"Can we do something special to celebrate your birthday this year?" They sat together at breakfast, something that rarely happened. Chase was usually gone when Anna awoke. She often wondered how he seemed to function on such a small amount of sleep as he did.
"I am doing something special. I’m going to a reception with my friend, Justin. He promises this reception will be like nothing I have ever attended. It should prove to be an exciting experience." He didn't look up from his paper as he spoke.
"Oh," Anna said, surprised. "I thought we might do something together. We spend so little time together these days. Where is the reception to be?"
"I don't know. Justin said he's been to these things before. A lot of business people, you know the kind. You would be bored and out of place, Anna."
"Then I guess I’ll stay home," Anna said, resigned to another night alone.
"There's a good girl," he said, absently.
Anna felt like a well-trained dog.
* * * *
Later in the evening, Anna was introduced to Mr. Justin Waring. He was tall with dark hair and ice blue eyes, very attractive. His voice was soft and soothing.
"Mrs. Trent, I want you to be assured I will keep an eye on your husband so nothing happens to him." Mr. Waring was a smooth talker. "I will take good care of him, I promise you."
Mr. Waring took her hand and folded it in his. He had unusually expressive eyes. He gave caressing looks and expressions one could feel. Anna could hear desire sing in the cool blue depths. It was most unnerving. He held her hand until they heard Chase come to the top of the stairs.
"Shh. Our little secret," he whispered. He kissed her hand, released it, and quickly stepped away. How amusing, though disconcerting, he was.
"Anna, are you entertaining Justin?" Chase descended, and pulled on his jacket.
"He is entertaining me. Will you be out late?" Anna helped Chase with his collar.
"Thank you. I don't know, probably just a few hours." He kissed her on the forehead and headed for the front door. "Don't worry, I'll be back in a while. Shaw can drive you if you have a need. Come, Justin." Chase disappeared out the door with Justin trailing behind. Justin turned, gave her another caress with his eyes, and winked.
* * * *
Anna spent the first part of the night reading—and pacing. The clock on the mantle chimed eleven before she knew it. She was tired but didn’t want to sleep until Chase was safely home. As the hours ticked by, she paced the floor of the parlor and later the floor of her bedroom, as she watched out of the window for any sign of his arrival.
At one point, a carriage halted before the house, then started off again. Her heart was in her throat when the clock struck three. She alternated between anger and fear. What could have happened to him? It would be better if he came home when she was afraid and worried.
Anna didn't know what time she fell asleep. It was sometime after four chimes.
A dark haze surrounded her. Chase sat at a table, drinking. His eyes sparkled, the way they did when he was being charming. He chatted. The other person was not in view.
The room melted into a bedroom. Chase undressed. His coat was gone and his vest and shirt hung open, his chest exposed. He removed the links from his cuffs. It looked as if he were preparing for bed. The sparkle was still in his eyes. A slender arm came into view, caught him by his vest, and pulled him. The hand had carefully manicured nails and several glittering rings.
* * * *
When Anna awoke, the sun blazed through the curtains she'd left open all night. She was still dressed and had, at some point in the early morning, rolled up in the comforter.
When she realized where she was, Anna dragged herself off the bed and tiptoed down the hall to Chase's room. She opened the door carefully so as not to wake him. She only needed a glimpse to know he was home safe. As the light from the window in the hall spilled through the opened door, she could see his bed had not been slept in. The clock on the mantle down stairs struck seven.
Numb with fear, Anna made her way back to her room and dressed. She felt as if she walked in a dream state. She was here but not really. This could not have happened. He couldn’t do this to her.
Anna sat down on the bed, and tried to think. It had to be her imagination. She was overly tired. She just needed sleep and her mind was wild with fears that could not be real. She looked around at the room and realized she had to get out of it. It was too quiet.
She rushed from the room, down the stairs to find Mrs. Weathers as she received a note from a boy from the company. When she heard Anna come down the stairs, she dismissed the boy and handed Anna the note as she closed the door.
