Wishing For Rainbows (Historical Romance) (8 page)

“Get off me!” she screamed as loudly while clinging desperately to the door knob. With her free hand she thumped heavily on the door and tried to get the door open.

Sucking in a huge breath, she screamed again, and increased the volume the more the man tightened his hold on her waist. In spite of his desperate attempts to get her to let go of the knob, she eventually managed to yank the door open. When her eyes landed on the familiar sight of the hallway, she grabbed hold of the door jamb and screamed for help.

“Let go of me,” she gasped and kicked out behind her. Cold fingers attempted to cover her mouth, but she redoubled her efforts not to surrender. Clamping her teeth down hard on the fingers that pushed harshly against her lips, she bit mercilessly into the soft flesh. She hung on to the door frame for dear life and kicked out behind her once more. A heavy grunt met her ears and gave her the courage to redouble her efforts while she waited for someone – anyone – to save her.

“Help!” She screamed again, weeping with relief when the sound of running footsteps came from the depths of the house somewhere.

Suddenly, the hands at her waist vanished. Rapid footsteps behind her were followed by a rush of cold air night air. She turned around in time to watch the dark figure climb swiftly through the window and vanish silently into the night. A sob escaped her as she slumped onto the floor, terrified and trembling. For the life of her she couldn’t have stood up and remained where she was when several of the staff came rushing toward her.

“There was an intruder in my room. He went out there,” she gasped, swallowing against the bile that rose in her throat. She lifted a trembling hand to point toward the window.

“Go and find him,” Isaac ordered several footmen as he knelt down beside her and patted her hand in a fatherly manner. “Are you hurt?”

She watched as several footmen immediately launched down the stairs in pursuit of their quarry while another hurried past them toward the window. Relieved that help was now at hand, she began to feel considerably calmer.

“He got in through the window. I closed the shutters, but he got through them somehow,” she whispered.

“Ursula? What on earth has happened dear?” Adelaide demanded as she hurried across the hallway. The sympathy on her aunt’s face immediately made Ursula begin to cry again. She couldn’t stem the flood of tears as she gave in to the fear that swamped her and leant against her aunt while Isaac explained what had happened.

“I will get the locks on the windows changed first thing in the morning,” Adelaide declared in her usual unflappable manner.

Ursula nodded but doubted she would ever feel safe sleeping in London ever again.

“Did he hurt you?” Adelaide asked with a frown. “Go and fetch a doctor, Isaac.”

“No, please don’t. It’s not necessary,” Ursula countered. “I don’t need a doctor. There is nothing he could do for a fright. I am fine; just a little shaken.”

“You need a sleeping draught to help you settle,” Adelaide declared knowingly.

That was the last thing Ursula needed, but she knew her aunt’s intentions were good and so forced a soft smile of reassurance. “I am fine, thank you, really, but a doctor isn’t necessary.”

Thankfully, Adelaide’s attention was diverted by the return of several of the footmen, who looked apologetically at both women.

“He came through the back gate, ma’am. There was a ladder at the window. It appears he got in that way but there is no sign of him now. A couple of the men are securing the window, but I doubt he will be back,” one of the footmen reported.

“There, see?” Adelaide crooned soothingly. “He has gone. I am sure that everything will be all right now. He won’t dare come back given he was nearly caught.”

Ursula nodded and pushed to her feet. Although she was still trembling, she refused to allow Adelaide to see just how scared she was because the doctor would be sent for.

“I am sorry,” she murmured around a fake yawn.

“It’s not your fault, dear,” Adelaide retorted. “Now, I suggest you try to get some sleep. After a fright like that you must be exhausted.”

Ursula nodded and went back to bed. Once she was alone again she settled the covers around her but sleep eluded her. The window and shutters were now closed, but knowing they were secure now did little to ease her lingering fear. Her gaze returned again and again to the darkened corner of the room where the shadow had once stood and she knew it would be some time before she was able to at least rest.

Rather that extinguish the candle, she placed it onto the table beside the bed, and stared into space while she tried to think about something else. Unfortunately, the more she tried to think of something else, the more her mind was drawn back to the memory of that darkened shadow in the corner of her room.

The only distinguishing features she could remember about him were that he was of medium build and medium height. It wasn’t much help when trying to find out the identity of the person who had assaulted her in the middle of the night.

The following morning, Trenton paced up and down the morning room while he waited for Adelaide and Ursula to appear.

“Good morning, Trenton.”

He spun around, but was disappointed when Adelaide entered the room alone. It was on the tip of his tongue to demand to know where Ursula was, but warned himself that patience was supposed to be a virtue.

“Please accept my apologies for calling by unannounced,” he declared with a quick bow.

“It’s all right, Trenton. You are most welcome to call by any time, I hope you know that.”

“Is Miss Proctor not about?” he asked, casting a hopeful glance at the door.

“I am afraid not.” Adelaide seemed to hesitate for a moment before she slumped wearily into a chair before the fire. She waved to the seat opposite and waited for Trenton to sit.

His concern grew as he studied the dark shadows beneath the old woman’s eyes. “Is everything all right?” He knew it was not even before she spoke.

“I am afraid not,” Adelaide murmured and explained what had happened last night.

“How is she? Has she seen a doctor? Has the magistrate been informed?” he asked in rapid succession.

His blood had turned colder the more he heard. By the time Adelaide lapsed into silence, he struggled to resist the urge to storm upstairs and see for himself that Ursula really was unharmed. It shook him to realise just how important Ursula had become to him in the short space of time he had known her, but didn’t question it. Somehow, the possessiveness that surged through him just felt right. She was the other half of him; if something happened to her, well, it also happened to him.

