The Sweetest Secret

by Marie Higgins

  “Miss Talbot, did you have anything to do with David’s death?”

  Silence stretched through the room. Occasionally, he heard her deep breaths, but that was all. He lifted the teacup to his mouth and sipped once more. The liquid wasn’t as hot, so he swallowed more. A bitter taste coated his tongue. Grimacing, he set the cup back on the table. This was the most disgusting tea he’d ever consumed.

  Finally, she released a rush of air. “Mr. Woodland, you will never know what it’s like. You are handsome and charming. I’m sure women have flocked to you, and you haven’t even needed to lift a finger to encourage them. People like me are not anything like you. We aren’t as attractive. We don’t possess any charm. We must do all we can in order to win those we fall in love with. And because we put so much effort into it, when we get our hearts broken, it turns us into monsters.”

  Once again, chills ran up his body. He still didn’t dare look at her, but her tone of voice let him know he was conversing with a half-crazed woman. He should get out of here immediately, and summon the constable. However, Nic needed more answers before he left. He couldn’t leave without knowing where Tabitha was being kept. Deep down in his heart, he knew something was wrong—that she was in danger.

  “I’m sorry, but I must disagree with you. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. My wife was not the most beautiful woman I’d met, nor was she the most charming. But what drew me to her was her kindness and the way she loved unconditionally. Her personality made her the loveliest woman in the world to me.” He recalled his cousin speaking of his deceased wife this way. “Most men look for those qualities in a woman, and if they don’t, then they aren’t good men at all. What I’m trying to say, Miss Talbot, is that Kent might not have been a good man, but there are others out there who are. If you hadn’t hardened your heart toward men, I’m sure you would have found the right one, just for you.”

  “I don’t believe you.”

  Her tone of voice sounded foreign with so much anger behind each word. He turned to look at her, and she stood over him wielding a butcher knife high in her hand. Her eyes were so dark they were almost black as she stared at him.

  Startled, he jumped out of his chair, knocking into the table. The teacup spilled over, but he didn’t care. He needed to stop this madwoman before she plunged the sharp blade into his chest. Yet, as he stepped back, dizziness assailed him and he stumbled. Why was he feeling this way?

  As each second passed, the dizziness in his head worsened. The room tilted, and he grasped the counter to hold himself up. “Miss Talbot, what have you done to me?”

  “I’m going to dispose of you the same way I got rid of Kent and David. Then once you are laid to rest, I will torture the women who are responsible for luring the men away from us. Miss Johnson and Miss Paget will soon die slow and very painful deaths.”

  Nic fought the cloud of darkness trying to fill his head. He couldn’t let her get him. He had to save Tabitha!

  Chapter Twenty-three

  Nic blinked quickly, trying to keep his vision clear. If she made a move toward him, he had to prepare for it; to block the attack. “Miss Talbot, would you think of what you’re doing?”

  She sneered. “I know exactly what I’m doing.” She stepped closer and raised her knife. “I either kill you with this weapon, or I whack you over the head with a shovel like I did David.”

  Nic’s stomach lurched. Neither way sounded good. “But…I’m a clergyman. Surely, if you kill me, the Lord will strike you down and your life will end.” He wasn’t sure that would happen, but he must implant fear in her one way or another.

  “I don’t believe you, Mr. Woodland.” She shook her head. “I also didn’t believe Tabitha when she was relaying her sad story to me about not being able to love a marquis. At first I thought she was being truthful, but then I realized she was substituting names to protect you. When she referred to a man named Nic, I knew she was thinking of you. She just didn’t want me to know the truth, but I have a sharp mind.”

  “What…did Tabitha say about loving a marquis?” he wondered. Although he wanted to know, he mainly wanted to keep Miss Talbot busy so he could think of a way out of this mess—while his head swam in a fog, no less.

  “She wailed on about how life was unfair. She called herself a servant—which I knew she wasn’t—and that she was in love with a marquis, but she knew society wouldn’t approve.”

  For a moment, happiness bounced in his chest with the knowledge that Tabitha was indeed in love with him. “Was that all she said?”

