Chapter Twelve

M arie's heart sank. She stood inside the room and quickly shut the door behind her. Inside sat Hortense, on the bed in the otherwise sparsely decorated guest room in a state of dishabille.

"Mary?"

"Miss Campbell?" Marie said. "Are you all right? What happened to you?"

The young woman wiped a tear from her face and used part of her bedsheet to wipe at her eyes. "I've been a fool."

Marie leaned against the door. "You mean…"

Miss Campbell looked down at herself on the bed. The bedsheets were rumpled, her hair was in disarray, and her dress lay on the floor. She sat on the edge of the bed, holding up one of the sheets to cover herself. She wrapped it beneath her underarms and held it close, her eyes dull. "What do you want, Mary?"

"To make sure you're all right. I heard someone crying."

"Well, I suppose you're happy now. You're the pure one and now as you can see, I'm lower than dirt." Miss Campbell's chin stiffened and she sniffed.

"What happened? Did he… force you? "

"No. I went willingly. Too willingly. He had me out of my clothes and on the bed in minutes. He almost forgot to close the door. Can you imagine what would have happened if he'd left it open?" Miss Campbell pinched the bridge of her nose. "I was so dumb. I can't believe it."

Marie looked at her. "I'm glad you're all right."

"Who said I was all right? I'm an idiot. Help me find my clothes," Miss Campbell ordered, and Marie bent to the floor, picking up her stays and her shift. She helped the disheveled woman tie up her stays and get dressed again, then had her sit before a small looking glass as she repaired her hair.

Miss Campbell sat on the small stool before the looking glass but looked away, as if she did not want to meet her own reflection. "I was so dumb. He paid me a little flattery and I thought, this is how it's done. Give the man what he wants and in no time, I'd have my suitor sorted. No need for a London Season for me when I've got a soldier right here."

"What do you mean?" Marie asked, winding a strand of Miss Campbell's hair around her fingers.

"Well, that night before you left, my family had Father Reynolds and his son over to dine. But the meal was not to Mama's liking and she told the pastor how she had dismissed some servant who'd messed up the dinner, and the pastor felt it would be unchristian to dismiss a servant so lightly over something like a meal. The son wasn't much interested in me, anyway, but Mama was furious. And now my family has decided they cannot afford to give me a London Season, and so decided I would be better off meeting eligible bachelors here, at the Lyon's Den." She sniffed, and it was bitter. "But good girls do not come here to meet eligible men. Father only comes here to gamble, not that he has much money to gamble with. Their schemes never work."

"There are nice men here. "

"Ha. Would that I had some of your luck. There are no nice men. No gentlemen, anyway. Do you know what he said? When we were done? I'm such a fool."

Marie stayed silent, fixing the woman's hair.

Hortense said, "We finished sleeping together, and I asked him, ‘When shall I tell Mama of our engagement?' He was out of bed faster than you could blink. He put his jacket on, which stinks of sweat, and said, ‘Make yourself ready. You look a fright. Wouldn't want anyone mistaking you for a whore.'" Her chin trembled at that last word and she lowered her head into her hands. Her shoulders shook with silent sobs.

Marie rubbed her back. "I'm sorry."

Miss Campbell wiped her eyes. "What are you doing here? And who was that soldier you were walking with before? The one with the horrid eye. Gage something or other? Lieutenant Walker doesn't like him."

"He's…" Marie took a breath and swallowed, feeling her shoulders tighten and rise closer to her neck, almost like a turtle hunching into its shell. "He's my beau. We are courting."

"Oh." Miss Campbell gazed in the reflection at Marie's face. "That's a new development. And why are you here? You were dressed so commonly at the park. Now you look like a lady. Come to think of it, I thought I spotted you a few days ago, but Papa assured me it was someone else entirely."

"I work here," Marie admitted. "I cook and clean and I'm speaking French with a Frenchwoman."

Miss Campbell's eyes narrowed for a moment, then she gazed back at her own reflection. "So it's true. I could hardly believe it, when that maid told us."

"What maid?"

"Some new maidservant Mama took on. Julia, I think is her name. She's training to become a new lady's maid for Mama. She overheard us talking about the Lyon's Den and mentioned she knew a servant who was pretending to be a grand lady. I at first thought it was a joke, to amuse Mama, but she knew all about you."

Marie tensed. Julia had been hired by Mrs. Campbell? What a small world. But would Mrs. Campbell take the trouble to inform the public of what they were doing? She needed to tell Mrs. Martin post-haste—sooner rather than later.

Hortense patted her hair and rearranged her necklace. "Mama will throw a fit to see you here, especially dressed like that. You don't look like a servant at all. You didn't see Mama downstairs, did you?"

Marie stiffened. If Mrs. Campbell spotted her, she was sure to make Marie's life horrible. "No, I didn't."

Miss Campbell began to sulk. "She's probably in the ladies' gambling rooms." Her lower lip began to tremble and she pounded her fist on the table, rubbing it in pain. "She cares so little for me, she didn't even notice I'm ruined. That I went off with a soldier and lost my virtue." A tear rolled down her left cheek.

