waiting until I saw him go out the door, I took the time to take a deep breath. “You look pale, Miss Nelson,” the other footman said, leaning forward. “Is anything wrong?”
I walked out of the kitchen without giving him an answer. Now I had one last letter to put into place. I chose to go to the main staircase, instead of the back one. As I neared the top, I caught sight of Miss Graham and Bridges talking together in front of Mr.Burnham’s bedroom door.
My steps froze as the valet turned towards me. He offered me a slight bow, a smile playing on his lips. I inclined my head in acknowledgment, determined not to show my fear. “I imagine the Burnhams will be returning soon,” I called out, going up the last few steps. I walked towards them boldly. They couldn’t hurt me here where anyone could come along.
“I bow to your expert opinion, Miss Nelson,” Bridges said, with that ever-present mocking note. “Miss Graham tells me that you will be leaving us soon.”
Miss Graham was watching me with a narrow-eyed expression. “Where have you been?”
“Sending a note to a friend.” They both exchanged quick glances as I continued, “As I will be without employment tomorrow, I decided I needed to make sure I have a place to go. You understand that it would be impolite to show up on their doorstep without a word of warning.”
Bridges took a step in my direction but was stopped from coming any closer by the sound of the front door opening.
“Just because you are engaged to Mr. Landon does not mean you can blatantly ignore a viscount’s conversation, Eugenia!” Mrs. Burnham’s voice could be heard a moment later.
“I am not a flirt, Mama,” Eugenia said in answer. “How would Mr. Landon have felt if I had responded to such outrageous comments in front of him?”
“It appears we both must return to our duties now,” I remarked, meeting Bridges’ gaze. “Good night, Miss Graham. I do hope Daphne and Calliope did not get up to too much mischief while you were out.”
I stepped around them and hurried to Mrs. Burnham’s dressing room. Mary was pouring hot water into the pitcher for me, and her presence kept me from leaning against the door to catch my breath. “I can put Miss Eugenia to bed,” she said. “You’re looking very tired tonight, Miss Nelson.”
No wonder, considering everything I had been through in the short span of a few hours. “Do not worry, Mary,” I told her, forcing a slight smile. I wanted to say some kind of farewell before I left. “I don’t mind. I know you have more duties than I do.”
“No, I insist.”
Arguing would only make her suspicious, so I reluctantly gave in and hoped the letter I had left for Eugenia would be enough. “Thank you, Mary.”
Mary frowned. “Miss Nelson, is something wrong?”
“I can’t explain everything right now.” How I wished that I could. Hopefully, the bare details would be enough to satisfy her and keep her from danger. “Avoid Bridges if you can. He is not who he pretends to be. Please, trust me, Mary.”
“Are you in trouble, Miss Nelson?”
The door swung open, ending our conversation. “I do not understand my daughter,” Mrs. Burnham complained as she flounced in. She tossed her shawl at me, and I was quick to keep it from hitting the floor. Mary bobbed a quick curtsey and made her exit. “The viscount was merely polite and what does Eugenia do? She focuses only on Mr. Landon! What am I to do with her?”
I kept quiet as I readied her for her bed. As she recited her list of the grievances she had suffered that evening, I didn’t listen to a word of them. Once my work was complete, I closed the door, feeling a sense of relief that I would not have to face her as a lady’s maid ever again.
Breathing a sigh of relief that the hallway was empty, I rushed up to my room. I made sure to wedge the chair back against the door and made my final preparations. I couldn’t be sure how long Bridges would be occupied with seeing to Mr. Burnham, and I needed to escape before he came to silence me for good.
Any man who would leave a knife in a pillow would not shrink back from using violence to keep me from revealing his treachery.
Could I take the chance that Miss Graham had kept her promise? I had never known her to go back on her word before, but had her emotions blinded her to Bridges’ actions? She could have told him all, thinking she was helping me back on the course she thought I needed to be on. Did he know, even now, that I was not Julie Nelson but Juliet Sinclair?
I decided I had to take the chance, making sure the paper knife was still in my pocket. If circumstances went from bad to worse, maybe it would save my life. It would be as though my brother were protecting me once again.
Breathing out, I tried to steady my nerves. My pelisse felt constricting as I tied my bonnet ribbons under my chin. I placed the notes where they would be visible to anyone entering the room and blew out my candle. Picking up my carpet bag, I pulled the chair free and opened the door. Cautiously, I checked both ways, making sure no one was in sight before I slipped out.
I tried to keep my footsteps as quiet as possible. The floor creaked under my feet as it always did when I walked, only the sound seemed louder than ever before. No one appeared to question or stop me.
A creak behind me made me pause, my breath catching in my throat. I looked over my shoulder, but there was no one there. After waiting a moment with no one showing themselves, I hurried to the door.
Turning the lock only took a moment and then I was out of the house. I sent a quick glance both ways down the street and could see no sign of a hansom cab. Stifling a sigh, I set off down the pavement, eager to make the walk as quickly as possible.
