Through each tomorrow, p.14
Through Each Tomorrow, page 14
He set his mouth in a line, though I could not tell if it was disapproval or determination.
Andrew looked up, and my gaze caught his.
Kat turned to see what he was looking at, and she nodded at me, then slipped into the castle.
“Excuse me, my lord,” I said to Lord Wolverton. “I must find out if my queen is doing better, and I see her doctor.” I also wanted to know more about Andrew’s sister, Evelyn.
“Will you sit with me at supper?” he asked.
“I must sit with the other maids.”
“When will I speak to you again?”
“After supper, if you’d like.”
He let out a sigh and then bowed. “Very well. Until we meet again, Lady Cecily.”
I curtsied and then lifted the hem of my gown and strode to Andrew, who was still standing in the alcove, watching Lord Wolverton.
“Is that him?” he asked as soon as I arrived at his side.
“Aye. Lord Wolverton.”
“Was he kind to you?”
“Of course.” But I didn’t want to talk about Lord Wolverton. “How is the queen?”
“There has been little change.”
“Are you doing everything—?”
“More than perhaps I should.”
I frowned as I studied him. “What does that mean?”
“I’ve been researching her condition in 1883, and I am treating her with advanced medical knowledge.”
My breath caught, and I put my hand on his arm. “Do not risk it, Andrew. Does Kat or anyone else suspect that you’re not a physician here?” The threat of him getting thrown in the Tower was ever-present in my mind.
“I know not.” His emotions were hard to read as he looked past me. “Lord Wolverton is watching us.”
“I am not concerned about him.”
“If he becomes your betrothed, you will need to take him into consideration.”
“I’m not betrothed now.”
His stormy brown-eyed gaze returned to me.
Warmth filled my chest, but I didn’t want to continue with a conversation that would break my heart, so I said, “Were you and Kat discussing the queen? You looked very troubled.”
“I wish I could tell you, but—”
“I know.” I sighed, hating that he couldn’t be open with me about the queen’s health. There were so many secrets at court. It was one of the things I detested the most.
Which reminded me of my stepbrother’s secrets. A quick glance over my shoulder told me that Charles had joined Lord Wolverton.
“You’ve never told me about Evelyn.”
Andrew frowned in surprise. “How do you know about her?”
“Charles told me. He also said he’s in Newport with you.”
“Did he tell you why?”
“Aye.”
“And do you think it unwise?”
“Aye.”
He smiled. “I appreciate your honesty.”
“I cannot abide lies or secrets.”
“It seems my life is full of them.”
“Does Evelyn love Charles?”
Andrew’s lips parted. “What? Why would you ask that? She doesn’t seem to like him at all.”
“Oh.” I frowned. “I just assumed, by the way he spoke about her—I thought that he loved her, but he claims he doesn’t.”
“He had better not.” Andrew’s body tensed. “There is no hope for a future between them.”
Just as there was none for Andrew and me.
“I should depart.” I did not want to continue our conversation, afraid I might say something I’d regret. “Good day, Doctor Bromley. Please remember to be careful.”
I was about to turn away when he took hold of my hand to stop me.
My fingers curled around his as warmth raced up my arm.
“Will you marry him?” he asked, his voice low.
My heart wanted to say no, but my mind was more rational. “I know not.”
He slowly let me go, but his eyes held mine. “I will pray that you know which path to take.”
Lord Wolverton and Charles approached, so I went into the castle, not wishing to speak to them again so soon and needing to get away from the feelings Andrew elicited within me.
12
CHARLES
JULY 20, 1883
NEWPORT, RHODE ISLAND
I stood in front of the mirror in my room as I adjusted the cuffs of my suit. My valet had just left after helping me prepare for the evening activities.
Life in Newport had been one endless round of luncheons, afternoon socials, dinner parties, and balls. Thankfully, I was spared from making calls with Mrs. Whitney and Evelyn and had enjoyed spending many of my mornings at the casino with Andrew.
