by Abigail Agar
Jules was learning that there was little need to get frustrated with the man. The Duke simply was not going to do anything before he was ready, no matter how irritating it made him. Jules sighed up at the moon and then returned to the house to find her bed.
That night she dreamed of music and candles. There were masks and soft voices. There was Gregory in a fine grey suit with long tails.
He held her close, and as his lips approached hers, Jules bolted upright awakened by the dream. Jules sighed and shook her head. She mumbled, “I am most certainly not taking an infatuation with the man.”
Jules got a drink of water out of the pitcher by her bed and held it to her forehead. “This is ridiculous,” she muttered.
***
The next morning, bright and early, Jules gathered with her family as they prepared to leave for the country. “I wish you’d come with us,” Mrs Kelley said sorrowfully. She clung to Jules’ shoulders as she hugged her daughter to her.
Jules gently pushed her mother away and wiped a tear from her own cheek. “There’s no need to make this a drama fit for the actors on the stage, Mother. I’ll join you as soon as I can,” she swore.
“I trust that you will. Just be safe, Jules,” her mother said softly.
Jules nodded. When she turned to the tearful little girls beside Mrs Kelley, Jules could not stop a few of her own tears from streaming down her face. “And you two,” Jules said sternly as she wiped away their tears. “You need to help Ma and be good girls. I will see you very soon.”
Tally threw herself into Jules’ arms followed by a distraught Georgie. It broke Jules’ heart, but they would be safe with their mother, and Jules had things to do. After a moment, Jules tenderly disentangled the little girls’ arms from around her neck. She gave them a brave smile and was proud to see the two girls muster up courageous smiles of their own.
Mrs Kelley came over and ushered the girls towards the carriage that awaited them. “Come girls. It’s a long ride to where we are going,” she said softly. When the girls were loaded up into the wagon, Mrs Kelley climbed in as well. She leaned out the window and called to Jules, “Be safe.”
Jules lifted her hand as she did not trust herself to speak just then. She stood there watching the carriage take her family away. Jules reminded herself that she had chosen to stay and that there was no need to sulk about it. She had work to do.
***
As she made her way upstairs, Fredrick called from the bottom floor, “A word?”
Jules turned and descended the stairs. “Lord St Claire,” she said as she did not know the man’s military rank. When she reached the bottom, she asked, “Is everything well?”
“Yes, well, it’s about my brother actually,” Fredrick said with a smile. “He has gone out to talk to that barrister that he spoke to you about. He would like it very much if you did not go out on your own while he is gone.”
Jules smiled. “I’m happy to hear that he has not forgotten his promise. I would never entertain the idea of leaving, Lord St Claire. Causing His Grace strife and worry is always the furthest thing from my mind.”
There was something about the way that the young lady held herself when she said what she did that made Fredrick very much think that she intended to cause a great deal of strife and mischief.
“I do implore you that if you decide you must be out, to take a carriage. I will even accompany you if I must,” Fredrick said with a bit of trepidation.
“I imagine getting out into the city is hard for you,” Jules said softly. “I do not mean your injury, and I certainly mean no disrespect. I have known many who were missing limbs that were not slowed down in the slightest by it.”
Fredrick frowned. “Then what did you mean by your words?” He was not offended, just deeply curious.
“I meant that when a person comes up against an evil that they can’t comprehend that it is hard to step back out into the civilized world and rationalize that such horrors should exist,” Jules said thoughtfully. “I felt that way when I worked in a sweatshop as a child for a short time.”
Fredrick looked at his feet. “Gregory had said that you were from modest means,” Fredrick spoke quietly. “I had not thought it was that lowly.”
Fear rose in Jules that she had said too much and endangered whatever plan that the Duke had set in motion to keep his and her family insulated from scandal. “I misspoke,” Jules said hastily.
Fredrick waved off the concern he saw in the woman’s countenance. “Fret not over secrets,” Fredrick said hastily. “My brother and I tell each other almost everything. You will not run afoul of his plans.”
“Oh,” Jules said with relief. “I really can’t go ask around dressed as I am. I could, however, go dressed as a common woman.”
Fredrick thought about it. “It might be best if you did. If we are seen, it might not lead directly back to the House of Thornton,” Fredrick mused.
Jules decided that she liked the Duke’s brother right then and there. “You and your brother have an odd love of dressing like commoners,” Jules said with a smile. She paused and frowned. “Are you sure that you can stand it?”
