The Lady Who Saw Too Much

by Thomasine Rappold

  Questioning the man’s integrity with no proof of wrongdoing other than his wife’s hysteria as the basis was risky, but the risk would be worth it to Landen if he could convince Gia her fears about the man were unfounded. Until he heard back with any news on Whithers, Landen would postpone his plans to invest in the man’s venture.

  A part of him felt like a fool for acting on Gia’s suspicions, but reassuring her of Whithers’ innocence might be the only way to put her mind at ease and end this madness once and for all.

  He had no idea how to help her, and for the first time, he found himself in his father’s shoes. Landen had always resented the man for the way he’d denied his mother’s illness. For pretending it didn’t exist. Even after her most public tantrums, his father continued to sweep her erratic behavior under the rug. He’d tried in vain to protect her, to fight the truth of her condition and the scandal that came with it. But in the end he could not protect her from herself.

  Now that Landen was married, he could better understand his father’s reasoning. Landen had been young and ignorant to the matters between a man and a woman. The intimacies shared within the haven of marriage, in the dark of the night, created powerful bonds. The need to protect and defend one’s bedmate was just as strong.

  Landen pushed thoughts of his past from his head and tried to concentrate on helping Gia. Gia had invested everything in her delusions. Christ, she’d married him because of them. She’d sacrificed her future to save a stranger. If her actions weren’t so inconceivable, he might deem them commendable. Courageous.

  Running a hand through his hair, he thought about that moment he’d received the scarf. For that one brief moment, he’d been frightened by the shocking coincidence. Paralyzed by the possibility Gia might be right. She’d been so damn convincing. What would happen to Alice and Alex if something were to happen to him? What would happen to Gia?

  He had to keep his head and be logical. Life was full of strange coincidences. Gia was bright with a keen sense of intuition, nothing more. The trauma she’d endured had skewed her perception of reality. She’d shaped a few striking coincidences into some fantastical design and created an oracle. There had to be some way to make her realize this.

  He thought about her parents. Perhaps contacting them might help. Surely, they had to be worried about their daughter. And yet they’d made no effort to find her. After the way they’d treated her, he couldn’t blame her for running away and not wanting to see them again. They’d pushed her into a drug-induced stupor, then held her there to smother her illness. The mere thought of their abuse roused a white-hot anger inside him.

  Landen just wanted things to go back to the way they were before his meeting with Charlotte. Before he was faced with the truth about Gia’s deception, and before she told him about this delusive ability she claimed to possess. But now he knew, and now he had to deal with his marriage to a woman who believed she saw visions of the future. A woman who had upended his life and changed everything. A woman he still desired more than any before her.

  He took a deep breath as he walked toward the assembly situated in the shade beneath the cluster of oaks. Gia sat in one of the several wicker chairs that had been relocated from the sunroom to the lawn for the occasion. During these outside gatherings, Alice usually took shelter inside the gazebo down by the water, but to his surprise, she’d joined Gia on the lawn. Kit lounged on a nearby chaise, entertaining the group of Alex’s friends that surrounded him. After a boisterous bout of laughter, Kit rose and headed toward the mallets.

  Gia pursed her lips beneath the brim of her bonnet as Landen approached. After everything she’d done, she had the audacity to be angry with him. She’d fed him a steady diet of lies from the moment they’d met, and yet she played the one who’d been wronged. He bristled at how bothered he was by her rebuff. These past nights lying in bed next to her had been torture, and he’d tossed and turned in frustration for more hours than he’d slept. Perhaps he could harness some of his pent-up energy for the game. God knew he’d need it if he were to give Alex a decent match.

  He took a seat next to Gia, cursing the intoxicating scent of her.

  “Anyone care for a game of croquet?” Kit asked from the lawn. “Alice and I are teaming up for a game.”

  Landen blinked.

  “Alice, you’re playing?” Gia asked, clearly as surprised as he was.

  “No, I am not.” Alice crossed her arms.