Again, I heard a sound behind me, only this time I knew for sure it was footsteps. I started to turn, but an arm came around my neck. “Leaving at this time of night, Miss Nelson?” Bridges asked, seeming not to notice as I struggled. He didn't even flinch when I jammed my elbow into his side. “That seems rather suspicious, don’t you think? What will the master think when he learns of this in the morning?”
“Why do we not tell him of it now?” I challenged before his arm tightened and cut my voice off. I could have said several impolite words a lady shouldn’t even know right then. Why had I not screamed when I had the chance?
“I think we should take this conversation somewhere more private, Miss Nelson,” Bridges said in my ear. He firmly dragged me in the opposite direction I wanted to go. Of course, I wasn’t about to make it easy on him and dug my heels into the floor as much as I could. He solved this by lifting me off my feet and carryi
ng me.
Feeling light-headed, I kicked my feet as he manhandled me further away from the Burnham residence. “What happened to Marie?” Bridges asked in my ear. Who was Marie? Unable to speak, I shook my head as much as I was able. “You took her place, Miss Nelson. Surely you know what happened to keep her from my side. What gave her away?”
Was he referring to the original Miss Nelson who had missed her interview? My mind raced with that information. Had she been working with Bridges?
Bridges’ arm loosened slightly, and I was able to take a quick breath. “I don’t know,” I managed to say. I honestly knew nothing about the woman. It had been entirely coincidental that I arrived at the very time she had missed her interview and had been mistaken for her. Mrs. Burnham had certainly not noticed the discrepancy between Marie Nelson’s letters of recommendations and the Julie Nelson who had begun working for her. Don't even know how Mrs. Burnham had those letters in the first place. “I swear I have never heard of her.”
He spun me around and grabbed my shoulders. I bit back a cry of pain as my shoulder protested the rough treatment. Bridges shook me roughly. “Did they not think I would suspect a strange woman using Marie’s name?” He gave a slight laugh. “That the added ‘Julie’ would disguise you?”
“Who are they?” I asked in bewilderment as I cast my gaze to the nearest house. A few of the windows had a soft glow as though candles were burning in the upper windows. If I screamed now, would anyone hear me? Deciding there was nothing to keep me from trying, I opened my mouth to do so. This time I was cut off by his open hand connecting with my left cheek. The force turned my head as pain stung my cheek.
“You are in a very precarious situation, Miss Nelson,” Bridges said with a sneer. “Don’t endanger yourself any more than you have already foolishly done.”
Straightening my head, I glared at him as my hand stole into my pocket. My brother’s knife was still there. “Miss Graham should have warned you that I will do as I wish, no matter what anyone says.” I pulled the knife out and stabbed at him. He cried out as the blade dug into his arm.
He let go of me, and I let out the shrillest scream I had ever managed in my life. That earned me another blow to that immediately made my ears ring. He grabbed my wrist and twisted, forcing me to drop the weapon.
Before I could recover, Bridges locked his hands around my throat. “I have a good thing going here, and you nearly destroyed that. Information has a high price in France. I almost have enough to for me to abandon this tedious life of servitude. I will set myself up as a proper gentleman.
At any other time, I would have found it interesting that he had kept from killing me to ask about Marie Nelson. Instead, I clawed at his wrists while he slowly tightened his grip. My kicks had no effect, and I was unable to keep up the attack for more than a few seconds.
Black spots began dancing in front of my eyes. I regretted that I hadn’t sent a note in recent days to Aunt Beth. How would she feel when she learned of my death? My escapades had already worried her so much. Did she know how much I adored her? Tears sprung to my eyes. I didn’t want to die. Not like this. Not so soon.
Who would clear my family’s name? Who would find the man that murdered my brother and created the ‘accident’ that took my parents?
“It’s no use struggling any longer,” Bridges whispered. “It’s all over now.”
Chapter Eighteen
Darkness filled my vision, and the rushing sound of my racing pulse was loud in my ears. But I thought I heard something beyond that: the sound of a voice shouting my name. “Miss Nelson. Miss Nelson!”
Who was it? The voice was male, I could hear that much, but it seemed to be coming from such a long distance. Was it Mr. Harper? Had he come?
A second before I was certain I was about to lose consciousness completely, Bridges’ hands were suddenly gone from my neck and I felt the cool night air against my skin. I fell, trying to cough and suck in blessed air at the same time. As my hearing and vision cleared, the sound of a fist meeting flesh rang out, and Bridges hit the ground a few feet away from me.
Then, someone was crouching down in front of me. “Miss Nelson, are you hurt?” Mr. Harper asked, grasping my shoulders. There was concern written on his face.
If I hadn’t been sure of his innocence before, now I knew for certain. “I’ll live,” I managed to say before coughing again. My throat hurt like nothing I’d ever experienced before and my head ached. Without a doubt, I was going to be sore in the morning.
Putting my hand in his, I accepted his help in rising. It was then that I realized we were not alone. Two men I didn’t recognize were hauling Bridges up. Wilder held a lantern, looking concerned and disheveled. Mr. Burnham was also there, speaking to an unfamiliar gentleman.
