Jen Turano - [Ladies of Distinction 02]

by A Most Peculiar Circumstance

  She was more determined than ever to help them into a better life because this was no way to live.

  “Here’s where we split up,” Violet said, coming to a halt. “Kate, stick with Hannah and Sarah. Agatha, I thought it would be best for you to come with me.”

  “I’ll stay with Lottie,” Arabella said as she caught Katherine’s eye. “Keep your pistol handy, and if you run into trouble, scream.”

  “If I run into trouble, I plan on shooting first and then screaming,” Katherine said. She followed Hannah to stand a few yards away.

  Arabella and Agatha exchanged nods and took off in opposite directions, and Arabella and Lottie finally came to a stop under a gas lamp. “What now?”

  “We wait for the men.”

  Five minutes later, Arabella released a sigh. “I don’t think anyone is going to come up to us, Lottie.”

  “It’s your dress. It’s a bit off-putting.”

  “Perhaps we should take matters into our own hands.”

  Lottie arched a brow. “You want to do the approaching?”

  Arabella arched a brow right back. “I was thinking more that we forget about the men and question some of the other ladies down here. Someone must have seen something.”

  “You can go talk to that group,” Lottie said with a nod toward five women who were huddled together and looked as if they were scared to death. “I’ll see if any of those fine gents standing over there by that light have seen anything tonight.”

  Arabella shook her head. “We should stay together.”

  “I won’t get anything out of them if you’re with me,” Lottie said. “Your speech is too refined and your gown too hideous.” She patted her hair. “I’ve been dealing with men for more years than I care to admit, and besides, it’s not as if there’s just a single man. I don’t think they’re going to grab me and bolt from the docks.”

  “I don’t know, Lottie. I still think we should stick together.”

  “I’m only going to be a few feet from you. You can keep an eye on me, and if I think something’s wrong, I’ll give you a yell.”

  Before Arabella had a chance to protest further, Lottie sauntered away from her, let out a boisterous laugh when she reached the men, and was soon deep in conversation with a man who was thin and shorter than Lottie by at least a head.

  Knowing full well that Lottie was right and that the man chatting with her wasn’t exactly a threat, Arabella squared her shoulders and marched her way over to the huddled group of ladies. Once they got over their initial hysterics regarding her appearance, they warmed up to her and told her everything they knew, which wasn’t much. After ten minutes of useless questioning, she finally gave up and was just stepping in the direction of Lottie and her crowd of men when Agatha suddenly appeared by her side, causing her to jump.

  “You scared me half to death.”

  Agatha smiled. “Sorry about that. Have you had any luck?”

  “I’m afraid to say I haven’t.”

  “Should we finish here?” Katherine asked as she sidled up next to them. “I don’t recall a time I have been so thoroughly insulted. Do you know, a gentleman came up to me and offered me twenty cents? Twenty cents.”

  “You should count yourself fortunate. I haven’t been offered anything,” Agatha said. “And no, we can’t leave quite yet. I haven’t discovered anything relating to the disappearances.”

  “The man who offered me twenty cents told me there’ve been some new faces down here tonight,” Katherine said. “I tried to learn more, but he wasn’t interested in talking to me, and I had to graciously refuse his offer.”

  “You pulled out your gun, didn’t you?” Agatha asked.

  “I did,” Katherine admitted. “That, unfortunately, brought any attempt at conversation to an abrupt end.”

  “Would you recognize the man again?” Agatha asked.

  “I don’t think I’ll ever be able to forget him.”

  “We should go look for him,” Agatha said. She turned toward Arabella. “Do you want to come with us?”

  Arabella shook her head and gestured to where Lottie was still laughing with the men. “I don’t want to leave her alone, and . . . why are the two of you not with Violet and Hannah?”

  “They said we were putting a damper on their investigation,” Katherine said with a grin. “Agatha and I didn’t want to be shuffled off to stand beneath a streetlight, so we decided to investigate together.”

