He smiled. “That is what I have been saying all along.”
“Well, now I am starting to believe it,” she said, returning his smile. How could she not love this man? He had done the impossible. He had returned her mother to her.
Any joy that Caleb felt that Lady Hungerton was alive and well was short-lived when he looked upon her disheveled state. He couldn’t quite imagine what she had gone through these past two years, but he made a silent vow to himself that she would never go back to Bedlam. He would protect her, for Simone’s sake.
As the carriage left the tall gates of Bedlam behind, Lady Hungerton removed the blanket from over her but remained in her crouched position.
“It is best that I remain hidden from view,” Lady Hungerton said. “I wouldn’t want anyone to see me, for obvious reasons.”
Caleb nodded. “There is a cottage on the outskirts of Town that you will be safe in,” he informed her. “Our friend has graciously offered to let you use it and has stocked it with food and other provisions.”
“That was most thoughtful of him.” Lady Hungerton glanced at him with a curious expression. “May I ask why you are helping me?”
“Aside from it being the right thing to do, it is because I am engaged to your lovely daughter,” Caleb revealed.
A smile came to Lady Hungerton’s lips. “I had hoped that was the case. I can only imagine how elated your mother must be.”
“That is an understatement,” Caleb remarked. “She is thrilled to have Simone as a daughter and is spending far too much time planning the luncheon.”
“As well she should be,” Lady Hungerton said.
Simone spoke up, drawing her mother’s attention. “How was it that you ended up in Bedlam?” she asked.
The light from Lady Hungerton’s eyes faded, and she grew pensive. “I went for my morning swim, just as I always do, and someone abducted me from behind. I tried to fight them off, but I was too weak,” she revealed. “Once I woke up, I was in a coach with your father and that is when he threatened you. I couldn’t risk anything happening to you so I remained quiet all these years.”
She continued. “The day before, I overheard a conversation between him and a woman named Juliette. They were discussing a plan to bomb a rally in Granary Square,” she shared. “When I confronted them, your father dismissed my concerns and tried to convince me that I misheard the conversation. But I knew what I heard, andtheyknew what I heard.”
Simone spoke up. “About two years ago, there was a bombthat went off in Granary Square and it killed twenty people. I can’t believe Father was involved in that.”
“Me either,” Lady Hungerton said. “Theodore is not the same man that I married all those years ago.”
Simone leaned forward. “You mentioned that Father was a spy. How did you know that?” she asked.
“He told me as much in the coach on the way to Bedlam,” Lady Hungerton shared. “He informed me that no one would believe me anyways and it felt refreshing to tell the truth, for once.”
Caleb shook his head. “He just admitted it to you?”
“Theodore was always too cocky for his own good, but I never expected him to betray his country,” Lady Hungerton replied. “His ideas were radical, but I thought he kept them to himself. He wanted to liberate England from King George’s oppressive rule and he idolized Napoleon. He always has.”
“Was Juliette his mistress when he sent you to Bedlam?” Caleb asked.
Lady Hungerton shrugged her thin shoulders. “I suspect as much, but he denied it. He claimed that Juliette was a family friend.”
With a frown on her lips, Simone shared, “Father is introducing Juliette as his mistress, and she even moved into the townhouse with us. He intends to take her to Lord Pendley’s ball this evening on his arm.”
Caleb grew thoughtful. “There have been many bombings at rallies in London that have gone unclaimed, mostly opposing the war. I can’t help but wonder how many of those were planned and executed by Lord Hungerton and Juliette.”
“Juliette has claimed that she has been in England for years. What if she was telling the truth?” Simone asked.
“It would be a first for her,” Caleb muttered. “I think she is a wolf in sheep’s clothing.”
“I must agree with Mr. Bolingbroke,” Lady Hungerton stated.
“Caleb, if you don’t mind, considering we will be family soon enough,” he said.
Lady Hungerton’s eyes held warmth as she responded, “I would like that very much, but only if you call me Rebecca.”
“I would be honored to,” Caleb said.
