“Mr. Newland? What are you talking about?” Iris asked.
“Zach was attacked in his home last night. He is in the hospital recovering from poisoning and a head wound.”
“Goodness, is he all right?”
“Dr. Blake is attending him. He expects him to recover.”
“My God…” Brighton said, raking his fingers through his silvery hair. “Is it possible that Bertram is innocent as he claims?”
“I’m afraid at this point anything is possible, my dear,” Iris said.
“Mother… F-Father…” The word stumbled off her tongue. “I need you both to know something.”
“What is it, Sophie?”
“I know that you refused Mr. Newland’s request to court me, and I know neither of you were happy with my choice to become…intimate with him.”
The earl grunted. Iris simply sighed.
“Mother, you wanted me to find love. I have found it. Zach is perfectly well-off and will be able to support me just fine. And he will let me continue to perform. We will run the theatre together. We’ve talked about it.”
Iris gasped. “This is never what I wanted for you, Sophie.”
“Did you want me to be a spinster forever? I have found a worthy man who loves me and whom I love.”
“But the working…”
“I enjoy the working. And…I’m good at it. I’m good at something!” Sophie smiled, lifting her skirts and twirling around. “I can bring joy to other people by singing. Is that not the greatest gift someone can have? To make others happy?”
Brighton grunted again. “If the girl insists on working, Iris, there is not much we can do. And she is talented. There’s no denying that.”
Iris smiled. “I want only what’s best for you, Sophie. I admit, I’ve never seen you happier since you’ve been with the theatre.”
Sophie smiled again, but worry for Zach stripped it from her quickly. “Thank you both.”
“But don’t you want children, Sophie?” Iris said.
“Of course I do. You know how much I love Maureen and little Sophie, and little Morgan and little Joy.”
“But if you’re working, how would you care for children?”
“There is no law that says I have to have children right away, is there?”
“Well, children have a way of coming into the world whether you are ready for them or not,” Iris said.
“Zach and I will figure it out together. I promise you. You will have more grandchildren.” Sophie fidgeted with her handkerchief. “Right now, Zach is the most important thing. Once he recovers, maybe he’ll remember some details about who attacked him.”
“Yes.” Brighton cleared his throat. “And for the time being, we need to alert the constables that you received another note and find out if there’s any way Bertram could’ve sent it from his cell.”
“I don’t see how that could be the case,” Iris said.
“You’d be surprised, my love,” the earl said. “Criminal minds have a way of getting things done.”
Sophie shivered. The man was behind bars, and still she and Zach were not safe from him.
A knock on the door startled all three of them.
“Yes,” the earl called.