Tempted by Curiosity

  “Charlotte and I noticed that the man who ran by us was rather slim. He was also wearing leather gloves with a weird shape stitched onto them, but unfortunately we couldn’t figure out what it was.”

  Alexander spoke next, “I was shielding Marcella from the scene.”

  Marcella added, “I may have not seen his face, but I most certainly saw his shoes. He had red-soled shoes, which are definitely unconventional in my opinion.”

  Alexander concurred, “You’re right love. He also seemed to be a heavier set fellow, compared to the others that you all just mentioned. He probably has a liquor belly.”

  Gabriel looked hopeful as he said, “All those clues are good, you could all go into the ballroom tonight and look for any men whom bare any of those signs, or you could all just stay safely in here.”

  Christopher stood, “We may be safe together in this room right now, but for all we know we could’ve been followed out of the maze. We have to act now. Firstly, we need to get Louisa out of the Stanton’s house without being noticed, then sometime tomorrow we can all convene somewhere.”

  “I’ll send my personal calling cards out to you all tomorrow. We’ll assemble at my Mayfair home to discuss this topic further in a safer, and more private location.”

  “Oh! I just thought of a brilliant plan!” Emilia enthusiastically said to the room.

  “What’s the plan?” Louisa asked.

  Emilia motioned for everyone to huddle around her, and as they did she whispered to them, “Christopher’s family name is Bradley, which means that his carriage is at the front of the carriage line, and since the Stanton’s are known for requesting that all carriages be lined up in alphabetical order it’ll be easy for an escape. Once we all exit this room, we’ll spilt up to make it seem as if nothing ever happened.”

  “How are we going to do that exactly?” Marcella inquisitively asked.

  Emilia continued, “I’ll make a big fuss by the refreshments table about the punch tasting odd. I’m positive that Vincent has a flask in his coat pocket. He’ll pour the contents of that flask into the punch bowl.”

  “You’re right Emilia.” Vincent said.

  Emilia went on, “I know. Anyways, Lady Stanton tends to frequent the punch bowl far more these days, so she’ll come running to my side. When that’s going on, the rest of you will go your separate ways. Christopher will accompany the Pinkerton sisters and Marcella to his carriage and then he’ll escort them back to their Kensington residence.”

  Andrew then asked an important question, “What happens if Lord Pinkerton, or anyone else that we know for that matter, comes up to us during the escape plan?”

  Marcella looked towards Emilia who was just staring at him, “Listen Andrew, Robert will find the Pinkerton’s and tell them that Louisa has fallen ill, so Marcella and Rachel decided to take her home. Lord Bradley offered them his carriage, if the Pinkerton’s ask why Lord Bradley did such a thing, you may tell them that Christopher has taken a liking to Louisa, and that he may be thinking about courting her.”

  Both Christopher and Louisa blushed.

  Gabriel looked at Emilia with pride, “I think that’s a great plan. Bradley, Kingston, and Westbrook will accompany the girls to the carriage. The rest of us will keep watch as you all safely exit the front of the house.”

  Emilia jumped, “Just a moment!”

  She took a pin out from her hair and crouched down around Louisa’s ball gown. She then pulled and manipulated the fabric into a pleat.

  Emilia then stood to survey her work, “Perfect, now you can’t see the stain.”

  Louisa looked down at her dress and sighed somewhat with relief. No one would even suspect that her dress had been stained by both bloodstained water and red wine.

  “Thank you Emilia!” Louisa exclaimed.

  Emilia squeezed Louisa’s hands and said, “Of course, you’re one of us now.”

  Gabriel walked to the door, unlocked it and peered outside to see the hallway empty.

  “Everyone ready?” Gabriel queried.

  Everyone acquiesced, then they all walked out of Lord Stanton’s private office, and back into the buzzing ballroom with lightening speed.

  As they walked on, Marcella watched the plan take formation. Robert spotted both of the Pinkerton parents from a far and walked right up to them to start a long conversation.

  Emilia and Vincent then walked right over to the punch bowl, and within seconds of them being there a ruckus ensued.

