Caught by Surprise

by Jen Turano

  “Living life amongst the aristocracy is not something I believe I’d be good at, although living in a castle would be nice, even if I’ve heard they can be somewhat chilly during the winter.”

  “Again, Gilbert has enough money to see those castles updated with more modern heating methods, and it’s not as if you’d have to mingle with other aristocrats all the time. You’d be out in the middle of nowhere for a good part of the year,” Mrs. Davenport pointed out.

  Temperance nodded. “Which is an excellent point, but from what I recall of British lords, they’re required to sit in the House of Lords for certain months of the year, requiring them to repair to London. Unfortunately, I also recall that while Parliament is in session, that’s when London’s high season takes place, and that right there is why I can’t marry Gilbert.”

  Edwina rose to her feet and shook out the folds of her dressing gown. “Surely you don’t believe Gilbert will give up pursuing you so easily, do you? Ever since I’ve known him, he’s always been a determined sort. Pair that with the notion you disclosed your affection by kissing him—twice from what you said—and I have to imagine he’s even now pulling together a plan that will have you changing your mind.” She smiled. “That plan will certainly consist of lists, charts, and perhaps even a graph or two, detailing the many reasons why it would be in your best interest to marry him.”

  “He’ll be doing no such planning,” Temperance argued. “Gilbert is a very practical sort, analytical as well, which means that after reflecting on our situation, he’ll determine I’m right and accept that it would be a disaster for us to marry. I do not have any desire to take on the role of countess and would do a dreadful job of it, even if I did have a smidgen of interest in that role.”

  “You told me you attended one of the most elite finishing schools in America,” Edwina argued. “And I’ve never noticed you putting a foot out of line when it comes to behaving with the utmost decorum in any polite setting.”

  “Just because I know how to behave properly doesn’t mean I care to behave all the time. I’ve discovered I enjoy having the luxury of independence, as well as the luxury of not always having to put my best foot forward. Why, if I clung to proper behavior all the time, I wouldn’t be able to travel to Five Points to paint or have Mr. Barclay escort me to the ocean for target practice or have Eugene teach me how to defend myself in a knife brawl in the back courtyard. I’d have to give all that up, as well as give up spending time with all my friends here in New York. And even though I care for Gilbert, I’m afraid we’d grow to resent each other. I would resent the loss of my freedom, and he would resent the morose woman I’m certain to become because of it.”

  “But you’d have Gilbert, and you could exchange kisses with him whenever you wanted.”

  Temperance smiled. “Which would be lovely, but again, I’m not always a pleasant person when I’m unhappy, and I’m afraid Gilbert would eventually not even want to kiss me after a while. But . . .” Her smile widened. “In case any of you are concerned that I injured his manly pride by not allowing him an opportunity to give me the ring Mrs. Davenport apparently slipped him, I think by kissing him, and twice, he understands that I hold him in great affection but can’t marry him in this present state.”

  Edwina exchanged a look with Mrs. Davenport. “Is it just me or does it seem like Temperance is trying to convince herself she’s unwilling to marry Gilbert?”

  “A most excellent observation, Edwina, and one I’ve made as well,” Mrs. Davenport said before she fished a sparkling necklace filled with diamonds and pink stones out of her pocket. Draping the stones around Temperance’s neck, she took a second to secure the clasp and took a step backward, nodding as she perused the jewels.

  “Ah, perfect.” Mrs. Davenport held up her hand when Temperance opened her mouth. “Do not even think about refusing to wear that piece. It’s gorgeous against your pale skin, completes the outfit, and I have scads of jewelry I never wear, so you may consider that a gift from me, and no arguing. Now, go finish getting your hair styled while I help Edwina dress.”

  “While I’m delighted you’ve found your true calling in life, what with your love of fashion and design—and not the questionable type of fashion, Mrs. Davenport,” Temperance said as she marched her way over to sit down beside Miss Henrietta, “I’m not certain I’m quite as delighted about this bossy nature you’ve acquired over the past few months.”

