Possession (17 page)

***

There was little
I could do and I wanted to do
something
. Sitting at home didn't appeal
to me, so I decided to visit Wallace and Theo. Hopefully Wallace would be up to
answering my questions about a certain Frederick from his Oxford year.

Kensington
wasn't far and it was a pleasant enough day for a walk, if a little cool. It
didn't take much convincing for Celia to agree to accompany me. With George
temporarily occupied, Theo was the next choice on her eligible-men-who-might-wed-Emily
list.

Mrs. Arbuthnot
greeted us enthusiastically enough, even if she seemed a little bemused by our
visit since I didn't give an explanation. However, as I suspected, her desire
to gossip overrode any awkwardness she must have felt at entertaining ladies normally
outside her social circle. Mentioning that we'd just come from Lady Preston's
house certainly helped. It seemed the Arbuthnots had also received invitations
to Adelaide's ball.

"And how is
the lovely Miss Beaufort?" she asked. The mention of Adelaide's name was
clearly an attempt to draw her son's attention to her. Indeed, Wallace sat up
straighter and echoed his mother's question.

"Yes, how
is
Miss Beaufort? The last time she was here she seemed a little out of
sorts."

Theo and I
exchanged glances. He shook his head slightly. It would seem he hadn't told his
cousin about the possession of Adelaide and Wallace. Very wise. Wallace did not
seem like the sort of person who would take the news well.

"Better,"
I said. I almost told him that she would enjoy a visit from him and his mother to
break up her long days at home but held my tongue. Unleashing Wallace and Mrs.
Arbuthnot on Adelaide and Lady Preston might not be something they would welcome.
If it were George however—minus the spirit of Mortlock—I suspected the
reception would be quite different. The way Adelaide had enthusiastically asked
after him was rather telling. George would be pleased.

"And have
you recovered from your recent illness, Mr. Arbuthnot?" I asked.

He pushed out
his chest which unfortunately also pushed out his stomach. The last time I sat
in Mrs. Arbuthnot's drawing room his buttons had popped off. He wore a
different waistcoat, but I kept an eye on it nevertheless. "Fit as a
fiddle," he said.

"I'm so
pleased to hear it." I was about to launch into the reason for our visit
when Theo spoke first.

"Are you
well, Emily?" He occupied the chair closest to where I sat beside Celia on
the sofa and leaned forward slightly. All earnestness.

The bruise. I'd
almost forgotten it. "Quite well, thank you. Much better than the door
that gave me this, however. It's rather worse for our collision."

Wallace laughed
and his entire body wobbled like jelly. Mrs. Arbuthnot and Celia were still
discussing the ball and didn't appear to hear. Theo regarded me levelly and
rubbed a finger over his lips, thoughtful. I knew he didn't believe me.

"Mr.
Arbuthnot," I said before Theo could question me further, "I hoped
you could tell me more about Frederick, the one you knew at Oxford."

Wallace
shrugged. "Not much to tell, Miss Chambers. He was in my year along with
Beaufort. I didn't know him well."

"What are
you doing here?" Jacob's voice, coming from behind, startled me.

I half-turned to
look at him but stopped and kept my gaze on Wallace. I didn't want to alert
anyone to his presence. "What was Frederick's last name? Do you
recall?" Hopefully that was enough of an explanation for Jacob.

Jacob sighed and
came around to stand at the end of the sofa near me. "This could have
waited until after the Mortlock business was finished. I don't like you
wandering around the city on your own."

I ignored him
and gave my full attention to Wallace. His mouth twisted to one side in
thought, then the other. I glanced at Theo. He stared back at me without
smiling. He seemed lost in his own thoughts.

"Ah!" Wallace
thumped his hand on the chair arm. "I remember now. Frederick Seymour. Nice
enough fellow, came from a good family, long lineage, fallen on hard times I
believe. Strange thing about his parents, though. He lived alone with his
father, but when I made a reference to his mother's passing, he said she wasn't
dead. He never did tell me where she was. Very odd. Don't you agree?"

"Oh yes,
very," I echoed. "I wonder if the name Frederick Seymour will mean
anything to Lady Preston." It was said for Jacob's benefit, but he didn't
seem to hear me. He was too intent on looking at Theo who in turn was looking
at me. We made a strange little intense triangle.

"You mentioned
during our last visit that Frederick died," I said to Wallace. "Do
you know how?"

"Yes. Terrible
business. He killed himself."

CHAPTER 10

"Suicide!"
Jacob shook his head. "That can't be right."

"Dear lord,"
Theo said, his focus no longer on me but on his cousin.

"Are you
sure he killed himself?" I asked Wallace. "There was no doubt?"

"None
whatsoever." Despite the awful subject matter, Wallace seemed rather
pleased with himself, enjoying his role as news bearer. "He was seen
jumping off a bridge into the upper Thames one evening. A passerby dove in to
try and save him, but it had been raining heavily and the current was strong. His
body was found the following day downstream. Awful business."

"No." Jacob
shook his head. "He's wrong. I killed him. I know I did. My...my killer said
so."

It did seem odd.
His killer had accused Jacob of causing his son's death. The only possible
person he might have killed was Frederick Seymour after they fought one night. Although
Frederick had got up and run away, Jacob assumed he'd died hours or days later
from a head wound. If Wallace was correct, Jacob hadn't played a part in
Frederick's death at all. At least, not directly. There was always the
possibility Frederick had killed himself over something Jacob had said or done.

"He was
their only child apparently," Wallace said.

"So very sad,"
I murmured.

"Quite
shocking," Theo said. "But does it help you at all, Miss
Chambers?"

"Not at all."
We were back where we'd started and I for one had no ideas for what to do next.
It was very disheartening.

