An Affair So Right (Rebel Hearts #4)(15)
“I’ve told you a thousand times, I’m not interested in debutants.” He laughed heartily, but then sobered to pull her close. “Where do you get these silly ideas that money is all that interests me about a woman? I went home, intending a brief conversation with Deacon, but there was a fire. A neighboring property burned to the ground. I had to stay and help. Everything was in chaos, and two men died last night.”
Adele’s eyes rounded. “Oh, how dreadful. Were you close to these neighbors? Are you hurt?”
He brushed her long hair over her shoulder, heart swelling with love at her concern for him. “It was dreadful, but no, I wasn’t so foolhardy as to put myself at risk,” he assured her. “I barely knew them, in truth.”
But he’d had a hard time all day, forgetting that a man had burned to death not far from his home, and that his daughter and wife were utterly overset by the experience. He could scarce imagine the desperation behind Miss Dalton attempting to seduce him just to prove they were worthy of his charity.
He was not like his father to believe such an offer sincere, but if Miss Dalton needed a distraction, she could make the futile attempt to straighten out his study for a few days. It would ensure she made no further inappropriate advances to anyone else in her fragile state of mind, and he would settle them in a good situation elsewhere soon. That was the only reason he’d agreed to employ her. The next time Miss Dalton propositioned a man, she might not be so lucky, and some lecherous scoundrel might take her up on her offer she’d eventually come to regret.
Adele, however, would not find his decision to take in the widow and daughter at all pleasing. He’d have to mention the Daltons were in his home, and hope Adele didn’t become unreasonable. If she heard Theodora was pretty, and unmarried, she’d fly into a rage. He’d not lied that Adele was the jealous sort. She’d declared nothing would ever come between them on many occasions. “One of the men who died in the fire left a widow and daughter behind. The other man, we fear, was taken by anatomists.”
“Oh, dear,” she said, eyes filling with tears. “I’m sure you did all you could.”
“The daughter would have run into the blaze after her father, if I had not prevented her.” He’d certainly tried to help, but his help had been paltry at best and almost too late. “I offered the pair shelter until they recover what few possessions might have survived the blaze.”
Adele pursed her lips and stared at him sourly. “You are too tenderhearted, always looking after everyone but yourself.”
He laughed and held her against him a little more firmly. Quinn loved that Adele worried about him. They had a future together that nothing could change. “I took you on and have no regrets. Was that not the right decision, my love?”
Adele blushed prettily and patted his chest. “I would have been lost without you. You gave me the world.”
They had met when she’d nothing but her extraordinary talent to her name. He’d admired her eagerness in everything, and had opened doors so she might have her dream of performing on the stage. After the doors had been opened, and society had acknowledged her talent, her rise to prominence had been assured. Helping Adele was the best thing he’d ever done for another living soul. He had no regrets at all about his small part in her success.
“I only gave you a chance to impress those who mattered, and you did the rest.” He lowered his face to hers. “I’m looking forward to introducing you to my new friends as we planned, too.”
He was introducing her to Amy, his secret half-sister, and her new husband, Harper Cabot, the surprisingly amusing shopkeeper. He’d been planning this introduction since Christmas, but a great many distractions kept getting in the way.
“I wish things could be different, but I’m afraid I cannot make your dinner.” Her gaze rose to his, and she quickly kissed his cheek. “I’m so sorry, Quinn. I must stay late for rehearsals for all of this week, unless I want Mr. Arnold to scream like a fishwife. I must also be fitted for the costumes he insisted upon having made afresh. I have no idea when I will sleep, or when I will have a moment for amusement again. Mr. Arnold is planning one of his exclusive parties for after the first performance, too. He’s already anticipating the play will be a wild success.”
“But we made these plans weeks ago,” Quinn reminded her. It was not possible to send his regrets at this late stage, and he didn’t want to disappoint Amy and Harper yet again.
“I know, and I have apologized.” Adele looked up at him, her expression firm. “You know how important the theater is to me. I want to make you proud.”
“I am already proud.” He understood her dedication to her craft but damned if he liked that he came second to the theater in almost every situation.
“Please understand.” She toyed with his waistcoat pocket watch, glancing at the time. “I must go. If I disappoint Mr. Arnold, he’ll make me understudy in the next production instead of lead.”
“We cannot have that.” He glanced toward the stage, noting Samuel Arnold’s fierce glare had already turned in their direction. The man was strict and always made good on his threats to demote those who displeased him. “I’ll send him a brace of goose for his feast as an apology for today’s interruption. Send a note round when you are free again.”
She rushed away to return to the stage without kissing him goodbye, leaving sourness in the pit of his stomach.