  “We won’t be long,” Agatha said. “It looks like it’s going to snow again, and these ridiculous shoes I decided to wear will not allow me to remain standing if that happens.”

  Arabella smiled. “I told you they were a little too much, but you’re right, it does feel like it’s about to snow. Go check on Katherine’s man, and then we should probably be on our way.” Arabella watched them stride away and took one step toward Lottie, but then froze in place as a shiver swept down her spine. She squinted into the darkness off to her right.

  No one was there.

  She rubbed her hands down her arms and forced herself to take a deep breath. It was clear her imagination was getting away from her, but . . . why then did she have the distinct feeling someone was watching her?

  A trickle of sweat rolled down her neck despite the cold, and she could hear the harsh intake of her breathing. Her breathing increased when a figure of a man, cloaked in a flowing cape, stepped into the feeble light of a gas lamp, his features hidden beneath a cap he’d pulled down almost to his eyes.

  A feeling of abject terror swept over Arabella as she realized the man had settled his attention on her. He took a step toward her, and she opened her mouth to scream.

  Horror filled her when she realized she was incapable of speech, not even a whisper. She glanced around, searching for help, and saw that everyone had drifted away from her.

  She was completely alone.

  She yanked up her skirt and pulled her pistol from her leg, but stilled when a rough hand grabbed her arm, causing a high-pitched squeak to spill from her lips.

  “Give me that.”

  Arabella raised her gaze and sagged in relief when she recognized an officer of the law. She swallowed. “There’s a man,” she finally managed to get out.

  “Isn’t there always?” the officer said, grabbing the gun out of her hand before he began pulling Arabella up the street.

  Arabella tried again. “No, you misunderstood me. There was a man . . . a sinister man.”

  The officer didn’t slow his pace as he hauled her to a waiting police wagon. He shoved her into the dark space without speaking another word and slammed the door.

  She landed on a bench and sat there for a moment, her pulse racing. The door opened seconds later and more ladies sailed through it, the last one being Agatha, who plopped down on the bench right beside her.

  “Rotten luck, getting arrested,” Agatha said. Looking around, she asked, “Where’s Katherine?”

  “I’m here,” Katherine said from the very back of the wagon, peering around Lottie. “I must say, I’ve never been in a police wagon before, and this isn’t exactly what I imagined.” She blew out a breath. “Tell me, what should we do now?”

  Agatha sat forward. “I think Violet managed to slip away. Hopefully she’ll think to contact Eliza.”

  “What if Violet didn’t slip away?” Katherine asked.

  “We’ll probably have to send for your brother,” Agatha said. “He’s the one with the most experience in these matters.”

  Arabella could not shake her head fast enough, the motion sending her wig into her lap. She ignored it. “There is absolutely no way we can send for Theodore. In case you’ve forgotten, he bailed me out of jail only a few weeks ago, and he won’t be keen to do it again. Besides, Katherine’s involved as well, and you can’t tell me she wants Theodore at the jail either.”

  “You do make an excellent point,” Katherine said with a bob of her head.

  “But . . . if we don’t summon someone, how are we going to g
et out of jail?” Agatha asked. “I have a few dollars on me, but I didn’t bring much since I didn’t want it stolen down at the docks.”

  Arabella leaned over her wig and whistled to get Lottie’s attention. “What normally happens after you get arrested?”

  “Well, first we get taken to jail,” Lottie said, “and then we’ll get thrown in a cell where we’ll probably stay until morning. Once the judge arrives, we get to stand before him, where all of us will solemnly tell him we’ll never walk the streets again.” She grinned and stuck her hand down her bodice, rooted around for a moment, and retrieved some crumpled bills. “He’ll take this from us, and then it’s back to the streets we go.”

  It was somewhat amusing to discover other ladies stashed their funds down their bodices. Arabella shoved her amusement aside, ignored Katherine’s incredibly wide eyes, and tilted her head. “Is there any possibility of getting released tonight?”

  “Only if someone important shows up to bail you out,” Lottie said. “That’s your only hope.”