"My Dearest Anna" was on the outside in Chase's handwriting.
"Thank you, Mrs. Weathers. Could I have some tea, please? I'll be in the parlor."
"Yes, madam, right away." She hurried away. Anna didn't really want the tea but didn't want Mrs. Weathers to see the note. She wanted to read in solitude. Her hands shook as she broke the seal.
My Dearest Anna,
I am so sorry I did not make it home last night. Justin was engaged in some business dealings. He completely forgot about me. He stranded me, with no way home. I was able to contact Antonio to come get me early this morning. I thought it best to come to work instead of waking you by coming home. I sat up most of the night talking but was able to find a bed to get a little sleep.
Oh, he found a bed all right, but sleep was not what he had done. Anna knew it. She had seen it. She didn't know how, but she had seen it as if she had stood beside the bed her husband had entertained another woman in all night. The visions haunted her in the early morning between dark and light.
A watery picture invaded her mind. It began with Chase as he made love to a faceless woman, and then merged suddenly into dark blue waves that washed over a man's face. She couldn't identify the blurred features covered in a sea of dark blue, almost black, shimmering liquid. Panic filled the man's eyes as he was swallowed by blue-black darkness.
Anna forced the vision from her mind to concentrate on the note.
Don't worry about me. I will explain when I come home this evening.
With Love,
Chase
"Well, Mr. Trent, I don't think I want to hear your version of the story. I know it well enough." She tucked the note into the pocket of her dress as Mrs. Weathers brought in the tea service and set it on the table. "Thank you."
"Madam, begging your pardon, but is all well with Mr. Trent? I noticed his room is empty. Is he all right?"
She wrung her hands, probably as fearful for his safety as Anna had been.
"He is at work. He was left behind last night when Mr. Waring was called away. He went to work as soon as he could get transportation this morning. It’s nothing to worry about, Mrs. Weathers, nothing at all. I have a little chill. Please have Michelle light a fire." Anna stared at the empty grate of the fireplace. She did not want to look directly at Mrs. Weathers; the woman always knew when something was wrong.
"Right away, madam." She left the room.
In a few minutes, Michelle had a small blaze burning in the grate. It was just enough to soothe Anna's shivering. She shivered not from the cold of the room, but the coldness of her husband's heart. She thought about him and his wicked ways as she walked to the grate, tossed the note into the flames, and watched it burn.
* * * *
It had been a long time since Anna had visited the offices. She decided to drop by to see for herself he was actually there. She instructed Mrs. Weathers to inform Shaw she would like to go out and to bring the carriage round.
"But, madam, would you like to eat first before you go out?" she questioned.
"No," Anna said as she recalled Colin's offer. "As a matter of fact, I think I will eat at a little café I’ve heard about."
Mrs. Weathers dropped a hasty courtesy and bustled off to tend to her mistress's instruction.
Anna returned to her room for her bag and a shawl. By the time she returned to the entry, the front door stood open and Shaw waited outside. He helped her into the carriage and started to climb up to the driver's box.
"Mr. Shaw?"
"Yes, ma'am." He stopped short, and pulled his hat from his head.
Anna leaned closer to the open window and his face framed there. "Mr. Shaw, can you keep a secret?"
A sinful smile curled his lips and his blue eyes sparked with excitement.
"Yes, ma'am, and what would our secret be?" He raised an inquiring eyebrow.
Anna knew she could be making a big mistake taking Shaw into her confidence, but she needed his complete devotion in order to accomplish her mission. He could turn on her and tell Chase everything or he could become Anna's most trusted servant. She had to take the chance.
"Mr. Shaw, if it is worth doubling your salary, you can share my secret. Are you willing to be trusted?" She pulled a bundle of money from her bag. He eyed the stack of notes with a grin. Anna peeled off several notes and tucked them into his shirt pocket.
"I am your most trusted servant, ma'am. And where might we be going this fine morning?" He patted the shirt pocket closed.
