Felton wished he could comfort her, but a man who’d spent years tracking down people knew better. The trail was cold, cold as the white ice Cecilia called the snow.
Believing with his whole wounded heart that his wife was fine, that he hadn’t lost the second woman he loved was better than the truth—his arrogance and neglect had cost him his happiness and put his Cilia at risk.
He gave each girl an extra squeeze. “You’ll see. Everything will be well.”
His man-of-all-work came out of the closet with shirts and began filling a portmanteau.
“My heavier coat too, Watson.”
The fellow grimaced, then disappeared in the closet. The man knew Felton would begin searching on foot, street by street, as winter raged.
No longer able to maintain a smile, he turned from his children and stoked the coals in the fireplace. Cecilia was out there somewhere. He had to find her.
The poker made ash waft and cover parts of the grate. He banged the metal and tried not to strike too hard and show his frustration.
Where was she?
Why hadn’t she at least sent word she was safe?
Watson came out of the closet with several waistcoats, as if this was to be a social trip. “Are these enough?”
“Put half back, sir.”
“Papa, if you’re to be alone”—Amelia lifted her dolly—“you can take Ellie Lance to keep you company.”
He snuggled the cloth thing with shiny brown button eyes. “What’s that, Miss Ellie? Address Ellie as Miss Lance.” He put his ear to the doll again. “Oh, you have an older sister.” He bowed. “A thousand pardons, my dear.”
“Papa!” His little girl’s voice was a squeak.
Again, he put the doll to his ear. “You wish to stay and take tea with Amelia. Of course. A gentleman always honors a lady’s request.”
He handed back Ellie to his youngest and she hugged the toy to her chest, wrapping it up in her yellow shawl.
Agatha gawked, then folded her arms. “She didn’t finish the jaguarete. Lady Gantry should come back to finish it. She should be good to her word.”
“We do want her back, but I think Lady Gantry had to go away to figure things out.”
“Is that why you go away so often, Papa?” That soft tone of Amelia’s chipped at his soul.
“I’ve debts to pay, obligations to men I fought with, and sometimes I can prevent people from being hurt.”
“That sounds important.”
He took Ellie from his daughter’s small hands again. “If Ellie was away, hurt . . . you’d want me to do everything to get her and make things better.”
His youngest’s blue eyes looked shiny and wet. She wiped at her face. “Of course, Papa.”
“Then it profits me to do so for my friends, to feed them, clothe them, help them find new purposes. Or find ways to make England safe.” He noted his eldest’s cross face. “Yes, the Honorable Agatha Lance, what’s your objection?”
“No objection, Papa, more an admission. I don’t think we made Lady Gantry feel welcome.”
The little cherub looked so sad with her lips drawn to a pouty dot.
He stroked her chin. “I’m at fault, but when she returns, and she will return, I want you two to think about how we can make Lady Gantry feel happy to be with us.”
“Let us go with you. We can convince her together.” Agatha looked very serious. She’d thought about this.
It comforted his soul that indifferent Agatha now wanted Cecilia back, but until he knew with certainty that Cecilia would return, he’d not put his children through rejection.