  “Did you know that she was born out of wedlock? How revolting!” She shook her head. “And apparently, because of her status in life, she felt you—her imaginary marquis—deserved a better wife.”

  Just as he had suspected. That was the reason she had pushed him away. “Actually, she wasn’t imagining anything of the sort. She is in love with a marquis, just as the marquis is in love with her.”

  Confusion crossed Mildred’s face and she scowled. “What are you talking about?”

  He brushed his hands through his powdered hair, removing the white color. Then he shrugged out of Frederick’s jacket that was nearly two sizes too large for Nic. He tightened the material of his shirt around his waist, showing the older woman that he wasn’t fat. Of course if she remembered how he looked when he was wet the other morning, then she’d know something was off about him. “I’m not the clergyman. I’m his cousin, Dominic Lawrence, Marquis of Hawthorne. We first met approximately five months ago. Do you not remember?”

  “I—I—I don’t understand.” She clutched the knife with both hands now, still holding it toward him.

  “My cousin and I switched roles. For approximately two months Frederick feigned sick so that I could grow a beard, which would help me look more like my cousin. Then I told everyone I had lost weight due to my sickness.”

  “You’re lying.”

  “I’m telling the truth, and if my cousin were here now, he would prove to you that he’s the true clergyman, and not I.” Hesitantly, he reached out his hand toward her. “Miss Talbot…Mildred, please give me the knife. Nobody needs to die over this.”

  Shaking her head, she slashed the knife toward him. He jumped back and stumbled again. The wooziness in his head was still in control. Blast it all! Glancing down at his shirt, he noticed she had ripped the material. Thankfully, though, the knife hadn’t touched his skin.

  “Don’t call me Mildred. You do not have the right.”

  “Miss Talbot, please let me help you.”

  “You want to help me?” Tilting back her head, she cackled with laughter. “Then stand still so I can push this knife into your deceiving heart.”

  “Why do you want to kill an innocent man? You thought I was the clergyman, and I’m not. I know you are in love with my cousin, but I’m not him. So in reality, you haven’t been hurt in the least. I love Tabitha, and so you can still love Frederick.”

  “Oh, you think I’m obtuse, don’t you? If you are indeed Lord Hawthorne, then I remember well about your reputation as a rogue. And since you are a rogue, then you must die because I’m quite certain you have broken many hearts along your journey.”

  “But Miss Talbot, you’re forgetting something else. Because I’m not Frederick, Tabitha hasn’t betrayed you in any way. Tabitha loves me, not my cousin. I pray, let her go, because she’s innocent…more so than I.”

  Miss Talbot hesitated. A different emotion crossed her face, making her appear more forgiving and understanding. He hoped she at least pondered on this good and hard—for several minutes would be nice, since he still hadn’t figured out a way to defend himself.

  He glanced at the stove which was close to him. The tea kettle was still there, and the water would be hot. Perhaps this was the answer. Now he could only hope his movements were faster than hers.

  From somewhere in the house, a loud crash shook the walls. Mildred gasped and swung toward the hallway, but her gaze moved up to the ceiling. Something—or someone
—was upstairs. Tabitha?

  With the spinster’s back toward him, he took the opportunity and grabbed at the tea kettle. In one smooth movement, he turned the kettle and let the water splash on Mildred. She dropped the knife and screamed. Taking several steps backward, she staggered and fell to the ground. When her back touched the floor, she screamed louder and rolled to her front. Nic knew she’d received some burns, which was why she reacted in such a way.

  He reached for the knife that was by his feet, but tripped. Thankfully, though, he was still able to grab it.

  Miss Talbot glared at him and struggled to stand. He held the knife toward her and shook his head. “I wouldn’t do that if I were you.”

  “Nic? Is that you?”

  An angelic voice drifted from the hallway and softened his heart. He lifted his gaze just in time to see Tabitha peek around the corner as she leaned against the wall. His heart soared with gladness. She wasn’t hurt…although she did look as dazed as he felt. If Miss Talbot overcame her pain and turned on him, would they be able to fend her off in their state of lightheadedness?