Theo's smile was
warm, encouraging. "You're clever. I'm sure you'll work it out."

Jacob grunted. "Emily,
you need to make excuses. I know where George is."

Why didn't he
say so before! George may have already moved on.

"Celia, is
it time to go?" I asked rather bluntly.

She scowled
through her polite veneer. "I was discussing something of importance with
Mrs. Arbuthnot."

"It's just
that I'm feeling a little tired."

Her scowl
deepened. She must know I was making excuses to leave. "I do apologize,
Mrs. Arbuthnot," Celia said, rising. "Perhaps we can continue this
conversation another time."

Mrs. Arbuthnot
tried to rock her bulky frame out of the chair, but after three attempts, gave
up and simply waved us off from where she sat.

Theo and Wallace
walked us out. Whether by design or accident, Wallace and Celia forged ahead
leaving Theo and I behind. We weren't alone. Jacob stayed close, his dark mood
throwing a shadow over me.

"Emily,
are
you all right?" Theo asked, gently touching my elbow.

"I'm well. Thank
you for your concern."

He didn't look
convinced. "How did you get that bruise? And I want an honest answer this
time."

"Tell him
it's none of his business," Jacob said.

"I...uh..."

"The spirit
did it, didn't he?" Theo said. "Mortlock? Am I right in thinking he
hasn't left?"

"He's still
on this realm." I didn't want to tell him Mortlock had transferred to
George. He'd realize he'd left me alone in the coach with him and feel terrible.
That wouldn't be fair. None of this was his fault.

Theo's grip
tightened on my elbow, reassuring.

"Tell him
to let go," Jacob growled. "Now."

I said nothing. I
liked Theo's comforting touch and did
not
like Jacob telling me what to
do. My lack of response drew raised eyebrows from him. Then a long, slow blink.

Theo stopped me
at the top of the curving staircase. Celia and Wallace were already halfway
down, deep in conversation. Theo clasped both my hands lightly in his and
rubbed his thumbs along my knuckles. It would have been soothing and gentle if Jacob
didn't tower over me, hands on hips. For a brief moment I thought he might do
something wicked to frighten Theo, but he didn't. He did something most
unexpected—he turned his back, giving us privacy.

Even so, he was
close enough to hear us and close enough for me to see the rigidity across his
shoulders, the tap-tap of his finger on the gleaming polished balustrade.

"If there's
anything I can do," Theo said, "I want you to come to me immediately.
I want to help in any way I can." He glanced over his shoulder, down the
stairs to my sister and his cousin. They weren't watching. His hand skimmed
lightly across my bruised jaw. The touch was different to Jacob's, warmer, but
no less affectionate.

My heart tripped
over itself then swelled to twice its size. Theo was a handsome man and his
attention was focused entirely on me. What girl wouldn't like that?

Jacob, standing
beside us, half-turned to see me. His finger stopped tapping. He went very
still and stared at the place where Theo's hand hovered. It was impossible to
know what he was thinking or feeling.

It felt like all
the air became denser around us, like it was closing in, suffocating. I
couldn't breathe. I stepped away from Theo and his hands dropped to his sides.

"Thank
you." I had to get out, had to breathe. I descended the stairs as fast as my
skirts would allow and gave cursory goodbyes at the door.

Once outside and
my lungs filled with air again, I glanced back. Theo stood inside the doorway,
a tentative, confused smile on his lips. Jacob and Wallace were nowhere in
sight.

Celia hooked her
arm through mine and marched me off down the street. I looked around for Jacob,
expecting him to appear and direct me to George, but he didn't. So I walked and
my sister chatted.

"Are you
listening?" Celia asked after a few moments.

"Yes, of
course."

"Then what
did I just say?"

"Er, that
Mrs. Arbuthnot is a very entertaining woman?"

She clicked her
tongue. "I said she seemed nice enough and very eager to talk. Do you know
what she talked about?"

"The
weather?"

Another click of
her tongue. "She talked about you."

"Me?"

"Well, not
directly."

"Celia,
you're not making sense. How can she talk about me
in
directly?"

We turned the
corner. Still no sign of Jacob. Where
was
he? Mortlock could be getting
away and then we'd have to hunt him all over again.

"She
mentioned that her son was going to marry well," Celia went on. "That
was her way of telling me he's not available for you."

I barked out a
laugh. "I could have told you that."

"You're not
offended?"

"Of course
not. I wouldn't take Wallace Arbuthnot as my husband even if he were a
prince."

She sniffed. "You
most certainly would. But he's not a prince, so this discussion is silly."

I couldn't agree
more. Any discussion involving me and marriage was silly.

"Mrs.
Arbuthnot also told me her nephew plans to study law," Celia went on.
"She gave no indication as to her thoughts on
his
eligibility to
wed you."

"You didn't
let her think I was interested in Theo, did you?"

"You do
like him, don't you? He's very handsome."

"Ye-es."
How could I explain what I felt when I wasn't entirely sure myself? Besides, I
wasn't ready for marriage. I wasn't sure if I would ever be. "Law takes a long
time to study," I said trying to sound bored. Perhaps if she thought me
disinterested, she'd leave the topic alone.

"You could
secure a promise from him now and marry when he's finished his studies. Once he
enters into practice, he'll need a good wife to set up house for him.
And
he likes you. Mrs. Arbuthnot said he couldn't stop talking about you."

"Really?"
My face heated. So much for giving nothing away.

Celia patted my
arm, smug. "So you
do
like him."

I sighed. "Never
mind." I liked Theo, but was there anything more than that? It was very
difficult to see clearly with Jacob around, muddying the waters. My feelings
for
him
were so strong, it was hard to imagine ever feeling that way
about anyone else. But what if he wasn't here?