  “Have it your way, Fair Alice,” Kit called. “But be prepared. I intend to hound you all day until you relent.” He waved Alice toward him. “You’ve already watered your flowers, so come play. I need a pretty partner to help distract the competition.”

  Alice blushed.

  Landen frowned. “If she doesn’t wish to play—”

  “All right,” Alice said. She shot to her feet. “I will play.”

  Landen and Gia gaped at each other.

  “But Denny and Gia must play as well,” Alice said as she breezed past them.

  Landen glanced to Gia, and she shrugged her assent.

  “All right,” Landen said as he rose. He held his arm for Gia, and they walked across the lawn.

  The game progressed, and Landen couldn’t help noticing Kit’s flirtations with Alice. Whether Alice noticed or not, he couldn’t say.

  “He’s just being friendly,” Gia said, as if reading his thoughts. “To help put her at ease.”

  Kit had his hand on the small of Alice’s back as he instructed her on the proper way to hold the mallet. Landen stiffened as Kit worked his charms on his sister. Alice had been playing croquet since she was in pinafores; she scarcely needed lessons.

  “Besides, Alice has eyes for someone else,” Gia said.

  “Yes, I know. The gardener.”

  “He happens to be a very nice young man,” she huffed. “And he seems quite fond of your sister.”

  Landen scowled.

  “Well, he does,” Gia affirmed against his cynicism.

  “So, why isn’t he here? Everyone else is,” Landen muttered.

  “Alice told me he’s working at the Westcott Estate. He’ll be here later.”

  “Wonderful.” He jutted his chin toward Alex and Sissy. “At least my brother’s choice in companionship has improved,” he said. “Until he gets bored.”

  Gia frowned. “Your brother is in love.”

  “With Kit?” He smiled.

  She frowned at his quip but couldn’t hold back a smile. God, how he’d missed that smile. The taste of those lips.

  “He is in love with Sissy, and you know it.” She took her turn at the mallet and missed by a mile. “And Sissy loves Alex. That’s more important than other people’s opinions.”

  “Especially mine.” He bent to hit his ball, and it rolled, smacking the others from their positions.

  Alice made a fine shot, and she jumped up and down. “We win!”

  Gia laughed. Landen laughed too.

  “That was a fine shot, Alice,” Landen said. Despite his irritation at losing to Kit, Landen conceded defeat with a bow. “But we shall like a rematch.”

  “Yes, a rematch,” Gia chimed in.

  “What do you say, Kit?” Alice asked, twirling her mallet victoriously.

  Her confident stance took Landen by surprise. This summer had sprouted a budding rose more beautiful than any blooming in the garden she tended, and his heart swelled with warmth.

  Kit laughed. “I could not deny you if I wanted to, Fair Alice.”

  “Good Lord,” Landen muttered.

  “She’s enjoying herself, Landen. She’s coming out of her shell. Isn’t that what you wanted?”

  It seemed like a lifetime ago that he’d hired Gia to be Alice’s companion. Something in Gia’s eyes said she felt this way too.

  He turned to watch his little sister, looking so happy, so beautiful, so much like a woman. “Yes, I suppose it is.”

  * * * *

  “All right, no
more stalling,” Alex called to Landen. “Let’s play badminton.” He smiled, twirling the racket in his hand as Landen approached the net. “Are you ready to play?”

  “I’m ready.” Landen grabbed a racket, then ducked beneath the net. The sun shined in his eyes, but not enough to inhibit his vision. Alex served, and the match commenced. The game was fierce, the sun hot, and as usual, Landen was losing.

  Alex taunted Landen with every shot he scored. Alex’s friends cheered and applauded, growing rowdier by the competition between the brothers and the bets they’d placed on the outcome.

  Alex jumped high, hitting a shot Landen was certain he’d miss. “You’re looking weary, old man.” Alex laughed, hamming it up for his friends.

  Landen raced to the birdie coming over the net and swung hard.

  There was no returning the shot that hit Alex square in the face.