  Katherine leaned around Lottie. “Agatha, don’t you have any credentials from the paper?”

  “Excellent thinking, Katherine,” Agatha said. “Unfortunately, those credentials have the name Alfred Wallenstate on them. And I don’t think anyone’s going to believe me when I make the claim I’m the gentleman in question.” She suddenly brightened. “But since we’re off to jail, we might as well make the most of it. We’ll be able to question some of the inmates, so maybe the night won’t be a total loss.”

  A small shiver ran through Arabella at the reminder of why they’d been out in the first place. She sat up straight. “We’ll need to be diligent in questioning those other inmates, because unfortunately I encountered something of a grave nature down at the docks tonight.”

  “What was it?” Katherine asked.

  “Evil.”

  11

  Theodore rubbed a hand across his face and squinted at the document he was attempting to read. He loathed paperwork, preferring to spend his time on the streets working a case, but he procured the majority of his clients through written requests, so he had little choice but to sort through the petitions hopeful clients had sent him while he’d been away.

  He sighed and leaned back in his chair, knowing full well that the reason the paperwork seemed so daunting was his dismal mood.

  He’d spent two weeks trying to discover what was transpiring in Gilman to no avail, mostly because every single officer of the law seemed to have disappeared.

  The few people he’d managed to coerce into talking with him told a very strange tale indeed. Apparently, Sheriff Dawson and his men were involved in a secret case, which had forced them to leave town in order to pursue leads and keep the good people of Gilman safe.

  Leaving a town completely devoid of protection certainly wasn’t what he considered keeping the people safe.

  It was beyond odd.

  What was also odd was that all his investigating efforts had turned up absolutely nothing.

  He’d been forced to finally admit defeat, something that didn’t sit well with him, and return to New York. He’d spent the entire train ride brooding about the mysteries plaguing Gilman. Unfortunately, once he’d reached the comforts of his home, his brooding had turned to the annoying Miss Arabella Beckett.

  Why he was even allowing himself to brood over that particular lady was beyond him. It wasn’t as if they shared a common affection for each other. They could barely abide each other’s company.

  Why then did his thoughts continuously return to her?

  Theodore picked up his cup of tea, took a sip, and grimaced as the tepid liquid slid down his throat. He considered ringing for a fresh pot, but thought better of it. There was no sense inflicting his foul mood on the servants.

  He probably shouldn’t have burdened his sister with his dark company the day before either, but that hadn’t stopped him from traveling to her house shortly after he’d gotten back to town.

  He hadn’t planned on paying Katherine a visit, but when Arabella kept plaguing his every thought, he’d needed a distraction. He’d hopped on his horse, ridden the twenty minutes it took him to get to Katherine’s house, and greeted her with the required kiss on the cheek before launching into a full interrogation, all of which revolved around Arabella.

  It was little wonder Katherine had been a touch bemused. It wasn’t as if he sought out his sister on a regular basis, and he certainly had never bothered to question her about a lady before . . . ever. Katherine had regarded him with wary eyes as he’d ranted on and on, until finally, after about five minutes, her expression turned speculative instead of wary, which had caused him to turn defensive.

  It had not been one of his finest moments.

  He took another sip of tea and consoled himself with the knowledge that he most likely questioned Katherine in such a direct manner because his deepest fear, as he’d traveled back to New York, was that Sheriff Dawson and his men had followed Arabella home. His fear made absolutely no sense whatsoever, but had stayed in the back of his mind from the moment he’d discovered the sheriff and his deputies missing.

  It didn’t explain why he’d gotten so angry when Katherine informed him Arabella was perfectly fine and that she’d been spending her time shopping.

  Shopping was such a perfectly normal and expected activity for a lady.

  A sliver of relief shot through him. Shopping explained everything. He set down his cup and folded his hands over his stomach.

  It was no wonder he’d been surly and short-tempered with Katherine. She’d brought to his attention the fact that Arabella was just a normal everyday lady, and that wasn’t a notion he wanted tickling his brain.