  “I’ve always been bossy, dear, and I fear I’ll only get bossier the more competent I get with my designs.”

  “You’ve created a monster by taking Mrs. Davenport in hand,” Temperance said under her breath to Miss Henrietta as Mrs. Davenport threw herself into getting Edwina into a brilliant red gown that not many people could wear.

  “She is having a wonderful time of it, isn’t she?” Miss Henrietta asked, gesturing for one of the hairdressers to step forward. “A sophisticated knot on top of Miss Flowerdew’s hair should work well, but not too severe. And I’d like to see wisps of curls cascading from that knot, if you please.”

  “She’s not the only one enjoying a bossy nature,” Temperance said before the hairstylist began attacking Temperance’s hair with a vengeance, making it next to impossible to speak since she knew if she opened her mouth shrieks of pain might escape.

  Twenty minutes later, she was pronounced done. And not wanting Miss Henrietta, Mrs. Davenport, or Miss Mabel, who’d just dashed in the room, running late and looking frantic, to decide there was something else needing to be done to her appearance, she excused herself from the room, telling everyone she needed to check the ballroom one last time to make certain everything was perfect for Gertrude’s special night.

  Promising to meet in the main hallway in an hour to join the receiving line, even though she wasn’t going to linger there, what with the rumors swirling around regarding her and Gilbert, she walked out of the room, Edwina walking by her side.

  “The red suits you,” she told her friend as they reached the staircase and made their way to the third floor.

  Edwina’s cheeks turned a delightful shade of pink. “I was a little hesitant at first to wear this color, but I have to admit I love it, and I do hope Samuel will love it as well.”

  “I imagine you in that dress is not going to be a sight he’ll ever forget.”

  Edwina’s eyes sparkled. “I’m looking forward to seeing him in formal wear.” She released a bit of a sigh. “He is a lovely gentleman, but I’m beginning to become concerned that he’ll never ask me to marry him. I’m worried that my desire to become one of the few Pinkerton ladies has caused him to change his mind about me, believing a relationship with me sets a bad precedent with his fellow detectives.”

  Reaching the third floor, Temperance stepped toward the door leading into the ballroom, pausing for a moment as a thought struck. “Would you abandon your quest to become an agent if that turns out to be why he hasn’t asked you to marry him yet?”

  Edwina bit her lip. “That’s a tricky question, but yes, I would abandon my desire to become an agent. I like to think of myself as being progressive, but I love Samuel, and I want to enjoy my life with him by my side. If that means I must give up the Pinkerton dream, I don’t believe I’ll live to regret that, not when the alternative—a life without Samuel—seems unimaginable.”

  “You really do love Samuel, don’t you?”

  Edwina nodded. “He makes me laugh, makes me feel beautiful even when I know I’m not looking my best, and, best of all, he listens to what I have to say and values my opinion.”

  “He’s very fortunate to have won your affections.”

  “True, but now I just need him to realize that and get on with matters.”

  Exchanging grins, Temperance moved into the ballroom, stopping to take in the sight of the billowing silken sky she’d created, the gleaming marble floor, and the small tables that edged the dance floor, all of which were draped in linen the color of the sea. Set in the middle of those tables were the centerpiec
es she’d made—ships created from a plaster mold she’d sculpted herself, resting on top of beds of sand and seashells that she and Mr. Barclay had collected on one of their many trips to the seaside.

  Servers hired for the night, and screened by the Pinkerton Agency, were double-checking each table, and members of the orchestra Miss Henrietta had hired were beginning to set up their instruments.

  A gleaming baby grand piano sat off to the side, the sight of it causingTemperance to smile as she remembered why she’d asked Mr. Barclay to have the piano brought into the ballroom from the music room.

  She’d wanted to do something fun for her fellow wallflower’s special evening. And even though she’d not played in front of anyone for eons, except for the simple pieces she’d shared with students at Miss Snook’s school, she was comfortable with playing in front of her friends, knowing they would not have any expectations of how well she played, or—

  The sound of feet pounding down the hallway had her turning for the door right as Edwina stuck out her leg and pulled a pistol from her garter. A second later, Gilbert burst into the ballroom with his pistol drawn, caught sight of her, then skidded to a stop.

