Gabriel's Fate Page 20

  It didn’t take Sophie long to conduct her business with Mr. Huffy. As soon as she turned to come back to her aunt, Gabriel knew his supposition was correct. Nothing but Ivo Hardwick could put that determined—almost exultant—expression on her face.

  Damnation, he wished he knew what her story was. It had something to do with a little boy named Joshua who had died, but Gabriel didn’t know who Joshua had been. Sophie’s brother? A cousin? The child of a friend? Her own child?

  The last notion stopped his thought processes cold in their tracks.

  Good God, could Joshua have been Sophie Madrigal’s son?

  If he was, Gabriel guessed he’d have to find out on his own. He could tell from Sophie’s demeanor that, while she might have condescended to enjoy Gabriel’s company on the train, she was all business now.

  With a sigh, he decided not to allow her mood to affect his. He put on one of his best smiles. “I’m seeing you to your hotel, Sophie, and I don’t aim to allow you to argue with me about it.”

  For a second or two, he expected her to take him to task. A rebellious expression clouded her face, and she opened her mouth, Gabriel presumed to rake him over the coals. But she didn’t. Almost as soon as it had come, her mulish expression softened, and she smiled. Gabriel damned near fell over backwards.

  “Thank you, Gabriel. I must say, you have your uses.”

  “Sophie!” Juniper twitted and tutted and Sophie paid not the least bit of attention to her.

  After a moment of shock, Gabriel laughed. A man had to keep on his toes around Sophie Madrigal.

  The four of them checked into the Melrose Hotel, and then Sophie and Juniper went shopping.

  “For you know, Gabriel, there’s a big new department store in Los Angeles. It’s called the Broadway, and I’ve read about it in magazines and newspapers.”

  “A department store, eh?”

  “My, yes.” Juniper was as happy as the proverbial lark again. In Gabriel’s estimation, it was a good thing she didn’t possess the capacity to brood, or Sophie would drive her into a black depression in no time at all.

  “Sounds like fun to me.”

  The look Sophie gave him made him grin. “Don’t worry, Sophie. I won’t darken your shopping spree with my infamous presence.”

  “Good.”

  He tilted his head and peered at her, and she had the grace to blush. Maybe she wasn’t impervious, after all. Until he found Ivo Hardwick and placed him under arrest, he aimed to keep testing. “After all, I have some catching up to do.”

  “Catching up?” Juniper blinked inquisitively.

  “Yes, ma’am. Can’t let Sophie’s hired spy get to Hardwick before me.”

  Sophie gave him one of her blackest scowls.

  * * * *

  Sophie felt far from impervious when they left Gabriel at the Melrose Hotel. She felt, in fact, as if the protective walls she’d erected with such a monumental effort of will were crumbling around her ears. This couldn’t continue or she’d be lost. Again. She wasn’t sure she could survive another emotional blow. She was, after all, mere mortal flesh and blood. How many severe shocks could one person take and live? And Sophie knew better than most folks that love was but a transitory illusion. She had to keep reminding herself how much she had to lose, or she’d have fallen in love with Gabriel before now.

  Strong. She had to be strong. She had to withstand Gabriel’s lures and her own body’s subversion. It wasn’t fair.

  “Bother,” she muttered as she and Juniper descended the really quite grand staircase of the Melrose.

  “What’s the matter, dear?”

  For the tiniest space of time, Sophie contemplated telling her aunt exactly what the matter was. But Juniper didn’t deserve that. She also wouldn’t understand. Juniper would be ecstatic if Gabriel and Sophie got together. She said, “Nothing, Juniper. I thought I’d forgotten my—my parasol, but I have it right here.” She lifted the pretty paisley item in question and showed her aunt.

  “Yes. I see it, dear.” Juniper carried her own favorite parasol, a black-and-white striped number that went very prettily with Juniper’s lightweight summer gown of black gabardine. She looked quite fashionable. “I hope the clerk was correct and that we won’t have trouble finding a cab.”

  “I’m sure he was.”