  “Tabitha, my love. I’m here.”

  Tears streaked down her face as she moved slowly toward him, but then stopped when she noticed Miss Talbot on the floor.

  “She won’t hurt you. I have the knife,” he told Tabitha. “Keep coming toward me.”

  Instead of watching Tabitha, he kept his eyes on the spinster just in case she tried to grab the woman he loved. Mildred glowered at him. She must have realized he’d do anything to protect Tabitha.

  When she reached him, her body fell against him, which knocked him off balance against the stove. At least he was in an upright position. He gathered her in a tight embrace.

  “Oh, Nic. I thought I’d never see you again.”

  He kissed her forehead, but quickly looked back at Miss Talbot. “Tabitha, my lovely, you should have known I would search everywhere for you until you were found. There’s nothing I wouldn’t do to show you my affections.”

  “I have been so wrong,” she muttered against his chest. “I should have never told you the things I did. I love you, Nic, and I always will.”

  “And I love you more than life itself.” He kissed her forehead again. “Don’t ever leave me. We will make it work…our love will prevail.”

  “Stop it!” Miss Talbot screamed, holding her hands over her ears. “I don’t want to hear another word. Do you realize what this is doing to me?” Slowly, she dropped her hands as tears filled her eyes. “All you’re doing is reminding me of a love I will never have. Mr. Woodland will never want me now, and I tried so hard and for so long. I had it all worked out, too.” She wiped at her eyes as she sat up, but still hunched her sore back. “I wanted to show Frederick what a wonderful woman I was. I wanted to do something for him to take notice of me. So one night, I snuck into the church, and I stole one of the statues. When I realized I could get away with this, I decided to steal more. I hired David Griffin to assist me since he was looking to earn money. Of course, I thought it was so that he could purchase Sarah McFadden a wedding ring.” She huffed. “But when we tried to steal more things from the church, we were almost caught, so I decided not to do it again.”

  “I don’t understand,” Nic said. “What did you think to gain by doing this?”

  “Because I was going to hide them somewhere and then let Frederick know I’d found the missing items. He would think I was trying to help him, and in doing that, he’d see me for the loving and kind woman that I really want to be.” More tears fell. “But now I can’t do that. You will tell him that I’m a killer, and he’ll never love me.”

  Tabitha turned her head and looked at Miss Talbot. “I feel sorry for you, Mildred. You are truly one demented woman.”

  “Now, now, my lovely.” He squeezed Tabitha’s arm. “We should not judge. That’s the Lord’s job.”

  Tilting her head back, she gazed up into his eyes and grinned. “You are turning more and more into a clergyman every day. Imagine that.”

  He could see how she struggled with consciousness even now. Mildred must have drugged Tabitha just as the spinster had drugged him.

  “Nic, Miss Johnson is in hidden room as well. We must get her out.”

  He threw Mildred a glare before meeting Tabitha’s tender gaze once more. “We will, my lovely. As soon as help arrives.”

  “Are others coming?”

  He shrugged. “I can only pray they are.”

  From his mouth to God’s ears… Outside the house, men’s voices grew louder, and more urgent. Footsteps pounded up the front porch mere seconds before the door flew open and hit the wall.

  “Hawthorne? Are you in here?”

  Relief washed through Nic. “Trey, I’m in here.”

  Trey rushed in the room first, followed by the constable. Behind them were Tristan and Trevor. All the men held pistols.

  Another pair of heavy footsteps ran inside the house and into the kitchen. Frederick’s face was pale, his eyes were wide with worry. He glanced from Nic and Tabitha, down to the floor at Mildred.

  “What is going on here?” the clergyman snapped.

  Nic pointed the knife toward Mildred as he glanced at the constable. “There is David’s murderer.” He switched his focus back to Frederick. “And she is your thief, as well. She confessed everything.”

  Frederick scowled. “But you aren’t a clergyman! You cannot listen to confessions.”

  Tabitha chuckled very weakly. “No, Mr. Woodland. Miss Talbot admitted her crimes to both of us after Nic told her he wasn’t the clergyman.”

