Tricia woke late into the morning, feeling as though she’d barely slept.
Dragging herself down to the breakfast room, her mother gave her a look of concern. “You look terrible, darling. Are you not feeling well?”
Tricia winced. The last thing she needed to do was give her mother something else to worry over. “I’m fine, Mother. Truly. I’m just not sleeping well.”
Her mother gave her head a small jerk of agreement. “I understand that. Neither am I.”
“How is Father?” Tricia’s insides clenched at the question.
“The same, I’m afraid.” Her mother pushed the eggs on her plate to the other side, not really eating. “His cough hasn’t gotten worse and the fever comes in and out so that is something I suppose.”
Consumption was eating her father from the inside. “Any word on Fenton?” Tricia asked, barely above a whisper.
“None.” Her mother shook her head. “But if he doesn’t appear very soon, than he will forfeit the second half of his inheritance.”
Tricia swallowed. Fenton had lost his parents at sea while they were journeying to America four years prior. He’d received all of the inheritance that had been entailed. Though, she could only assume there wasn’t much because from the start he’d mentioned being plagued by financial difficulties. She’d tried to learn more but he would never share. Said he didn’t want to burden her. He was set to receive the second half of his inheritance on his twenty-fourth birthday. Provided he was in attendance to claim it. Tricia was beginning to wonder if it was the very reason for his disappearance. “I’m sure he’ll turn up.”
She knew he’d been struggling with the loss, and with the debts, but she’d no idea how much until recently. To not even care about money that would sustain him…
“I hope so,” her mother’s voice broke a little on the last word. “With everything that is happening with your father, I haven’t been able to reach out to Fenton.”
“Is Tabbie still set to arrive tomorrow?” Tricia had to admit her sister’s arrival would be a great relief. Her older sibling always knew what to do.
Her mother nodded, looking down at her plate. “Yes, thank goodness. Poor Teddy is struggling with your father’s illness.”
“He’s too young to be a duke.” Tricia added, her hand pressing to her chest. At fifteen years of age, it was far too soon for anyone to take on that kind of responsibility. But as the youngest in the family, Teddy had been rather protected and he needed time to learn to be his own man.
“Tabbie will be able to handle him much better than myself.” She looked at Tricia then. “Thank you for being so steadfast. It’s been nice not to have to worry about you, as always.”
Tricia winced inwardly. If only her mother knew what she had been actually doing all these nights. Everyone, including the staff, had been so focused on her father, no one seemed to notice that she was behaving as no lady should.
It played in Tricia’s favor that she’d always been the obedient child. Tabbie’s chaperone had been much sharper.
Tricia rubbed her temples. With any luck, Ryker’s man would be successful and she could cease her nightly outings.
Thoughts of Ryker made her simultaneously relax and tense. An odd sensation indeed. She knew, by some intuition, he would handle Fenton’s disappearance with the same calculating efficiency that he’d escorted her home. And while she could admit that it was a relief to have help, the man himself disconcerted her to no end. Frankly, it was more of a riot deep inside her that she simply didn’t understand.
Sitting up straighter, she pushed those thoughts aside. It was important to clear her mind so perhaps tonight she could sleep.
Then a new thought occurred to her. She didn’t know who Ryker was. Not really. How would she know if Fenton had been found? If the situation had been handled?
With a sigh she realized she would have to find him to ask and there was only one place she knew to look. The docklands…
It was with that in mind that she slipped down the quiet London streets. She was growing more adept at maneuvering in the night, staying in the shadows. And this time, she’d had the forethought to take some clothing from a stable boy. With her hair tucked in her shirt and a sturdy coat on, she ought to be far safer this evening.
She’d sat with her father all afternoon, and it had near broken her heart. His breathing was labored and he slept almost constantly. They’d only been able to get the barest bit of food into him so he’d wasted away before their eyes having been ravaged by fever for days.
She’d mopped his brow and sang him songs, wishing there was more she could do. But she was helpless to stop the disease within his body.
That helplessness propelled her feet now, and she moved faster, determined to save one family member. In the strictest sense, Fenton wasn’t her responsibility. But he didn’t have any other family and Tr
icia firmly believed in helping those who needed it. Besides, it felt good to help Fenton when she was next to useless with her father.
It took her far longer than she’d hoped to slip through the shadows and make it the docks. She knew she had interrupted Ryker’s business the night before and she was betting that he’d be back tonight. But it was possible that she was wrong, or that she’d miss him. Her nerves fluttered to think of being back in that awful place without him.
Which was astonishing, considering she’d only known him for a day. Despite the fact that he was overbearing and disapproving when she’d been with him last night, the worry that had been consuming her of late had calmed.
Of course, he started a storm of another kind entirely, but she couldn’t think of that now.