Chapter Nineteen
Lucy had been guessingwhen she mentioned Ada’s son. She let out a long breath when the maid admitted she did have a little boy.
“Is he in London?” Lucy asked.
“Yes. He lives with my mother. I send her my wages to care for him. But Mr. Vanderville, he found out about me and Petey. He threatened to tell Lady John.”
Lucy glanced at Duncan who nodded, indicating he too had heard the name of the man they sought.
“And then you would be dismissed,” Lucy said, looking back at Ada. “Because you had a secret child.”
“A bastard, you mean,” Ada said. “You can say it.”
Lucy hadn’t assumed the child was born on the wrong side of the blanket, but Ada seemed to think she knew everything and that was to Lucy’s advantage. “Mr. Vanderville threatened to tell Lord John about your son.”
“You think I would kill a little boy just to save my position?”
“I don’t know what to think,” Lucy admitted.
“Mr. Vanderville threatened to hurt my boy and my mother if I didn’t do what he said. He said if I told anyone or tried to run away, he’d kill my baby and Mama and then come for me. He could do it. He has money and large men who work for him.”
“Did he tell you why he wanted the boy dead?” Duncan asked.
Ada shook her head. “No. I asked, but he wouldn’t say.” She put a hand on her cheek, perhaps remembering a slap for impertinence.
“And you are not part of the union fight?” Lucy asked. “You didn’t work in a warehouse or a factory?”
Ada shook her head. “No. Why would you think that? Before I came here I worked for Lord—well, another important man. The housekeeper gave me a good recommendation when my belly started showing and told me to keep quiet.”
Lucy swallowed. So this poor girl had been a servant in a nobleman’s home. She’d been molested by him and bore his child. She’d hidden the child away and left him to work for Lord John. And then this Vanderville had found out her secret and threatened to expose her and hurt her baby if she did not do his bidding.
“This Vanderville, what do you know about him?” Duncan asked.
“He has money. A great deal of it,” Ada said.
“And factories in Liverpool,” Lucy added. “I’d wager ten quid on it.”
“I wouldn’t take that bet because you’d win. Looks like you were right about the scheme. It’s not the union workers trying to hurt the child. It’s the factory owner hoping to blame it on the union.”
“I don’t care why he was doing it,” Ada cried. “I couldn’t kill that little boy. I just couldn’t do it. I was glad he wouldn’t eat that porridge. But now my own baby will suffer for it.”
Lucy straightened. “My parents are in London. I’ll send word to them to fetch the child and his grandmother and keep them safe until Baron can assign an agent. Ada, tell me where your son is living, and I promise he and your mother will be safe.”
Ada stared at her. Whatever she saw must have convinced her to trust Lucy. She swallowed then gave an address in St. Giles. “Can I go to them?” Ada asked.
“I can’t send you away. I need Vanderville to think you are here.”
“He’ll come in the morning.” Ada shuddered. “He’ll lie in wait then strike.”
“And we’ll be waiting,” Duncan said.
***
DUNCAN DIDN’T WANTLucy to send Ada back to the house alone. Lucy had escorted the maid there, and after some time, returned to the summerhouse, where he paced.
“She could flee,” he argued. “If Vanderville has spies in St. Giles and she turns up there, he’ll know he’s being tricked.”
“She hasn’t run away yet. I think we can trust her one more day. In any case, Lord John won’t let her go. He has Mrs. Cox watching her.”
