Shocked, I went still. What in the world—? What was he doing? I managed to get my free hand between us and I shoved him back.
"Don't you understand what it has been like to have you in this house, Mary?" he demanded. His eyes had a wild look in them now. "We're not so far apart in age, you know."
"Are you out of your mind? You are married to my mother!" I said, keeping my hand up to keep him away. He still had a firm grip on my right arm. "You had me call you 'Father' for several years! And you think I would just...just accept this overture of...of affection? You repulse me!"
James' face darkened. "Why couldn't you have let things be?" he demanded. "You were not harmed and things were fine."
"Fine for you, perhaps, but I definitely do not agree that I wasn't hurt by what you did." I swiped my hand over my mouth. "Unless you have something informative to say, kindly leave me alone."
Without a word, he strode to the door, exited the room and then slammed the door shut. I heard the click of the lock a moment later. "You won't be able to keep me in here forever!" I shouted at him through the wood for good measure.
I didn't get a response, which wasn't a surprise at all. As I glanced around my room, I counted myself fortunate that he hadn't done anything more than grab me and verbally express his anger. I'd certainly provoked him enough. Although I now would most certainly have some terrible bruises, I wasn't seriously harmed.
However, I was angry. Angry about what James and my mother had done to me. Angry that they wouldn't let me go. Angry that my life had been revealed to the world without permission. Angry to be locked inside a room I had once loved.
Determined, I strode to the window and managed to get it open. The rush of breeze cooled my face. I poked my head out and looked about. Below me, the street was quiet and no one was walking by. Beneath my fingertips, the bricks provided little in the way of foot or finger holds.
"It was a foolish hope," I said with a sigh. After all, what did I know about climbing down a wall? In my skirt and shoes, it would have been impossible, of course.
As I considered my situation, I heard a four-wheeler coming down the street at a fast pace. It came to a halt in front and, to my delight, Evangeline charged out of the cab. "Evangeline!" I called out.
She twisted around before looking up. "Mary! Are you well?"
"I'll be better when I am released from this room."
Anything I'd intended to say was forgotten when I saw the three gentlemen who appeared out of the cab. Mr. Carter and Alfred I had expected, but the third was a shock. Mr. Jasper Irdale? Why had they brought him along? Puzzled, I shook my head.
"You will be free in a moment, Miss Sutherland," Alfred said, peering up at me. His tone was quite fierce for someone who was usually a genial and amiable young man.
"Thank you!" I pulled myself back into my room to wait for my rescuers.
It wasn't more than a minute before I could hear shouting from below. Another two minutes brought the sound of hurried footsteps on the stairs and then in the hallway. And then, the door was open.
"Oh, Mary! Are you really alright?" Evangeline asked as she entered. In her hand was the key. Her eyes were bright with anger and victory. "When that cabbie—your fiend of a stepfather, I assume?—took off with you, I was never more afraid in my life! I wasn't sure if we would find you unharmed."
"I am fine," I said, embracing her as soon as she reached me. "My dress has ripped under my arm, the heel of my boot is now loose, and I've lost my hat. Other than that, no damage has been done. James was going to send me to an institution, so he put me in here to wait for the doctors' arrival."
"Horrible man!"
"I trust your father and Alfred have convinced my stepfather to see reason?" I asked as I stepped away.
Evangeline heaved a sigh. "I'm not sure such a thing is possible," she said, gesturing to the door. There were still loud voices coming through the open door, though not as loud as before. "I believe Mr. Irdale has taken charge. Your mother tried to keep me away, but I was having none of that. Do you feel like going down, or shall we find a way to sneak out?"
At that moment, I knew Evangeline was more than a friend. She was the sister I had never had, the family who would stand by me through anything.
"Oh, Evangeline, what would I do without you?" I asked, grasping her hand. "You are, without a doubt, the truest friend in all of London. I don't deserve your friendship."
"Pish," she said, squeezing my fingers in response. "Come. Let's see what's happening downstairs."
Arm-in-arm with Evangeline, I went down the stairs. Mother was standing at the bottom, wringing her hands together. "Mary!" she exclaimed on seeing me. "What have you done? You must put a stop to this at once."
"She hasn't done a thing, Mrs. Windibank," Evangeline said indignantly. "It was your husband who kidnapped her and brought her here against her will. And for what? To keep her where he could have her taken to an insane asylum for no reason?"