  “Ugh!” Alex bent forward, clasping his nose.

  “Alex!” Sissy rushed toward Alex, and the others followed.

  “Are you all right?” Landen asked.

  Alex raised his head slowly. “You tell me.” He flashed opened his palms. Blood trickled from his nose.

  Landen’s stomach lurched. Alex covered his nose, but it was too late. Landen froze, staring at the spatters of blood staining Alex’s white shirt. Everything swam before Landen’s eyes. His weight shifted beneath him. The racket slipped from his hand. He stood alone, wobbling on his feet amid the blurred commotion on the other side of the net.

  His thoughts spun through the droning buzz in his ears, the weightlessness in his limbs. Alex was the injured party, but in a few short seconds, Landen would swoon like a woman in front of them all.

  “Landen.”

  The sound of Gia’s voice was a beacon through the din.

  “Landen, look at me.” She tugged at his arm.

  He blinked hard against the lure of nothingness pulling him under.

  “Landen.” She grasped his shoulders, alarmed, but her voice remained calm. “Take a deep breath.”

  He inhaled a long breath, and she nodded, urging him on. “Good. Now focus on me. On me.” Her eyes held his, and he steadied as her face came more clearly into view. “Keep breathing.”

  He felt himself moving as she slowly led him to a chair. He plopped down in relief.

  He glanced up toward Alex, who was being ushered to the patio.

  “Alex will be fine,” Gia reassured him. “You just focus on breathing.”

  The buzz in Landen’s ears faded with every breath he took, every word Gia spoke. He leaned forward, elbows on his knees. He felt the soft caress of Gia’s hand, rubbing his back.

  “Are you feeling better?” she asked.

  He nodded, but he couldn’t yet speak.

  “Good.” She kept rubbing his back, up and down, soft and steady.

  The lightheadedness dissipated, as did his blurred vision, but he didn’t move.

  Gia’s touch felt so good. So soothing. Conflicting emotions battled inside him. He couldn’t trust her, and yet in this moment there was no one he trusted more. No one who knew him as well as she did. No one else who saw him for who he truly was.

  Sitting back in the chair, he turned to face her. Her small smile of relief washed over him, drowning him in a flood of emotion. She blinked against the sunlight, gazing intently at him. It took every ounce of strength he possessed not to pull her into his arms and kiss the hell out of her.

  In her sparkling eyes, he saw no traces of madness. But what he saw frightened him almost as much. All the facets of the woman she was flashed before him. He saw her compassion as she’d consoled him through the night of his aunt’s illness. Her loyalty as she’d defended his sister at the garden party. Her determination as she’d led the search party to the missing Toomey boy.

  He saw it all—and more—with a startling clarity that scared the hell out him. “We should go see how Alex is faring,” he finally said, breaking the trance he was under.

  She held his arm as he rose, concern stamped on her lovely face.

  “I’m all right,” he said as he eased from her grip.

  She nodded, releasing him.

  They headed across the lawn to the patio. Thankfully, Sissy and the others had taken Alex inside the house.

  “Florence will see to Alex,” Gia said with a smile. “He’ll be fine.”

  Landen nodded as he took a seat on the patio.

  “I’ll get you some lemonade.” She walked to the table of refreshments Florence had arranged.

  His gratitude for Gia’s assistance overwhelmed him. Landen would have been mortified to have fainted in front of Alex and his friends. He never would have lived it down.

  He doubted anyone had noticed his earlier distress. Except Gia. Landen took care of others. No one took care of him. But when everyone else had run to help Alex, Gia had run to help Landen.

  He still couldn’t believe she was the same woman who claimed to see visions of the future. The same woman who’d pleaded with him to believe her delusions.

  Despite every warning screaming in his head, she was the same woman he loved.