Fredrick gave the young lady a gallant grin. “I think if you can risk the cells or worse, then I can most certainly rise to the occasion,” he assured her.
“Well, what are you two conspiring about?” the Duke said as he stepped inside the front door.
Jules blushed and mumbled, “Nothing.”
“We were actually conspiring to go out as commoners and ask all sorts of unsavoury questions of unscrupulous characters,” Fredrick said with a grin at his brother.
The Duke’s eyebrows raised in surprise, and the man laughed. “You were about to take a jaunt out into the world, were you?”
“Well, someone had to step in and keep the lady safe,” Fredrick said as he drew himself up straight.
The Duke nodded. “And a noble thing it was for you to offer, but I am here now, so I can help Miss Kelley if she chooses to go out.”
“Won’t you be a bit recognizable? Half the guild knows who you are,” Jules reminded the man.
Gregory nodded, “I am actually counting on that a bit, to be honest. Besides, my brother is going to be otherwise engaged momentarily.” The Duke looked over at his brother, “Is not your contact coming to see you today?”
“True,” Fredrick said as he frowned. “I would much rather adventure with Miss Kelley than deal with Archibald, I assure you.” There was a deep laugh from the Duke as he agreed, “I do not blame you one bit, Brother of mine.”
Chapter 4
Jules took the simple dress that Sherry brought to her. “Going adventuring? Don’t worry, Miss; I won’t say a word. I rather like all the intrigue,” Sherry confided with a grin.
“You must love it here then,” Jules said with a chuckle.
Sherry nodded and replied, “I really do.”
Once Jules was ready, she pulled a bonnet over her hair and gave Sherry a smile. Her mother would have loved to see this, Jules mused to herself as she took in her reflection. She was certain that this very outfit was the future that her mother had always envisioned for her oldest daughter.
“Wish us luck,” Jules said with a brave smile as she headed towards the door of the bedroom.
Sherry called out from behind her, “Good luck, Miss.”
Downstairs, Jules was met by the Duke at the bottom of the stairs. “My mother is out for tea with one of her dear friends, so we shall have easy access in and out of the house. The servants who might give us away, are usually at the far end of the house at this time of day,” the Duke said with a smile. He offered Jules his arm and asked, “Shall we, My Lady?”
“Yes, I think we shall,” Jules replied. She laid her hand on the Duke’s forearm and let the man escort her towards the front door.
The man’s hair was pulled back with a simple bit of tattered ribbon, and his white shirt was a bit dirty from previous adventures. It gave him a look of authenticity.
&
nbsp; Of course, Jules had never seen a man on the streets of London who looked as beautiful as the Duke, and one look at his cheekbones would probably give him away as one of the upper crust.
It took only a bit of time before they were out on the street and swiftly away from the shining side of the elite. The large houses faded away, morphing into slum buildings and squalor. Jules took a deep breath of the rank air that filled the streets at this hour. The pots were being emptied, and the stench rose up off the streets.
Gregory fetched a handkerchief out of his vest pocket and offered it to the dark-haired young woman. Jules took it swiftly with a mumbled, “Thank you.” Gregory fetched another for himself, and they proceeded toward Jules’ old neighbourhood where the fire had taken place.
As they walked, Jules asked, “What did your friend the barrister have to say?”
“He was most intrigued and is looking into it forthrightly,” Gregory said. “I’m sure that he will find a way to sort it out.”
Jules relaxed a bit knowing that her guildmates now had someone fighting for them even if she could not.
“Jules?” An incredulous voice asked from across the street.
They turned to see a slender youth headed toward them. Jules smiled. “David,” she said with relief. “I thought for sure that you had been captured.”
“Devil – like me?” David scoffed. “I have to say that I’m a bit surprised to see you here, especially without your kit.”
Jules glanced at the Duke who was eyeing them curiously. “Oh, I beg your pardon, this is my friend David Larkin. We came up the ranks together during apprenticeship,” Jules explained to the man. “David, this is …” Jules paused not sure if she should drop the disguise. “This is Gregory Townsend. He’s my betrothed.”
David’s mouth fell open. “You don’t say? I never thought in my wildest dreams that you’d be settling down for a manger.” David laughed. “Well, I’ll be a mule.”
“Nice to meet you,” Gregory said as he extended his hand to David.
David, in turn, grasped Gregory’s hand eagerly in a rigorous shake while the young man exclaimed, “Pleasure is all mine.”
“I apologize for the rush, but we were just on our way to look at a prospective house,” Gregory said sadly.
