Chapter 1: Tough Love
19th Century, Manhattan, New York
“Please, Mother! I’m begging for you to understand and listen to me!” Jade clutched her moist handkerchief. “I cannot fathom the idea of moving to London, and I will do anything to remain here where I belong!”
Bella rubbed the hair from Jade’s eyes and lifted her daughter’s chin. “Jade, we must go. There is nothing left for us here, my love. You are no longer a child but a grown woman, and ’tis time, you started acting like one. Your father, bless his soul, spoiled you, but I will not give in to your dramatics,” she announced with calm reserve. “This behavior reiterates that you have much to learn and are not ready to make such decisions for yourself.”
Jade stood with defiance glistening in her red-rimmed eyes. “I’ll even marry him if we can remain here, and then Father’s legacy will be secure!”
“No, you shall only marry for love, as did I!” In a tender gesture of maternal affection, Bella grabbed Jade’s hand before continuing, “Darling, this is not a punishment, and you will thank me one day. We must go home to my family—our family. With your father gone, they are all we have left.”
Bella released her daughter’s hands. “This is for the best, my darling. Going home will help mend my heart and yours. It will be the fresh start we need, and I will not change my mind.”
She realized this was it and felt like her life was over. With tears streaming down her face, Jade dropped her head in defeat and turned away from her mother.
With kindness, Bella spoke to her daughter’s retreating form, “We depart in a fortnight, darling, so be wise with the rest of your time here.”
Fighting the temptation to flee, Jade raised her head high and quit the room. In a daze, she headed to her bedchamber, where she could lick her wounds. I need privacy and time to figure out what else I can do. There must be another way. Her stubborn mind refused to believe this was it. Once alone, Jade threw herself on the bed and wept. She sobbed until there were no longer any tears left to cry. A soft knock sounded on her door, but Jade ignored it.
Abagail, Jade’s closest friend, who liked to play the part of a lady’s maid, companion, or whatever role she deemed fit, cautiously entered the room. Jade lay crumpled in a heap of skirts upon the bed, and she rushed to her side. Abagail, used to Jade being strong, outspoken, and spirited, hesitated before seating herself on the bed.
Jade rolled toward her with swollen red eyelids, wet cheeks, and disheveled ruby locks. Her eyes held pure anguish. “I cannot stand to see you like this.” She rubbed Jade’s arm.
At Abagail’s concerned look, Jade cried, “Oh, Abby, what shall become of us?”
Abagail embraced her dearest friend, rocking back and forth, and whispered, “Shhh, everything will work out just as it should. You shall see, and if it doesn’t, I will be there with you every step of the way.”
With a measure of relief in her voice, Jade declared, “I can’t do this without you, Abby!” Hugging each other, they vowed nothing would ever come between them. Their friendship, though created from a tragedy, only made their bond stronger. She is the sister of my heart, Jade mused to herself.
Jade knew Abagail would follow her and Bella to the ends of the earth if they asked. After her parent’s unexpected death, they welcomed Abagail into the Fulton family and raised her as their own. Abagail was family. Abagail rose to leave. “No more tears, love. I shall return and attend to you before dinner.”
“I look forward to your delightful company, but Mary can dress me, Abby.” A slow smile spread across Jade’s face at the long-time jest between the two friends, who were as close as sisters, and raised together for almost sixteen summers. They were thick as thieves.
Dinner turned out to be a quiet and uncomfortable ordeal, with Jade barely uttering a word. It was typical for the women to chatter and giggle as they enjoyed each other’s company. But not tonight. Bella prayed Jade would come around, and she would even welcome her daughter’s outspoken and often outlandish behavior.
The silent treatment was agony. Although unsuccessful, Bella was grateful to Abagail for her attempt to draw Jade out of her shell. My darling Abagail, sweet, loyal, kind Abagail! I thank God for you, Bella thought as they made their way out of the dining room.
Once in the drawing room, Jade walked straight to the bell cord while Bella and Abagail took their favorite armchairs. Upon entering the quiet room, the butler stood, awaiting orders.
“Cedric, would you be so kind as to bring me a glass of brandy in the library?” Jade asked.
Cedric bowed, his face showing a hint of shock, and turned to Bella and Abagail. “Would either of you care for anything?”
“No, not tonight, Cedric,” Bella said with a tired smile as she tried to hide the hurt settling inside her chest. “I fear I have a megrim and will retire soon.”
“I’ll take a glass of sherry if you don’t mind, Cedric.” Abagail narrowed her eyes at Jade. Both women seemed astounded as Jade followed Cedric out of the drawing room.
Jade was curled up in her favorite chair in the library, sipping on the brandy. Wretched stuff indeed, she admitted to herself. However, the warm tingle throughout her chest and arms was unexpected and lovely. It almost made up for the dreadful taste.
With her glass empty and immersed in her gothic novel, she jumped as Abagail burst through the door. Breathless and panting, Abagail struggled to say, “Thank goodness… I found you.” She collapsed in the opposite chair and took a moment to catch her breath.
With a concerned frown, Jade stared at Abagail. “What, pray tell, have you been doing, Abby?” Jade struggled to sit up and, with wide eyes, said, “You look as though you have seen a ghost!”
“I dare say it was not a ghost!” Abagail’s eyes opened large as saucers.
Jade dropped her book and sat up even straighter. “Tell me what you mean by this, Abby!”
“I was helping cook in the kitchen after dinner. You know she is such a kind soul, and—”
Interrupting her speech, Jade demanded, “Abby, please get to the point! You have frightened me!”
“I am sorry, Jade, but I thought I saw someone as I glanced out the kitchen windows, and I felt a chill crawl up my spine!” Abagail wrung her hands and then ran them up and down her arms as if to ward off the cold.
“And did you?” Jade scooted to the edge of the chair. “Did you see anyone?”
“Well…” Abagail looked around the room and took a deep breath. “At first, I thought mayhap, it was a shadow, and my mind was playing tricks on me…”
“Abagail,” Jade admonished. “Do tell!”
“Beg pardon, but I’m very nervous. Nevertheless, I went outside to see.”
“Tell me you didn’t go outside alone? That sounds very foolish and like something I would do!”
“I didn’t want to alarm anyone, so I went outside to take a quick peek, and that’s when I heard a rustle in the bushes near the garden.” Jade’s face paled as she waited with bated breath for Abagail to continue. “I crept along with the shadows, but my boot hit some twigs, and the sound must have startled him.”
Jade’s blood turned to ice. “Did you get a good look at him, Abby?”
Tears formed in Abagail’s eyes as she shook her head. “No, but you were in the library, and I fear he was trying to look in at you!”