“She was extremely shaken as I am sure you can imagine. I have cancelled all social engagements for the next couple of days, and have workmen in changing the locks on the windows as we speak,” Adelaide assured him. “I have sent word to the magistrate but have yet to hear back from him.”

Trenton nodded but didn’t really give a damn about the house. It was of little consequence as long as it was a safe place to live in. Before he could ask about additional security, Ursula swept into the room.

“Good morning,” she said, relieved that Trenton was there. She had heard his voice in the breakfast room and hurried to see him without thinking. Just having him in the house made her feel safer.

Trenton stalked across the room toward her with a dark scowl of concern on his face. His hands were actually trembling when they captured hers. “How are you? Your aunt has just been telling me what happened.”

“I am fine, thank you,” she croaked in a voice that shook with emotion.

She sighed in relief when he escorted her across the room as though she was made from the finest porcelain, and took a seat beside her.

“What did he look like?” He asked when she was settled.

“I don’t know,” she replied quietly and carefully explained what little she had seen. She had no idea why she was going in to so much detail but, now she had started to talk, the words just flowed.

Unlike Adelaide last night, he wasn’t pushing for her to see a doctor, take sedatives, drink alcohol, or make any attempt to offer meaningless words of comfort. Instead, he focused on everything she said and remained patiently silent while she talked. He nodded thoughtfully a couple of times, and asked Adelaide several questions about the house security, locks on the doors, that sort of thing. It was some time before he appeared satisfied that everything that could have been done had been done, and he settled back against the seat to drink his tea.

Once silence had settled around them, he noticed the plethora of flowers littering practically every surface within the room.

“It seems that you have had lots of well-wishers.” He was a little put out that he had apparently been the last one to find out about what had happened.

“Those aren’t from well-wishers. Those are from her secret admirer,” Adelaide declared with a frown. “We had thought, well –”

Ursula closed her eyes and silently prayed that her aunt wouldn’t humiliate her.

“Don’t you know who they are from still?” The husky rumble of Trenton’s voice made her look at him.

Some small ray of hope that still lingered within her suddenly withered and died when she realised he wasn’t hinting at knowing something she didn’t. Instead, there was a dark scowl on his face, as though he was offended that the admirer hadn’t made his identity known. She slowly shook her head.

“We thought it might be Brampton, or Alfred Sinnerton,” she replied. She winced when his brows lifted. “Apart from you, those are the only two men who have repeatedly made their acquaintance.”

“Sinnerton?” he repeated as he started blankly into the fire. “I can see Brampton doing something like this, although not so often. He is a little too selfish to be so generous with his money. However, Sinnerton?” He slowly shook his head. “I cannot believe for a second that he would do something like this. He just doesn’t have the gumption to be this forthright in his manner.” He turned to look at Ursula. “Has anybody else paid you a lot of attention of late?”

Besides you.
She hoped her thoughts didn’t show on her face and quickly turned her gaze away as she shook her head.

“Is there anybody who has made his interest known back in Yorkshire?” Trenton was a little unnerved at how important her answer was to him. Tension thrummed through him while he waited for her answer, although what he would do if she said ‘yes’ was beyond him.

“I have several male acquaintances, most of whom I grew up with, but I cannot think that they would do something as outlandish as send flowers to London,” she replied thoughtfully.

“I am positive that it is someone here, Trenton. We just don’t know who,” Adelaide added.

“If I am not being too presumptuous; what do the cards say?” he asked. If he was honest, he wasn’t convinced that someone like Ursula didn’t have a veritable army of suitors out there somewhere that she wasn’t aware of.

“I think the handwriting looks too effeminate for these to be from a man,” she mused thoughtfully as she handed him the cards she collected from her room.

A sudden knock on the door drew everyone’s attention.

“I’ll go and take tea with them,” Adelaide sighed when Isaac announced the arrival of several of Adelaide’s friends. “I will see you again soon, Trenton. Meantime, maybe you would like to come to dinner with us?”

“Yes, I should like that, thank you,” Trenton replied.

“Excellent. How about tomorrow tonight?”

Ursula gasped at Adelaide’s audacity but smiled when Trenton merely grinned. “I would love to.”

She watched the door close behind Adelaide then turned toward him. “I am sorry for aunt. She can be a little wayward at times.”

“I like her.”

“Oh, please don’t think that is a criticism. I adore Aunt Adelaide. It is just that she can be a little unexpected sometimes.”

“I don’t mind,” he assured her softly.

Now that they were alone he was able to study her more closely. She looked exhausted and fragile, and it was all he could do not to gather her against him for a hug.

“Please allow me to help you with this, Ursula,” he murmured as he flicked the cards with his index finger.

“I don’t even know where to start,” she admitted on a sigh. “I mean; how do I set about finding out who sent me the flowers? They haven’t done anything wrong. It is just slightly overwhelming to receive so many.”

“I know, but any admirable suitor would have made their identity known by now.”

“I know,” Ursula replied with a shiver.

Trenton thought about that for a moment. “When is the next arrangement due to arrive?”

“Well, about now actually,” she replied with a quick look at the clock.

Trenton nodded. “When it arrives, I shall follow the person who delivers it. When we find out which seller it comes from, we can make a few enquiries about who arranged for them to be delivered.”

“I want to come too,” she suddenly declared, perking up at the thought of actually doing something useful to solve the mystery.

She read the refusal on his face as soon as she had spoken and, in spite of her initial joy at having him there, felt her temper surge. It wasn’t his fault; she knew it wasn’t, but she was sick of everyone telling her what to do. This involved her, especially if the secret admirer was the man who had broken into her room last night. She couldn’t; wouldn’t, just sit at home and wait for him to report back to her like she was some helpless nincompoop.