  Lady Stanton was near the punch bowl, just as Emilia had predicted she would be.

  Marcella could hear Emilia’s resounding voice echoing through the main room as she complained to Lady Stanton, who in return began snapping at one of her staff members.

  Gabriel and Andrew would’ve followed them out ,but a few lords stopped the men dead in their tracks.

  Andrew played his part in the distraction plan very well as he spoke loudly above the crowd, “My Lords, have you heard about that new mining district in Scotland? The Marquess of Lyon was just telling me that his father, the Duke of Oxford, has just made a booming investment.”

  The plan was going well until a man with cropped black hair, haunting eyes, and an unusual wicked grin plastered upon his face, stopped Marcella and Alexander from following their friends out of the ballroom.

  Marcella’s hand tightened hard around Alexander’s arm in an painful manner.

  The man spoke directly to her, making matters even worse, “What a pleasure it is to finally meet you Lady Marcella, I believe we happen to be related. I am Mr. Benedict Coll of Ipswich. Your cousin.”

  Marcella put on her fake smile as she curtsied, “The pleasure is all mine cousin, I’m so happy to have finally met you.”

  The man gurgled at her, which made his stomach giggle. Marcella noticed his gut and tried not to be rude by looking. Mr. Coll could’ve been an attractive man, if it were not for his horrendous haircut, and that gut that he was sporting.

  Mr. Coll looked to Alexander and asked, “Would you mind if I could have this dance with my cousin, Lord Westbrook?”

  Alexander skeptically looked at the man, but then bowed, “Of course not, Mr. Coll.”

  He let go of Marcella hesitantly, but before he walked off of the dance floor he whispered in her ear, “I’ll be watching you closely. Don’t be afraid, I’ll come for you once the dance is over.”

  “Thank you.” She whispered back.

  Marcella smiled politely as her cousin took her hand and led her out to the dance floor to begin the second waltz of the night.

  Marcella then asked Mr. Coll, “What brings you to London, cousin?”

  He threw a wicked grin at her as he whispered far too closely into her ear, “Business, dear cousin. A man must always be looking out for himself.”

  What the devil did he mean by that?

  Mr. Coll pulled back slightly and looked at her face, “You’re the tallest woman I’ve ever met. Pray tell, do all of the Stansfield women have such theatrical looks?”

  Marcella decided to fake a giggle, then replied to Mr. Coll, “Of course cousin.”

  She had to turn this negative into a positive, after all this was an opportune moment. She had to take advantage of it before the dance ended.

  “Cousin, how long do you plan on staying in London? Are you here for the season as well?” She asked him with an innocent tone of voice.

  He looked at her covertly as he replied, “Well, let me think on that. I have a few days before I’m almost finished with my current victim…I mean venture. Just a thousand more pounds or so, and then I’ll be just fine.”

  The music finally ended, and Marcella curtsied to her so-called cousin, who tried to bow to her over his belly.

  “What a nice dance cousin! Thank you. Would you like another?” Marcella asked.

  He declined, “I’m sorry cousin, but I’ve got business to attend to.”

  “Of course, it was lovely to meet you.”

  He nodded, and then made a quick exi
t before Alexander came back to her side.

  Marcella continued to watch Mr. Coll as he quickly left the ballroom. A lady dropped a handkerchief to the ground by his feet, and Mr. Coll struggled to retrieve it for her.

  Her cousins shoes were very shiny, the shiniest she’d ever seen. As he returned the piece of cloth to the lady, Mr. Coll crossed one of his feet over the other in a macho stance to flirt with the lady. As he did that he showcased the soles of his shoes.

  The soles were red.

  Mr. Coll was wearing red-soled shoes, plus he had a gut just like the man who had ran passed them in the garden.

  He was one of them. Mr. Benedict Coll was one of Lord Graves’s murderers!

  What if Mr. Coll was going to rob her father of his last few thousand pounds and that’s what victim and venture he had been referring to moments ago?