  Chapter 24

  Gia lay in bed, wide awake and craving something sweet. She glanced at Landen’s sleeping form beside her. Truth be told, she craved something else. The warmth radiating from his bare shoulders begged her to touch him, to kiss the soft skin, trail her mouth along the muscles beneath. The pull of her yearning for him was so strong her body ached with the force of it. She missed him so much. His presence outside this room had been scarce all week, as though he were avoiding her, but now it was clear, he intended to avoid her in bed as well.

  She blew out a long breath, disappointed another night would pass without making love. She’d have to settle for satisfying her sweet tooth instead.

  She slipped from the bed and into her robe. Creeping through the moonlit room, she made her way to the door, then turned the knob slowly.

  Once in the hall, she hurried for the stairway. The wood stairs beneath her bare feet were cold, and she wrapped her arms around her chest, surprised by how cool the house was on the lower floor. She hurried through the dim hallway, past Landen’s study. She slowed. Perhaps this might be a good time to search for proof against Whithers.

  Gazing inside the dark room to Landen’s desk, she decided to wait for an opportunity to conduct her search in the daylight. She continued toward the kitchen. The aroma of the evening’s chicken dinner lingered in the air, whetting her appetite. She opened the cupboard and grabbed the canister of cookies. Opening the jar, she smiled, relishing the smell of gingerbread.

  “Good evening.”

  She jumped, spinning around.

  Kit laughed. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to startle you.”

  She exhaled, her heart still pounding. Mortified by her careless attire, she secured her robe around her. She’d forgotten there were male guests in the house, and she shuddered at the thought of what this man might think of her now. All at once she thought of Landen and what he might think if he happened upon the scene. Her pulse quickened in the sudden urge to bolt from the room.

  Pushing through the awkwardness of the meeting, she said, “I was just getting a snack.” She returned the canister to the cupboard, providing him with ample time to excuse himself so she could retreat back to her room.

  “I was just enjoying a brandy.”

  He remained where he stood. Surprised by his lack of propriety, she narrowed her eyes.

  He held up his glass in response. “Would you like some?”

  The smell of alcohol assaulted her senses as he stepped toward her. He was drunk.

  “No, thank you,” she said with a shake of her head.

  He seemed like a different man suddenly, not at all like the charming gentleman whose company she’d enjoyed this past week. She didn’t like the inebriated Kit. She knew all too well how one could lose oneself while in the midst of a stupor, and Kit seemed cl
early lost.

  “Good night.” She moved to pass him, but he blocked her path with his cane.

  Her heart pounded as she stared down at the thing.

  “Aren’t you forgetting something?” he asked.

  She glanced up into his bleary eyes.

  He tipped his head toward the forgotten cookie on the table.

  “Suddenly I’m not very hungry,” she said coolly.

  “You look hungry to me.”

  Something in the way he said it sparked her ire. “Pardon me?”

  With a smile, he reached for the cookie, then held it before her.

  She snatched the thing from his hand, felt it snapping to pieces as she shoved it into her pocket.

  “Beautiful women like you are always hungry for something.” Lowering the cane, he moved closer. “And men like me are always happy to oblige.”

  She gaped at him, too stunned to move.

  In one swift motion, he grasped the back of her neck, pulling him toward her.

  “What are—”

  His lips covered her mouth, stifling her words. A cry of alarm caught in her throat, fear shot through her veins. She wrestled against him, the sickening taste of brandy, his tight grip digging painfully into the nape of her neck. He was stronger than he seemed, surprisingly steady on his feet.

  She pushed him with all her might. He stumbled back against the table, his cane crashing to the floor. The sound of her slap to his cheek filled the room as she stood there, gasping for air. He rubbed his face, looking stunned before bending slowly to retrieve his cane.

  Tears stung her eyes as she moved for the door.

  “Pleasant dreams,” he called after her as she ran from the room.

  * * * *

  Landen opened his eyes at the sound of the door closing. He rolled over to face Gia as she climbed into bed. “Are you all right?” he asked.

  Through the shadowy light, he could see her face, her eyes shimmering in the moonlight. She breathed hard, as though she’d just run a mile.

  “Yes, I am fine.”