"Just what I like to hear." Anna slid back into the seat. She tucked the money back into her bag and pulled the strings to close it. She looked him in the eyes.
"First, we are going to go and pick up Mr. Marsec, then we are going to play detective. Do you have any questions?"
"None at all, ma'am. All of my questions have been answered right here." He patted his pocket once more. He climbed into the driver's box and started off toward Colin's house.
* * * *
"You know you are out for heartbreak if you pursue this course of action, don't you, Anna?"
Colin had not quite finished his breakfast when Anna invaded his dining room. Shaw agreed to drop her off and wait down the street to avoid having the carriage sit before Colin's house.
Anna tried to explain. "I would like to go check on Chase, to see if he is at work or not."
Colin paced about thoughtfully. "If he catches you, you may be in real danger. He has a fearsome temper."
"How well I know. I want to know what he is up to. If I find out more than I already know, what is the difference? He spent last night out and…" She hesitated. "He wasn’t alone." She felt shamed as she told Colin. He stopped pacing and gave her a pitiable look. He did not appear surprised.
"How do you know he was not alone?" Colin returned to his chair at the head of the table.
"Just suffice it to say I know." She looked down, not wanting to confess to him she could "see" things before they happened. Why should he believe her? He may think she had gone over the edge.
Anna wondered herself. At this point, she needed her only trusted and true friend. She continued, "What I want to do now is to go to the office and see if he’s there."
"And if he is not?"
"I'll worry about it when or if it happens," she said flatly. "I do want you to go with me."
"Why? If Chase is there, don't you think it would look a bit suspicious? I have made many mistakes in my life but I have yet to be accused of running around with another man's wife. I'd really like to keep it that way," he joked.
"Are you willing to help me or not, Colin?" Anna jumped up, short on patience. She grabbed her bag from the table and whirled toward the door, not giving him time to answer. Colin leapt from his chair and caught her by the arm.
"Hold on, Anna. If you go off like this, you will most certainly get caught." He returned her to the chair and sat her down. He pulled his chair closer. "Now, what exactly are you planning to do? Do you have an excuse for being there if he catches you?"
"I hadn't thought about it."
"All right, I will take you in my trap. We would be less likely to draw attention. We'll stay off of the main street as well. Then, when we get close, we will walk. You do remember how to walk, don't you, Mrs. Trent?"
Anna slapped him on the arm. It brought a smile to his lips and a sparkle to his dark eyes.
"Thank you," he said, sincerely. "The area should be crowded during business hours and we could possibly get by without being seen even if we walked right up to the front windows. They are on the ground floor, aren't they?"
"Yes, they are located at the harbor and there is always a great deal of foot traffic and activity there. The office backs up to the docks. You sound like you have done this sort of thing before," she added as an afterthought. He just grinned.
"Let's just call it a 'gypsy' thing, all right?" It was all he would admit to.
"You’ll have to change, though," Colin said as he eyed her dress. "You’d attract too much attention in pink."
"Just what do you suggest I change into? Your clothes?" She smirked.
"As a matter of fact, it's not a bad idea. Come with me." Colin led her through the entry and up the stairs.
A knot of excitement grew in her stomach as she entered his bedroom. She looked around as he opened the armoire, which stood to the left of the door. The room was large and bright as sunlight beamed through the white lace sheers.
Heavier dark blue brocade curtains were pulled back to frame the French doors that led to the balcony on the right.
A huge, unmade bed with oak tables on either side stood to the left. On the far wall was a large white fireplace. Above the mantle was the painting of a dark-haired woman in a flowing white off-the-shoulder gown. She was decorated with jewels at throat and wrists, and held a single red rose in her gloved hands. Elaine, Anna supposed.
A smaller image in a silver frame sat on the mantle. Anna moved closer to clearly see it. She was surprised to see the likeness of a young girl who wore less than elegant clothing. Her hair was pulled up and secured by tortoise shell combs.
