Sleepless in Southampton by Chasity Bowlin
Chapter Thirty-Three
While Viscount Seaburn and Henry had gone to Bath to locate Highcliff and Effie, Willa, Lord Deveril, along with Lilly and Mrs. Alberts were ensconced in suites or rooms at the Dolphin Hotel. It was Southampton’s finest hotel, after all, and had hosted everyone from wealthy merchants to nobility and even royalty. But they were taking the waters with Sophie at the Long Rooms that morning, while Lady Hemsley gloated over her new gossip across the room. It had been four days since they arrived in Southampton and the fraudulent doctor had been arrested. In that time, Philippa’s megrims had returned but had not left her nearly as debilitated as they had in the past.
“Where do you think they are?” Lilly asked.
“All I can say, with any certainty,” Sophie stated again, “is that Lord Highcliff’s destination had been Bath. He intended to seek out a physician of his acquaintance there, a Dr. Nicholas Warner. It isn’t more than a day’s ride.”
Lilly rolled her eyes. “I know that, Sophie. You’ve already told me that. But do you think they’ve found him yet? Are they on their way back? I miss Valentine and I’m terribly worried about Effie and Highcliff. I feel responsible for all of this.”
Willa sighed heavily and then took a drink of the rather unpleasant water. With a grimace, she added, “If anything, it’s my fault. If we’d just had her kidnapped, none of this would have happened.”
Sophie’s ears perked at that. “You—what?”
“It was a briefly considered and then discarded plan,” Lilly said, waving her hand dismissively.
And then the subject of their conversation entered the room. Wearing a recently purchased, or so it would seem, dress with a matching bonnet and shawl, Effie had never looked more fashionable. Directly behind her was Henry. Together, they crossed the room to where they were all gathered.
“Effie!” Lilly and Willa cried in unison.
Effie looked at them both, sniffed in disapproval and then stepped forward to embrace Sophie. “I’m very happy to see you safe… and wed,” Effie replied.
“Where is Lord Highcliff?” Sophie asked.
Effie’s smile shifted, tightened imperceptibly, but her gaze became positively glacial. “He has returned to London. But Dr. Nicholas Warner is here in Bath and currently at the home of the Duke and Duchess of Thornhill to attend Lady Philippa.”
Sophie glanced at Lilly and Willa who appeared to be completely puzzled but not at all apologetic. To Effie, she added, “Let’s take a turn.”
Effie linked arms with her and they began walking around the large room full of people buzzing with gossip as they supposedly took the waters to improve their health.
“What has happened between you?” Sophie asked softly. “And do not think to put me off. When you believed him to be in danger, you never hesitated to go after him at great risk to yourself! Now, you are positively icy when speaking his name.”
Effie’s lips firmed. “There are things I cannot tell you. Not because I do not wish to but because I do not fully understand them myself. Highcliff and I have parted ways… and it will likely be forever. That is all I care to say on the matter, Sophie. I have other matters that I must see to. I will be returning to London tomorrow morning. I’ve obtained a room for us at the Dolphin Hotel until that time.”
“Us?”
Effie’s expression shifted once more, to one that was entirely unreadable. “I’ve acquired a new pupil. She is older than most of my students and will require a great deal of one-on-one tutelage. I mean to hire another teacher for the school and take her to the country myself for a time so that we might close the gap in her skills before depositing her in a classroom.”
“Where did you acquire this student?”
Effie’s steps faltered. “The workhouse… Walcot in Bath, to be precise. She is sixteen years old and her name is Delilah.”
“So she is a charity case?”
“No,” Effie answered sharply. “I know who her people are. They are aware of her new situation and will be billed accordingly.”
Sophie had no notion of what was really going on. Effie seemed very strong and had great resolve, something she had occasionally lacked before, but she was not any happier than she had been. “Do not harden your heart to him so much that it embitters you. Your warmth, your kindness, your generosity and forgiving nature are aspirational for us all.”
Effie’s breath rushed out as she bit back a sob. “Some things, Sophie, are unforgivable. And he is guilty of the worst one for me. I will not say more on it. I must focus my energies elsewhere. I beg of you, do not make me say anything further.”
Impulsively, Sophie hugged her. “I will always be here for you.”
Effie hugged her back. “I know you will, darling girl. I know that you will.”
*
An hour later,Henry was escorting Sophie back to his uncle’s home. They’d taken the waters, seen and been seen by all as Lady Hemsley had requested. They had also stopped by the dressmaker for a fitting for the gown Sophie would wear when the ball Cecile was hosting in their honor could finally be held. He was patiently waiting for the questions.
“What was happening when you discovered Effie and Highcliff in Bath?”
They had found Highcliff on the road. He’d been traveling alone back to London. Effie, per his report, had acquired rooms for herself and a young woman she had taken in. They were to be found at the York Hotel in Bath. He’d then informed them that Dr. Nicholas Warner was escorting Effie and her new charge to Southampton. Then he’d simply ridden off. It had been terribly mysterious.
“I could not say. I have the distinct impression that there has been some sort of catastrophic falling out between Lord Highcliff and Miss Darrow, but the nature of it is unknown to me,” he said.
“We need to find him,” Sophie insisted. “We cannot leave things this way between them.”
They had reached his uncle’s home. There on the steps, Henry halted her progress until she turned to face him. “We cannot interfere. Too many people, I think, have interfered already. Miss Darrow and Lord Highcliff are headstrong individuals—each of them forces of nature in their own right, I think. They must find their own way from here, Sophie. If we do not allow them that, we will only muddy the waters further.”
She shook her head sadly. “But they love each other.”
He closed the distance between them, planting a frustratingly chaste kiss on her lips. “Perhaps they do. And if that is so, love will always find its way. We have but to let it. Now, I do not wish to discuss Lord Highcliff… or Miss Darrow… or my cousin, my aunts, my uncle, or anyone else. In fact, I’ve no wish to speak at all. What I want, more than anything in this world, is for you to go upstairs to our room and wait for me.”
“What are you going to do?” she asked.
“I’m going to wait five minutes before joining you in a vain attempt to disguise the fact that I mean to completely ravish you,” he whispered against her ear. “And the clock is ticking.”
Sophie’s eyes widened, but she immediately turned, scurried up the steps and hurried past the stunned butler. Henry followed, bade hello to his relatives and attempted to act like he had a small degree of patience as he made his way up the stairs in her wake.
When he entered their chamber only a moment behind her, she was struggling to reach the back buttons of her gown. “You said five minutes!”
He grinned. “I lied.”
She tossed a baleful stare over her shoulder at him. “Very funny. Now that you’re here, you might as well help me with this.”
He stepped closer, brushed her hands aside and made quick work of the buttons. “That, my dear wife, was precisely my intent.” He pressed a kiss to her shoulder just as he tugged the garment free. It pooled at her feet and he lifted her free of it, carrying her to the bed.
“Is it all really over?” she asked. “Everyone is safe, if not entirely happy?”
Henry shrugged out of his coat and waistcoat before joining her on the bed. “Yes. Everyone is safe. The villain has been apprehended and justice will be served. And we are happily married. It is truly done.”
“Is it wrong to be so happy when those I love are not?” she asked as she looped her arms about his neck and pulled him to her.
He kissed her lips, quick and hard, before answering. “No. Those who love you want your happiness. And they are responsible for their own happiness, as well. Your only option is to lead by example. Show them how glorious it can be to share one’s life with a person they love.”
She reached for the hem of his shirt, tugging it free of his breeches until he could pull it off easily and toss it aside. “Then you should remind me of that… now, please.”
He laughed. “I live to please, my darling viscountess.”
And so he did.
