Chapter 18

Simone stared at the woman in the cell, hoping that maybe, just maybe, this was her mother. But she couldn't quite tell. The woman kept her gaze fixated on the ground, her long hair partially covering her face.

Simone wondered why she wouldn't look up. The woman was dressed in a tattered gown that did little to hide her frail state. Her skin had layers of grime on it, and her dark hair was terribly disheveled. If this was her mother, it was a far cry from how Simone remembered her.

As she took a step closer to the cell, Mr. Radcliffe spoke up. "Don't get too close, Miss," he warned. "That patient is particularly dangerous."

"She doesn't look dangerous to me," Simone said.

"Looks can be deceiving," Mr. Radcliffe responded from his position by the door. "Jane arrived nearly two years ago."

Simone's eyes darted towards Caleb, who stood a few paces back from her. Surely, that could not be a coincidence that this woman arrived around the same time her mother supposedly died.

Caleb gave her the briefest nod, as if to acknowledge what she was feeling. She hoped she wasn't wrong on this.

Turning back towards the cell, Simone asked, "Mother, is that you?"

Slowly, ever so slowly, the woman brought her gaze up. Her face was smeared with dirt but it was her green eyes that confirmed her identity. It was her mother!

"Simone?" the woman asked in a weak voice. "Are you truly here?"

Simone could hardly contain herself as she grasped the iron bars. "I am, Mother. I'm here, and I am going to get you out of there."

Mr. Radcliffe interjected, "Miss Delacourt, that is not your mother?—"

She cut him off. "Open this cell," she commanded.

"I know you want to believe it is your mother, but?—"

Simone turned to face Mr. Radcliffe, stilling his words. "You will open this door and release my mother," she ordered.

Mr. Radcliffe pressed his lips together. "I'm afraid I cannot do that," he said. "There are protocols in place?—"

"If you do not give me the key, I will come and take it from you," Simone stated, her voice holding a warning.

Looking unsure, Mr. Radcliffe said, "You wouldn't dare." His eyes darted towards Caleb. "Would she?"

Caleb nodded. "She would. You best do as she says."

"But I can't," Mr. Radcliffe rushed out. "Besides, Jane is not Lady Hungerton. She couldn't be. Lady Hungerton is dead."

Simone shook her head. "No, my mother is still right there. Do you not think I would recognize my own mother?" she asked. "Give me the key."

Mr. Radcliffe drew himself up to his full height. "I cannot do that," he said firmly.

In a swift motion, Simone retrieved her dagger and brought it up. "This is your last warning, Mr. Radcliffe. I do not want to hurt you, but I cannot stand by and do nothing while my mother is suffering."

Mr. Radcliffe's eyes went wide at the sight of the dagger. "You wouldn't dare," he said, his voice betraying his fear.

"Give her the key," Caleb urged.

"But the protocols—" Mr. Radcliffe started.

Speaking over him, Caleb shouted, "Forget the protocols! You are holding Lady Hungerton without just cause."

"She is mad, and dangerous," Mr. Radcliffe attempted. "That is why she is in this wing with the other patients."

Simone narrowed her eyes. "Does she look dangerous to you?" she asked, pointing at her mother's frail body. "In fact, do any of these patients look dangerous?"

Mr. Radcliffe's eyes scanned over the patients as he replied, "They must be. Why else would they be here?" His words were spoken with uncertainty, as if he were beginning to question what he was seeing.

"The key?" Simone asked, holding out her hand.

As Mr. Radcliffe opened his mouth to no doubt object again, Caleb said, "Do the right thing here. We both know what that is."

Mr. Radcliffe's shoulders sagged slightly. "Fine, but you have five minutes." He retrieved the key from his jacket pocket and approached Simone. "Understood?"

Simone glared at him. "No, Mr. Radcliffe. I do not understand," she said. "Help me understand why you are keeping my mother prisoner here."

"I still contend that is not your mother," Mr. Radcliffe attempted, holding up the key. "I think you want to believe it is her."

She reached out and retrieved the key. "Go stand by Mr. Bolingbroke and do exactly as we say."

With a glance at the dagger, Mr. Radcliffe remarked, "There really is no need for threats. We could have discussed this civilly."

Not bothering to respond to Mr. Radcliffe's idiotic remark, Simone unlocked the cell door and opened it. She entered the cell and ignored the way her feet seemed to slip along the grime-coated floor.

