Michael listened patiently to his tale of woe and remorse. At the end of it he said, "By all means then you must go seek her out. Take my carriage. My driver is bound to have a friend who can bring your own carriage on to London or mine back here. If you hurry, you'll be back in London in time for the New Year."
"Yes, Rosalie is giving a magnificent ball, if you can imagine, and actually had the bare-faced gall to invite me."
Michael shook his head in disgust. "A ball? So soon after the scandal? I do hope you're not even considering going."
He had never liked the woman, and had been astonished that Blake could have allowed himself to be so deceived. He wished he had told him at the time that Rosalie had subjected he and several other of their circle of acquaintance to her blandishments. Michael had no doubt that if he had shown the slightest bit of interest, it would have been his own title and even more substantial fortune, not Stanton's, which would have bankrolled her life of licentious excess all these years.
"I shan't go near it. I would never do anything to make it appear I condone her behaviour, and it would be most disloyal to Robert. He's a good man, for all he was deceived by her and hurt me at the time. However, I might visit Lady Pemberton's."
"Yes, excellent wine to be had there, as you well know, since you always help her with her cellar."
"Listen, Michael, I must apologize-"
"Don't you dare! Off you go." He offered his hand. "Good luck. Let me know if you find your lovely young lady. And my advice to you is, when you do, make sure of her. Marry her. Then the rest will all fall into place."
Blake sighed heavily. "If only it were that simple."
"Love ought to be."
"I told the poor girl where was no such thing as love."
"Then you are an even bigger twit than I thought. It does exist," he said, his voice tinged with bitterness. "You just have to be intelligent enough to trust in it when it comes your way. If it does. Carpe diem. Seize the day."
He sighed as he looked down at his paralyzed legs. At his hands, still covered with phantom blood-stains. He crushed them together to stop them trembling.
Blake thanked his friend with a hearty handshake and clap on the back. He promised to come see him again very soon.
Blake packed hastily and went all the way back to London riding post. As they progressed, he struggled to finish a paper he was to present on fevers. More often than not his mind wandered as he tried to imagine how on earth he was going to locate Belle. He had so little to go on.
Private detectives were the best way to sort out things like this. Perhaps his friend Alistair Grant the distinguished barrister could recommend one.
Then he groaned. He would also have to go see Mr. Brown the solicitor about his new ward. How could he propose to Belle when he had a little girl he was now going to have to be responsible for? He also couldn't very well make Belle his mistress, have any unsavoury amatory acts occurring in the townhouse in the presence of Peter Davison's sister.
Also, he had left instructions for his ward to be put in his mother's old room. Well, the suite had not been used for years, and it had too many unpleasant associations for him. But if he were to be married, they were the master bedrooms, with their adjoining bath and dressing room and nursery.
He sighed. He would just have to move the child, or redecorate the townhouse. Much as he hated to admit it, he would not be able to marry immediately even if he did find Belle. There would be far too many questions if he did.
So he would have plenty of time to remodel, and would just have to cool his heels and his lusts to ensure that everything was done properly and above board. They were a grand pair of rooms…
He drifted off to sleep nodding over his fever paper.
When Blake arrived back at the townhouse three days after leaving Bath, he was astonished to discover that his ward had actually come down to London already.
"What, not by herself surely?" he asked, shocked.
"No, in the company of an elderly gentleman with a most rustic accent, apparently," Travis said, recalling her description of the man who had dropped her off at her brother's chambers. No sense in worrying Mr. Blake or anyone unduly, now was there?
"I see. Where is she now?"
"Out shopping with her maid, sir."
"In that case, she shall be out all day. I shall dine at four as usual, something special for the holiday, if you please, and then head off to Lady Pemberton's for the New Year's festivities."
"Very good, sir."
"My ward. What is she like?" Blake ask in a distracted manner.