Page 30 of Secrets of the Heart

Overhill looked somewhat taken aback. “I am glad. I think. I—you seem in good spirits.”

“Only because of seeing you, I assure you. I have been thinking of what Leona told me.”

“I was afraid of that. That is exactly why I came by.” Perry’s good-natured face drew together in a frown. “You must not fret over anything that vicious Lady Vesey said. She would always like to do you a bad turn if she can.”

“Yes, I know. But I cannot put it aside that easily. I went to see Araminta yesterday.”

“Michael’s sister?” Perry looked astonished. “Good Gad, why?”

“Because she was the only one I could think of who might tell me the truth about Lilith Neeley.”

Perry continued to stare at her. “And did she?”

Rachel nodded and looked away, feeling suddenly that she might cry if she continued to look into his eyes. “More or less.” She paused, then said, “Perry, would you take me to see Mrs. Neeley?”

Her friend could not have looked more horrified if she had suggested that he rip off his clothes and run naked down the street. “Rachel! I can’t—you—Michael would have my heart for breakfast if I did something like that. ’Twould be most improper, I assure you.”

“I don’t care about proper. I want to meet Lilith Neeley.”

“You don’t know what you’re saying. She is, well, I mean—she runs a gaming establishment. That is where she lives—right next door to it. If Michael did not kill me, your brother would do it. Or Cleybourne. You wouldn’t want to be the cause of my demise, would you?”

“No,” Rachel agreed. “But none of them will know. I won’t tell them, so long as you keep your lips sealed.”

“I would, I assure you,” Perry said with heartfelt enthusiasm. “But it would get out. If I took you there…” He shuddered at the thought.

“Mmm. Yes, I can see that that would be a problem,” Rachel said reasonably. He had come around to what she preferred. “Why don’t you just tell me her address, and then I shall go see her by myself? You won’t be involved. Michael will never know.”

“Rachel!” Perry began to splutter, even more agitated than before. “That would never do! A lady going to such a place by herself? Oh, no, no, you cannot do that. I could never—no, absolutely not.” He looked at her in a woebegone way. “Rachel, you are a goddess. The most beautiful woman in London, and you know that I will always be your most faithful admirer. But you cannot ask me to do that.”

Rachel sighed, relenting. “All right. I will not ask you anymore.”

“Thank you.” He nodded, his face relaxing. Then, as he thought about her words, his brow knitted once again, and he leaned forward. “You will not ask someone else to help you, will you?”

“I cannot promise that.”

Perry groaned. “Rachel…you will be the death of me. When did you become so—so—”

“Stubborn?” Rachel suggested, chuckling. “I think perhaps since I met Miranda.”

“The American? I might have known.”

“I think I have depended too much on others all my life. Always the dutiful daughter. The dutiful wife. Perhaps it is time I started taking control of my own destiny.”

“This sounds very dangerous. Michael would be—”

Rachel raised an admonitory finger. “Ah, but Michael will not know. Will he, Perry? Because you are not going to tell him, are you?”

“Rachel…”

“Perry…”

“Oh, all right. I won’t tell him. But, please, please, promise me you will not do anything that will get you into any trouble.”

“I will be most circumspect.”

After Perry left, Rachel settled into her chair with a sigh. She knew that her words had held more bravado than truth. She could not think of any gentleman who would be willing to take her to a gaming establishment, let alone give her the address and let her go there by herself. She wished that Miranda or Jessica were there to give her counsel. Miranda would simply have someone in her employ find out. Rachel wondered if one could hire a Bow Street Runner to discover such things; she thought that one probably needed a crime to hire a Runner.

It occurred to her that if she picked one of the younger men, new on the town and probably eager to appear more sophisticated and knowledgeable than he really was, he might be willing to take her there if she pretended that she wanted only to go to see the gambling den. She could wear a domino and mask, so no one would recognize her, and then she would be able to see this Mrs. Neeley, to observe the woman without her knowing. And then, if she still had the courage, she would go up to Mrs. Neeley and ask to talk to her alone. She would reveal who she was and…