“I don’t know.” He shook his head. “I didn’t see the letter. I only saw the red wax from a seal.” He couldn’t utter the deepest fear lodged inside of him — that maybe it was a lover who had written to her, and she had gone to meet him.
Dorothy abruptly stopped, turning to face Allan.
“What did she say when she left? Did she give you a reason for leaving?”
Allan didn’t want to do it. He wanted to keep that letter private, but Dorothy was one of Frederica’s closest friends. If he stood a better chance of understanding Frederica’s letter, then Dorothy would be the way.
Reluctantly, he delved his hand into his pocket and pulled it out, handing it swiftly to Dorothy. She took hold of it, unfurled it, her eyes shooting down the page as she returned to her pacing.
“What do you make of it?” Allan whispered.
“This crossed out word. What does that say?”
“I can’t make it out.” Dorothy moved toward her window and held up the letter, trying to decipher it. “I can’t tell.”
“Let me try.” Stephen stood and took the letter from her, holding it even higher to the light. His eyes widened a little. “It’s ‘safety’.”
“What?” Allan jerked.
“It is the only way I could be sure of your safety.” Stephen read the line as it was initially intended. “That’s what she first wrote before she changed it.”
No one said anything for a minute. Allan and Dorothy both just stared at each other blankly then something clicked into place in Allan’s mind.
“When Frederica came back to London, she kept asking me how you were, Dorothy. She seemed most set on ascertaining that you were well and healthy,” Allan explained slowly.
“Wait! She thought Dorothy was in danger?” Stephen asked, now reading the rest of the letter.
“Perhaps she did.” Allan stood. Now that he was beginning to see that there could be more to this, he couldn’t possibly remain still. “And now, for some reason, she thinks I am in danger too? How could that be?”
“Perhaps whoever sent that letter to her,” Dorothy said slowly. “Maybe she thinks they are a dangerous person. Someone who could hurt those she cares about around her.”
“That’s ridiculous. Why would she go and meet someone alone that she’s afraid of?” Allan asked.
“Allan, clearly you have never had cause to be frightened of anyone.” Dorothy shook her head fervently. “Fear isn’t logical. If she’s afraid ofusgetting hurt, then she might want to go alone if she thinks it would protect us.”
“So, who would be threatening you two?” Stephen asked. “What good would it do them by threatening the two of you?”
Allan stepped back as something else slotted into place.
“She came back from that meeting and spoke of annulment. She’d said nothing about it before that meeting. Maybe that’s what they asked for? Maybe they wanted the end of our marriage.” Allan moved in a sudden sharp circle as other things aligned in his mind.
He thought of Frederica’s parents, of the man they had tried to force her into marrying, of the very man whom Frederica had told him she was frightened. Who else would threaten Frederica into doing what he wanted her to? Who else would insist on Frederica ending her marriage?
“Dorothy.” Allan turned back around to face her. “The man who Frederica’s parents were trying to force her into marrying. Do you know who he is?”
“You don’t know?” she baulked. “Frederica never told you?”
“No, she didn’t!”
“I imagine she wanted to try and forget that part of her life,” Stephen muttered dejectedly, shaking his head. “There was a time when everyone in London knew about that scandal.”
“Well, I was on the continent, wasn’t I?” Allan said impatiently. “Would one of you just do me a favor and tell mewhohas been pursuing my wife and trying to make her marry him?”
Stephen sighed and looked to Dorothy, clearly feeling it was more her place than his to reveal this particular secret.
“It’s Morgan Blackwood, the Viscount Wetherington.”
Allan felt his blood run cold. He’d seen Lord Wetherington with Frederica. He’d even witnessed the fear in her. Allan had intercepted their conversation, taking Frederica away to dance. He’d done all of this, seen it firsthand, and still not realized that it was Lord Wetherington who had tried to force Frederica into marriage.