"This is a family matter, Miss Carter," Mother said with an attempt at dignity. "This doesn't concern you at all."
"To have a dear friend locked away for no reason most certainly concerns me!"
"...she is not leaving this house or I will have the law on you!" James said, his voice raised in the parlor. "She isn't well, and I—her mother and I, I mean—we are trying to make sure she gets the help she needs."
"You mean to send her to an asylum?" Alfred asked, her tone derisive. "We know you have tried to do so in the past."
With a proud smile, Evangeline drew me to the doorway. James Windibank was facing off against the three gentlemen who had come for me.
"If you do not allow Miss Sutherland to leave, we will summon the law on you," Mr. Irdale said, his voice unyielding yet calm. "She has the right to go where she chooses, and to constrain her against her will is criminal."
"She will not leave!" James insisted.
"I will," I said just loud enough to get everyone's attention. As they all looked at me, I realized what a fright I must look. Nevertheless, I held my chin up. "I do not wish to be here."
There was a kind of desperation in James' eyes, and he tried to come toward me. Mr. Irdale put a hand on my stepfather's shoulder to keep him back. "Mary, you are being unreasonable," James said, shrugging the hand off.
"I disagree," I said calmly. "I am well within my rights to leave. What woman would stay when she discovers her stepfather has repeatedly tried to take advantage of her?"
"The words of a sane and reasonable person," Mr. Carter said with a nod.
"Mary..." James tried again.
"No. You'll not see a penny more of my inheritance. I was more than happy to allow you to draw from my account to help with the household, while I was here. But no longer. Not now that I know the lengths to which you will go to get it."
"And, this may be an irrelevant point," Mr. Irdale spoke up. "But Sir Rouillard has become concerned about some of the charities you enlisted his daughter's assistance for. There is an investigation begun, which I'm sure will take up your time."
Charities? James? He'd asked Miss Rouillard's help for charities? When? What charities? My mind spun with this new information.
All color had drained from my stepfather's face.
"I think we should be off," Alfred said. "I think we've made our point."
"No, I think there is one thing that should be made a bit clearer." Mr. Irdale's voice had taken on a threatening note. "If you, James Windibank, ever step foot near Miss Sutherland again, you can be sure we, her friends, will use every avenue of the law to ensure you never do so again."
Friend? Mr. Irdale? After he had protested my story the day before?
"Good day, sir," Evangeline said, her voice cheerful. "Come along, Mary. I'm sure you are more than ready to put yourself right after such a trying few hours."
I was, and as there seemed like nothing more to say to James or my mother, I hurried out of the house. Evangeline and I sat in the forward facing seats, while the three gentlemen squished together opposite us. If the situation hadn't exhausted me, I might have found it amusing.
"Will he keep away?" I found myself asking.
It was Mr. Irdale who answered me. "Miss Sutherland, we will make sure of it."
****
At the Carters' house, Mrs. Carter fussed over me for several minutes before sending me upstairs to change into a neat, unripped outfit. Evangeline followed to help me. I was nearly convinced she was afraid I would vanish if I left her sight.
"How is it that Mr. Irdale involved himself in this affair?" I asked as I unbuttoned the silk bodice of my walking gown. I wasn't sure whether the tear under my arm was repairable enough, but it was a problem for another day.
"He was here when I returned home for help," Evangeline said, helping me out of the bodice. She scowled at the torn fabric. "I didn't think a constable would listen to me, so I hurried to get my father. He and Mr. Irdale were discussing something—I'm not sure what—but they came immediately when I told them what had happened."
"Well, I am glad he was at hand," I said, unbuttoning my skirt. The fabric fell to the floor and I stepped out of it. "No offense to your father, but I don't think he would have been as intimidating as Mr. Irdale."
"No, that's very true," Evangeline agreed. She scooped up my skirt. "Let's get you into something nice."
She hurried over to the wardrobe which contained what little I had brought with me and frowned at the meager offering. "We should have thought to pack more of your clothing for you," she said, selecting the somber suit I wore when typing. "I suppose this will have to do."
It was much easier getting dressed with Evangeline's assistance. At home, I'd learned to lace my corset and dress without the help of a maid. Once I was dressed, I felt more myself. I then sat in front of the little dressing table and Evangeline set to work in righting the mess that was my hair.
