Page 24 of Suddenly a (The St. Clairs 5)

Chapter Eight

Hudson awoke early,which was his habit. He still wondered sometimes what gentlemen of thetondid all day with no job to go to. He never seemed to stop, having far too many responsibilities in helping manage his family’s fortune, as well as the personal one he had acquired. He rose and washed, having already bathed after his lengthy boxing session at Gentleman Jack’s yesterday. Remembering Anthony’s longstanding advice, Hudson had boxed out his frustrations in front of a bag and not bashing in the face of a sparring partner. He’d also used boxing gloves, which he knew saved bruising his knuckles. Still, he felt restless today.

He took a few minutes to dash a quick note to Matthew instead of stopping to see him at their offices today. He let his colleague know he would be at Eversleigh for the foreseeable future, briefly explaining Cor didn’t have much time left and he wanted to spend as much as he could at her bedside. He sealed it and left it on the table for his maid to find. He had someone come in twice a week to clean and Annie would know to see it delivered to Matthew.

Before he left London, though, he decided to stop by the warehouse. He wanted to see that all of Lady Mia’s collection had arrived safely, especially the steam engine. He arrived and only saw a few laborers had reported due to the early hour. He went immediately to the section designated for Lady Mia’s vast array of inventions, hoping she would think the space adequate.

When Hudson reached it, he spied the steam engine sitting on a raised platform which was only half a foot off the ground. Several tables had been set up and boxes rested atop them and underneath. He gazed around and realized not everything had arrived. He’d thought the number of wagons he’d sent would be adequate. Apparently, he was wrong.

Suddenly, he noticed a bookcase and went to it, seeing it was filled with journals. He removed one and flipped it open, finding an illustration of a device. It was labeled with a name, date, and description detailing what it did. Several pages followed with notations on trials run on the machine and the subsequent failures and successes. It ended with a note describing the machine’s potential. He continued turning pages, reading about various apparatuses, and was amazed by the pages, all recorded in Lady Mia’s neat, precise handwriting, which he recognized from the letters he’d delivered that she’d addressed.

“Clever girl,” he said to himself, recognizing how organized she was and how she’d been wise to have these journals brought to London, along with her creations.

Hudson realized he was sitting upon a wealth of information and potential inventions. He wondered if Lady Mia would be open to hiring an assistant—or two—to help her in conducting trials for her work. He could spend days, even weeks, going over these notebooks with her and deciding which ideas to pursue. The thought appealed to him more than he cared to admit.

Lady Mia appealed to him more than he cared to admit.

He replaced the journal on the shelf, glad she’d thought to have these delivered to the warehouse. The information in them would be invaluable in the future development of her creations. Especially if she signed an exclusive agreement to work for the St. Clair family. Even buying access to these notebooks would be incredible. He decided he needed to broach that subject with her in person. Perhaps once he was back in London. She would have had time to settle in by then. The Season would most likely have started. He wondered how busy her aunt would keep her and if Lady Mia would at least try to win a husband. If she did, he would offer to buy her notebooks and the prototypes now sitting in the St. Clair warehouse. He doubted a husband would allow her to continue her scientific pursuits.

The thought saddened him. She had the potential to be so much more than a society matron, sitting at home, planning or attending parties. Of course, she might find a different way. All the St. Clair women had. Catherine wrote children’s books. Rachel designed gardens. Caroline owned and operated a bookstore and tearoom. Leah helped in the bookstore, organizing its subscription service and various book clubs. Even Laurel, now one of those society matrons, spent a good deal of time raising funds for and volunteering at an orphanage in the neighborhood they had grown up in. Surely someone as intelligent as Lady Mia could finagle her way into doing something she deemed worthwhile once she wed.

“Good morning, Mr. St. Clair.”

Hudson turned and saw Willis, who’d been placed in charge of retrieving everything from Morris Park yesterday.

“I suppose I was wrong on my estimate of the number of wagons it would take to bring all Lady Mia’s inventions to London. I hope you’re returning today for the rest.”

A sour look crossed Willis’ face. “Not today. Not any day.”

Hudson’s gut tightened. “What happened?”

“His lordship is what happened,” Willis sat, spitting on the ground to show his contempt. “He and the new Lady Morrison arrived and ordered us off the property. Said it was his stuff and we weren’t to have at it.”

Anger rippled through him. “Was Lady Mia present?”

“She was, Mr. St. Clair. Nicest person you could ever meet. So friendly and helpful. Smart, too, because on the very first wagon, along with the steam engine, she had us place boxes with all her notebooks.” Willis indicated the bookcase. “I thought she was worried about things falling off the wagon and breaking. She said these were her records and she could recreate anything she’d made if she had the notebooks.”

Willis shrugged. “Now, I’m not so sure. I have a feeling she knew the new viscount would appear and put his foot down and that’s why she insisted the notebooks be loaded with the steam engine on the first wagon out.” Willis chuckled. “She kept me from coming to blows with the viscount. Even winked at me.”

“She winked at you?”

“That she did. Her back was to the viscount. It was as if it were our own little secret.” Willis shook his head. “She politely asked us to leave so we did. I thought for a minute his lordship might make us unload the wagons but he didn’t. I hated leaving Lady Mia with him. I know I shouldn’t speak ill of a lord but the man was a nasty brute.”

Hudson held his fury on the tightest leash imaginable. Still, he nodded pleasantly at Willis and said, “Thank you for all your hard work, Mr. Willis.”

The worker studied him. “Are you going to Surrey, Mr. St. Clair?”

“Yes, I am,” he ground out.

“Get in a punch for me if it comes to that.”

Hudson left the warehouse and told his driver to take him to Davidson’s residence since he knew the solicitor wouldn’t be in his office at this early hour. The butler admitted him and took him to a small breakfast room. It wouldn’t be the first time Hudson had shown up at the solicitor’s morning meal.

“Did you complete the contracts on the steam engine?” he asked, not bothering with a greeting.

“I did—and sent copies to Lord Trentham and Lord Morrison first thing yesterday morning. I’ve also completed the one for Lady Mia’s services for a three-year period if you’d care to look it over. Of course, that is at my office,” he noted drolly.

He knew that Sloane had received the contract before he went to Morris Park. Perhaps it was what had spurred him on. He took a calming breath, not wanting his anger to spill out and his words to wound an innocent man.

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