  It made her approachable, in the same way her new appearance did.

  An image of Arabella at the dinner party—looking entirely too delightful with her flirty little hairstyle and her eyes sparkling with mischief as Grayson lingered over her hand—flashed to mind.

  “You’re becoming obsessed,” Theodore muttered, pushing Arabella out of his thoughts as best he could as he reached for his paperwork.

  She pushed her way right back in.

  Honestly, the amount of time Arabella spent in his head was enough to drive him mad. It was also making him short-tempered. He was never unpleasant with his sister, but he’d certainly been unpleasant the day before, and he knew he needed to make amends.

  He began sifting through the papers, hoping to find something that would occupy his thoughts and allow him to discontinue pondering the all-too-annoying Arabella. He finally found a few interesting requests, one for help in locating a missing relative and another for assistance with a delicate matter concerning the disappearance of a priceless painting. Either one would provide a welcome distraction.

  He picked up a fountain pen and began scribbling notes, his hand pausing over the paper when the door to his study opened and his father, Samuel, followed by his brother-in-law, Harold Gibson, strode into the room.

  “It’s about time you got home,” Samuel Wilder said, stopping in front of Theodore’s desk. “Your grandfather has been pestering me endlessly the past few days, demanding to know when you were expected to return. I believe he wishes to speak with you.”

  “Is he all right?” Theodore asked, getting to his feet to shake his father’s hand before gesturing Samuel into a chair. He lifted his head and nodded at Harold, who for some strange reason ignored the nod and moved directly to the window, immediately presenting Theodore with his back.

  Theodore frowned. He and Harold did not enjoy what anyone would call a close relationship, but the gentleman had never been downright rude to him.

  “I’m sure your grandfather is perfectly fine,” Samuel said, pulling Theodore back into the conversation. “He’ll outlive us all.”

  “He must have a new business proposition for me,” Theodore said as he settled back in his chair. “He most likely sent a note over, but since I’ve been away so long, I’m somewhat behind on
my correspondence.”

  Samuel leaned forward, his dark eyes flashing. “I wish he would cease and desist with his business propositions. It’s bad enough you’ve abandoned the family business, but to operate an investigation agency? You’re wasting your talent.”

  “My agency is incredibly lucrative, Father. You know that, and you also know I use my agency as a front for the jobs I do for the government. It’s not as if I’m a criminal.”

  “You have the brains for finance.”

  Theodore nodded to his brother-in-law, who was still turned away from him. “So does Harold, which is why it was so fortunate for you when he married Katherine. He’s perfectly capable of taking over the family business if you ever decide to slow down. I would not be satisfied sitting behind a desk all day poring over figures.”

  “Hmph,” Samuel muttered as he leaned back in his chair. “I didn’t come here specifically as a messenger for your grandfather. I came to speak with you on another matter. You’ve caused quite a bit of trouble lately.”

  “Indeed,” Harold Gibson said as he finally spun around and glared at Theodore. “Katherine is no longer the sweet and compliant woman I married, and it’s entirely your fault.”

  Theodore’s mood improved dramatically. It was refreshing to discover he wasn’t the only one plagued with difficulties of the feminine type. “I hate to tell you this, Harold, but I don’t recall ever thinking Katherine was exceptionally sweet.”

  “That’s preposterous,” Harold said. “I mean, granted, at the moment she does seem to have a slight edge to her demeanor, but before you went and introduced her to that horrid Miss Beckett and Miss Beckett’s mother, she was completely delightful. Now my entire world has gone topsy-turvy.”

  Theodore arched a brow. “Katherine’s temperament changed because I introduced her to Mrs. and Miss Beckett?”

  “Katherine’s not the only one who has acquired a change in personality,” Samuel added. “Your mother has obtained some very peculiar ideas of late, and I must tell you, I am not amused. She had the audacity to lock me out of the house three nights ago when I arrived home past midnight.” He drew in a shuddering breath. “I was forced to climb through a window on the second floor. I could have lost my life.”