Her dress was eyelet lace over green cotton that matched her eyes. Anna remembered her father had the picture made when she was fourteen years old. She wondered how Colin had come to have it. She felt her cheeks warm.
"I'll be with you in a moment," came Colin's voice from the armoire.
Anna moved to the French doors that led out to the balcony overlooking a small rose garden. Elise, his housekeeper, clipped beautiful blooms and placed them in a basket on her arm. A fountain danced in the midst of the colorful display. Anna made a mental note to ask to visit his garden sometime in the future.
As she realized where she was, she stepped away from the windows. It would not do well to be seen in Colin's bedroom window by Elise. News traveled quickest from one house to the next through the servants.
Anna turned to find Colin holding several items of clothing. He tossed them on the bed.
"I don't know how much too big they will be but it's the best I can offer."
She lifted the shirt and eyed it, then looked down at her figure. "I hope this will conceal—uh—things," she commented.
Colin grinned. He left the room, and closed the doors behind him. It was a good thing Anna chose to wear flat shoes this day. The trousers felt very strange. She'd never worn a pair before. She had to cinch the belt tight to keep them from falling but the coat concealed it. The trousers were of a proper length.
She looked at herself in the mirror above the chest of drawers. The shirt and vest were snug but with the coat unbuttoned, her endowment was not noticeable.
She needed to do something with her hair. She tried to pile it up and make it flat when there came a rap on the door.
"Come in?"
Colin peeked around the door as he opened it. His eyes sparked with amusement as he stepped into the room and stared at her. A grin crept to his lips and he nodded.
"I think you look very well in my clothes," he commented.
"Thank you, sir," Anna answered. "Maybe we can see you in mine some day."
"Is it an invitation, Anna?" he asked, amazed. "I have wanted for years to get into your clothes." He twitched an eyebrow.
Anna was shocked, but only for a moment. It took her back to the early years when he made such remarks to her almost daily. She had forgotten the feeling of excitement she experienced when he made advances. She had always thought he was teasing but in hindsight, perhaps not. She pushed the thought aside and concentrated on the matter at hand.
Colin tossed a gray derby to her. "See if you can get your hair up under this." He stood behind her and watched in the mirror.
Anna pulled her hair up as tightly as she could and twisted it into a bun. She used the pins she had to secure it. She pressed the derby over her hair and tucked up the few stray wisps that escaped the pins. Her reflection was odd indeed.
"I look like a girl in men's clothing." She frowned at herself.
"Not at a glance, you don't," Colin noted. "I don't think anyone will notice. Just don't walk so pristine, if you can help it. Let's go."
"What about my clothes?" Anna eyed her dress, petticoat, and half-slip that lay strewn on his bed.
"No one will think a thing of it, my dear. Remember I am the wild one with no moral control. Elise knows it. She will simply hang them in the armoire."
"Oh," Anna said. "So this is a habit with you, then?" she commented as she followed him down to the entry hall. He grimaced.
"Just amusing myself while I wait for my true love."
The front door stood open and Ryan brought his trap around. Anna's emotions churned with excitement and fear. Colin helped her into the trap and hopped in beside her.
"Keep your face down and don't talk to anyone, no matter what. Do you understand, Mr. Scott?"
The name made Anna smile. In as deep a voice as she could muster, she answered, "Yes, sir."
"Bloody hell. You best not talk to anyone." Colin laughed as he urged the horse forward.
They stopped long enough to inform Shaw of what they were doing. Shaw's eyes nearly popped out when he saw Mrs. Trent dressed in Mr. Marsec's clothes.
He had a bit of trouble stifling a laugh. "Well, madam, you seem to have—uh—changed." Shaw observed with a quivering grin. Anna nodded, but remained quiet, as Colin instructed.
"Shaw," Colin interrupted. "Drive round for a while and meet us here later.
You won't draw as much attention as you would sitting on the side of the lane."
"Yes, sir, Mr. Marsec. I'll take a ride about town. I’ll stop in when I see you've returned."
