Romance: Detective Romance: A Vicious Affair (Victorian Regency Intrigue 19th England Romance) (Historical Mystery Detective Romance) (37 page)

Lord Gibbons noticed the shift in Dick’s facial expression. “What’s the matter, William?” Dick was surprised by Lord Gibbons’ concern. Dick excused himself politely and raced to the nearby double French styled doors to his left. The idea of letting go of his one true love and being considered nothing more than a peasant man had gotten the best of Dick. As he ran out of the ballroom, he rubbed his hands back and forth. This was a habit Dick had developed as a child. It still comforted him even though he had obviously grown into a man. He gulped in the fresh air in hopes of releases his anger and heartache. The cold air felt comforting against his skin. Dick finally felt his jaw relax. He looked up into the night sky that was adorned with an assortment of stars.

In the distance, Bobbie caught sight of Dick and smiled. Bobbie Josephine knew Dick was the right man for her. She sighed as she wished her mother could see Dick as Bobbie Josephine did. The two locked eyes causing a smile to creep upon both of their faces. Bobbie Josephine took Dick’s breath away. The princess was stunning. Dick was pleased to see Bobbie looking so happy. It had been too long since that gleam of carefree joy had lit her lovely face. Dick would do anything and everything in hopes of seeing Bobbie Josephine’s eyes sparkle if only for an instant. Dick dreaded social events because he and everyone else in attendance knew he did not belong. Just as Dick went to speak to Bobbie Josephine, Lord Ashford stepped between them. Lord Ashford complimented the princess on her beauty. Lord Ashford continued to make advances to the princess while Dick stood nearby listening. While Dick could tell by Bobbie Josephine’s tone that she was not interested in Lord Ashford’s advances, Dick’s blood boiled with jealousy. Dick could no longer contain his anger and jealousy. Dick ran out as quickly as he possibly could. He felt as if he was having a heart attack. That could not be possible, because Dick was a strapping young lad who was as strong as the day is long. Anxious and jealous, Dick passed through the various crowds of people to make his way outside to the gardens.

The gardens were one of the most beautiful places in the palace. It overflowed with fragrant flowers and a variety of beautiful trees. Beside a large weeping willow tree, there was a stone bench. Dick finally thought he had found a place to calm down. Just at the moment, Dick motioned to sit down and a woman popped out of the bushes next to the bench and willow tree. Dick nearly leapt out of his breeches. Dick was not a man that scared easily, but the woman did look quite beast like. Her dress was torn. She was missing a shoe. Her makeup was smeared and her hair looked like the nest of a rat. Maybe if the girl had not been decorated like a bush she would have been attractive. However, Dick was not in the mood for company even if it was the company of a beautiful woman or even a bush like woman. In spite of his distain of her company, Dick laughed at the predicament of the woman.

“Oh, my goodness!”
The woman cried out in a voice searing with frustration and anger. The woman stomped her way out of the bushes, but looked like a monster. The heel of her one shoe had broken off and she waivered as she tried to walk. Her dress looked like she had been in a death match with the local butcher. Mud caked her face and arms. The more the woman tried to assemble her hair back together the more mud she rubbed on her face.

"I strongly dislike these dresses," she roared as she picked out twigs from her dress. “My dress is ruined. I look awful. My aunt is not going to be happy with me,” the woman muttered to herself. Dick felt guilty for laughing at the poor woman. He may be a peasant, but at least he was still a gentleman. Dick cleared his throat to announce himself and asked the distraught woman if she needed any help. The woman appeared shocked at Dick’s presence. She thought she was alone and crumbled in embarrassment onto the stone pavement with tears rolling down her face. Dick repeated his offer for help impatiently. The woman rolled her eyes and stared blankly at Dick. She threw her arms up in frustration and grabbed the edge of her dress dramatically.

