Celia (A Sinclair Society Novella)

Chapter Thirteen

Much to my dismay, the doctor failed to dissuade Juliet when he came. He admitted she could travel if she were so determined, but did not think it would bode any good. She thanked him for his advice, but I could see she would not accept it.

But I don't suppose she could have gotten as far as she did without some kind of stubbornness. I bid her goodnight, knowing it would be some time before I saw her again.

I didn't see any reason to tell my husband or Mr. Harper about Juliet's plan to leave. As far as I was concerned, the matter with Mr. Bladen was at an end. The doctor was sent for, and I hoped he would convince my friend to remain in bed for a few days before she left.

It was a relief to hear from the Williamsons that they intended to leave the following morning. Family affairs, they said, took them back to their home. I rather suspected that the parents were alarmed by their youngest daughter's interest in Simon.

Which left Mr. Carter and the Jonsons. I suspected that as soon as the young man heard the Williamsons were going, he would as well. He was not such a close friend of Horace that he might feel obliged to remain.

As for the Jonsons...I had the feeling Sir Henry knew more about the quest Mr. Harper and my husband had been on. All three had their heads together often enough. Lady Jonson was a dear and had been a firm support for me over the past week. Did she know something of the truth?

In any event, all I wished was to be alone with my husband so we could begin to repair our relationship. If only I had specified a shorter length for the party! At least I had not promised a ball, as some families did when they had guests.

"I'm sorry your party has been disbanded," Horace said as we walked to our bedchambers. He had his fingers securely entwined with mine. "You worked so hard to have company."

"Only because your mother intended to have company first," I informed him with a smile. "I would have been quite content to live quietly."

"I wonder how things would have turned out if you hadn't invited company," he said, suddenly thoughtful. "Would we have been able to avoid your maid being harmed?"

"I doubt it," I responded. "You would still have brought Mr. Bladen here, and I don't think Nelson would have resisted the chance to know if he was the man she was seeking."

Horace came to a stop. "Did you invite Sir Henry because he was another 'H' who was acquainted with Sinclair?"

"Not on purpose, but I was glad when I remembered the connection." I smiled at him. "No doubt he has told you I've tried to ask him about Mr. Sinclair while he has been here."

My husband's face darkened. "She had no right to endanger you with this matter."

"I would rather know what is happening and be in minimal danger than to be left in the dark." How could he not see that? "I do not feel protected when I hear that information has been kept from me."

"What you don't know can't hurt you."

"It very well could!" I protested. "You suspected Mr. Bladen had something to do with your friend's death, and yet you brought him here. Did you think his manners would keep him from causing anymore harm?"

"I—" He hesitated. "I suppose I did not think of that."

With a sigh, I freed my hand to pat his arm. "Well, I did. Which proves my point about how important it is to share with your partner, don't you think?"

Groaning, he shook his head. "You're not going to let me forget that, are you?"

"Not yet," I told him with a slight smile. "Not until you acknowledge that I am an able partner for you and I deserve to know these kinds of things. And you promise not to keep me in the dark in the future."