“We?”
“Kendrick and I.”
Now Simone knew this was utter nonsense. Her mother was many things, but being mad was not one of them. “What would possibly make you think such a thing?” she asked in a harsh tone.
In a calm, collected voice, Caleb replied, “Kendrick discovered that your father made a large donation to Bedlam right before your mother died and he has been paying one of the Bedlam Governors every month.”
This was all starting to make sense, at least, somewhat. “My father was one of the lords that toured Bedlam when they requested funds from Parliament and he was heartbroken over what he saw,” Simone said. “That could easily explain the large donation.”
“What about the monthly payment to one of the Bedlam Governors?” he asked.
Simone sighed. “Are you referring to Mr. Underwood?”
“I am.”
“That is the Bedlam Governor who gave the tour of the facility to the members of Parliament,” Simone said. “I am sure my father is just donating to whatever cause he believes in.”
Caleb looked skeptical. “Why wouldn’t your father just donate to Bedlam?”
“I can’t answer that, but my mother is not hidden away at Bedlam,” Simone replied. “My father may be a liar, amongst other things, but it is ludicrous to even think my father would subject my mother to such abuse.”
“But your mother’s body was never found. Is that not suspicious, in and of itself?” Caleb pressed.
“It is a deep lake, and her body might have become tangled in the weeds that sat below the surface, at least that is what the coroner had suggested,” Simone said. “I told you that I looked into her death and found nothing of note.”
Caleb held her gaze as he replied, “I asked Kendrick to look into her death because the timing of it just never sat well with me, especially so close to when your grandmother died.”
“It was just a coincidence.”
“Surely you don’t believe in coincidences, do you?” Caleb asked. “You are a spy and should know better.”
Simone frowned. “You are looking into something that you have no business in. My mother is dead.”
“What if she isn’t?” he asked. “Do you not want to know for certain?”
“I do!” she said, her voice rising.
Caleb’s eyes held compassion. “I know this is hard on you, but if there is even a chance that she could be alive, wouldn’t you risk everything to find her?”
“I have spent the past two years trying to move on from my mother’s death. What you are asking of me is not an easy feat,” she said. “In all this time, I never found time to be happy because I was trying too hard to be strong.”
“You don’t have to be strong all the time,” Caleb said. “Let me help you.”
With a tilt of her chin, Simone remarked, “I can do it on my own.”
“I know you can, but seeking assistance isn’t a display of weakness; it’s a testament to one’s strength.”
“If I ask for help, everyone will know I can’t handle something.”
With a shake of his head, he said, “No, it just means that you know what you can and can’t handle. There is great strength in that. Trust me, Simone.”
“I do,” Simone said. “Surely, you must know that.”
Caleb reached for her gloved hand. “I know I am asking you to take a leap of faith with me, but I suspect your mother is in Bedlam. I won’t rest until I know the truth.”
“It just seems so unbelievable.” She wanted to believe his words, but could she risk the heartache if he was wrong? It would almost be as if her mother died all over again.
He watched her with a tenderness that tugged on her heartstrings. “I won’t ask you to come with me, but you are welcome to accompany me to Bedlam.”
