Page 79 of Secrets of the Heart

“My lady.” Rachel looked up in surprise to see one of the footmen standing at the door. “A Mrs. Neeley is here to see you.”

“Lilith?” Rachel stared at him. Her anxiety flared up into full-blown fear. It was not like Lilith to come calling on her; she was always concerned about not presuming in any way on her relationship with Michael. Rachel feared that only some sort of bad news would have brought her here.

“Show her in,” Rachel said, rising to her feet. She crossed the room, meeting Lilith as she entered the doorway. “Lilith! Is something wrong?”

Lilith looked somewhat taken aback. “No. I mean…should there be?”

Hastily Lilith handed her cloak to the footman, and both women waited until he had left the room.

“I—I was just surprised to see you,” Rachel said. She could not tell Lilith what Michael was doing this evening. If Michael was right in his suspicions, Lilith would find out about her lover soon enough. And if Michael was wrong, the fact that he had been suspicious might put a strain on the siblings’ relationship.

“I knew I should not have come,” Lilith said. “I told Robert it was not appropriate, but he was so insistent.”

“Oh, no! Don’t think that,” Rachel said hastily. “You are always welcome in this house. You are Michael’s sister. I was merely surprised to see you. My, uh, nerves are a trifle unsettled this evening. Please, come in. Sit down.”

Rachel rang for a servant and requested tea, then turned back to Lilith. She smiled as she sat down beside the other woman on the couch and said, “Sir Robert wanted you to come here?”

“Yes. I cannot imagine why, really,” Lilith said, looking a little worried. “I asked him, and he would say only that he thought you were feeling rather lonely and would welcome a bit of company.”

“That was very kind of him,” Rachel replied, her heart sinking. She could not think of any good reason why Sir Robert would suddenly decide to send Lilith over here. It must be that he wanted Lilith out of the house this evening—perhaps so she would not see him leave and ask where he was going? Or it might be that for some reason he wanted to make sure Rachel was occupied. Whatever the reason, it seemed suspicious that Sir Robert would choose this very evening to push Lilith into paying a call on Rachel.

The tea was brought, and Rachel poured, trying to keep up a polite conversation when all the while inside she was racked with worry. It was difficult, and she could see Lilith frowning, wondering what was wrong.

“I am sorry,” Rachel said. “I am afraid that I am a trifle distracted.”

“Then I must ask you what you first said to me—what is wrong? Is there any way that I can help?”

“How kind of you to ask, but, no, I do not think that you—or anyone—can help.”

Lilith looked alarmed, and Rachel realized how dramatic her statement sounded. She began to flounder about, searching for an acceptable excuse for her distraction, when the same footman appeared at the door.

“Mr. Birkshaw to see you, my lady.”

19

“What?” Rachel stared at the footman. Who else was going to pop in on her? Tonight, of all nights! “Umm. Well, show Mr. Birkshaw in, Debney.”

She turned toward Lilith, shrugging apologetically. “I am so sorry. I had no idea that he was coming.”

Anthony strode into the room, looking distraught. “Rachel! Where is Lord Westhampton? I must see him. I have had another missive from—” He glanced around and saw Lilith for the first time and gave a little start of surprise. “Oh—I beg pardon. I did not realize that you had guests. I am most sorry.”

“It’s all right. Mr. Birkshaw, I do not know if you are acquainted with Mrs. Neeley.”

“No—yes, I mean, that is, I believe we have met on one or two occasions. How do you do, Mrs. Neeley?” Anthony looked thoroughly ill at ease. No doubt he was startled, Rachel thought with a burst of amusement, to find the owner of a gambling establishment in Rachel’s drawing room.

“I am fine, thank you, Mr. Birkshaw.” The twinkle in Lilith’s eyes told Rachel that she was well aware of the comic undertones of the scene.

“I—I must speak to Lord Westhampton,” Anthony said, starting over again.

“Yes, you said you received a message from—I assume from the man who has sent you the other messages?”

“Just so.” Anthony looked relieved that Rachel understood and sent a cautious glance Lilith’s way.

“You may speak in front of Mrs. Neeley,” Rachel said. She sincerely hoped that whatever he had to say would not be about Sir Robert. “What sort of message did you receive?”

“An odd one. Well, they always are, aren’t they?” He shrugged. “It said that I was to go to a certain address at nine o’clock. It—I believe it is somewhere near the docks.”

“What?” Rachel sat up straighter. The warehouse where Michael and Perry were going was near the docks. “What is the address exactly?”