Her mother attempted to stand but she wobbled on her feet.

Simone rushed over to steady her. "I have you, Mother," she said as she held her tight. "It will be all right."

Her mother's eyes filled with tears. "I always hoped that you would find me."

"I am embarrassed that it took me so long," Simone said. "Had I known you were alive…" Her voice trailed off. "I would have come sooner."

"You are here now and that is all that matters," her mother stated. "Does your father know that you are here?"

"No, he doesn't," Simone replied.

"Good. He is the one who put me in this horrid place," her mother shared. "He promised me that he wouldn't hurt you if I never revealed who I truly was."

Simone felt anger course through her. Her mother had been trying to protect her, even from Bedlam. Her father would pay for this. That was the only thing she was sure of at the moment.

Her mother tried to lift her hands but the chains prevented her from doing so. "Just seeing you has lifted my spirits. Thank you for coming."

"We are going to get you out of here," Simone said as she went to unlock the shackles.

Mr. Radcliffe's shrill voice came from behind her. "You can't unchain her!" he exclaimed. "There are protocols?—"

"Stop with the protocols," Simone said, matching his tone. "I do not care about your blasted protocols."

"Mr. Bolingbroke, you must talk some sense into your fiancée," Mr. Radcliffe said, his voice frantic.

"I think she is making perfect sense," Caleb stated.

As the shackles dropped to the floor, her mother wrapped Simone up in her arms. "I love you, Child," she murmured.

Simone closed her eyes as she tightly embraced her mother, not quite believing that she was truly alive. All this time had been wasted. And it was her father that had robbed her of that time with her mother.

After she released her mother, Simone faced Mr. Radcliffe. "I am leaving with my mother," she said in an unwavering voice.

Mr. Radcliffe's face blanched. "You can't just walk out of here with her. She is a patient here and there are?—"

"Don't you dare say ‘protocols'!" Simone exclaimed.

"I will admit that this is an unusual circumstance," Mr. Radcliffe started, "and I intend to look into it. But I can't just let Lady Hungerton go free. Not now. Even if I wanted to, she is still under the care of a doctor, who believes she should be here."

Caleb turned towards Mr. Radcliffe. "Mr. Underwood brought Lady Hungerton here under false pretenses. She is not mad, but her husband wanted her hidden away."

"That may be true, but only her husband can petition for her release," Mr. Radcliffe said. "I'm sorry but my hands are tied on this one."

Simone didn't know how but she refused to leave here without her mother. She would fight through anyone that stood in her way.

Fortunately, Caleb must have known that, as he stated, "I am going to make this very simple for you. We are going to leave with Lady Hungerton right now, and you better not stand in our way. Or there will be consequences for you- dire consequences."

"Mr. Bolingbroke?—"

Caleb took a commanding step towards him, silencing Mr. Radcliffe's words. "You do not want to make me angry, Mr. Radcliffe. The people I associate with can make you disappear. Is that what you want?" he asked. "I suggest you think of your family at this time. Would they be able to survive without you?"

Emotions flickered across Mr. Radcliffe's face as he understood the danger he was in. After a long moment, Mr. Radcliffe said, "It is a shame that Jane escaped."

"Yes, it is," Caleb agreed, taking a step back.

Mr. Radcliffe waved them forward. "I will show you to the back door and I will inform your driver to come around to retrieve you. But I will sound the alarm in an hour's time."

"That should give us enough time to be far away from here," Caleb mused.

"I won't say that you took her, but I can't promise Lord Hungerton won't learn about his wife's escape," Mr. Radcliffe said. "Furthermore, I intend to look into how it was possible Lady Hungerton arrived in such distasteful circumstances."

Simone helped her mother as she took steps to leave the cell. Her legs were shaky and she didn't seem sure-footed.

Caleb hurried to her mother's side. "Allow me, my lady," he said as he slipped his arm around her shoulders. "I won't let you fall."

Her mother smiled at him. "Thank you."

"My name is Caleb, by the way," he said. "My mother is Lady Oxley, and I have no doubt she will be happy to see you."

"But not like this," her mother joked.

Mr. Radcliffe cleared his throat. "Keep your voices down and follow closely behind me," he ordered. "No one can be privy to what we are about to do."

While they followed Mr. Radcliffe down a dark, narrow hall, Simone noticed that her mother was leaning heavily into Caleb for support. She found herself growing increasingly angry for her mother's sake. How could she have received such poor treatment?