  Sophie was right. Several cabs were lined up in front of the Melrose, and the handy liveried footman employed by the hotel hailed one for the Madrigal ladies in no time at all. Soon Sophie and Juniper were rolling toward the Broadway Department Store behind a high-stepping horse that looked much healthier than most of the cab horses Sophie had seen in other cities. Perhaps the dry air in Los Angeles had a wholesome effect on the people and animals that lived here.

  It was difficult for Sophie to contain her excitement. Before the week was out, she’d have accomplished her purpose in life by slaying Ivo Hardwick. Emerald Huffy had done a good job of tracking down Hardwick. All Sophie had to do now was wait until she had the time free to finish her job.

  And, she thought as her bright mood darkened, she also had to circumvent Gabriel’s interference. She’d not let him thwart her this time. She silently cursed herself for thinking about Gabriel again.

  She was more pleased than not about the jobs Dmitri had lined up for them in Los Angeles. They wouldn’t have to rent any more hotel parlors, because three of Los Angeles’s richest and silliest matrons had hired the Madrigals to conduct séances in their homes. Sophie preferred séances to the reading of palms and crystals on an appointment basis because séances didn’t take as much out of her.

  Her thoughts reverted of their own volition to Gabriel Caine, who was still determined to prevent her from exacting retribution for Joshua’s murder. She frowned as the cab headed down a street lined with palm trees. She knew they were palm trees, because she’d seen pictures of them.

  “My goodness, Sophie, will you look at those trees.”Juniper was obviously more impressed by the tropical palms than was Sophie, to whom they looked like rather large mops standing on end.

  “Mmmm.” Sophie didn’t have a thought to spare for anything but her quest.

  What could she do to muzzle Gabriel Caine? She already knew he wouldn’t be persuaded by reasoned, or even unreasoned, argument. She might be able to talk him around to her way of thinking, but not unless she told him the truth about Joshua. Since her heart felt as though she were stabbing it with poisoned darts every time she even thought of talking about her personal tragedy, she couldn’t do that.

  She’d be hanged before she’d accept sympathy from Gabriel Caine or any other man. While she knew, in her mind, that not all men were evil, her heart couldn’t rid itself of the feeling that men were the enemies of her entire life. It was ironic, she supposed, that had Joshua been allowed to grow up he would have been a man, but Sophie’s heart acquitted him of being one of those men—the kind who hurt people without giving them a thought.

  “Oh, Sophie, will you look at this building. Isn’t it something?”

  Shoving her problems aside for the moment, Sophie glanced at the building. It looked exactly like a building to her. Perhaps she lacked a proper appreciation of modern architecture. “I see, Juniper. Very impressive.”

  “I’m so looking forward to seeing what they have to offer. I’ve only seen one other department store.”

  “That one in New York City?”

  “Yes.”

  The cab pulled up in front of the huge building situated on the corner of 4th and Broadway, and the cabman got down to assist the ladies out of his cab. Sophie paid the man and gave him a good tip, for which she received an amiable thanks and a big grin. Wouldn’t it be nice if all of life’s problems could be settled with cash?

  “I’ve so wanted to see this part of the country.” Juniper’s voice fairly vibrated with excitement as the two ladies entered the portals of the Broadway.

  “I understand the weather is wonderful here,” murmured Sophie, striving to keep up her end of a conver
sation in which she had no interest.

  “Temperate,” Juniper said with a happy nod. “Wouldn’t it be fun to see a real orange grove?” Without waiting for her niece to reply, Juniper cried, “Oh, look at that, Sophie!”

  Sophie saw with dismay that Juniper was headed like a fly to honey toward the infants’ department. Following slowly, Sophie commanded herself to buck up. Joshua had outgrown baby things years before his death. This interest of Juniper’s was predicated upon Juniper’s sweet-natured fondness for babies of all sorts.

  As for Sophie, she hardened her heart, knowing that if she didn’t she’d fall apart, which would be not merely embarrassing, considering they were in a huge, fancy department store, but also weak. Sophie wouldn’t let herself show any sort of weakness.

  “Oh, Sophie, isn’t this darling?”

  Juniper held up a lacy white christening dress. It reminded Sophie of Joshua’s, and she swallowed hard and nodded, striving to smile at her aunt.