"What would I have done without you?" I asked with a sigh.
"Oh, I am certain you would have found some way of standing up for yourself," Evangeline said, pulling pins out of my hair. "Tomorrow, we shall have to replace your poor hat. I don't think it can be saved."
"A new hat is the least of my worries. I am behind on my typing."
"But you have your inheritance, do you not?"
"No, this quarter has already been paid to James Windibank. I hardly think he will be of a mind to return it."
"Well, you shall simply stay here until you have what is yours!"
Sighing, I shook my head. "To save up enough money for a respectable boarding house, I will need to work, Evangeline. I'm sure we can manage to salvage the hat to last me for a bit longer."
"Of course."
Finally, I was dressed and ready to discuss the matter of what I was to do next with the gentlemen. Evangeline followed me down the stairs, clearly determined not to let me out of her sight. Though what could possibly happen to me in her parents' home, I couldn't begin to guess.
The gentlemen all stood up when I entered. Alfred was no longer there. Both Mr. Carter and Mr. Irdale had glasses of some kind of amber liquid in their hands.
"You're looking much better, Miss Sutherland," Mr. Irdale said with an approving nod.
I couldn't help the stiffening of my neck. I may have been not quite myself but he didn't have to make mention of it! "How are you feeling, Miss Sutherland?" Mr. Carter asked, concern tingeing his voice. "You have endured something any lady would find intolerable."
"Intolerable, but endurable, especially now that I am safe," I said, seating myself in an armchair. "But I am concerned it will happen again."
"We will not allow it to happen!"
Mr. Irdale cleared his throat. "With all due respect, sir, you didn't intend it to happen this time, but it did," he said logically. "Miss Sutherland, it may ease your mind to know that evidence has come to light which shows your stepfather may have been committing fraud."
"And?" Evangeline asked, her tone sharp. "How is that supposed to be comforting?"
"It means, Miss Carter, that Mr. Windibank is about to find himself facing multiple legal actions. While he may find some spare time to harass Miss Sutherland, it is unlikely that he will be free long enough to do so."
"Criminal actions," I murmured, remembering how in Dr. Watson's telling of the story, Mr. Holmes had said as much would occur.
"But what about Mary's safety in the meantime?" Evangeline persisted stubbornly. "Is there nothing we can do seeing as Mr. Windibank kidnapped and attempted to kill her?"
"Justice will be done, and I'm sure Miss Sutherland is not eager to have to testify in court."
"I think you underestimate just how I wish to see James Windibank pay for what he has done," I said under my breath. Of course, I had no idea what testifying would involve, and explaining my story in front of strangers would be embarrassing.
Mr. Irdale sent me a glance, the corners of his lips quirking. He did not acknowledge what I had said, however. "Everything that can be done, from a legal standpoint, is being done. I think he has been made aware that if any harm befalls you, Miss Sutherland, all suspicion will fall on him."
Yes, James Windibank was clever enough to realize that, but he may also think himself clever enough to get away with something. Still... "Thank you, Mr. Irdale," I said. "Though I cannot think how you came to be involved in this matter, I appreciate your assistance."
He offered a half bow, smiling in amusement. "My pleasure, Miss Sutherland."
"Irdale has agreed to stay for supper," Mr. Carter said with a smile. "Alfred, however, had already promised his company to his grandparents, Evangeline."
My friend heaved a sigh. "So it shall not be a complete victory meal, then. But I'm sure we will make do."
"Miss Sutherland, perhaps you would be good enough to tell me about your work," Mr. Irdale said. "Miss Carter has told me you are an exceptional typist."
Though I was not surprised my friend would have boasted of my skill, for she was fascinated by it, I was startled this reserved, stern gentleman was interested. "There's really not much for me to tell," I said warily.
"I'm sure that's not the case."
For a moment, I watched him. He seemed sincere. I hadn't liked him after our rather awkward introduction earlier, but he had come to my rescue today. That meant he was capable of changing his mind, since he no longer seemed to think I was mad.
"Well, since you asked." I straightened my shoulders and began. "I decided to take a typing course several years ago. This was before I knew a thing about my uncle."
Instead of showing boredom, Mr. Irdale leaned forward. Perhaps he wasn't as odious as I had thought.