Chapter Eighteen
London had manyattractions. Fanny had come to enjoy Eli’s company—when he wasn’t being overprotective. He had auditing chores to perform for Clarion on some days, however, as he had notified them on the day the ladies went out to Kew Gardens.
When Eli’s message had come, Rob Benson had insisted that Reilly, who was now one of his burly footmen, former soldiers all, accompany the ladies. Maddy assured Fanny the company of a footman was the expected thing, but she couldn’t shake the feeling that a bodyguard cast a cloud on their day.
By the time they had wandered through beds of glorious flowers and exclaimed over various exotic plants, she had quite forgotten about him. At least, she had until a ruffian bumped into her on one of the upper levels of the Great Pagoda, knocking her to the railing. She might very well have fallen over had the quick-thinking Reilly not grabbed her in the nick of time. Once assured she was well and in the hands of Lucy and Maddy, her savior pelted off after the ruffian but to no avail. The brute disappeared as if into thin air.
Fanny insisted they continue their explorations, but after half an hour, it became clear the joy had gone out of the afternoon. Maddy appeared paler even than Fanny and admitted to feeling ill. They deposited Maddy at her own home before returning to the Benson house, both residences being in Chelsea, near each other.
Later that evening, Rob’s merciless interrogation of the footman left Fanny uneasy, and his patently false attempts to reassure her didn’t help.
“You don’t think it was an accident,” Fanny accused. “Tell me why.”
“What accident?” Eli, arriving for dinner, peered at Fanny and glared at his brother. He came to Fanny’s side and took her hand. “Are you well?” he asked.
“Perfectly fine. Someone bumped into me at Kew. It was an accident,” Fanny said.
“A ruffian brushed against her on the eighth level of the pagoda and almost knocked her over the railing. Only Reilly’s quick thinking prevented disaster. He pulled her back.” Lucy indicated the familiar ex-soldier, standing with slumped shoulders in front of Rob.
“Except I didn’t catch the bas—the rotter,” Reilly said, eyes downcast.
“Only because you paused to make certain I was well,” Fanny said. “Don’t berate yourself. Besides, it was an accident.”
“Gentlemen—and I use that term in the loosest possible manner—don’t run off after an accident. Villains flee,” Rob said.
Eli’s fierce expression told her his opinion on the matter. He looked prepared to murder, a rather touching turn of events in her mild-mannered solicitor-turned-steward.
“Well, he failed. And Reilly is the hero of the hour,” Lucy said.
The butler announced dinner just then. Rob glanced at Reilly. He took a breath and turned to his wife to say, “I’ll be with you momentarily.” He motioned Reilly to follow and spoke to the butler, who nodded. Eli, Fanny noticed, followed them out.
“Is he going to punish that young man?” Fanny asked.
“Unlikely. More likely they are plotting,” Lucy replied.
“Plotting?”
Lucy sighed. “I know the signs. They’ll be putting the neighborhood under surveillance. Rob’s men—the palace guard—will shadow our every step. I’m guessing Rob—or more likely Eli—will try to curtail our movements.”
“That’s absurd. Aren’t his troops meant to protect ambassadors? One cutpurse—or a clumsy garden visitor—is no cause to declare a national emergency.” Fanny frowned.
“Overprotective to a man are the Bensons. Clarion would be as bad were he here,” Lucy said. “We ladies have to stand our ground.”
Fanny had never had a protective brother before. She wasn’t certain how she felt about it. Eli Benson’s fierce reaction roiled her emotions even more. She didn’t know what to make of it.
*
“How long doyou plan to push me to the periphery?” Eli demanded as soon as he and Rob were out of earshot of the ladies.
Walking to the servants’ hall, Rob answered him over his shoulder, “I don’t know what you mean.”
Reilly joined the other two footmen across the room while Rob paused in the doorway to speak with Eli.
“Explain,” Rob said.
“More than today’s incident bothers you, Rob. You’ve been itchy since Manchester. When we got to Ashmead, you let up, but now I don’t know what to think. What do you know that you’re not telling me?” Eli said.
“I told you Holliday’s belief that someone bigger than that gambler Edwards was involved in Fanny’s abduction.” Rob paused.