  Alexander saw the look of shock in her eyes, and he did his best not to panic as he asked her calmly, “Marcella, what is it?”

  She squeezed his hand until her knuckles went bone white, she was afraid to speak the words aloud, but she had to tell him.

  “It’s him Alexander. I believe that Mr. Coll is one of the men who murdered Lord Graves in the garden. His built matches, even the gut, and look at the bottom of his shoes.” Marcella hastily whispered to him.

  Alexander squeezed her hand back in a form of reassurance, he glanced towards Mr. Coll’s former direction but he was gone.

  “He’s already left Marcella. How can you be certain that he’s one of them?”

  She shook her head in disbelief, “I can feel it Alexander. There is a part of me that just knows that he is one of them.”

  He whispered, “We need to speak to the others before we make any decisions, but for right now just dance with me.”

  He gave her an intoxicating smile, and she gave in to his request too easily. Once the music ended, they hurriedly walked to the front of the house where their friends were waiting them..

  Lord Thomas was motioning to them, but then the man’s stare went dark as he saw someone lurking behind them. Marcella glimpsed behind her to see that there was a young man who was staring right at them.

  Lord Thomas reached for Charlotte’s hand in a protective manner and whispered, “Wilson’s back in town. Don’t leave my side, do you understand me?”

  Charlotte blanched, then hid swiftly behind Thomas like a small child. Thomas then spoke directly to Alexander.

  “You have to take the ladies down to the carriage with Christopher right now. Make sure that they all get in. I’ll remain right here with Charlotte to make sure that no one follows you and them out.”

  Alexander agreed and then proceeded to usher the girls out to the carriage. Rachel pushed Louisa into the carriage first and then followed promptly behind her.

  Christopher hopped into the carriage behind Rachel and then sat with Louisa so that he could rearrange her dress without worrying about exposing the bloodstain to any footman.

  Marcella was about to enter the carriage when Alexander grabbed her hand, bowed over it and kissed it. His lips lingering for longer than was proper. He then kindly helped her into the carriage, and securely closed the door behind her.

  Alexander made sure that they were all settled inside before hitting the roof of the carriage to signal the driver to take off for Kensington.

  Marcella watched as Alexander strode back up the Stanton’s front stairs. He then turned around at the top of the steps, and waved goodbye to them. She waved back.

  Tonight had not gone as planned, but even in the darkest moments of the evening, she had Alexander by her side, keeping her sane, and giving her the strength she needed.

  Chapter 13

  The next morning, Marcella woke up exhausted again. All late last night, and into the early hours of the morning, Louisa and Marcella ripped apart and burnt Louisa’s ball gown to pieces. It was no easy task, but they had somehow accomplished it.

  Anne looked at Marcella through the vanity mirror as she brushed her hair this morning, “What’s wrong my lady? I’ve never seen you like this before.”

  Marcella looked up into the mirror to see her friends questioning eyes staring back at her, “It was a long night Anne, and I didn’t sleep very well either.”

  Anne nodded and then nicely pulled back Marcella’s hair into a braid at her nape, “There, you look lovely. I have some washing to do, so let’s go on down now.”

  They were about to leave the room when Anne stopped Marcella for a moment and whispered to her in secret, “Just between us, apparently a maid on the upper floor has misplaced Lady Louisa’s gown from the ball last night. Lady Pinkerton is completely furious about it. It’s as if the dress has vanished into thin air.”

  With that comment, which was more like a warning, Marcella paled but nodded her understanding. She then grabbed her pasque flower purse from the vanity table, as well as her russet shawl, and then closed the bedroom door behind her.

  Marcella walked slowly down the main stairs, but then she stopped in her tracks as she heard murmuring.

  She looked down the stairs to see Lady Rachel, who then looked up from her conversation with the butler and said, “Marcella! Everyone’s just gone in for breakfast. Shall we join them?”

  Marcella said yes, and as they left the foyer Rachel nudged her, “Put these in your bag. Don’t open your bag until we’re out of the house. I’ll tell my mother that we want to go shopping. She’ll let us go, because I’ll be seen as your chaperone.”