  “Temperance, oh, thank the good Lord you’re fine,” he said right as she noticed that he was looking anything other than fine.

  His hair was sticking out all over the place, his formal black jacket was missing a sleeve, and his trousers seemed to be covered with mud. He also had what looked to be fresh blood on his already bruised face, but before she could ask a single question, Tobias, Gilbert’s valet, rushed into the room, his pistol drawn and looking quite as disheveled as Gilbert.

  “Is she hurt, Mr. Cavendish?” Tobias yelled, skidding to a stop when he seemed to notice Edwina was aiming her pistol directly at his heart. He held up his hands. “No need to shoot me, miss. I’m with him.”

  While Edwina lowered her pistol but didn’t slip it back into her garter, Temperance moved to Gilbert’s side.

  “What happened?” she demanded.

  Gilbert, instead of answering her, took a moment to look her up and down. A second later, he smiled.

  “You look ravishing.”

  Temperance decided right then and there that ravishing was going to be her favorite word from that moment forward.

  She shook herself straight back to the situation at hand. “Thank you, and I’d say the same about you, although . . .” She gestured to his person. “What happened?” she asked again.

  Gilbert shook his head. “Tobias and I were ambushed, which means . . . someone still wants us dead.”

  Chapter

  Twenty-Two

  “What do you mean, someone ambushed you?” Temperance asked right before she began inspecting him, her eyes widening when she turned her attention to his arm, the one that was no longer covered with a sleeve. “Your arm is bleeding.”

  Gilbert glanced at his arm and shrugged. “It’s merely a scratch, one I believe I got as I was being dragged from the carriage.”

  “You were dragged from the carriage?”

  “We were taken by surprise, hence the reason I said we were ambushed.”

  “Two men appeared from out of nowhere,” Tobias said. “One of them pulled our driver straight from his seat, scaring the horses half to death, which caused them to careen wildly down the street.”

  “I opened the door, hoping to get a shot off,” Gilbert continued. “But before I could do that, I was grabbed by one of the ruffians, pulled from the carriage, and soon found myself lying in the very middle of a muddy street, trying to dodge the bullets that were whizzing by.”

  Tobias raked a hand through hair that was no longer covered with a hat. “And while Mr. Cavendish was doing that, I managed to jump from the carriage. Unfortunately, I landed hard, but thankfully the two Pinkerton detectives who were following us raced up on the scene as I was getting to my feet, and before anyone got good and dead, it was over.”

  “But what happened to your face?” Temperance asked, pulling a handkerchief from the bodice of her gown, which she immediately used to dab at something that was dribbling down his cheek, something he was afraid might be blood.

  “Oh, that was my fault,” Tobias admitted, wincing ever so slightly. “I’m afraid I was a bit woozy from my fall, and after I staggered to my feet, I bumped right into Mr. Cavendish, knocking him to the road again. Unfortunately, he went face first into the mud.”

  Gilbert couldn’t help but notice that Temperance’s lips were beginning to curve, something she certainly seemed to try to hide since she turned her head and settled her attention on Edwina, who was walking toward the door.

  “I’m going to speak with the Pinkerton men who are stationed outside the house,” Edwina said over her shoulder. “I won’t be long.”

  As Edwina quit the ballroom, Temperance turned around again, her lips no longer curving, although her eyes were definitely twinkling.

  Gilbert found himself absolutely mesmerized with her.

  The color of her gown suited her to perfection, drawing attention to her creamy skin, which seemed to be dusted with something sparkly, lending her an air of mystery.

  It was as if she’d somehow managed to capture the very essence of her being—a mix of fairy-tale creature, eccentric artist, and alluring woman—all bundled into one irresistible package.

  There was little question that Temperance had become a lady entirely comfortable in her own skin, embracing her love of whimsy, while adopting an air of sophistication he never realized she possessed.

