CHAPTER SIXTEEN
Thenext letter came as Beth lay in a bath of steaming, fragrant water. She always did her best thinking when bathing. Add a cup of tea and plate of food, and she was usually in heaven. Today however, she was finding it hard to achieve that state. So many thoughts were whirling loudly inside her head that she was struggling to focus on a single one.
“A missive has arrived, Miss Whitlow.”
“Thank you, Amanda.” Beth lowered her teacup and pushed herself upright.
“Will you read it in there?”
“I will, thank you.”
Opening the note her maid handed her, she braced herself to read the blackmailer’s words. He wanted money this time, and she was to bring it to St. Mathew’s in Tweed Street at 11.00 a.m. tomorrow. She was to place it under the third pew on the right side of the aisle.
Tell no one, or I shall make you pay by hurting someone you love, WHORE!
Reading the words a second time, Beth felt a measure of calm. The threat was still there but at least now he was demanding something. She could take action, and if she paid, then the people she wanted to protect would stay safe—for now. This would also allow her time to work through a plan to thwart him. Beth knew she could not give in to his demands indefinitely, or the blackmailer would never let her out of his clutches, but for now she would appease him.
She chose to walk the following day, as the distance to the church was not far, and took Amanda with her. It would clear her head, as she had not slept well, visions of Grace and Leo covered in blood haunting her. How had everything changed so quickly in her life? She blamed Leo, of course. Had he not made that ridiculous statement about them being engaged, then her life would have continued on the way it always had. The rational side of her nature knew that to be untrue, as Leo had nothing to do with the blackmailer, but still, it felt good to blame someone, so he would do.
“’Tis a lovely day, Miss Whitlow.”
“Indeed it is, Amanda,” Beth lied. In fact, it was a terrible day. She was being blackmailed by a man who had violated her in the worst way possible. She’d come to the conclusion it had to be him, but as yet, she had no idea how to stop him. She’d thought about telling Nick, then discarded it; he did not need the added worry at this stage with Grace and the baby.
Beth had thought long and hard about what her next steps should be.Would it not simply be better to disappear from society?But then what was to stop him punishing her by hurting someone she cared for? Would he follow to wherever she went? Was her life to be spent paying his demands? What if he approached her... dear Lord, she could not even contemplate him touching her again.
The day was cool, and she enjoyed the crisp air on her cheeks. It was bracing, and that was definitely what she needed. Beth tensed as she saw the steeple of St. Mathew’s.
“Amanda, I have decided to visit St. Mathew’s. If you have anything you wish to do, then please meet me back here in twenty minutes.”
“I shall sit in the park, Miss Whitlow, if that is all right with you?”
The park was only a short walk away, and Beth felt comfortable knowing her maid would be so close.
“It is, thank you.”
Sucking in a deep lungful of smoky London air, she climbed the steps. Standing outside briefly, Beth looked at the wooden door and prayed he was not inside. All she had to do was drop the money where he had told her to. Suddenly her reticule seemed twice its weight, dangling from her wrist.
Once she was steady, she opened the door and walked inside.
Leo had spent the night rolling from one side of his large bed to the other, so he rose early and bathed. After a ride, and long, leisurely breakfast, where he devoured kippers, ham and eggs, a pot of coffee, and several of his cook’s rolls—unlike others he knew, worry did not deter his appetite—he decided to visit Beth.
She, of course, was the reason for his sleepless night. He couldn’t stop thinking about her, wanting her, and needing to know what the hell was going on in her life. She was a mix of so many people that he wasn’t sure who the true Elizabeth Whitlow was anymore.
As his carriage rolled through London, he stared out the window at the passing scenery, thinking about the Miss Whitlow he now knew. He could no longer deny the attraction he felt for her, that he’d probably always felt for her but had denied vehemently. Was this why they had always behaved like two circling dogs?
His purpose for visiting was to talk about their betrothal, and then he would insist she tell him what was troubling her, because something was. He’d been investigating long enough now to know when someone was hiding something.
Looking out the window, he guessed he was five minutes away. Inhaling a deep breath, he exhaled slowly. Just the thought of seeing her was making him tense.
He saw her then, walking along the street with her maid. Something made him lean back so she did not notice him, and only when his carriage had rolled on further did he tap the roof for it to stop. Sitting with his face averted until she passed, he waited a few more minutes, then let himself out of the carriage.
“Take the carriage home, Briggs, I will walk the rest of the way.”
“Are you sure, my lord? The day is looking gray.”
Leo looked skyward. “More overcast, but I doubt it will amount to much.”
“As you wish then, my lord.”
