Page 45 of A Daring Pursuit

“At the far end, before you reach the cliffs,” Julius clarified.

“Dear God. I’ll inform Baldric.” Sander strode to the door, but the ancient stableman entered at that moment. A minute later, Baldric was gone, the door banging shut with Sander’s shove.

Miss Wimbley flinched.

Noah glared at his uncle before turning back to her. “Tell us what happened,” he said gently.

It was Julius who answered. “I accompanied Geneva back to Stonemare. I—” He shot her a helpless look. “I’m sorry. I-I shouldn’t have deserted her,” he stuttered out.

Noah frowned at his brother. Frankly, he shouldn’t have been alone with her in the first place, but that was a scolding for a later time. “What the devil, Julius? I’ve never known you to abandon a lady before.”

A fiery light in Julius’s eyes met Miss Wimbley’s. “She asked who my mother was.” The belligerence distracted Noah from his actual words—

A chill weaved through Noah’s spine and spread to his fingertips. “Pardon?”This couldn’t be.

Miss Wimbley closed her eyes with her head thrown back. “I-I used to have this dream.” Her eyes opened and she focused on Julius. “I’ve since figured out it wasn’t a dream, but a memory. Until two weeks ago when I found a note from”—again, her gaze found Julius’s—“from my mother.” Her bloodless fingers gripped her empty glass.

Noah could feel his life spinning out of control. “A dream?”

“Not a dream,” she reiterated. “A huge man visited my mother. He wore a…” She took a deep breath, her gaze surveying the surrounding faces. “A black, swirling greatcoat.”

Noah was struck by Uncle Sander’s intensity and the fist clenched at his side. “Was there anything else significant about this memory?” Sander asked her.

“He just seemed so big.” Her shoulders hunched where she huddled in on herself. “I suppose it was because I was so small.”

“How small?”

“Five. I was five years old.”

“How old are you now, may I ask?”

“Twenty-four.”

Panic infused Noah. He had to stop this but had no idea how.

The tendons in Julius’s neck looked about to snap. “I-I was born when you were five.”

Sander leaned forward. “It wasn’t a dream, was it, Miss Wimbley?”

“No. I distinctly remember my mother being ill. I was staying with our neighbor below, Mrs. Cornett.” Tears spiked her lashes. “She said my mother was on her deathbed. I was so frightened, I had to see for myself. I ran into the hall and up the stairs, but the man in the greatcoat nearly ran me down. He barged into Mama’s and my flat and slammed the door in my face. She offered to give him—” She glanced at Julius. “Something. But I couldn’t make out what. Oh, it was all so long ago.”

Julius’s eyes flashed. “She said I look like her mother. But I don’t. It’s not possible, is it? I-I look like my brothers.” He sounded so desperate, Noah’s heart ached for him.

The study door opened again and Docia strode in. “Everyone is leaving—” She stopped, took in Miss Wimbley’s ruined frock, and her mouth gaped. “Good heavens, Miss Wimbley. What did you do to my gown?”

“Stow it, Docia,” Noah snapped. “Hicks is dead. Miss Wimbley stumbled over him in the forest.”

Her eyes flew to Verda. “Oh, no.” Her wail was just as it had been all those years ago. “It’s just like… like last time.”

Miss Wimbley, frowning, didn’t appear to hear. “I never knew someone could die with their eyes open,” she whispered. “It’s like the person’s life just ends and they turn to stone.” She shuddered and Noah wanted to take her hands. Reassure her all would be right. But for the audience present, he would have.

She shook her head, then tilted it, seemingly unaware one of her tears had escaped and trekked slowly down her cheek. “Last time?”

Docia collapsed in a dead faint.

Chapter Sixteen

Geneva escaped toher chamber. Away from the horror of stumbling upon a dead body and the accusing stares, the whispered murmurings, Lady Westbridge’s screams and her devastating words—“You are a menace”—before leading the gossipmongers from the vestibule as if Geneva had contracted cholera and dared to breathe their sainted air.

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