  He found himself enchanted with her and wanted nothing more than to lean forward and kiss her, but not a fluttery type of kiss like she’d given him, but more on the—

  Fingers snapping directly in front of his eyes pulled him out of his daydream and right back to reality, one that had Temperance not looking at him, but at Tobias.

  “How hard did he hit the ground when you staggered into him?”

  Tobias shot him a glance that was far too knowing, quite as if the man knew exactly why his employer seemed to be in a dazed and confused state of mind, before he adopted a rather mournful expression. “I’m afraid he took quite the tumble, Miss Flowerdew, and will probably suffer some confusion for the foreseeable future.”

  Gilbert smiled, but pressed his lips firmly together when Temperance turned his way again, and resisted the urge to give Tobias a rousing round of applause for his superior acting abilities and quick thinking. “I do feel a little light-headed,” he finally said, realizing Temperance seemed to be waiting for some type of response from him.

  “You should have mentioned that sooner. Sit down right this minute and I’ll see if I can’t find someone to bring you up a soothing cup of tea.”

  “Or a nice brandy,” Gilbert countered as Temperance took him by the arm, marched him at a rather fast clip over to the nearest chair, and practically pushed him down into it.

  “Since you just admitted you’re light-headed, brandy is the last thing you need, and . . . you’re perspiring.” She bent over to peer into his face, her closeness providing him with a whiff of the most compelling perfume he’d ever smelled in his life.

  “Of course I’m perspiring,” he said when he realized he’d gone mute for a few seconds and she was now prying open one of his eyes to peer into it. “I recently ran up three flights of incredibly steep steps.” He blinked when she withdrew her finger. “But speaking of those steep steps, and because rushing up all those steps does seem to be becoming a habit, how do you think Miss Henrietta would feel about installing an elevator?”

  Temperance straightened. “She adores you, so I’m certain she’d be more than receptive to installing an elevator if you broach the subject with her. Although, one has to hope there will come a time in the not-too-distant future where people will cease trying to do us in.” She held up a finger right in front of his eyes. “Watch my finger.”

  Gilbert knew better than to argue with her, especially since she looked far too determined. However, the more she swis
hed her finger in front of his face, the more whiffs of her intoxicating perfume he got, which made him somewhat distractible and . . .

  “We’ll need to send for the physician,” she proclaimed, withdrawing her hand.

  He shook his head, more to clear it than to protest, but Temperance evidently took it as a protest since she leaned forward and shook her finger in his face, sending additional whiffs of perfume his way and distracting him all over again.

  “You’re obviously suffering from a concussion, so we’ll send for a physician, and I’ll thank you to discontinue your arguing with me. If you’ve forgotten, guests are soon to descend on this house for a night of frivolity. I’d hate for you to faint dead away while dancing the Go-As-You-Please Quadrille simply because you’re stubborn, which would put a distinct damper on that frivolity I just mentioned.”

  “I do hope I misheard you, Temperance, and that you wouldn’t be so cruel as to schedule a dance you know perfectly well my darling Permilia is incapable of dancing.”

  Blowing out a sigh of relief, Gilbert turned and found Asher Rutherford, his very dear friend and Permilia’s fiancé, striding across the room, looking very dapper indeed. Tonight, Asher was dressed in a well-cut formal black dinner jacket, his every hair in place, and the outlandish violet neckcloth he was wearing tied in an intricate knot. A diamond stickpin winked in the lights from the chandeliers.

  “Asher, don’t you look dashing,” Temperance said, straightening as Asher reached them and immediately took her gloved hand and kissed it. “And no need to fret about the Go-As-You-Please Quadrille. Gertrude and I are going to introduce a new rendition of that particular dance, one I do believe you’ll enjoy far more than the first time you danced that quadrille with Permilia.”

  “Does this new rendition require that the guests remain in their seats?” Asher asked hopefully.

  “Not quite, but again, you’ll enjoy the changes we’ve made, and you’ll be relieved to learn Gertrude decided against having a Ticklish Water Polka included this evening.”