With a cheerful wave she did just that, but muttered to Henry, “Is he following?”
“No. Gazing soulfully, and now walking away. You did well.”
“I hope so, but I hate to cause anyone pain. He’s sending himself into exile, and he’ll be no more than a prison guard there.”
“Don’t be silly. You were right to call it an adventure, and he’ll be an officer with many opportunities. I hear some people are doing well for themselves in Australia, and even that some are going out there freely, not as transportees. If there’s anything to him at all, he’ll make the most of it.”
Kitty smiled at Henry. “Thank you. I’m going to miss you.”
Edward had caught them up. “Where to now, milady?”
“I’ll wander the shops a bit more.”
Mentioning finding a present for Braydon had made her realize the lack. But what sort of present could she find for such a man? She lacked the skill to make him a worthy gift, but worried that anything she purchased would not be up to his standards. She knew he wouldn’t mind, but she wanted whatever she chose to be perfect.
She considered paintings in one shop, then items ofjewelry in another, but he had plenty of both, and they were exactly the sort of items she could get wrong. Then, in an odd shop full of old stuff, she saw a small ivory box, yellowed with age. All four sides and the lid were intricately carved, but the detail was blurred by time and handling, so they were mysterious. It should really be cool marble, but she much preferred the warm ivory.
She bought it, and from another shop a white silk handkerchief to line it. Though it was getting late, she hunted for the next essential item, and at last found a red-jeweled heart. She’d rather ruby than garnet, but garnet would do.
Bubbling with satisfaction, she returned home and assembled her gift. Once it was ready, she couldn’t wait for Christmas to give it to him. Then she saw an excuse to give it to him now. She put it in her right-hand pocket and went in search. She found him in the library, working on some papers, and kissed the top of his head.
He turned to kiss her properly, then said, “A letter came for you.”
Kitty took it. “It’s not from Ruth.”
“One of your many admirers?”
There was no suspicion in it at all, but it seemed a good moment to tell him about Edison. Again, she said, “I don’t like the feeling of sending him into exile.”
“Which is probably exactly what he intended. He hoped for tears and pleas not to go.”
“Yes. Yes, he did, the wretch! All the same, I wish him well.”
“As do I—at the antipodes.”
She smiled and wanted to give him the gift then, but she had the letter in her hand. She snapped the seal and unfolded two sheets of paper. “Whoever it is hasn’t tried to save us money. Oh! It’s from the Hartleys. Now wemight unravel the last mystery and learn what happened to Diane. I’d like to have something to tell Isabella.”
“As long as it’s suitable,” he warned.
“She has to know it’s scandalous,” Kitty said, and read the letter aloud.
My dear ma’am,
I have delayed in responding to your enquiry, for I couldn’t decide what best to do. The Braydon family treated my daughter shamefully, and I hold no kindness for them.
She looked to the bottom of the letter. “It’s from her mother, Lady Hartley. Is Sir Allenby dead?”
“Read on and we may find out.”
The fifth Viscount Dauntry seemed a kindly man and truly fond of our dear child, who was only nineteen at the time of their marriage. My husband and I gave our consent, having no suspicion of the place to which he would take her, nor that he would fail so miserably in protecting her from one intent on crushing her bright spirit.
“I sympathize with a grieving mother,” Braydon said, “but I suspect that Diane was a spoiled chit.”
“Sympathy with the dowager?”
“She’s selfish and domineering, but I don’t think she’s evil or mad. She must have had some reason for attempting control. Continue.”
We were horrified by our daughter’s abandoning her husband and children and confess that if she’d come to us, we would have had to send herback, though we would have attempted to improve matters. Perhaps that is why she fled abroad, and died in foreign parts.