Marie didn't answer.

"It's no surprise. She's too busy seeking her own amusement to take any notice of me. She's too interested in her own pleasure to give any thought to my own happiness." Hortense's mouth twisted in fury. "Finish fixing my hair and then help me downstairs."

"Miss Campbell…" Marie started.

"What?"

"My name isn't Mary. It's Marie. And I work for Mrs. Dove-Lyon," Marie said.

"Well, you barged in on me. I could go to her right now and say you caused great offense, and have you dismissed," Miss Campbell snapped. Then her expression faltered. She turned and looked back at the bed and the dressing table. "Can you believe it?"

"Miss Campbell?"

"He left coins on the nightstand, as if I were some whore." Her mouth firmed into a thin line. "Never again." She sniffed angrily and wiped another tear away. "But what will people think when they see him, and then me? They know we went up together. They saw him put his hand on my…" She turned pink. "I saw their faces."

"There's a lot of that that happens here. I think the men and women who frequent the Den do so with an open mind, and they keep secrets."

"I can't trust anyone," Miss Campbell said bitterly. "But maybe you. You will keep my secret and not tell anyone I am no longer a maid, and I will keep quiet about you working here and masquerading as a lady. Do we have a deal?" She put out a hand.

Marie shook it. "Agreed."

Miss Campbell rose. She checked her reflection in the small looking glass and patted her hair. "That will do." She smoothed down her skirts and went toward the door, before she paused, her hand on the door handle. "It won't work, you know. More people are bound to recognize you and find out what you're doing."

"Until then, I have to try," Marie said.

"But it's all a fa?ade. You like this woman? The one you're a companion to?" Miss Campbell asked.

"Mrs. Martin."

"Is she as good to you as my parents were?"

Marie looked away but gave a tight smile.

"Never mind. I don't want to know. If you value her and want her respect, you owe it to her to tell her. Otherwise, it will just get worse, and the longer you go on keeping it from her, the more she'll be hurt. Just some advice." Miss Campbell sniffed and walked out.

Samuel entered the Lyon's Den and began looking for Miss Cadeaux. He ran into Mrs. Martin, who curtsied hello . "Lieutenant, good evening. Have you seen our young friend?"

"Just who I was looking for. Do you know where she might be?"

Mrs. Martin glanced away. "We were looking for her acquaintance, Miss Campbell." She relayed Marie's concern for the girl.

"And you let her go wandering around the upper rooms, unescorted?"

Her smile fell away. "Miss Cadeaux is a sensible young woman with a good head on her shoulders. She will not fall into danger by peering into odd corners. Besides, we were searching together until my husband called for me. I was only gone a few minutes. There are not many other places Miss Campbell could be, unless she simply went home."

Samuel didn't like this. "Where did you last see her?"

"Upstairs, when my husband called. Don't look at me like that, Lieutenant, it's not like I sent her off with some man. I came down here looking for her. I'm in your corner on this matter," Mrs. Martin said sharply, but her hands fretted.

"Stay here. Maybe she will return. I'll check the rooms in that corridor. Maybe she got lost." He checked the rooms where guests went to spend time alone but did not hear any sounds. He called her name, but there was no answer. He went down to the main room, but again, there was no sign of Miss Cadeaux. He finally checked the garden, when he heard a familiar voice.

Entering the shadowy courtyard that was lit by candles dotting the walkway, he spied Lieutenant Walker standing over a woman. The man sneered and said, "You clean up well. No one would know you were spreading your legs for me half an hour ago."

Miss Campbell backed up. Her voice shook. "I asked you here to tell you it's over. We're through. You took advantage of me, and I don't want to see you anymore. You can take your stupid coins." She flung them at his feet and he laughed.

"Is that what you wanted? To get the moral high ground? Fine, if it pleases you. I will take back the coins I paid you. But remember this, Miss Campbell, it was a fine bit of sport, and you enjoyed yourself as much as I did. You came to me willingly and begged to be taken to bed. I didn't force you." He leaned in close to her and must have said something even more inappropriate, for she slapped his face.

The loud smack of her palm against his cheek rang out in the quiet courtyard, and Lieutenant Walker grabbed her wrist. "You don't do that to me. You like things rough, eh? Maybe I'll give it to you again, harder this time. Bet you'll like a bit of what I can give you." He moved in to kiss her when Samuel said, "Let her go, Walker."

Lieutenant Walker glanced over his shoulder. "Gage? Thought you were dallying with that other girl. Of course you're sticking your nose where it doesn't belong. What's this one worth to you?"

"Let her go, Walker."

"Why? She's no sister of yours."

"She's not your property, either. Leave the girl be." His right hand slowly drifted to his side, but of course, he'd left his saber at home. He didn't need it going about town.

Lieutenant Walker sneered. "Missing your little blade, eh? Come and we'll settle this like men." He let go of Miss Campbell and she lunged at him, jumping on his back. He roared and shoved her off, staggering. "Get off, you witch!"

