Eva’s expression fell into one of concern. She stopped walking, and her hand on Padua’s arm stopped Padua too.
“Padua, did you fall in love with him? It is not the same thing as desire and passion. I trust you know that.”
Had she? She did not have enough experience to know how it was different from passion. Perhaps passion did not have the ability to break one’s heart. Maybe only love made it so difficult to be near Ives today, and so hard to pretend she did not ache for his touch, his smile, and the sound of his voice.
Up ahead, the brothers had also stopped and chatted. Padua looked at Ives, so handsome in his face and form, a smile softening a mouth so easily stern. She wanted him to hold her again. She wanted to let him have his way, whatever that way might be.
“Eva, I am going to leave you now. Please make my apologies to Gareth and Ives. Say I promised to meet a friend.”
“But—what are you—”
“Please, Eva. I am in grave danger of making a fool of myself. I must go.”
Eva leaned in to give her a kiss on her cheek. “Call on me. Promise you will.”
She only nodded, because emotion choked her words. She turned and walked away quickly.
CHAPTER19
For two days Padua thought about the things her father had said to Ives. He claimed he had been coerced to store that bad money in his chambers. The men who did it knew about the brothel. He logically guessed they had something to do with the brothel, or else they would not have known of his connections to it.
The obvious suspect was Mrs. Lavender. Eva had proof the woman was at least mildly dishonest. Upon examining the accounts, she discovered a small but repeated irregularity in the way her father’s share had been calculated. Of more interest was the lease. Mrs. Lavender had omitted one significant term when describing it. The lease renewed every five years, unless one party chose otherwise.
Presumably the rent could be renegotiated then.Shrewd of Mrs. Lavender to give the landlord part of the business. It was not in his interest to demand a rent that would kill the golden goose.
If those men still made their counterfeit notes, would they not want to find a new way to store them? If they used the house in other ways, or were in league with Mrs. Lavender, would they not want the other partner in their net, too, once again? Perhaps the men involved in this scheme had written to her, to inform her of her father’s incarceration. If so, that sounded as if they indeed hoped she would take his place.
The next day Padua went downstairs at the dinner hour, and entered the dining room. All the women ate together, along with Hector and the groom. They all looked at her. Silence fell.
“I thought I should introduce myself. My name is Padua Belvoir. My father is John Hadrian Belvoir. He is Mrs. Lavender’s partner.”
Faint buzzing suggested all the young women did not know there was a partner.
“My father is indisposed, so I must stand in for him here. I will be executing his responsibilities and obligations.”
All eyes turned to Mrs. Lavender. Her eyes pierced Padua.
“My father is easily distractible, and did not involve himself in this business. I am cut of different cloth. I have ideas for improving everyone’s lot here. I do not mean to interfere, but my father has been foolish to neglect such an important part of his income.” She satin an empty chair, and looked expectantly at one of the serving girls. The girl hurriedly brought her a plate and fork. Two of the soiled doves passed her the tureens of stew and rice.
Conversation resumed. The woman sitting next to Padua, a plump, pretty young woman with sandy hair, spoke to her. “I do not think Mrs. Lavender appreciates your interest in the house.”
“She has borne the burden on her own for so long, and she can imagine no other way. However, in a few weeks she will be glad I am here to help her. She must grow tired of taking care of everything.”
“Do you think to greet the guests too? I doubt she will give that up.”
The very idea terrified Padua. “I see no reason to ask her to, then. However, what happens if she takes ill? Does Hector do it instead?”
The woman laughed, drawing Mrs. Lavender’s attention. “Goodness no. She has a friend who joins us when she needs some money. That is who takes her place if she cannot take the helm. It does not happen too often, I am glad to say. I do not care for Emily.”
Padua looked down the table. “Is Emily here now?”
“Not today. She has her own trade, with longtime patrons. A carriage trade, to hear her tell it. The Honorable this and Lord that. She comes here maybe one night a week. You will notice her. She is older than most of us. There’s some men who have a fondness for older women. Some even try to convince Mrs. Lavender to take a turn again, but I think it has been twenty years since she did.”
Little cakes passed along the table. Padua helped herself to one. At least Mrs. Lavender fed her doves decent food. Far better than what had been sent up to Padua’s chamber the prior evenings.
“Are we to call you Miss Belvoir?” her tablemate asked. “Mrs. Lavender permits no informality with her own person.”
“Then it might be best if you did address me that way.”