No matter how hard I worked at distracting myself, I could not stop thinking about the queen and her illness. Lady Katherine Grey was ready and willing to take the throne, but she was terrified. Not only because her sister had been beheaded fighting for the crown, but because I suspected she was in love with a nobleman out of her reach. Just like Queen Elizabeth, if Lady Katherine became the next queen, she would be pressured to marry and produce an heir as soon as possible, and she would have little choice in the husband she took. The sweet and docile Lady Katherine was nothing compared to the headstrong, stubborn Queen Elizabeth.
Yet, the privy council had been discussing Mary, Queen of Scots, with more fervor in the past week. They had asked me to pen a letter as the queen’s correspondent and tell Mary to prepare to come to Windsor. I did not want Mary anywhere near Queen Elizabeth, or to even know she was this ill. It made the throne vulnerable in many ways, because unlike Lady Katherine, Mary was already a ruler and used to getting her own way. She would not be so easily influenced. She was only twenty years old, but she was already widowed. It was widely known that Queen Elizabeth favored Mary for her replacement, yet it didn’t sit well with me or several others. Kat included.
Either way, with the queen’s life at stake, we had sent out private missives to our armies throughout England, instructing them to prepare for war if need be, though I prayed it did not come to that.
A knock sounded at the door a moment before Drew stepped in. He was wearing his evening suit and carried an envelope in his hand. “This just arrived.”
“What is it?”
“A letter from my father.” He handed it to me.
I quickly took the letter, unsure how to read Drew’s mood. He’d been distracted for the past two weeks and irritable all day. His tennis game had suffered, and I’d beaten him handedly that morning. I hadn’t seen him in Cecily’s company at Windsor, though I had seen him watching her in the Great Hall while we dined, and I worried that his morose mood was because of Lord Wolverton’s presence at court. Yet, I admired them for setting their feelings aside to do the right thing.
I was starting to understand how hard it was after Cecily asked me if I was in love with Evelyn. I had told her the truth, but I couldn’t deny that there was something about Evelyn—about her untold story—that had captured my attention. It wasn’t just her time-crossing that had bonded us faster than I anticipated. I found myself looking for ways to see her and spend time in her company. It wasn’t love, but I liked her, perhaps more than I should.
Without another word, I unfolded the letter and began to read.
Andrew,
It is good to hear from you, as I know your mother keeps you busy in Newport. I am counting down the months until you join me at Whitney Shipping in January. There is so much to teach you, and your involvement could not come at a better time. Your uncle Clarence is a disappointment to our family, and he, his wife, and your mother spend their time frittering away our money. Clarence has been in Newport all summer, entertaining on his yacht, and the stories I hear are difficult to stomach. I won’t bore you with the details.
Suffice it to say, I need a good, solid partner I can rely on, and you are that man. Our family business will rest on your shoulders for future success, but I am confident those shoulders are broad enough to handle the weight of that responsibility.
I must confess, I am excited that you have an investment proposition for me. It tells me that you are ready to step into your role at our company. I am eager to hear more about your ideas, but, as you can understand, I cannot go to Newport to see you. Will you take the train into the city and meet with me next week? I will be in Philadelphia until Wednesday morning but plan to be in New York by mid-afternoon. Come then, and, if you are able, have the owner of the business meet with us at the office, as well.
I look forward to seeing you on Wednesday. Come prepared to impress me and convince me that your investment is sound.
Father
I lowered the letter and found Drew pacing to the window, his hands in his pockets.
“This is good news, isn’t it?” I asked.
“For you, yes. For me, it’s just another reminder of my responsibilities to my family.” He turned to face me. “I like practicing medicine, Charles. And I’m good at it. I was with Lady Agatha when she died just a couple of weeks ago, and though I wasn’t there to heal her, I was able to make her more comfortable and to walk her home to heaven. It gave me a sense of purpose I’ve never felt before. I don’t want to sit behind a desk for the rest of my life. I don’t want the weight of the Whitney legacy to rest on my shoulders.”