  Fortunately, Juniper’s attention span was a variable commodity and today, as Juniper contemplated the further amazements in store for herself and Sophie at the Broadway, she soon tired of the infants’ paraphernalia. Sophie breathed a sigh of relief when her aunt tripped on through the infants’ wear, from which Sophie averted her eyes, and ended up in a part of the store where it seemed as if thousands of ladies’ handbags were displayed.

  After much indecision, Juniper finally bought a pretty embroidered reticule. “For you know, Sophie, one can never have too many pretty purses. I can use this with the lavender satin. Won’t it look well?”

  “It will indeed, Aunt. You have wonderful taste.”

  “Tosh.” But she was pleased, and that pleased Sophie.

  Juniper and Sophie ate lunch in the elegant little dining room in the Broadway. Sophie was glad to sit and rest her feet. Juniper had been dragging her willy-nilly through the store, stopping here and there to investigate the laces, hats, shoes, and notions. The store was a paradise for shoppers, Sophie thought wryly. Unfortunately, that let her out, since she hadn’t been interested in shopping since Joshua’s death. She’d been used to shopping for him, and she’d taken immense pride in his dress and deportment. These days, there didn’t seem to be any reason to shop. She didn’t care about buying things for herself.

  “I don’t know about you, Sophie, but I am going to indulge myself and have a dish of ice cream for dessert.” Juniper nodded, as if she’d just made an earth-shaking decision about a matter of life-and-death significance.

  Tickled by Juniper’s strong stand on the subject of ice cream, Sophie laughed and said, “I do believe I’ll join you, then. After all, how many times does one get to eat ice cream?”

  Obviously pleased that Sophie aimed to have a treat, too, Juniper beamed at her. After their waitress, clad in a prim black dress and white apron, had brought the ice cream, Juniper said, “I want to look at the foundation garments next, Sophie. I need a new corset cover. Of course, I should make one for myself and not waste money on buying one, but I think it would be exciting to purchase one here, in this wonderful store.”

  Sophie wished her life were so simple that she could achieve excitement by buying underwear. She wouldn’t say so to Juniper for worlds. “Don’t be silly, Juniper. You work hard for the money you earn. You should be able to purchase a corset cover without feeling guilty about it.” Hoping to make Juniper feel less extravagant, she added, “Maybe I’ll look around, too. I could use a new chemise.”

  “And hosiery, too.” Juniper’s eyes were bright with anticipation. “I’m sure we can both use some hosiery.”

  “I’m sure you’re right.”

  So after they’d polished off their ice cream, the two ladies made their way to the department featuring foundation garments and sleep wear. Sophie’s attention snagged on a lovely chemise. The fabric was soft and silky, and the neckline was scandalously low. The borders were trimmed with pink ribbons and lots of lace. With a sly smile, she wondered what Gabriel Caine would make of such a pretty undergarment. Short work, unless she was entirely wrong about him.

  “Oh, my!” A thought struck Sophie so suddenly and so hard that she spoke the words aloud.

  Juniper, mistaking her exclamation as one regarding the pretty chemise, hurried over to see what Sophie held. “What a nice chemise! It’s just beautiful, Sophie, but . . . well, do you think it’s quite appropriate for an unmarried lady?”

  With a genuine smile for her darling innocent of an aunt, Sophie said, “Probably not. I think I’ll continue looking, though. I’m in the mood for something frivolous.”

  She only hoped the Broadway, a respectable department store, carried the type of undergarment she sought. Maybe something bright red. No. Red was too obvious.

  “That’s nice, dear. It’s about time you pampered yourself a little bit. After all, you can’t stay unhappy forever.” Realizing what she’d said, Juniper put a hand to her lips as if to stuff the words back in and cried, “Oh!”

  But Juniper didn’t have the power to poison Sophie’s mood today. She’d just been attacked by a perfectly marvelous scheme for neutralizing Gabriel Caine. She ignored Juniper’s reference to her grief over Joshua. “Have you noticed any black chemises, Juniper?”

  “Black?” Juniper eyed her doubtfully from across a table stacked with pantaloons of various sizes and degrees of ornamentation. “I don’t know. Let me see . . .” She commenced poking through racks of clothing. “Are you sure you want black, dear? It’s an awfully somber color.”