  The constable grabbed Miss Talbot’s arm and Frederick helped the wounded woman, taking hold of her other arm. She cried out, but finally stood.

  “Frederick, you might want to have the doctor examine her back. She has severe burns,” Nic told him.

  Trey and Tristan hurried over to them. Tristan took Tabitha’s hand in his. “Are you all right?”

  Sighing heavily, she glanced up at Nic and smiled. “I am now.”

  Nic winked at her. “So am I.”

  Tabitha grew weak in his arms. Obviously, she was dazed worse than he was. “Tristan, we need to lie her down somewhere. She’s been drugged.”

  Between him and Tristan, they helped her into the other room to lie down on the couch. As soon as her head hit the cushion, she closed her eyes and her head rolled to the side.

  “Poor girl.” Trey shook his head. “I’ve never seen anyone in such a state before.”

  Huffing with exertion, Frederick entered the house again and stopped next to Nic. “Can you please explain what happened here? I was only gone for one day, and I return to—” he swept his hand through the air, “this mayhem!”

  Nic scowled. “Exactly! You were gone for one day and you didn’t tell me where you were going or when you’d return. You could have been the one to handle all of this, not me. You are the clergyman, after all.”

  Frederick nodded and pushed his fingers through his hair. “Yes, and I’m deeply sorry for not being here.” He heaved a breath. “But I’m glad it’s over and our thief was discovered.”

  Irritation flowed through Nic and he rolled his eyes. “You are glad? Pray, what were you doing all this time? You were supposed to spy on people, and yet I was the one who discovered everything.” He glanced at the Worthington brothers who all stood with their arms crossed, glaring at Frederick as if they waited for his answer.

  Frederick frowned. “Yes, I’m aware of that, and I apologize again. I had really been spying, but perhaps not as much as I could have been doing. You see,” he released another loud sigh, “I’ve met someone, and I felt compelled to get to know this person a little better.”

  Nic arched an eyebrow. “Why? Did you suspect them of being the thief?”

  “No.” Frederick scratched his chin. “But I met her when I’d followed the Griffin’s houseguest home the other night. She lives in the same township. I feel like a different man when I’m around her, and well…” he shr
ugged, “after all these years I’ve actually considered courting again.”

  Nic gaped at his cousin. He wasn’t sure whether to become upset at the man for doing that instead of what Frederick had said he’d do…or become happy for Frederick because he was finally going to find a wife.

  “Well, I suppose I should congratulate you instead of trying to wring your neck.” Nic nodded.

  Frederick chuckled. “Yes, I’d greatly appreciate that, my good man. I’m rather fond of where my head attaches to my body.”

  He clapped his hand on Nic’s shoulder, which threw him off balance again. He stumbled, but then grasped on to his cousin’s arm. Dizziness flowed through Nic. Groaning, he rubbed his forehead. “Good grief! I wish I knew what was in that tea that Miss Talbot fixed for me, because it has made me very lightheaded.”

  Trevor chuckled. “Perhaps, Hawthorne, you are lightheaded for a different reason?” He gestured his head toward Tabitha asleep on the couch.

  A grin stretched across Nic’s face. He just couldn’t help it. He was very much in love and wanted everyone to know it. “I’ll admit, Your Grace, that I do love her with all my heart and I can’t live without her.”

  Trevor groaned loudly. “This is just great. All these years Hawthorne has acted like part of the family, and now he’s actually going to marry our sister just to become one of us.” He shook his head and grinned.

  Laughter filled the room quickly. Love spread through Nic’s heart, easing all his fears. Once again, everything was right with the world.

  Chapter Twenty-four

  In quiet solitude, Tabitha sat on the couch with her legs tucked under her as she stared at the low burning fire. Her aunt and Mrs. Stiles had left her alone to her thoughts this morning, which was what she truly wanted. Yesterday had been a very long day, most of which was spent wondering whether she’d live or die. Now she was content to think back on the horrors she’d experienced, realizing that she was a stronger woman than she first imagined—not only physically, but mentally.