“I don’t know what to tell you, other than I understand. The Pembrooke legacy rests on my shoulders in 1563. It isn’t what I wanted, either.” I handed him back the letter. “Do you plan to go to the city?”
“Of course. Will you come with me?”
“As the Earl of Norfolk or as Charles Hollingsworth?”
“Charles Hollingsworth. It’s your family farm that I’m asking him to invest in. You’re the most qualified person to tell him about it.”
“And what if he finds out I’m posing as the earl in his home?”
“Father will not come to Newport this summer. I’ve spoken to Mother, and they both agreed it would be best to spend this time apart.”
I nodded, knowing we’d have our best chance if I went with him to see his father. But I hesitated.
“The local tennis tournament is next Thursday afternoon. Will we be back in time? I promised Evelyn that I would participate.” We’d agreed that the winner of the local tournament would play last year’s national champion. I had no intention of winning, but I would happily play for her sake.
“If we leave straightaway on Thursday morning, we should be here by afternoon.” He folded the letter and slipped it back into the envelope, hesitating as if he wasn’t sure how to proceed. “Cecily said something to me that I haven’t stopped thinking about.”
My shoulders stiffened. “Are you still meeting with her?”
He lifted his chin. “You saw us together after she spoke to Lord Wolverton on the North Terrace. I did not seek her company, if that’s what you mean.”
“I do not want you interfering.” I couldn’t help sounding irritated. I’d worked hard to get Lord Wolverton to the castle, and Cecily had hardly spoken to him since his arrival.
“He isn’t good enough for her.”
I frowned and walked to the window where he stood. “He’s an earl with a castle and thriving farmland. He’s also decent and respectable from all accounts.”
“I sat with him at supper last night.” Drew crossed his arms. “He’s boring.”
I rolled my eyes. I couldn’t help it. “That is your only argument against him? He’s boring?”
“He’s far too pragmatic and predictable. There isn’t a creative or clever bone in the man.”
“Don’t mess this up for Cecily.”
“I don’t plan to. I think the earl will mess it up for himself.”
I sighed. “What did Cecily say that you can’t stop thinking about—or do I want to know?”
“She asked me if you’re in love with Evelyn.”
An awkward silence filled the space between us before I asked, “What did you tell her?”
“I told her no. It was preposterous.”
“Why is it preposterous?”
He narrowed his eyes. “What do you mean, why? She believes you are the Earl of Norfolk. When she finds out you’re just a farmer from Virginia, she’ll be angry and hurt.”
“Just a farmer from Virginia?” I asked, my temperature rising.
Drew shrugged. “It is what it is, Charles. And I’m just a commoner at Arundel Castle in 1563. We both know what we are and what we aren’t.”
“Evelyn knows I’m a time-crosser.”
“What?” He leaned forward. “How?”
“She saw my mark and knew what it was.”
“How would she?”
“Because she’s a time-crosser, too, Drew.”
“Evelyn is a time-crosser?” He straightened as the information took him by surprise. “How is that possible?”
“I don’t know. She won’t tell me about her other path. Just like Cecily, she lost hers and she’s stuck here.”
Drew put his hands behind his neck and paced away from me. “How could I not know? All this time. I can’t ever remember seeing a mark on the back of her head.”
“That’s because she told me hers is on her chest. I think that’s why her personality shifted so drastically. Something happened in her other path that devastated her.” Though I was still convinced that something must have happened in this path, as well. It was the only way to explain Baby Laura.
“That makes a lot more sense than what I was imagining.” He lowered his hands. “There’s something I’ve never told you about Evelyn.”
I frowned, not sure I could handle more surprises.
“She was adopted by my parents when she was a baby. My parents had struggled to have more children after I was born, and my mother was seeing a doctor in New York. After another loss, the doctor wanted to ease my mother’s melancholy and told her that his sister had given birth to a baby out of wedlock. Instead of sending her to an orphanage, the doctor wanted to find a good family for her. My parents decided to adopt her.”