“Do you think I need help? A woman in a bush would never require aide from a gentlemen. However, you sir, do not seem to be a gentlemen. Golly, I miss Americans. At least they are not as rude and snooty as you English folk,” the woman replied in a curt formal tone. The anger, sadness, and frustration built up in her voice as she spoke. Dick began losing his ability to be angry with the woman even though she had clearly just insulted him. She was an American after all. He should not hold that against her. It was possible the woman simply has had too much to drink this evening during the celebration.

“Let me escort you back to your quarters, madam. A good rest and drink will have you feeling better before you know it. Give me your hand and I will help you up. I mean you no harm, miss,” Dick said in his most patient and kind voice. He felt like he was coaxing a cat out of a tree.

“You think I am drunk!" she replied
 
with fire in her voice. Finally pulling herself free, the woman began to clean herself up despite the fact that her hair resembled the nest of a bird. Twigs stuck in her hair like decorations.
 
Her gown may have been beautiful at the beginning of the evening, but now it looked shredded and filthy. From her appearance, Dick believed the lady had been drinking. He had a mixed impression of the woman. Her antics amused him, but they also left him annoyed.
"Do you often spend time sitting in the garden bushes, ma’am?" Dick asked, still amused, shocked, and annoyed with the mess of a woman sitting before him. Dick shook his head from left to right. He was not sure what to say to the woman. Dick was a man of few words, but this woman clearly had left him speechless. 

“I am not drunk and I was not sitting in the bushes for my health! You are ridiculous, sir! Where are your manners?” Dick asked the mystery woman if she had a name.
"Everyone has a name! I’m Elizabeth Anne Matthews. Now, sir, who are you?" She glared at Dick with a hateful look in her eyes as she continued to say, “I simply tripped over this hazardous ball gown and fell into the bushes.”
"Who are you here with? Apparently, someone needs to keep an eye on you,” Dick replied.
“I don’t need a chaperone, sir. I am a grown woman who can manage just fine by myself,” she replied curtly.
“Is there anyone else lurking in those bushes with you, ma’am?” Dick asked with a mischievous grin. The deshelled woman appeared so shocked by the question that Dick immediately felt bad for being so rude.

“My apologies, ma’am. I didn’t mean to insult you,” Dick apologized.

The woman tried to remove the twigs from her hair. Her attempts at cleaning herself up were fruitless.

“Am I presentable?” The woman asked, as she continued to get herself together.
"You look fantastic for a lady that just crawled out of a bush,"Dick replied.
The woman frowned. “You don’t need to tell fibs, sir. I spent months onboard of a dreadful ship to visit England. I normally do not look like such a mess."Dick laughed at the woman’s clever remarks.
      “Would you like for me to escort you back to the ballroom, ma’am?” Dick asked the woman.
             
"As I only escaped the party a short time ago, I'm not anxious to return just yet," she answered.
"Were you not enjoying the festivities?" Dick asked.
"In truth, no. I detest these soirees. I do not exactly feel welcome at these events,” she whispered.
"Heavens, I thought it was only me." Dick gasped.
“Let me walk you home. I promise not harm you,” Dick said.

“I get gawked at enough by the people of this country. I feel as if I do not belong even though I technically am half-British. I have come to see the hometown of my father. He was an Englishmen. My mother was a nurse from America. My father died when I was young so Mother took us back to America,” she said. Dick shared his own experiences of being cast out by his own people. The odd couple shared many of the same emotions.

“I just realized sir that I do not know your name,” the woman said. Dick smiled and properly introduced himself.
             
Feeling comfortable that the rude Englishman would not harm her, Elizabeth said, "Yes, please escort me back to my room.”
 
The two strolled side by side at an easy pace. Neither was in a hurry nor did the duo have a destination. At first, there was an uncomfortable silence between the two of them. Neither of them had strong social skills. The silence began to ease when Dick began asking Miss Matthews about her family and her life. Dick was interested in learning more about this strange woman he found tangled up in the bushes of the castle garden.

"Why were you off all alone, Miss?” Dick asked.
"The Countess is one of my aunts,” Elizabeth replied. The two continued to walk through the lush gardens. The cobblestone was wet underneath of their feet. Miss Matthews managed to walk along at the same pace as Dick even though she was missing one shoe and the other was broken. The sight of her was quite comical.