"Fine. Get going," Colin said as they set out in the opposite direction.
* * * *
It took no time at all to reach the harbor. As they had hoped, there were droves of people in the area. They left the trap a few blocks from the office and melded with the crowds that walked along. Many were there to book passages and others had business with shipping companies, many of whom were located on the thoroughfare. They had no trouble mingling with the crowd. Anna tried her best to take large steps, and to walk like a man.
Now and then, Colin would smirk as she wrinkled her nose at some filthy beggar who would pass too close to her. She noticed there were many here. The men would simply push by them without giving them a second look. How disgusting. She dare not touch one.
It took only a few minutes to come to the office of Trent & Son Shipping Agents. Anna took a deep breath, and fell in step behind Colin as he strolled past the storefront. She glanced idly in as she walked, and tried not to stare. A clerk wrote orders as he received them from two finely dressed gentlemen.
Anna felt relieved to see Chase there, as charming as could be, as he personally handled the transaction of these customers. He talked, and motioned with his hands as he always did. She felt much better, thrilled to find him there. She pulled down on the front of her derby and continued on. Colin had passed by and waited at the corner.
"Well, did you see what you wanted to see?" he asked as he looked around.
"Oh, yes," Anna said, and nearly threw her arms around him in joy. As she realized how odd they would look, she jerked her arms down. "He is working."
Her joy was cut short as she spied a coach with curtained windows at the side of the building.
Chase leapt from the coach, handkerchief in hand, and wiped the red from his mouth. A slender arm reached out to pull him in. Once he climbed out again the red had been freshly applied. He wiped at his smiling mouth again.
Anna shook her head to dislodge the picture in her mind. A warehouse worker unloaded a strong box from the coach. It looked very heavy and very expensive.
The worker looked around suspiciously. Anna turned her back to him as she caught his eye. She bit her lip in indecision; an awful feeling crept into her being.
"Wait here," she told Colin. She crossed the street, walked back in the direction they had come, and strained to see in the office windows. She found a niche in the building and stood there for a few moments. Chase finished with the gentlemen, and shook hands with them. They left the office. Chase clapped the clerk on the back. A successful deal, Anna imagined.
She fully expected that the two gentlemen would walk around the building and climb into the coach. Instead, they walked in the opposite direction. How odd.
Anna shuddered as she denied the vision, even though she knew who owned the coach.
Chase opened the door to his office. Standing inside was the faceless woman who haunted her. Anna saw all too clearly the face was lovely but evil. The woman smiled and reached for Chase as he closed the door. Anna felt stunned as she watched the clerk frown and shake his head as he eyed the closed door.
Anna lost Colin. She searched the crowd on the corner, but he wasn’t there.
Panic set in, not quite smothering the pain she felt. She tried to move through the crowd, to get back to the corner. Her head down, she fought to control the tears that filled her eyes and made it difficult to see. She had not gone more than a few steps when she bumped into someone.
"Pardon, me, young man," she heard Colin's voice. "I think you'd better come with me." Colin took her by the arm and quickly rushed her down the street, around the corner of a building. "Anna, are you all right?" he questioned after he made sure no one could hear.
"How could he?" Anna sobbed. She wanted to throw herself against Colin's chest. She wanted to be a little girl again, with no pain, no hurt. She wanted to be held, protected from the world and all of its cruelties.
"I know. I saw." Colin looked around. "Let's get you out of here." He took the first opportunity to guide her across the street and hurried back to the trap.
To Be Continued...
______________________________________________
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
This book may not be reproduced in whole, or in part, by any means, without the expressed written consent of the author.
Any unauthorized reproduction of this book, other than by written authorization or contract by and with the author, is a violation of Federal Law and will be prosecuted to the full extent of that law.
This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are products of the author’s imagination, or are fictitiously used. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, or persons living or dead, is entirely coincidental.
Any trademarks referred to within this publication are the property of their respective trademark holders.
© 2008 Jena Galifany/Marge Conrad
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