Capturing the Devil (Stalking Jack the Ripper #4)(45)
My laughter immediately cut off, replaced by uncontrollable sobs. I was thankful my tears didn’t spill over. I only hiccupped and choked them back down. Liza’s gaze paused on my face, her own mirroring the devastation I felt. I wondered how red my eyes were. How beaten I must look. There was no pretending, no mask to hide behind. My heart was wholly broken.
Liza took my hand in hers, squeezing until I tore my attention from the petals
that had been sewn into my skirts. It was such a lovely gown. I longed to take my scalpels to it.
“Will you help me out of this dress?” My voice was scratchy and rough, sounding as if I’d swallowed mouthfuls of seawater. I had no idea how long I’d been sitting there, lost in the prison of my misery. It felt like centuries. “It chafes.”
My cousin hesitated, her hand dropping to her side.
“This is a momentary hurdle, nothing more.” She sounded firm, though I detected a slight tremor of worry that belied her resolve. There was no guarantee this would be reconciled. At least not in a favorable manner. Liza knew that as well as I did. “Clearly a mistake has been made, and Thomas will rectify it at once. You should have seen him. I was unaware he could be quite so…
intimidating.” I flicked my attention up at that. “Not to us. His anger was directed entirely at the situation. He’s writing a telegram to his father now.”
I drew in a ragged breath, not quite ready to know the answer to my next question, but unable to keep myself in the dark any longer. “Was there… is there truly a written agreement? Between Thomas and… and her?”
Liza pursed her lips; clearly this wasn’t news she wanted to share. Not while I probably looked like a talking corpse. “Yes. Thomas told your father he’s never seen it before. That a mistake has been made, but confirmed it was his signature.” She watched me closely and I dropped my attention back to my dress. “If you saw the way Thomas was, you’d know there was nothing to worry over. Signature or not, he will fix this.”
I nodded, my head wobbling along of its own volition. I wanted to have the same faith my cousin was in possession of, but at my core sat mathematical unease. The numbers didn’t quite add together. Clearly Thomas’s father had entered into a written agreement with Miss Whitehall, meaning there would be legal repercussions involved with sorting it all out.
If he even could sort it out.
My head spun as the same conclusion whipped around my mind again and again. Miss Whitehall would take Thomas and we’d no longer belong to each other and he’d end up marrying her and—my skin seemed to catch fire. I tugged at the neckline of my wedding gown.
“Please,” I ground out, pulling the material away from my body. I swore it came alive and delighted in choking me. Blotches of angry red welts appeared like petals on my skin. My own personal bouquet of regret. “Get this dress off me before I rip it off!”
Startled by either my tone or the welts, Liza began unlacing my bodice as quickly as she could manage. My deep breaths weren’t helping; my ribs expanded more and more until she reached around and pulled me into a fierce hug. I shook beneath her touch, unable to control my flood of tears. Thomas was promised to another. Our wedding was a mockery. I was losing him. I couldn’t breathe. I choked on tears that refused to cease.
“Breathe. You must breathe, Audrey Rose.” Liza held me fiercely. I closed my eyes, trying to command my lungs to breathe in time to my cousin’s steady breaths. It took a few tries, but I managed to collect myself again. Liza spun me around, shaking me a little. “Be still. Think. What is this?”
Tears threatened to spill again; my lips wobbled. “The worst day of my existence.”
“Yes, but think. Be still and think about it without emotion.” I flashed her an incredulous look. As if I could turn my emotions off now. She set her jaw, determined. She would be my strength when I couldn’t summon my own. It almost brought on another round of tears. I’d heard that brides cry at weddings, but this wasn’t how I’d imagined it. “This is a mystery for you both to solve.
Understand? And, in case you’ve forgotten, your Mr. Cresswell is one of the best at solving mysteries. Do you truly believe he’ll let this stand? He seemed ready to unleash Hell upon the world. Satan himself would tremble. Have heart, Cousin. All will be well.”
Despite her reassuring words, I caught a flicker of doubt crossing her features, sending me tumbling into my own worries once more.
TWENTY
INCONVENIENT ARRANGEMENT
AUDREY ROSE’S ROOMS
FIFTH AVENUE, NEW YORK CITY
6 FEBRUARY 1889
An hour or possibly five later, I huddled into my silk robe, sipping another herbal tea concoction Liza had brought before she slipped away to talk with our family. As I inhaled the fragrance and concentrated on the different herbal notes, I guessed at the deeper meaning behind them.
Though she didn’t inquire into my personal affairs, I’d wager anything that Liza was concerned about pregnancy and the tea would prevent it. I’d been ingesting it for weeks, so chances were good that I could cross one worry off the growing list. My cousin was truly a master of reading people and working her magic for romantic entanglements. I didn’t know whether to laugh or cry, but I was grateful beyond measure for her keen sense.
She’d suggested sitting in my room eating chocolate and drinking champagne, but I’d begged her to go downstairs and keep everyone away, unable to deal with their pity. Or their words of hope. I wasn’t sure which stung more.