Mr. Radcliffe stopped by a door. "Wait here. I will send your carriage around," he said. "If you are discovered, I can't promise anything. But no one comes to this wing anymore. It has remained vacant since the prisoners were moved to another hospital."

With quick steps, Mr. Radcliffe hurried down the hall, disappearing around a corner.

"Do you trust him?" Simone asked.

Caleb nodded. "I do," he replied. "I meant what I said to Mr. Radcliffe. If he even utters a word of what happened here today, it will not end well for him."

Simone's mother looked at her. "Is this really happening?" she asked, her voice soft.

"Yes, Mother," Simone replied. "We are going to get you out of here and somewhere safe."

"I am not safe as long as your father is alive," her mother responded. "He put me in here and he is the only one with the power to release me."

Simone reached for her hand and squeezed it. "We will find a way to keep you safe. You need not fear."

Her mother grimaced. "You don't know what your father is capable of."

"He doesn't know what I am capable of," Simone responded. "I promise you that Father will answer for what he has done to you."

"Your father is a spy for France," her mother revealed.

Simone's heart dropped upon hearing the unexpected news. Why had she tried to believe that there was good in her father when he showed her time and time again that he was not the man she thought he was?

Caleb clenched his jaw but maintained his firm hold on her mother. "We suspected as much," he said.

"How could you suspect such a thing?" her mother asked. "He fooled me for so many years, but it wasn't until I met Juliette that I discovered the truth."

Simone went to respond but a knock came at the door, drawing their attention.

Caleb opened it up, revealing a liveried footman. "The carriage is ready, sir." He held up a blanket. "I thought this might prove useful."

"That is very thoughtful of you," Caleb acknowledged as he accepted the blanket. "We will need to be quick about this."

Her mother's eyes held understanding. "Cover me with the blanket and I will lay on the carriage floor as we depart."

In a swift motion, Caleb placed the blanket over her mother's head, and he returned his arm to her shoulder, supporting her weight.

Simone followed them out to the carriage and waited until her mother was resting on the floor before she sat on the bench.

Caleb sat across from her and reached for her hand. "You did it," he praised. "You rescued your mother."

"No, we did it, together," she corrected. "I daresay that we make a great team."

He smiled. "That is what I have been saying all along."

"Well, now I am starting to believe it," she said, returning his smile. How could she not love this man? He had done the impossible. He had returned her mother to her.

Any joy that Caleb felt that Lady Hungerton was alive and well was short-lived when he looked upon her disheveled state. He couldn't quite imagine what she had gone through these past two years, but he made a silent vow to himself that she would never go back to Bedlam. He would protect her, for Simone's sake.

As the carriage left the tall gates of Bedlam behind, Lady Hungerton removed the blanket from over her but remained in her crouched position.

"It is best that I remain hidden from view," Lady Hungerton said. "I wouldn't want anyone to see me, for obvious reasons."

Caleb nodded. "There is a cottage on the outskirts of Town that you will be safe in," he informed her. "Our friend has graciously offered to let you use it and has stocked it with food and other provisions."

"That was most thoughtful of him." Lady Hungerton glanced at him with a curious expression. "May I ask why you are helping me?"

"Aside from it being the right thing to do, it is because I am engaged to your lovely daughter," Caleb revealed.

A smile came to Lady Hungerton's lips. "I had hoped that was the case. I can only imagine how elated your mother must be."

"That is an understatement," Caleb remarked. "She is thrilled to have Simone as a daughter and is spending far too much time planning the luncheon."

"As well she should be," Lady Hungerton said.

Simone spoke up, drawing her mother's attention. "How was it that you ended up in Bedlam?" she asked.

The light from Lady Hungerton's eyes faded, and she grew pensive. "I went for my morning swim, just as I always do, and someone abducted me from behind. I tried to fight them off, but I was too weak," she revealed. "Once I woke up, I was in a coach with your father and that is when he threatened you. I couldn't risk anything happening to you so I remained quiet all these years."

She continued. "The day before, I overheard a conversation between him and a woman named Juliette. They were discussing a plan to bomb a rally in Granary Square," she shared. "When I confronted them, your father dismissed my concerns and tried to convince me that I misheard the conversation. But I knew what I heard, and they knew what I heard."

Simone spoke up. "About two years ago, there was a bomb that went off in Granary Square and it killed twenty people. I can't believe Father was involved in that."