“Let’s get you inside,” Mr. Harper said to me. “I think you could use a strong drink.”
If I hadn’t felt so miserable, I would have laughed at that. He wrapped his arm around me, supporting me in a rather comforting way. I only went a few steps before I stopped. “I have to ask him,” I said, trying to turn. Mr. Harper wouldn’t let me though. “I have to ask Bridges about the Sinclairs.”
“Someone will question him, I promise,” Mr. Harper assured me. “Right now, you need to recover. You’ve had a great shock.”
A great shock? That had to be the understatement of the night. Mary and Mrs. Wilder were at the door when we reached it. “Oh, Miss Nelson, what has happened?” the housekeeper exclaimed. She reached out her hands. “We’ll see to her from here, Mr. Harper.”
Was it my imagination or did Mr. Harper seem reluctant to release me? He did, though, and I went from his support to Mrs. Wilder’s. “Mr. Burnham and I will have questions for Miss Nelson,” Mr. Harper said. He gave a formal bow, an action that seemed ridiculous in the circumstances, and then turned to hurry away.
I would have to thank him later for saving my life.
“What happened to you?” Mrs. Wilder demanded as she guided me inside. She was wearing a dressing gown over her nightgown, showing she’d been pulled from her bed. “We heard a scream and then Mr. Harper was pounding at the door.”
“I’m sorry to have disturbed you all,” I apologized insincerely. My voice was hoarse, it hurt to talk, and all I wanted was to be in my bed.
“Edward, do something useful and fetch Miss Nelson some brandy,” Mrs. Wilder snapped. I lifted my eyes to find that the majority of the household staff seemed to have assembled downstairs. “The rest of you return to your beds! You all have duties to see to come dawn.”
That sent the majority of the gawkers running. Mrs. Wilder firmly steered me to her room and sat me at the table. Edward appeared in the doorway with the decanter I had seen at his side earlier. The housekeeper snatched it from him, along with the glass, and then shooed him away.
“Drink this, if you can,” Mrs. Wilder urged, pouring a small amount of brandy and pressing the glass into my hand. “I wonder if we ought to summon a physician.”
I wanted to protest that all I needed was some sleep, but decided that the pain of speaking made it not worth the effort. I sipped the strong liquid, flinching at the pain in my throat. A warm feeling slowly spread, and the trembling in my hands that I hadn’t even noticed began to still.
“I have Miss Nelson’s bag,” Mary announced, coming into the room. She looked curious. “Bridges has been taken away.”
“I always knew that man was trouble,” Mrs. Wilder muttered. “Attacking defenseless young women in the night? Horrible! I hope hangs for this!”
She didn’t need to know the truth, and I just nodded in agreement. Bridges certainly deserved to be punished for what he’d done: selling information to France and attacking me, though I’m sure an attack on a maid wouldn’t rank very high in the eyes of the government. If only I could know he’d been the one to kill my family, I would be satisfied.
My head was pounding, and I forced myself to my feet. “I would like my bed now, please.”
“Of
course,” Mrs. Wilder said in the most motherly tone I’d ever heard from her. “Mary, help her along. Make sure no one annoys her. In fact, I think it might be best if you were to stay with her tonight.”
Mary had her hands full as she tried to carry my bag, hold up a candle, and put an arm around me. I almost smiled at the comicalness of it. I took my carpet bag from her. She breathed a sigh of relief and lent me her support.
The hardest part was facing the stairs. By the time I reached the top, I felt unusually short of breath.
“Do you need to rest?” Mary asked with concern.
Shaking my head, I continued. Reaching my tiny room, I sank onto my bed while Mary bustled around. She left the candle on the dressing table, pulled my things from my bag, and then helped me into my nightgown. She didn’t say anything about the pocket watch that I had hung around my neck, merely set it aside where I could see it.
It was a relief to pull the blankets up to my chin. Mary pulled a chair close to the side of my bed. “You don’t have to stay,” I told her, knowing just how uncomfortable that chair was if you sat on it for longer than five minutes.
“I’ll stay until you are asleep,” Mary responded firmly. “And don’t you worry about your duties tomorrow. I’ll handle them.”
Too tired to argue, I closed my eyes. Tomorrow would come too quickly for me and with it repercussions from the night.
WITH A SHARP GASP, I opened my eyes. The nightmare that had startled me awake faded almost instantly and left me feeling breathless as I stared up at the ceiling. Light filled the room and did nothing to ease the headache that still pounded behind my eyes.
Groaning, I closed my eyes and thought about what had happened. “Aunt Beth is going to be furious,” I murmured, grimacing at the hoarseness that still plagued my voice.
Never one to lie abed, I forced myself to sit up and then to rise to my feet. I had to move slowly to dress, missing the help Mary normally would have given me, but a glance at my watch showed that it was near one in the afternoon. The maid was no doubt busy with duties, both hers and mine.
Regency Rumors (The Sinclair Society Series, #1) Page 17