Storing Up Trouble, стр. 95
Beatrix frowned. “I’m afraid I’m not following.”
Annie took a sip of her coffee. “You used Thomas for years to keep other gentlemen at a distance—and not only gentlemen who might have been too interested in the wealth that’s attached to your name. By having society believe you and Thomas would marry at some point, you were free to go about your life without being pursued, well, until Thomas went off and got himself engaged to Helene Leggett. After word about his engagement got out, you then made the claim to me that you’d decided long ago to never marry, but I don’t believe that’s true.”
Setting aside her cup, Annie sat forward. “I believe you’ve always wanted what your father and I share—an unusual partnership in the eyes of society, but one that’s always been filled with laughter and love.” She exchanged a smile with Arthur before returning her attention to Beatrix. “God has blessed your father and me with a true love story, but I’m sure our love, being so unusual, must seem like an anomaly to most people, including you. That’s why I believe you used Thomas as an excuse to not become romantically interested in any gentleman, saving you disappointment in the end.”
“Until she met Norman Nesbit,” Arthur said with a nod. “Who apparently, from what I’ve been able to grasp, became incredibly put out after discovering Beatrix was not merely a salesgirl, but an heiress.”
Beatrix blew out a breath. “That’s not the main reason Norman became incredibly put out with me, but I’ve not gotten to that point of the story just yet, what with all your questions.”
“We’ll be silent as church mice,” Mr. Parsons said, setting aside his cup and folding his hands in his lap.
Beatrix resisted a smile. “That’ll last for about a minute, but allow me to use that minute to explain. You see, Norman wasn’t all that upset about learning I’m an heiress. What he was most upset about was learning there could be a chance I was a spy, interested in stealing those research papers I told you about.”
“That’s absurd,” Annie said with a huff. “Was his mother behind that unfounded accusation?”
“She was, but in her defense, she made that accusation after a letter was discovered at the home of one of the criminals I mentioned earlier.” She nodded to her father. “That letter appeared to be from you and left little doubt that you were responsible for attempting to divest Norman of his research.”
Chapter 35
“You do realize that it would have been much easier all around if you’d figured out that Beatrix is not capable of the skullduggery you accused her of before she left to return to New York, don’t you?”
Norman stopped in the middle of Grand Central Depot, wiped his perspiring forehead with the back of his hand, and arched a brow at Theodosia. “What did you pack in this trunk? I can barely pull it.”
“Essentials, such as a large bottle of olive oil so I can continue on with the treatment Blanche and I developed to keep my hair in fine form as well as numerous jars of different creams I’ve been trying out to see which one makes my face softer.”
“Clearly your idea of essentials differs from mine, but the next time I offer to run down a porter to manage our trunks, I suggest you don’t argue with me.”
Theo gave an airy wave of a gloved hand. “I can pull my own trunk, Norman, if you’d like. I only thought to save us time.”
Before Norman could respond to that nonsense, Gladys marched up beside him, took hold of the handle of Theo’s trunk, then marched away without a single word. Edgar sent Norman a look that proved that man was still put out with Norman before striding after Gladys, easily pulling his trunk and hers behind him.
“What are the odds that we’d just happen to travel to New York on the same train as Gladys and Edgar?” Norman asked.
“Not great,” Theo returned as she watched Edgar weave his way through the crowd. “And even though we rarely encountered them on the trip here, what with them having their own private Pullman car while we rode coach, one would think some of the annoyance they’re holding for you would have dissipated since we’re obviously in New York so that you can make amends with Beatrix.”
“That annoyance will disappear in a thrice if you are able to make amends with Beatrix,” Mamie said, huffing her way up to them as she lugged a large trunk behind her. Blanche nodded in agreement to that as she stopped directly beside Norman.
“And if you can convince Beatrix you’re worthy of another chance with her,” Blanche began, “I imagine you’ll once again find yourself in Gladys’s good graces, although it may take a while longer for Edgar to come around. He’s been very disturbed by the unfounded accusations you leveled against Beatrix.” With that, Blanche sent him another nod, smiled at Theodosia, and took off after Gladys, with Mamie by her side.
Norman trailed after Blanche, finding that far easier now that Gladys had relieved him of Theo’s trunk and he only had his to pull. “In my defense, those accusations didn’t appear to be unfounded at first, what with that letter the Pinkertons found.”
“Mr. Waterbury was framed,” Mamie shot back over her shoulder. “Although by whom, well, that is the question of the hour, isn’t it?”
“Too right it is,” Theo agreed, but instead of speculating on that particular matter, she hurried to join Blanche, immediately launching into a discussion about whether or not they should try adding grapefruit juice to a new tonic they were developing that was supposed to help decrease the oil on a lady’s face.
“Is this really the moment?”