Page 46 of The Gilded Heiress

Josie

The police arrived late in the afternoon.

With no small amount of dread, I watched from my bedchamber window as Mr. Pendelton led the detective through the gardens,

toward the back of the estate. Nibbling on a fingernail, I couldn’t help but wonder if this was about Leo. Had he tried to

sneak onto the estate again? Or worse, had his past caught up with him?

I’m sorry I found you in that square and I’m sorry I ever lied to you. You deserved better.

It was hard to regret meeting Leo when it brought me to New York, to Melvin. Heck, I was staying in a Fifth Avenue mansion.

I had nothing to complain about.

Then why did I feel so low?

I knew the answer, of course. I missed Leo. I wish he hadn’t tried to use me, that we could’ve met under different circumstances.

But there was no undoing the past.

A knock sounded at my door.

I called over my shoulder, “Come in!”

Mrs. Pendelton appeared. “Have you a moment, dear?”

“Of course. Come sit.”

The older woman entered and closed the door behind her. The expression she wore was new, almost giddy, as if she were holding

on to a secret. Was this excitement? I hadn’t seen her so vivacious before.

She drew closer to the window. “Have you seen the detective?” She lowered herself into the window seat next to me, and the smell of her perfume—spring flowers—wrapped around me. “Mr. Pendelton is escorting him to the carriage house.”

My throat was dry, but I forced the words out. “Why? What’s happening?”

Please don’t let this be about Leo.

“I cannot believe it, but we may have a new clue in the disappearance of our daughter.”

I sucked in a breath. “Oh, ma’am. That is wonderful news. I’m so happy for you.”

She wiped the edges of her eyes with her fingertips. “I am too scared to hope, Josie.”

“‘A prison without walls,’” I repeated from the night we met in the retiring room.

“Indeed. I don’t know what I will do if this results in another dead end or false lead.”

“You’ll survive.” I knocked her foot with mine. “It’s what we do as women. We survive and get up the next day to keep going.”

“You’re right. It’s only that it’s been so long. What if I find out that she’s—” Her voice broke off and she dragged in a

shaky breath.

I patted her shoulder awkwardly. “At least you will know what happened. You will have answers. I’ll never know who my real

parents were or why I was dropped off at the asylum. I’d give anything to have the truth, even if it hurt.”

She cast me a sideways glance. “You’re very wise.”

“Not always.”

“The man, you mean.”

I grimaced. I didn’t wish to discuss Leo. Ever. “You didn’t elaborate on the new clue regarding your daughter. What is it?”

“The police have come into possession of a letter. They say it proves that one of the grooms was having an affair with Joséphine’s

baby nurse. The two planned the kidnapping together as a way of collecting the ransom.”

My lungs froze and I tried to reconcile this. Had Leo stolen more letters from the police? No, then the police would already know of it.

Did that mean...?

He wouldn’t forge letters to implicate someone else, would he? No, no. Leo wouldn’t do that. I didn’t think so, anyway.

Had someone else found letters? That certainly seemed far-fetched, considering Leo and I had been reading one together the

other night. And he was determined to clear his father’s name, so it wasn’t all that surprising that he was still investigating

the kidnapping.

Leo found more letters, but how? Where? In the carriage house?

“Josie, breathe. What on earth is going on in your head?”

I smoothed out my features, dragging air into my lungs. “Merely surprised is all. What else did the letter say?”

“The baby nurse planned to take my daughter to Boston and stay with a friend until the reward was paid. They knew the police

would turn New York upside down to find Joséphine.”

“No doubt that was true. I hope this detective can find out what happened to your daughter once she arrived in Boston.”

“Me, too.”

“Do you know which groom was involved?”

“Freddie.”

My lips parted on a swift intake of breath as I stared absently at the trees and shrubs down below. Holy Christmas. The groom we met the other day was the one responsible for the kidnapping. Why hadn’t he left at some point over the last

eighteen years? Why stay, when the truth could be discovered at any time?

A good thing he had, though. Now he might be able to tell the Pendeltons what happened to the baby nurse and the little girl.

I eased forward in the seat, closer to the window. This could prove to be an exciting development.

Leo, what have you done?

“I’m telling you!” a deep voice boomed in the gardens. “Those ain’t mine! I don’t know where they came from!”

Mrs. Pendelton reached over and grasped my hand. Surprised, it took me a second or two to relax and squeeze her fingers back.

A man, clearly the police detective, marched Freddie along the garden path, the groom’s arms shackled behind his back. Mr.

