“I’ve sworn her to secrecy, as I must now hope you will stay silent, too. My parents would never understand my thoughts and I would rather not burden them since I have no clear answer yet.”
“You have no cause to worry about me talking with anyone about your private matters.”
She nodded. “I was sure of that and realized I didn’t want you and Julia to have any secrets between you. Not any of my making, anyway.”
“Tell me, Mrs. Feld, do you think joining the sisters will settle your disquiet and give you the peace you are searching for?”
“I thought that at one time. Now I’m not so sure. I don’t know where I’m suited anymore, Mr. Stockton. I do want to help people in need, but Julia helped me realize I am woefully ill-equipped to be of much service to the women who are at Pilwillow Crossings.”
“There are many ways to help the downtrodden without making it a lifetime commitment.”
She seemed to think on what he said before looking at her shawl and nodding. “Do you mind if I ask you a personal question, Mr. Stockton?”
Garrett had no idea what she might ask, but he said, “Go ahead.”
“Did you find what you were looking for during your many travels?”
“I found the fortune I was seeking, Mrs. Feld, and in doing so discovered it didn’t bring contentment, only the brevity of happiness. After traveling around the world, I’ve now found that what I really wanted was right here in London after all.”
“Perhaps you had to visit all the other places to realize that. Thank you for telling me.”
“Life is not without its challenges no matter where you are. It’s all in how you handle them.”
“I think I’m coming to that conclusion myself. I hope you don’t mind, but Julia told me of your interest in each other. You disturb her greatly. In a good way. Not that she needed it, but I told her I approve.”
“I’m glad she confided in you. No one means more to me than Julia.”
“You’re going to be able to help her with the duke, aren’t you?”
“Yes,” he said confidently. He didn’t intend to fail. One way or another, he would free her from the duke’s control.
“Thank you for bringing the donation and for your help last Saturday and today. I hope to see you again soon.”
Garrett nodded.
The drizzle had become a heavy mist as he left Mrs. Feld’s house. He made the short walk over to Poppinbrook Street and slowed his steps as the white house came into view. Though it was in the most expensive area of Mayfair, it was a simple home. No fancy arched entrance or iron gates. Just a flat front house with three steps up to a plain door. In his mind’s eye he envisioned the kind of house he’d dreamed of building there. Big, impressive, and expensive. He took a few more steps and stopped.
A chuckle rumbled in his chest. He didn’t care whether he tore down the house or left it standing. He didn’t care if he built a new house or lived in an old one as long as Julia and Chatwyn lived in it with him. Being with them was what mattered to him now.
Wiley stood under the short overhang and waved to him. It pleased Garrett that Wiley had taken an interest in helping him with the house.
“Why does it seem as if I’m always waiting on you?” Wiley asked good-naturedly as he shook Garrett’s hand.
“Because you usually are.” Time wasn’t something you paid a lot of attention to when you were on a ship.
“I didn’t mind today. Miss Osborne has returned. I visited with her yesterday afternoon.”
Garrett smiled. “That is good news.”
“We hope to take a stroll in the park within the next day or two. I’ll let you know so you can join us.”
“You know I will, but only for a short time. I don’t want to intrude on all your time with her.”
Wiley nodded. “I’ve already unlocked the house and had a look around.”
“Who did you get the key from? I assume if you’d found Moorshavan, you would have told me.”
“I still haven’t heard a peep about where that man might be. I got the key from your cousin, the earl who sold him the house. It dawned on me that he might have one he hadn’t given to Moorshavan so I rode over and asked him about it. He looked around and found it.” Wiley held up the large key.
Garrett clapped Wiley on the shoulder. “I’m glad you thought to ask him about it.”
They entered the vestibule and Garrett looked around. He didn’t recognize it as the front room he’d entered during the first twenty years of his life. It was much more expensively decorated. A large, gold-framed mirror hung on one wall, and a long, colorful tapestry on the other. Heavy velvet draperies covered the windows. Gone was the small, aged painting of Hyde Park and the Serpentine. The small table where he would lay his hat each afternoon had been replaced by a long side table with intricately carved wood. Fancy brass candlesticks had been placed on each end.
Garrett huffed out a low laugh. “If I didn’t know better, I’d say we were in the wrong house.”
“It doesn’t look much like the house I remember coming to either,” Wiley admitted.
They walked down the corridor, and Garrett stood at the entrance to the drawing room and looked inside. The shape of the room was the same. The fireplace and windows were all in the same places, but like the vestibule, nothing in the room was the same. Not the furniture or rugs, not the color of the walls, or the things hanging on them. The worn settee, the large comfortable chairs, and simple straight-leg tables had been replaced with gilt-covered wood and fine silk fabrics.
“If we can find Mr. Moorshavan and talk him into selling, and you decide not to tear down a perfectly good house, you will probably want to have the draperies, paintings, and a few other things in the bedchambers changed. The bedcovers and pillows are made from fabrics that have nude scenes on them. Some of the paintings on the walls are quite explicit. There’s artwork sitting around, statues and figurines that, well—there’s no doubt he was running a brothel in this house. Did you want to go abovestairs?”
Garrett shook his head. “I’ll take your word for what it looks like.” He wasn’t a man who let things seep into his soul. He just handled things—as he had with Pratt.
It wasn’t things that made a person happy or successful. It was contentment with what you had. His father never wanted the house. He was content with being his cousin’s guest. Garrett looked over at Wiley and remembered how he smiled when he talked about Miss Osborne. He was content to have her back in London, looking forward to their nuptials. That’s what made people happy. Not what you had but what you felt.
“What are you going to do if you don’t find Mr. Moorshavan?”
“I’ll find him,” Garrett answered. “Let’s get out of here.”
Chapter 20
Julia paced around the back garden while Chatwyn played. The rain had stopped, so she decided to let him outside in the wet grass and heavy mist. The duke would never have allowed him to do it—especially with the early autumn air having such a chill. But thankfully the duke wasn’t in London yet. She was making the decisions for what her son could and could not do. It had been rewarding to have him all to herself and not have to share him with the duke.