She shoved him and he landed face-first into the nearby small lily pond with a loud splash. He coughed and choked up pond water, dripping wet.

Miss Campbell threw herself into Samuel's arms, clinging to his side. He restrained himself from shoving her away. She said, "Please don't leave me."

Samuel stood before her, ready to defend her honor. Fortunately, no such gallantry was needed, for Lieutenant Walker climbed out of the small pond, dripping. He tried shaking his legs to whip away some of the water, but it was of little use. He glared at Samuel. "This isn't over."

Samuel called him something very rude and waited for him to walk out. A footman appeared at the garden entrance, likely having heard the noise.

Samuel and Miss Campbell explained everything. He waited until the footman had escorted Lieutenant Walker away, then relaxed. He felt the tension leave his shoulders.

"Oh, sir, that is so kind of you, thank you. You saved me," Miss Campbell said.

He turned. Her smiling face was lit up by the moonlight, but he could see she'd had a fright.

"It's no matter. He shouldn't bother you again. Are you all right?"

"Yes, I'll be fine. Thank you. I… I feel a bit faint. Might we sit for a minute? I don't want to be alone, in case he comes back."

He felt his forehead wrinkle. He did not want to sit with this woman. He wanted to go find Miss Cadeaux. But here was a lady in distress, and he did not wish to leave her in case she did faint, or something else happened. "All right."

They sat together on a stone bench, the cold stone seeping through his white trousers. He sat up straight as she said, "I'm so cold. May I lean on you for a moment?"

He grunted. "All right." He put an arm around her shoulders and she snuggled into his chest. He felt warm, and if this were Marie, he would already have been kissing her. But this young woman, he felt nothing for.

"Miss?" he asked.

"Mmm," she murmured. "You were so brave." She lifted her chin up and kissed his neck.

He reeled back from her. "Excuse me, miss." He stood up from the stone bench .

"What is it? You don't want me?"

He stared at her. "I don't even know you."

She pouted. "You were so kind and brave. You rescued me from that horrid soldier."

"You were the one who pushed him in the pond. I'm impressed by your resourcefulness."

"How kind of you. But if you hadn't found me and stopped him, I don't know what would have happened. I only meant to thank you," she said shyly.

For some reason, he didn't quite believe her. "Consider me well thanked. Now if you'll excuse me, I must rejoin my party."

"Why? Aren't I just as pretty as the other girls in the Den?" Miss Campbell asked.

He restrained himself from running a hand through his hair. "You are very pretty. But we are strangers and have not been introduced, and I am courting someone else. I love someone else." He froze, his mouth hanging open. He had just admitted aloud that he was in love with Miss Cadeaux. A light-heartedness filled him, like a warmth bubbling inside his chest. He wanted to tell her. But first, he had to find her. And be rid of this other woman. "Now please, excuse me." He bowed and turned, but not before he spotted a pang of hurt cross her face.

He left and returned to the main room, where Mrs. Martin stood with Marie. Mrs. Martin said, "Ah, there he is. He was looking for you everywhere. Well, Lieutenant, did you see? That other foot soldier you know, Lieutenant Walker, came in looking like a wet fish. A footman said he'd fallen in the pond. I didn't even know the garden had a pond. Isn't that funny? And now here you are, not long after him. I say, you didn't push him in, did you? Do him a good turn?"

"No, I didn't." He glanced over his shoulder at the entrance to the garden, where Miss Campbell now stood, watching him. He turned back to Miss Cadeaux. "I am glad to have found you. "

"I'm glad we found each other." Miss Cadeaux shot him a sunny smile.

"Well, I don't know about you, but I could use a drink." Mrs. Martin flagged over a footman with a drinks tray and took three drinks, handing one each to Samuel and Miss Cadeaux and keeping one for herself. "Cheers," she said, clinking her glass with theirs.

Samuel felt a creeping prickle between his shoulder blades, and a sneaking suspicion down his spine. He glanced back and saw Miss Campbell staring at him, her eyes narrowed. A little while later, Miss Cadeaux excused herself for the evening and went to bed, giving Samuel a chance to talk with Mrs. Martin.

"So, have you learned anything that could help dig up information on our friend?" she asked.

"Have you heard of a Mr. Baptiste Allard? That is Miss Cadeaux's uncle. Maybe we could look into his background."

"Good idea. I shall make some enquiries with my contacts back home," she said. "I have written to my friends and mentioned her name, but I have heard nothing back yet. But then where are her parents now? Why did they stay behind?"

"There must be a reason," he said, and he excused himself to use the necessary.

"There is, Lieutenant," Mrs. Martin murmured to herself as he walked away. "But what if they are dead or worse, French traitors? The war might be being fought overseas, but we all too easily find ourselves on opposite sides, even here in English dining rooms and salons. What if they are involved in this war that hurt you so, Lieutenant? What then? We must protect our young friend, at whatever the cost."