"Me either," Lady Hungerton said. "Theodore is not the same man that I married all those years ago."

Simone leaned forward. "You mentioned that Father was a spy. How did you know that?" she asked.

"He told me as much in the coach on the way to Bedlam," Lady Hungerton shared. "He informed me that no one would believe me anyways and it felt refreshing to tell the truth, for once."

Caleb shook his head. "He just admitted it to you?"

"Theodore was always too cocky for his own good, but I never expected him to betray his country," Lady Hungerton replied. "His ideas were radical, but I thought he kept them to himself. He wanted to liberate England from King George's oppressive rule and he idolized Napoleon. He always has."

"Was Juliette his mistress when he sent you to Bedlam?" Caleb asked.

Lady Hungerton shrugged her thin shoulders. "I suspect as much, but he denied it. He claimed that Juliette was a family friend."

With a frown on her lips, Simone shared, "Father is introducing Juliette as his mistress, and she even moved into the townhouse with us. He intends to take her to Lord Pendley's ball this evening on his arm."

Caleb grew thoughtful. "There have been many bombings at rallies in London that have gone unclaimed, mostly opposing the war. I can't help but wonder how many of those were planned and executed by Lord Hungerton and Juliette."

"Juliette has claimed that she has been in England for years. What if she was telling the truth?" Simone asked.

"It would be a first for her," Caleb muttered. "I think she is a wolf in sheep's clothing."

"I must agree with Mr. Bolingbroke," Lady Hungerton stated.

"Caleb, if you don't mind, considering we will be family soon enough," he said.

Lady Hungerton's eyes held warmth as she responded, "I would like that very much, but only if you call me Rebecca."

"I would be honored to," Caleb said.

Simone glanced at the tall buildings that stood shoulder to shoulder in an impenetrable line. "We are far from home, Mother," she said. "It might be far more comfortable on the bench than on the floor."

"I do not wish to risk it," Lady Hungerton remarked. "I would rather stay hidden since my horrifying appearance would cause unnecessary attention in this elegant carriage."

Simone winced. "It is not ‘horrifying,'" she attempted.

"You are a terrible liar," Lady Hungerton said.

Caleb grinned. "That is what I have told her as well."

"I am an excellent liar, when the situation warrants it," Simone defended.

Her mother tucked her tangled dark hair behind her ear. "I can't believe that I am out of that horrible place. In every direction were shadows and darkness. Even the rats reeked of despair." A small sigh came to her lips. "I named each and every one of the rats that came into my cell."

Simone looked at Caleb with sorrow in her eyes and he knew what she was thinking. She was blaming herself for not finding her mother sooner.

"You are wrong," Caleb said.

She didn't even attempt to deny what she was thinking. "How could I have not known that my own mother was still alive? I gave up on her when I should have been fighting for her all along."

Caleb wished that they were alone so he could reach for her and hold her in his arms. He needed her touch just as much as he suspected she needed his. "It is no one's fault but your father's. He did this to your mother."

"And Juliette," Simone said. "Do not forget her involvement in all of this."

Lady Hungerton stared up at her daughter, her gaze not straying. "This was not your fault, and I will not have you think like that."

Tears came into Simone's eyes. "What you have experienced these past two years…" Her words trailed off.

"I would not trade it for the world, knowing it kept you safe from your father," she said.

Simone swiped at the tears that were streaming down her face. "Father tried to sell off Grandmother's estate and deprive me of my inheritance."

Lady Hungerton's eyes grew wide. "What a ninnyhammer! How could he do such a thing- and to his own daughter?" she asked.

"Why did Grandmother leave me the estate and not you?" Simone inquired.

"Because my mother never did like Theodore, and she refused to leave one farthing of her money to him," Lady Hungerton admitted. "Theodore convinced me not to tell you about the inheritance until you reached your majority. Was he furious when you confronted him on it?"

Caleb reached into his jacket pocket and removed a handkerchief. As he extended it towards Simone, he revealed, "We have kept it from him until we deem the time is right."

Simone offered him a weak smile in response as she accepted the handkerchief. "I suspect that Father will disown me when he learns of the truth."

"Most likely, or worse, I'm afraid," Lady Hungerton said. "I never thought he would harm me but he had no qualms about locking me in Bedlam."