David waved off the man’s concern. “Don’t let me hold up your wedded bliss. I was just on my way to see a man about a job. All the best to both of you,” he said with a grin and a wave.
Gregory watched the young man dash away. “So, he knew you were a girl?” There was a question in Gregory’s eyes that he held back, but Jules saw it all the same.
“We’ve known each other since we were children. Of course, he knew I was a girl. He apprenticed with my father, and my father swore him to secrecy. We’ve been good friends for years, and that’s simply all there is to it,” Jules said with a shrug.
Gregory nodded and said, “Well, we had better start making enquiries before people start buying us wedding gifts.”
Jules chuckled and agreed, “Right. Carrying around all that linen could be quite tiresome.” She nodded towards the next street over. “I know a lady who worked at the factory. She was not there when the fire started, but she had gotten off earlier in the day. She might be able to tell us something.”
Gregory had to agree that it was a good bet. “Then let us go see her,” he said, and they swiftly set off towards the woman’s house.
Like most of the other houses in the area, it was more house in name than reality. Gregory wondered if there was a landlord behind this that could be brought to justice over the conditions as Jules knocked on the door.
The door swung open, and a redheaded woman stared at them for a moment. “I’m sorry. Do I know you?” There was a thick Irish accent in the woman’s words.
“Margaret, it’s me. Jules,” Jules said with a grin.
Recognition dawned on the woman’s face as she brought her hands up to clap against her cheeks. “Didnae know you a bit. You look every inch the lass now. Your mother must be swelling in her heart at the sight of ye,” Margaret exclaimed.
Jules laughed. “She is,” Jules agreed. “We actually were hoping we could talk to you about the fire.” Margaret gave Gregory a suspicious glance. Jules intervened, “Forgive me for my rudeness. This is Gregory Townsend, my betrothed.”
“You don’t say?” Margaret exclaimed as she shook her head. “Come in; come in.” The woman waved them into her house.
Gregory and Jules were guided over to sit on a very well-worn seat just big enough for the two of them. Margaret clasped her hands together in front of her with a pleased look on her face. Jules tried again, “Margaret, do you remember anything odd about the shift before the fire broke out?”
The woman took a deep breath. “I’ve thought about that a lot lately. I keep wondering if something happened to Marcus,” she said sadly. “He was a horrible man most of the time, but he gave us work.”
“When was the last time you saw him? The boys and I were discussing this as well the other day,” Jules said thoughtfully. “No one could remember seeing him past the morning before the fire.”
Margaret nodded, “Aye, I saw him about lunchtime. He was in a state, though.”
“A state?” Gregory asked for clarification.
Margaret repeated, “Yes, quite a state. He was sick I believe. He looked awful.”
“Do you know if he left?” Jules asked feeling certain that something was missing, and if she could just grasp it then perhaps everything else would come into focus.
There was a pause as Margaret thought. Finally, she nodded slowly, “I do think he did. I saw him by the back entrance a little before the end of the shift. I never did see him at shift change. That’s normally when he leaves for the night.”
“So, he left early,” Gregory said quietly.
Jules added, “And he was sick or distraught.”
“I do wish the law would look into it, but they don’t care about those children who died. They could burn this whole section of the city down, and no one would blink an eye,” Margaret seethed. “I’m sorry, lass. I just keep thinking about the wee ones and their mums. The heartache of losing a little one too soon is such that it would be a mercy to cut out their hearts altogether.”
Jules reached over and gave Margaret’s hand a squeeze. Jules remembered when Margaret’s own baby had died. The woman had been so consumed with grief that Jules’ mother had brought her food and sat with Margaret to ensure that she ate it.
Gregory said softly, “I hate to press, but I think we should go. We have much to do yet.”
“Oh my, yes,” Margaret agreed, which surprised Jules until the woman continued enthusiastically, “setting up a household takes a good bit of planning.”
Jules forced a smile. “Yes, we’ve been a bit overwhelmed,” Jules said far more truthfully than she would ever admit to.
“If you need anything, just give me a yell,” Margaret said warmly. “It’s the least I can do.”
***
“Let’s go check the lots around the factory,” Jules said softly once they were out on the street. “If something were wrong with the man, he might not have made it far. With all the commotion, his body could still be there.”
Gregory grimaced, “I will leave this part out when I am selecting memories of our courtship to tell our children.”
“You act as if you already have me at this imaginary altar of yours.” Jules laughed. “You know there are consequences for marrying a commoner if your peers so choose.”