“Does she know?”
“Yes. But it baffles my mind that my parents adopted a time-crosser—and that I never knew.”
“I’m still amazed that God chose for Cecily to be my stepsister.”
Drew paused for a second and then said, “You haven’t answered Cecily’s question. You’ve spent a lot of time with Evelyn the past two weeks planning the fundraiser. Is something happening between you?”
“No.” It wasn’t completely true, because I was feeling something for her, but she’d given me no indication that she returned the feelings.
“I will warn you like you warned me, Charles. Evelyn is off limits.”
His words rankled, but what right did I have to become angry? He was right. In this path, even though I was pretending to be the Earl of Norfolk, I was a nobody. I wasn’t good enough for a wealthy heiress like Evelyn Whitney. And besides that, I had too much to worry about with Cecily in 1563 and Mama and Ada at the farm in Virginia. I couldn’t complicate matters by falling in love with Evelyn.
Drew was about to leave my room when he turned and said, “I think that as soon as the tennis fundraiser is done, Lord Norfolk should plan on leaving Newport. And he should start to prepare my mother and sister for his departure.”
I didn’t respond as Drew left my room.
There was nothing left to say.
Chateau-sur-Mer sat proud on Bellevue Avenue, one of the most stunning cottages in Newport. The owner, George Wetmore, was a wealthy philanthropist and politician who had inherited his vast wealth and home from his father.
“This is the first time we’ve been invited to one of the Wetmores’ parties,” Mrs. Whitney said as she touched her hair and the carriage turned into the Chateau-sur-Mer drive. “We owe it all to you, Lord Norfolk. I’m sure the other Mrs. Whitney will be jealous when she hears of it!”
“Don’t you think Aunt Helen will be invited since she has the Vicomte Deville as her summer guest?” Drew asked as he sat next to me on the forward-facing bench.
Evelyn was seated beside her mother, wearing a stunning purple gown that made her blue eyes seem almost violet tonight. Her hair was styled high, and her slender neck kept drawing my attention. It looked silky smooth and inviting.
I had to work hard to concentrate on something other than Evelyn, but it wasn’t as difficult with Drew’s warning still fresh in my mind.
If Evelyn discovered I wasn’t the Earl of Norfolk, she might never speak to me again.
She glanced at me, her expression tender in the darkening shadows inside the carriage. Awareness was building between us, and every time we were together it only became stronger. Was she feeling the same attraction I felt? My pulse thrummed at the thought.
Mrs. Whitney sighed. “Perhaps you’re right,” she said. “Helen might be there tonight—but I still have an earl, and she only has a lowly vicomte. And a fat one, at that.”
“Mother,” Evelyn said with a frown.
“What? The man has done nothing but eat since he arrived in Newport. I wonder how Clarence and Helen can afford such a guest.”
“I wonder how Whitney Shipping can afford it,” Drew said under his breath.
Evelyn shook her head as she met my gaze again.
I could only smile.
“Regardless,” Mrs. Whitney said, not keeping her rivalry with Helen a secret, “the Wetmores are part of Mrs. Astor’s social set, and she will probably be there tonight. We are one step closer to social acceptance, and that’s all that matters. I do hope you’ll get a chance to dance with Carrie Astor tonight, Lord Norfolk.”
“I will do my best, Mrs. Whitney.”
Evelyn’s chin came up a notch—hardly noticeable if I hadn’t been watching.
Did she not like the idea of me dancing with Carrie?
When we finally arrived at Chateau-sur-Mer, every window in the three-story Victorian mansion was filled with lights and dozens of carriages were waiting in line to drop off their occupants. A four-story tower and a prominent porte cochere gave the home an imposing feel.
As Drew and his mother continued to talk about the vicomte and Helen Whitney, I was doing a terrible job ignoring Evelyn and she was doing a terrible job pretending I wasn’t watching her.