  “Won’t your mother want to accompany us if we’re going out?” Marcella asked.

  Rachel shook her head, “No. Let’s just say that my mother imbibed too much last night, and my father appreciated every bit of it. You’ll see for yourself soon enough.”

  Breakfast had been laid out on the sideboards as usual, and all the Pinkerton’s were filling up on food. Louisa and Zachary were laughing together as they placed their plates onto the placemats in front of them.

  Lord and Lady Pinkerton were flirting up a storm as they left the sideboard. Both of their plates were loaded up with an array of fruits, mostly chunks of pineapple.

  Marcella redirected her thoughts to Louisa’s gown as she asked Rachel, “What does your mother know about the gown?”

  Rachel looked around the room and then whispered back to her, “I paid a maid to say that she lost it. You got rid of it, right?”

  Marcella whispered back, “We ripped it to shreds, then threw every single piece one by one into the fire. It’s gone.”

  Rachel liked that answer, so she left Marcella alone to go and make herself a plate. Marcella then sat down by Louisa.

  Louisa turned to her quietly and asked, “Did they come?”

  Marcella replied back, “Yes, but don’t say a word.”

  Louisa went back to eating her toast and acted as if nothing even happened.

  Rachel then settled herself across from her parents, cleared her throat, and said, “Mother, the girls would like to do some shopping today. I’ve volunteered to be their chaperone. Would that be alright with you and father?”

  Lady Pinkerton simply nodded, and Lord Pinkerton agreed as he the loudly said, “As long as Louisa is no longer ailing, then you’re all free to go. I’ll give you all some pocket change. Young ladies who behave as well as all of you did last night deserve to be treated with many fine things today.”

  Her host was being very gracious this morning, but he wasn’t done yet. Lord Pinkerton then continued to speak with a gleeful manner.

  “Even Zachary was a well-behaved young gentleman last night. My investors think that he’s about ready to start taking on some responsibilities.”

  Lord Zachary Pinkerton had been a well-behaved gentleman?

  He must’ve turned his charming side on and won over his father’s business partners.

  Lord Pinkerton was still excitedly talking about last night, but Marcella had stopped listening. She was staring down at her food, trying to eat it, and struggling to not thi
nk about last night.

  Marcella needed all the energy she could muster for the conversations that would be occurring over at Dover House today.

  Lord Pinkerton stood from the table, offering his hand to his wife. She took it gleefully, and then stood by her husband’s his side as he announced to the room, “Your mother and I have a busy day today. We have plans to go on a wonderful carriage ride through St. James Park, and then we have dinner reservations after that at The Perseus Club. We’ll see you later tonight. I trust that you’ll all be fine. Don’t stay out too late ladies. Zachary will be taking meetings for me today. Have fun!”

  Lord and Lady Pinkerton beamed as they walked out of the breakfast room, the Pinkerton siblings waved their parents off.

  Once they heard the front door open and close, Zachary took another plate of food from the sideboard and then led the ladies into his father’s office.

  The young lord then sat in his father’s chair, and then in a mature voice as he passed over a few crowns to each of them, he said, “Have a wonderful day ladies, spend these wisely. I’ll be here listening to pompous old men talk all day about their inconsequentialities. If you happen to go by Mayfair, could you bring me back something from that new bakery that just opened up? I hear it’s the crème de la crème, at least that’s what I heard all night long from our business partner’s wives.”

  Louisa snickered, “Oh you poor thing. I wouldn’t be surprised if they were calling you the crème de la crème brother.”

  Zachary huffed, “Well, of course they were sister. Any woman who’s not related to me should find me outright appealing.”

  Marcella laughed, “Oh really?”

  Zachary nodded as he happily bit into a piece of toast with apricot jam on it.

  Rachel spoke up, “Ladies it’s almost nine o’clock, we need to start walking before the rest of London gets to the shops before us.”

  Zachary chuckled, “Rachel, those people that regularly frequent the shops you are most likely going to visit today will not be there this.”