Chapter 14

14

T he splashing of water intruded upon Samantha's dreams. She pried one eye open and groaned in response to the sunshine pouring in through the parted curtains. It felt like her head had been struck by a hammer.

Her gaze shifted to Adrian, who was in the process of using the washstand. Although he'd woken before she, it didn't look like he fared much better, judging from the weary look shadowing his eyes.

She glanced at the clock. It was only eight. They'd gotten barely five hours of rest. "Must we rise so soon?"

"I've got the interviews at Orendel House today. The earl said I was welcome after ten, and since I've no wish to waste any time—"

"You want to leave as soon as possible." She stretched and swung her legs over the side of the bed. " I'm thinking of paying Melody a call. If there were any rumors attached to Lady Eleanor's name, she'll know of it from Lady Heathbrooke."

"That could be helpful."

"I'd like to check on Isak too, but I can join you at Orendel House after."

"A fine idea." He proceeded to dress while she took her time tending to her toilette. "I'll meet you downstairs when you're ready."

She yawned again and waved him off, then called for her maid to assist her.

When she arrived in the dining room, Adrian was already on his last bite of toast. He stood, pulled out a chair and helped her sit, then dropped a kiss to the top of her head.

"I'm sorry," he said, handing her the morning paper. "We can spend more time together later."

"Of course." She made an effort to smile. "I'm actually so tired now I doubt I'll notice if you're not here."

"Don't fall asleep with your head on your plate." He kissed her again, wished her a pleasant day, and headed for the door just as Elks entered the room.

"Excuse me, sir, but Mr. Murdoch has come to call. He claims it's urgent."

Adrian pulled his shoulders back. "Right. I suppose you might as well show him in here since there's already coffee and tea at the ready."

Elks dipped his head and departed, and Adrian returned to his seat .

"If I recall," Samantha said, "you mentioned Murdoch to Phelps last night when you told him where to drop off the children."

"Precisely." Adrian sent her a sideways glance. "He runs the largest employment agency in the City. We collaborate from time to time."

The man Elks showed into the room shortly after was short and plump, with a very expressive face. Like a ball of energy eager to voice his opinion. "Croft. I rea—"

"Allow me to introduce my wife." Adrian said, cutting him off.

"I…um…yes," Murdoch blustered, a bit out of breath. He gave a quick bow. "Forgive me. Bill Murdoch. At your service. A pleasure to make your acquaintance, Mrs. Croft."

Samantha dipped her chin while fighting the instinct to laugh. "Likewise, Mr. Murdoch. Would you care for some coffee or tea? There's breakfast too, if you're hungry."

"No thank you. Um…" He cleared his throat, pulled out a chair, and sat at an angle, his left elbow resting on top of the table. Chin dipping, he regarded Adrian with a slight frown. "Imagine my surprise when I learned six children were dropped on my doorstep last night."

"Didn't Phelps knock and ask for them to be brought inside?" Adrian asked.

"Well yes, but that's hardly the point."

"On the contrary, it determines whether or not my coachman requires a harsh dressing down. Dropping children on somebody's doorstep is very different from making sure they're brought indoors and properly cared for." Adrian sipped his coffee. "Precision of language my dear Mr. Murdoch is very important."

"Of course." Murdoch inclined his head to acknowledge the truth in that statement, but the flattening of his mouth suggested his patience was being tested and that he was doing his best not to show it. "Phelps did knock on the door and wait with the children until it was opened. All he had to do was speak your name and my butler immediately took them in."

"Good man," Adrian murmured.

"I don't have room for them," Murdoch said, his exasperation beginning to show. "My house is smaller than yours. Why can't they stay here?"

"Because it's a bad idea for children to get caught up in my life at the moment." He gave Murdoch a pointed look. "They've just been saved from a horrid existence. I believe a bit of stability might serve them better than what I can offer. Besides, it's only temporary."

"How temporary?"

"That depends upon you." Murdoch's gaze narrowed with interest and Adrian added. "I want to create a home for those children and others like them. Get them off the street and give them the education they need. Make something of them."

Samantha watched her husband with increased fondness. She hadn't expected this, though she probably should have. The lengths he'd gone to in order to save those children – what he'd done for Isak – proved he was a sensitive man with a big heart.

She'd known this all along, had seen it in the way he'd mourned his sister. It was one of the reasons she'd married him, but it had been easy for her to forget it while they'd been at odds.

"I'll need a decent sized property," Adrian added, "along with a few good people to run it. Find those for me, Murdoch, and the children will be relocated."

"Could we not just place them in one of the orphanages that already exists?" Murdoch asked. He'd slumped a little, a look of exhaustion slackening his features.

Adrian glanced at Samantha. "What do you think of Murdoch's suggestion?"

Her skin tightened around her body as memories of the awful life she'd endured before Harlowe's interference rose from the past to greet her. Even though she'd taken measures to make sure St. Christopher's Home for Foundling Children had been improved since her time there, she dared not recommend it as an option.

"I wouldn't wish such a place on anyone."

"There you have it." Adrian stood. "I'm afraid I really must be going. A prior engagement beckons. I'll see you later, Samantha?"

