“I don’t know any more than I’ve told you. I must find out. Most explosions happen in mines and there are many all over England. It could have occurred anywhere.” Julia squeezed her eyes shut for a moment at the thought of finding that evidence and what it would mean for her. “The important thing is that I get my hands on the documents for the Eubury-Broadwell Company. No one knows he owns it and the papers would prove the duke isn’t the standard bearer for how one should treat their fellow man justly. He wouldn’t want everyone in Society to know he lives a lie and that he doesn’t treat people fairly. It would ruin his credibility and topple the pedestal he’s put himself on. I’m going to find that proof, and when I do, I’m going to tell him if he doesn’t allow me to live as I choose with my son, I will make sure the true ownership of the company will be made known to everyone in Society and all of London, too.”
“What can I do?” Brina asked anxiously. “Should I help you search the house?”
“My dear Brina.” Julia smiled and shook her head. “Do you really want to sneak over here at midnight, slip into the house to help me look through the duke’s personal chambers?”
Brina shook her head, too. “No, but you know I will do anything for you.”
“It has helped tremendously just talking to you. I will manage the search on my own, though.” Julia looked toward the doorway again. “After everyone went to bed last night, I took a candle into the duke’s book room and carefully inspected the floor for loose boards. That is, every area except under the duke’s massive desk. It’s no ladies’ rosewood secretary with spindle legs. I tried to move it so I could look under the rug it sits on, but it was impossible to budge. It will take someone much stronger than me to lift it.”
Brina frowned. “Why did you want to look at the floor?”
Mr. Stockton’s words flashed through her mind again. Julia considered telling Brina about his suggestion, and she would. Later. “For a compartment where he might have hidden his secret papers.”
“Oh, yes.” Brina’s expression brightened with understanding. “I can see where hiding something under a big desk that isn’t easy to move would be a good idea for the person hiding it. So what are you going to do?”
“I don’t know.” Julia inhaled deeply. “I can’t ask Mr. Leeds to help me. He’s not very strong, anyway. Maybe if I solicited the help of Miss Periwinkle and my maid we could move one end at a time. But I’m not sure I want them to know what I’m doing. Right now, I still have many places I can look.”
“But his book room is the most logical place because he would keep all his correspondence there, right?”
“That is what I’m thinking, which is why I’ll start looking behind the books for secret places in the wall.”
“I wish I could help you!”
“Of course, I’ll call on you if I think of anything you can do. I’m watching Mrs. Desford and Mr. Leeds to see if they have set routines. If they go up to their rooms at a certain time each day to rest, or if they leave to purchase food—anything that will give me a few minutes in the house alone to enter the duke’s bedchambers.”
Julia could search his rooms at night, but the thought of being in his chambers in the darkness sent a chill over her. In truth, she’d never felt in danger from the duke, but the fear of him keeping her from ever seeing her son again was much worse than any physical harm he could do to her.
“In any case, I will take whatever opportunity presents itself. But there is something you can do.”
“Anything.”
“Ask your father if he knows of a recent explosion that resulted in deaths.”
“I will as soon as he returns. He’s visiting his brother and isn’t expected back for a few days. I will ask Mama if she remembers hearing anything about it. You know she’s of the mind that ladies shouldn’t read anything other than poetry and the scandal sheets.”
Julia laughed lightly. “I do. I’ve probably told you that after my uncle caught me reading The Times he started throwing it in the fire when he finished with it so there would be no possibility of me getting my hands on it again. He thought I was far too young to be exposed to things that were written in it. I was seventeen.”
Sighing, Brina relaxed her shoulders a little. “We have been treated far too delicately most of our lives, haven’t we?”
“Yes, but as you know, men are very powerful and controlling.”
“Stewart was never that way.”
“I remember.”
A knock sounded on the front door. York barked once, but she didn’t hear his nails immediately clicking on the hardwood floor. In his old age, he seemed to have lost all curiosity about who was paying a visit. And once he lay down, she knew it was a struggle for him to get up again.
Julia took in an exasperated breath and gave her attention back to Brina. “I don’t know who the caller is, but I would bet my favorite slippers the duke sent a letter to someone asking them to pay me a visit to make sure I’m behaving myself.” From the corner of her eye, Julia saw Mrs. Desford pass by the drawing room. “We’ve talked enough for now about me and my troubles. Let’s talk about you. What have you been doing this summer?”
Brina brushed her hand down her skirt absently, and said, “I’ve been doing the usual. Reading, painting, writing poetry, and—” She stopped and sighed. “There is something that’s been on my mind and I’ve wanted to—”
“Excuse me, my lady,” Mrs. Desford said from the doorway. “There is a gentleman here to see you. Mr. Garrett Stockton.”
Chapter 4
Julia’s heartbeat increased rapidly. A prickle of apprehension and anticipation burst inside her. The sojourner, at her house?
A gripping sense of eager anticipation shuddered through her. He’d come to see her. She’d hoped to see him again. Even wanted to see him, but he shouldn’t have come to the duke’s house. That was asking for trouble, and she already had more than enough to deal with.
She glanced at Brina who looked as shocked as Julia felt. “I have no idea why he is here.”
“Is he who I think he is?” Brina asked, clearly intrigued by hearing his name.
“Yes,” Julia answered honestly. “I met him yesterday in the park.”
“You saw him yesterday? Why didn’t you tell me this?”
“I was going to, of course,” Julia whispered defensively. “But I thought the other information more important. It doesn’t matter. I must send him away. He can’t be seen at the duke’s house.”
“No,” Brina said emphatically, in a normal voice, and then catching herself, whispered, “For now, tell Mrs. Desford you need a moment to consider this and let’s talk about it.”
Julia hesitated. Her heart was racing even faster. She wanted to see Mr. Stockton again but knew the peril of doing so. The duke would never approve of her conversing with such a man. But then she saw Brina’s expression tighten with determination.
Looking back to the housekeeper, Julia said, “Please ask Mr. Stockton to wait in the vestibule until you have word of whether or not I’m available.”