Capturing the Devil (Stalking Jack the Ripper #4)(40)

“A letter?” she asked, adding a few pearls to my braids. “Do you mean the note I sent along to you?” She laughed. “Apologies, dear sister. Ileana and I were in such a rush, I barely had time to scratch a note out to let you know we were coming.”

“But it mentioned having something Thomas needed.”

She picked my hand up, turning it about so the crimson diamond caught the light. “I wanted him to propose with Mother’s ring. He’s so sentimental, though he never lets it show. I knew how much it would mean to him, having her letters

and blessing. I adore you and I love my brother immensely. I didn’t mean to cause any strife.”

I let my breath out in a whoosh. At least that was one less thing to worry over. My gaze slid to the newspaper before I tore it away again. Now if I could only stop allowing Jack the Ripper to step from my nightmares into reality, I’d be fine.

Liza huffed back into the room, her face flushed. “Are you certain the pearls were in there? I couldn’t find them.”

Daciana held the strand up, a sheepish look on her face. I studied the way she bit her lip and crinkled her eyes. She was quite convincing. “I must have brought them in and forgot I’d set them on the vanity already.”

Ileana slipped into my chamber, eyes glistening when she saw me fully dressed. “You look so beautiful!” She hugged me close. “I wanted to give you something. Well, it’s actually from Thomas,” she amended, grinning at my confusion. “Here. He had these made.”

I opened the box she held, pulling a stunning pair of robin’s-egg-blue shoes from tissue paper. Diamonds were sewn across them, shimmering like stars in a cloudless sky. I clasped my hand over my mouth, trying to not cry off the kohl Liza had so carefully put on.

“They’re incredible.”

“Something blue and new,” Daciana murmured. “Your ring is something old.”

“Oh!” Liza rushed about the room, nearly tripping over her skirts. “I almost forgot!” She held up a diamond necklace with a solitary stone that was the size of an eyeball plucked from someone’s head—a charming image for a wedding day. “This is from Mother. She said you may borrow it for the ceremony.”

Daciana lifted my hair and fastened it. “You’re all set.”

Liza, Daciana, and Ileana stepped back, clasping their hands together as they inspected me. Their eyes shone with unshed tears. My family. If they kept this up, we’d all be sobbing messes together. A knock came at the door and suddenly the newspaper article was the furthest worry from my mind. My heart raced as I pushed myself to my feet.

Daciana let my father in and he halted when he saw me. It was hard to tell the exact emotions playing across his features, but the hitch in his voice was unmistakable. “Are you ready, Audrey Rose?”

I drew in a deep breath and slowly exhaled. “I am.”

It was finally time to meet my husband at the altar. Neither the devil, nor a

nightmare, nor any other nefarious thing would ruin our day.





St. Paul’s Chapel, New York City





EIGHTEEN

MY VOW TO YOU

ST. PAUL’S CHAPEL

BROADWAY, NEW YORK CITY

6 FEBRUARY 1889

Father clutched my arm, his eyes misting as he placed the veil over my face.

“You’re a vision, my sweet child. Your mother would be overcome with pride.

You look very much like her today.” He adjusted his diamond-pinned cravat and leaned in, whispering, “There’s a carriage waiting in the alley in case you’ve changed your mind. I’ll take care of the details.”

I laughed, then quickly blinked tears away. Once I was certain I wouldn’t ruin my kohl, I looked at my father and smiled. He’d take me from this chapel at once, no questions or judgment, should I choose a different fate. And I loved him for it. I tried not to focus on the sudden overwhelming sadness of closing one chapter and stepping into a new one. No matter how much I’d longed for freedom, it was a strange sort of thing to no longer be under my father’s roof.

Another bout of emotion welled up, threatening to spill down my cheeks. I uselessly fanned my face, picturing how angry Aunt Amelia would be if I cried my makeup off.

As if he’d crafted some magical tool to see into my mind, my father hugged me near, patting my head. “There, there, Audrey Rose. You’ll always be my darling baby girl. If you’re happy, then I am, too. I just wanted you to know that you have choices. Options. Whatever you’d like, I will make happen. As I ought to have done for you a long while ago.”

I accepted a handkerchief and dabbed at my eyes. “I scarcely know why I’m

crying,” I said, unable to stop the flow of tears that had begun. Aunt Amelia would definitely murder me if she wasn’t preoccupied with last-minute arrangements. “I want this. More than anything. It’s… everything is going to be different now, is all.”

“Ah.” Father gently took the handkerchief from me and tucked it back into his pocket. “Part of growing older means letting go. You can’t move forward if you never take those first few steps onto new ground. Now’s the time to be brave, Daughter. Walking into the future means trusting in yourself even when you can’t see around the bend. As long as you’re certain this is what you want, all will be well.”