Alice shifted in her chair. “I think I understand what you mean. No one should try to be anything other than what they are. God created us all, and loves us all, no matter what.” She gave Heath an encouraging smile.
“I’m in love with Kane Badgely.” There, the words were out in the open. Now that he’d said them, it felt like a dam had burst. Heath rose to his feet restlessly. “We went to London, like I told you, but in the end, we had a fight. I said some things that were misconstrued and now I don’t know if I’ll ever see him again.” His chest heaved from the force of his words.
Jasper was the first to speak. “What was the fight about?”
“I wanted to find a way for us to be together. My idea was to have Kane be my estate manager. Then there would be no odd stares or whispers about two men spending so much time together. Besides, I’ve already told most of the people in the county that he is my manager, so I thought it was the perfect solution.”
“What did Kane say?” Alice asked.
“He got offended and pointed out the fact that I would be paying for him to stay with me, like a...” Heath couldn’t get the words out. The pain in his heart was almost unbearable. “I’ve made a blunder of the entire situation. I see now that it wasn’t the best option, but I didn’t see any other way for him to stay.”
“Does he want to stay?” Alice asked.
Heath leaned his head back on the sofa he had plopped into. “I don’t know. We never got that far in the discussion.”
“It would seem that would be the first logical question to ask when he returns.”
“What if he doesn’t come back?”
“I’m sure he will. If he has half the feelings you have for him, he’ll come back.”
The reassurance helped a little, but he appreciated it. Heath turned towards Alice. “You will still have me as your friend?”
She opened her mouth in surprise. “Of course we will. What sort of people do you think we are? We accept you for who you are, and I, for one, am happy for you.”
“So am I,” Jasper added. “And until Kane comes back, maybe we can try to figure out some other ways that might make it workable for you to live together.”
Heath smiled, relieved he had not lost his friends. “You two are the greatest allies I could have.”
His mood lightened knowing he could tell his friends anything. Alice wanted the full story about him and Kane, so Heath regaled her with details, but not all of them.
The evening ended happily. Alice hugged him as he was leaving and whispered in his ear, “Bring Kane over when this has all been straightened out.”
“I will.” He kissed her cheek. “Thank you.”
He went to bed feeling better than he had since he’d left London. The next day Heath busied himself, hoping to make the day go faster. He spent part of the morning at the brewery, then visited a few tenants. By the afternoon, Heath was down at the docks. A shipment from a vessel he’d invested in, from the Caribbean, had arrived, so the cargo had to be reviewed. It was nearly evening by the time he headed home. Still no word from Kane. Perhaps tomorrow.
As Heath walked back to fetch his horse, a dock worker caught his eye. It took him a second, then he remembered. It was the mystery man Miss Wilcott had been speaking with at the train station.
The man was loading goods onto a small boat. He must work at the docks. Why would prim and proper Miss Wilcott associate with a man like that? Heath was about to keep walking when he saw the fellow look both ways, as if making sure no one was watching, before he grabbed a large sack, boarded the boat, then went below deck.
Heath’s years of military training told him something wasn’t right. He lingered until the man reappeared and departed the boat, then walked towards town. A gut instinct told Heath to follow. As he causally strolled in the same direction as the mystery man, several workers shouted greetings which Heath returned. Probably for the best, it made his trek look natural. Besides, who would suspect a cripple of spying?
Once he reached the main thoroughfare, the man turned right. Where was he going? Heath slowed his pace when his target headed for The Painted Pony. So, he was going to the tavern. Nothing most of the other workingmen wouldn’t do. Or was it something more? Heath couldn’t shake the feeling there was more to it.
The church bell rang the hour. It was five o’clock. He was scheduled to meet Mr. Wilcott at his home regarding a business proposition. If he didn’t hurry, he’d be late. The mysterious fellow would have to wait until later. He would have to tell Harvey about him. Perhaps the detective’s contact at the dock could tell them who the chap was.
He arrived at the Wilcott’s home with a few minutes to spare.
“Good evening, Sir Heath. Mr. Wilcott is waiting for you.” The butler led him down the hall.
The meeting lasted nearly an hour before they finished.
“Would you care to stay for dinner, Sir Heath? It will be only myself and my wife. I’m afraid Josephine is out on errands getting ready for another trip to Paris.”
“Yes. She had mentioned to me in the past that she enjoys going to Paris.”
“My daughter has expensive taste, sir, which is why I hope she finds a husband who can support her lifestyle.”