Caleb's eyes roamed over the pavement as the vendors attempted to hawk their goods. "This cottage will keep you safe for the time being," he said. "At least until we decide what we are going to do about this situation."

"There is nothing to decide," Lady Hungerton said. "I will remain in seclusion for the remainder of my days."

"No, that is a terrible idea," Simone admonished.

Lady Hungerton gave her an understanding look. "I am married to your father and he has control over where I go and what I do. I won't give him that power back," she stated. "I would rather live a quiet life in the countryside than return from the dead, so to speak."

"You can live with us once we are wed," Simone attempted.

"No, Child, I can't, and you know why," Lady Hungerton said. "The servants will talk and word will get out. I can't risk it."

Simone pursed her lips before saying, "So Father wins?" she asked.

"No, I never said that, but I must think of you as well," Lady Hungerton said. "You will be married soon and cannot have scandal surrounding you. That wouldn't be fair of me, especially since I have lived my life. It is time for you to live yours."

Caleb had tremendous respect for Lady Hungerton and how freely she was putting her daughter's needs before her own. But he refused to let her throw away her life. She deserved far better than hiding out in the countryside. After all, she had done nothing wrong to deserve such ill-treatment.

"I think for the time being it would be wise for you to remain out of sight, but you will always have a place in our home," Caleb said.

"Thank you," Lady Hungerton acknowledged. "That means a lot to me."

The coach came to a stop in front of Simone's townhouse and Caleb stepped out in such a fashion that kept Lady Hungerton hidden from view. He assisted Simone onto the pavement and closed the door behind him.

Simone sighed. "Is it sad that I do not want to go home?"

"Soon you won't have to," Caleb replied. "You will come home with me."

In a hushed voice, she said, "We need to tell Kendrick what we know about my father and Juliette. He will want to arrest them as soon as possible."

"I will send word right away," Caleb assured her. "Until then, do not confront your father with what you know. It might end very badly for you since he is surrounded by Juliette and Victor."

With a glance at the townhouse, Simone said, "It will be hard, considering my father is not the man I thought he was. He is a traitor, a cheat, and a liar."

"And that is on a good day," Caleb joked.

She laughed, just as he intended. "You are awful."

Caleb took a step closer to her. "This will all be over soon," he said. "We just have to stay the course for a little while longer."

"And if Juliette makes good on her promise to reveal that we are spies to the newssheets?" Simone asked.

Caleb curled the corners of his lips upward, knowing he was about to make Simone very happy. "With everything that went on, I forgot to mention that I received word from Kendrick this morning. Apparently, he contacted all the newssheets and asked the editors nicely to not take any spying allegations seriously."

"He asked nicely?" Simone asked.

"'Threatened' might be a better word, but not even Juliette can control what the newssheets write," Caleb said.

Simone smiled, but this time it was different. It was as if her soul were smiling. "I am just happy to hear that Juliette will not win."

"As am I." Caleb turned his attention towards the carriage. "I should go and get your mother situated at the cottage before dark."

"Thank you," Simone said as she stood on her tiptoes and kissed his cheek.

He watched as Simone turned on her heel and hurried into the townhouse, not quite believing what had just happened. Perhaps he was making more progress than he realized with her.

Stepping back into the carriage, a genuine smile adorned Caleb's face. He was happy, and it was all because of Simone.

Lady Hungerton's voice interrupted his musings. "You love my daughter, don't you?" she inquired, her tone carrying a shrewd understanding.

"I do," he replied, seeing no reason to deny it. Frankly, he didn't want to anymore.

"I can tell," she said.

Caleb kept his gaze straight ahead as he assured her, "You need not fear. We will keep you safe."

"Do you think you could get me a few daggers?" she asked. "If so, I can protect myself."

A slight chuckle escaped his lips. "You sound so much like your daughter."

Lady Hungerton gave him a knowing look. "Who do you think taught her to think that way?" she asked.

"You raised an amazing daughter," Caleb said. "My entire world is so beautiful because Simone is in it."

Lady Hungerton's face softened. "Have you told her this?"

"Not yet," he admitted.

"What is holding you back?"

Caleb leaned back in his seat as he pondered Lady Hungerton's words. What was holding him back? He had never needed anyone before, but he realized that he needed Simone in his life. But before he could confess how he felt, they needed to finish this assignment. That was their priority.

But that didn't mean he couldn't dwell on Simone for a little while longer. He felt such contentment when he was with her. How he longed to feel like that all his life.