"As soon as I'm able."

Adrian nodded. "Good day, Murdoch."

Murdoch stared after him with startled bemusement, then turned to Samantha. "I, um…suppose I'd best get on with it then. "

"The property ought to be properly furnished and clean," Samantha told him. "I believe my husband forgot to mention that part."

"Right." Murdoch pushed himself to his feet. "Forgive me for intruding upon your breakfast, Mrs. Croft. It shan't happen again."

She smiled at him. "Good luck with your search."

He sent her a slightly defeated nod and departed, leaving her to finish her breakfast in peace. She ate a few slices of toast with various toppings, downed the remainder of her tea, and prepared to head out.

Some thirty minutes later Melody welcomed her into Lady Heathbrooke's parlor and gave her a warm, sisterly, hug.

"It's wonderful to see you again. And looking so well, I might add." Melody pulled back enough to look at Samantha, a teasing grin dimpling her cheeks. "I was worried for a while when you disappeared from all social functions, but I see now that my concerns were unfounded. Married life clearly agrees with you, Mrs. Croft."

"It's better than I expected," Samantha told her. She saw no point in addressing the problems she and Adrian had faced. Not when they'd since been resolved.

A maid entered with a tray full of tea things. She set it on the table that stood in the middle of a seating arrangement and departed.

"You don't feel the least bit conflicted?" Melody asked when they'd taken their seats. She proceeded to pour them each a cup. "I mean, you're spending a lot more time with Croft now. It must be hard for you to remain emotionally indifferent. Especially when considering the intimacy of your new relationship – the bond that must surely lead to. I mean… I know nothing of bedsport, but I'm inclined to believe it would be rather smashing with someone like him." She raised her cup and blew hot steam from the top. "Might make it hard to remember the way you're supposed to feel about him?"

"Not really." Samantha kept her expression carefully neutral. "Reminding myself of the things my husband is believed to have done makes it easy for me to stay focused."

It was vital that she remember Melody's capabilities and where her loyalties lay. While the older woman might seem harmless, assigned as nothing more than Lady Heathbrooke's companion for the pure purpose of intercepting gossip, she'd still been trained by Harlowe. One slip, and Samantha risked her reporting back to him with news that Samantha was compromised.

"I must confess, I'm impressed. Not sure I'd be able to do so, which is probably why I'm playing companion to an elderly woman instead of hunting for proof of Croft's crimes."

"As I've told you before, you mustn't disregard the important work you are doing. It matters and has proved extremely useful on multiple occasions. As for my situation, I'll admit it has become slightly easier of late, what with Harlowe instructing me to leave Croft in peace until further notice." Samantha sipped her tea and relished the heat it produced behind her ribs. "It has decreased my risk of discovery and allowed me to nurture the idea of wedded bliss. Honestly, I have him eating out of the palm of my hand. It's rather fascinating to watch."

"You don't wish it could be real? That you weren't forced to constantly lie and deceive?"

A quick shrug of her shoulder to show that this wasn't something she'd thought of. "It's what I've been trained to do. You too, though I'm starting to sense you may have regrets. Do you feel guilty about using Lady Heathbrooke for your own personal gain?"

"It's never been personal gain." A dry response spoken with no hint of pleasure. "I'm merely doing my job."

"As am I. Which brings me to my second reason for calling on you." Time to change the subject.

"The first being?"

"To see how you're faring, of course." Samantha smiled, her gaze meeting Melody's with directness. "I feel terrible when I think of how long it has been since we talked. Worse by the fact that this isn't merely a social call. I'd hate to give the impression that I only think of you when I need something when the truth is I think of you daily."

The corner of Melody's mouth lifted. "I think of you too. And you're not the only one guilty of being distant. I could have called on you just as easily. "

"No hard feelings then?"

"None whatsoever. Now tell me what you need."

"It pertains to Lady Eleanor's murder." When Melody tilted her head, a questioning look in her eyes, Samantha said, "I wonder if you might have heard any talk about her in the time leading up to her death. Any whispers about her having a secret beau or information regarding her engagement to Mr. Lawrence."

Melody gave her a searching look. "Are you trying to solve the case yourself?"

"Adrian is. Considering the success I had working with him on the previous murders, I thought I'd try to help him again since doing so aids my role as the loyal wife. The more he trusts me, the more he'll reveal. A benefit, should Harlowe ask me to continue my mission."

"Cunning." Melody topped up her tea. She seemed to consider the question a moment, then said, "There was some talk several months ago about Lady Eleanor having a fresh kind of glow about her. It was before Mr. Lawrence had his riding accident. As I recall, speculations alternated between the belief that she and her fiancé had grown impatient with their lengthy engagement and had taken their relationship to the next level, and the possibility of her receiving attention elsewhere."

"Which would you be inclined to believe?"

"I barely knew her, so it's hard to say. However, one point of note is that she appeared truly distraught after Mr. Lawrence took that terrible fall. She continued to do so for a while after. But then, a week or so before she was killed, something or someone made her happy again. She was beaming the last time I saw her, but there's no telling what that might mean."

"I'll be sure to keep it in mind." Whether or not the information would be of use later remained to be seen.