"Yes, England is more beautiful than I imagined. I was under the impression that the English were sophisticated people who did not laugh at women who fall into bushes,” Elizabeth replied with a quirky smile on her face. The two continued to walk through the garden with little words passed between them. Dick felt at least around Elizabeth Matthews. She also knew what it was like to feel like an outcast. When Elizabeth did speak, she told Dick stories about her family. The more that Elizabeth spoke the more Dick began to put the puzzle pieces together. He had been hired by the girl’s family to paint her portrait. Dick and Elizabeth began to discuss members of the Matthews family that they both were familiar with. The two began to develop a friendship that certainly out of the ordinary. Elizabeth informed Dick Both Elizabeth and Dick were very excited to learn through their talk that Dick had been hired by Miss Matthews’ family as their professional artisan. Elizabeth was excited to have a friend that understood what it felt like to be cast aside. Dick was ecstatic to learn that knighthood was to be bestowed on him because of his new prestigious employment.

Dick happily led his new friend back to her quarters safely. He nearly skipped with joy after learning of his new social status and job. Dick had lived a troubled life, but he always had faith that God and his countrymen would rise above all obstacles. This was the opportunity that Dick had been craving all of his life. This was a chance to not only make his father proud of him and be something more than just a peasant artist. This was his chance to be worthy to marry the princess. His heart fluttered with joy as he went off to look for his beloved.

Bobbie had followed Dick out to the gardens. By the time she arrived, she saw him walking with Elizabeth Matthews. The princess slumped down on a nearby bench and gazed up at the stars thinking of Dick. Surely, Dick would not abandon her for another woman. She knew he would not leave her waiting for long. Their love was too strong to be broken regardless of circumstance. That did not stop the storm of jealousy in her stomach. She worried frantically that Dick had moved on to find another woman that wasn’t a princess about to be wed to the first suitable prince to come along. Her worries were nothing more than paranoid thoughts of a young woman in love. Dick would never betray his love for the princess. Dick believed the sun rose and set in the princess’s deep blue eyes.

Bobbie Josephine was correct. Dick did not leave her waiting long at all. It wasn’t long before Dick arrived to meet the woman of his dreams. The couple stared at one another with stars in their eyes. Their attraction to one another was instantaneous. Everything else in the world disappeared except for the two of them. Their passion could be felt through the distance. It was only a matter of time before they were close to one another. Dick and Bobbie Josephine were so in love that it seemed like fire and heat radiated from them when they were together. It was amazing that the queen nor anyone else in the kingdom had never found out about their passionate love affair.

Bobbie Josephine was worried when she saw Dick strolling up to her looking so happy. Tonight was the last night they could be together. She did not understand why he was so happy unless he had met someone new. However, Dick was thrilled that he was about to tell his love the best news. Dick wanted the moment to be as perfect as he thought she was. There was a charming twinkle in his eye each and every time he looked upon the beauty of the princess. Dick knew this would be a moment they both would cherish for the rest of their lives. The best news was the fact that Dick was now eligible to marry the princess. He wanted to take his time in surprising her. Dick knew this moment was one he never wanted to forget.

“Bobbie, my love; may I have this dance?” Dick pulled the woman he loved more than anything in this world up on to her feet. He wrapped his arms around her with such tenderness, she thought she would cry. “Have I told you today how much I love you?” Bobbie took a moment to look at the heavens and ponder the question.

“No, I don’t recall you telling me how much you love me today … is it very much?” She teased him, smiling while looking deep into his eyes. The music, which played in the ballroom, could be heard out in the garden, softly as if the instruments were whispering just for them. Dick led Bobbie around an imaginary dance floor. “Princess, I love you more than I ever have. If you could look at my heart, you would see your fingerprints and that is it. My love has no limits, no end, no borders, and no price. It has faith in you when all faith has failed. God as my witness, I will love you with my dying breath as much as I love you in this moment.”