  “I don’t necessarily need black,” Sophie answered.”Perhaps pink or green would do.” As long as it was outrageously revealing. She picked up a pink satin corset cover, bedecked with satin ribbons. “This isn’t quite what I’m looking for, but if you see anything like it in my size, let me know, please.”

  Juniper’s eyes bulged in shock. “Good heavens, Sophie, do you mean it?”

  “Of course, I mean it. Well, not this exactly. I’m too large for anything this frilly. I’d look like a packaged pig.”

  Juniper giggled. “Don’t be silly, Sophie. You’re a beautiful young lady. As your dear papa used to say, if a lady is largish, there’s more of her to love.”

  Good old papa, the barefaced liar. Sophie had loved him, though, for trying to make her feel better about her size.

  “Um, perhaps green would be better than pink,” Juniper suggested timidly.

  “You’re undoubtedly right.” Sophie had always acknowledged Juniper’s flair with clothing and accessories.”But I want something kind of—well—fancy. Fancier than the things I usually wear.”

  “I see.” Juniper was watching her as if she expected Sophie to begin raving any minute.

  Sophie understood why Juniper was worried about her. She’d never once expressed the least desire to clothe herself in a fashionable manner. In fact, she generally let Juniper pick out her underthings and gowns because Juniper enjoyed doing it, and she did a good job. Today, Sophie aimed to choose for herself, sensing that Juniper was singularly ill equipped to select under clothing with an eye to seduction. She lifted her chin and lied like a true Madrigal. “I feel like finding something deliciously feminine.”

  “All right, dear, if you think so.”

  It took almost an hour for Sophie to select the proper garments—but they were perfect. Not only did she purchase a chemise, fashioned out of dark green satin and trimmed with black ribbons, but she also bought a dark green French sateen corset that barely covered her breasts as it lifted them, so that she appeared to be even more well-endowed than she was. The corset, too, was trimmed with lace and black ribbons. She inspected herself in the dressing-room mirror and very nearly laughed out loud. In this get-up, she looked as much like a saloon whore as she was ever likely to look.

  “Perfect,” she murmured, satisfied. “Absolutely perfect.”

  Juniper wasn’t as happy about Sophie’s purchases as Sophie was. Since Sophie knew her aunt would disapprove entirely if she knew what had motiv
ated Sophie to make the purchases, she didn’t enlighten her. She was humming happily, however, when the ladies stopped in the hosiery department, where they each bought new stockings. Juniper’s were serviceable but comfy lisle. Sophie’s were silk.

  “Are you sure you want silk?” Juniper ventured to ask.

  “I think so.” She knew so.

  “Oh. They’re rather dear, don’t you think?”

  Since Sophie felt guilty about what she aimed to do—after all, it was unkind to Gabriel and certainly outrageous—and, since Juniper seldom ever questioned her, Sophie didn’t snap back at her aunt. She said mildly, “I think they’ll make me feel feminine, Juniper.”

  Juniper gazed solemnly at the soft silk hosiery in Sophie’s hands. “I’m sure they will. How could they fail to do so?”

  “Exactly,” said Sophie with a smile. She folded the hosiery and thought for a minute. Garters. She needed seductive garters. She turned to find them, and started when Juniper cried out suddenly.

  “Oh!” She grabbed Sophie’s arm and an expression of elation settled on her face. “Oh, Sophie, don’t tell me you’re dressing up for Mr. Caine!”

  She certainly was dressing up for Mr. Caine. She said, “Perish the thought.”

  “Oh.” Juniper’s smile faded and her voice sounded sad. “I was rather hoping you were. He’s such a wonderful man.”

  Sophie rolled her eyes. “We’ll just have to disagree on that point, I fear.”

  “But he is, dear. The cards say so. I’m sure the two of you would be perfect together.”

  “Good heavens, you almost frighten me, Aunt Juniper.” Ah, there they were. She hurried over to another table with a molded ceramic leg sporting a garter and hose atop it. Dark green. She wanted dark green. Or perhaps black. Pink was too babyish, and Sophie wasn’t interested in looking like a child. She aimed to look like a wanton temptress.