Pendelton walked alongside, speaking rapidly to the detective. Freddie was complaining, loudly, that he didn’t know anything

about the letters, they were planted there by someone else, and on and on.

My eyes swept back and forth, searching the gardens. Was Leo out there too?

No one else emerged.

I tried not to feel disappointed. How had he managed this?

Mrs. Pendelton released me and stood, clearly planning to leave. I smiled up at her. I’d liked sharing this moment with her.

Then she surprised me by holding out her hand. “Shall we go downstairs and hear what Mr. Pendelton has learned?”

“Me? Are you certain?” I placed my hand in hers and she helped me to my feet. “Wouldn’t I be intruding?”

“You are not intruding at all. To be honest, I’m glad to have someone to share this with. And we shouldn’t get too excited—it

may turn out to be terrible news.”

I threaded our arms together. “We must think positively, ma’am. My friend Pippa says—”

“What is that?”

She had stopped abruptly and was now pointing to my bed. I angled to see what she was looking at. “Oh, that’s my stuffed rabbit.

It was with me when I was dropped off at the asylum.”

Letting go of my arm, she drifted toward the bed. I couldn’t see her expression, but I frowned. Was Mrs. Pendelton horrified

that I still kept such a childish memento around? Heat stung my cheeks, but I wouldn’t apologize. “It’s all I have left from

my family,” I added as explanation.

She was now standing by the mattress, her hand covering her mouth. Her face had gone as white as flour.

Why did she care about a fake bunny so much?

“Ma’am?”

Slowly, as if she were reaching toward a wild animal, she bent to pick up the rabbit. Her mouth worked, but no sound came

out. Was she having an episode?

“I think I should find Mr. Pendelton,” I said, easing toward the door. “Perhaps you should sit down in the meantime.”

“Where did you say this came from?”

It was barely a whisper.

I cleared my throat. “The nuns said it was with me when I was brought to the asylum. I assume my mother or father gave it

to me.”

“Your mother,” she croaked. “Your mother gave this to you.”

“Probably.” I shrugged. “There’s no way to know for sure.”

“No, Josie. I know for sure.” She turned toward me. “I know because I gave this to you.”

Confused, I tried to make sense of what she was saying. But the suggestion was ludicrous. Impossible. Mrs. Pendelton wasn’t

my mother.

I let out a laugh. “You almost had me, ma’am. For a moment there, I started to believe you.”

She was shaking her head before I even finished. “No, you don’t understand. I bought this for my daughter then made the adjustments

myself. This little coat he’s wearing? I modeled it on one of Mr. Pendelton’s coats. See the pearl buttons for eyes? One is

slightly lower than the other. That always bothered me.”

The poor woman. Thanks to the detective and the discovery of the letters, she was seeing clues in every direction. “Ma’am,

I’m sure it seems familiar to you. Undoubtedly there were thousands of these sold at the time. But it is merely a coincidence.”

“No, no. It’s not a coincidence. I would know this rabbit anywhere because I spent hours modifying it for you. Then you carried

it everywhere you went for more than a year.”

I still couldn’t believe it. This rabbit? The Pendeltons? My parents?

It couldn’t be.

“Maybe we should find Mr. Pendelton,” I suggested. He was a sensible man. Surely, he could help her to see reason.

Mrs. Pendelton’s eyes were sparkling at me, brilliant green orbs similar to my own. “This rabbit, combined with your growing

up in Boston? And add in your ability for memorization?” She clutched the bunny to her chest and walked toward me. “I’m convinced

you’re her.”

“No, it can’t be,” I said, my heart racing, pounding inside my chest. I held up my palms as if to stop this boggling conversation.

“It can’t be.”

“You are her.” Mrs. Pendelton snagged my hand and squeezed it hard. “You are Joséphine Pendelton.”

Leo

This time I rang the bell.

I received a cable from Josie today, asking me to pay a visit to the Pendelton mansion. I wasn’t certain the reason, but if

she wished to see me, then how could I refuse?

Besides, I had time to spare. The police arrested Freddie yesterday, which meant my father’s name had been cleared. And with

Josie no longer my client, the only thing left to do was pack up and return to Boston.

A depressing, but unavoidable, consequence.

My family needed me and there was no reason to stay in New York. Melvin would see to Josie’s welfare, and I would try to find

work back home.

The heavy front door swung open. A silver-haired butler ap peared and he immediately frowned in my direction. “May I help you, young man?”

“I’m here to see Miss Smith. Leo Hardy is my name.”

“Come in. I will see if Miss Smith is available.”

I stepped inside the entry and removed my hat. The butler told me to wait, then disappeared down a long corridor, which left