An Agent for Anna Read online

  “But we make things to order, ma’am,” the woman replied. “We always have.”

  “That’s so disappointing. Do you know of another shop that might be able to help me? I’d like to purchase three or four—I have no idea what I’ll able to purchase in London. I’m not sure how far away the estate will be from a dress shop of any reputation.”

  The woman’s eyes grew a little larger. “Three or four dresses? And . . . did you say that you’ll be living on an estate?”

  “That’s correct. I’m marrying Lord Westcott next month, and this is my trousseau.”

  “Oh.” The seamstress seemed flabbergasted. “I don’t know if this is acceptable, but I do have some gowns that I made for other orders. You could try those on and see if they suit, and I could make the dresses over again to replace them—I’m sure the ladies would understand the delay, knowing they were for a trousseau for a lady.”

  “Would you do that for me? I’d be so grateful,” Veronica said, all smiles.

  Anna watched the exchange with some amusement. Veronica Miller was certainly used to getting her way, and to doing whatever was necessary to bring it about. She glanced outside to see Liam sitting on a bench with his newspaper and wondered if he was getting tired of flipping the same pages over and over again. He’d deemed this shop safe for the two of them to enter alone, and she was glad that he was getting a break from the horrors of shopping if only for a few minutes.

  The seamstress disappeared into the back room, then returned with a few gowns draped over her arm. The first, a silk in peacock blue, caught Veronica’s eye immediately. “Oh, that’s lovely,” she said, taking it from the woman’s outstretched arms and holding it up to herself in front of the mirror.

  “It’s not quite finished,” the woman said. “It still needs some tailoring and to have the skirt hemmed.”

  “Oh, but this is perfect. Don’t you see?” Veronica gave her an earnest look. “If I take it now, before that work is done, I can hire a seamstress in England to tailor it to me. It’s almost as if fate stepped in and made this all possible!”

  Anna didn’t think fate cared about things like ball gowns, but she could be wrong.

  Of all the dresses that were brought out, Veronica only refused one, and Anna didn’t care for it either. It was pumpkin orange with gold lace, simply too dreadful for words.

  “You have no idea what a good thing you’ve done today,” Veronica said as she paid the seamstress. “My entire soul is happier knowing that I finally have enough gowns. I just hope that the ladies whose dresses I stole won’t be too upset.”

  “I don’t think they will be,” the woman replied. “There is one that was for a special event tomorrow, and that one I didn’t show you, but the others weren’t in a rush.”

  “Oh, good. Now, would you please have those gowns delivered to my hotel? I appreciate it so much.”

  Liam rose from his bench as Anna and Veronica emerged from the shop. “How did it go?”

  “Fabulously. I can’t believe what we were able to find.” Veronica threaded her arm through Anna’s. “Your wife is a wonderful shopping partner, too. She just lets me buy whatever I want and doesn’t try to talk me out of it!”

  “Would it do me any good to try?” Anna asked wryly.

  “None whatsoever.” Veronica laughed. “Let’s get some lunch, shall we? And then I need to buy a new trunk.”

  ***

  “I’m just not sure I could take another day like today,” Anna said. They’d all returned to their rooms to rest a bit before dinner, and she’d flung herself across the bed without caring about propriety. “Store after store . . . I understand that coming to New York is a treat and that one should get as much done as one can while one is here, but one should be kinder to the poor feet of their companion, should they not be?”

  Liam laughed, loosening his tie as he sat on the chair near the bed. “Agreed. I vote that we make her stay in her room until we sail. It’s much easier to keep an eye on her in here.”

  “It was fun to look around and imagine what I’d take home to my mother and sister.” Anna sat up and looked toward the window, surprised at the emotions she was suddenly feeling. “I keep wondering if I did the right thing by leaving the way I did. It wasn’t my intention to abandon them, but I don’t think my father would have hired help under any other circumstances.”

  “You did what was right for your family,” Liam said. “You couldn’t have kept it up much longer—your health and strength have to be considered too.”

  “Thank you for understanding. I’ve felt . . . well, like an ungrateful daughter. As the oldest, isn’t it my job to take care of the house when my parents are unable to? That’s what I’ve been taught my whole life.”

  “But a house that size, all by yourself? Plus seeing to your mother’s care? That’s not reasonable. Perhaps you and your sister together could do it, but not you alone.”

  “And you don’t think that makes me weak?” She voiced what had been eating at her for months.

  “Anna, you’re one of the strongest people I know.” Liam crossed the short distance and sat next to her on the bed. “I’ve never once thought of you as weak. You were given a ridiculous amount of work, and if you’re struggling with it, that’s not a failure on your part. It’s a failure to analyze the problem and realize that it can’t be handled by one person alone.”

  “Do you want to come back to my father’s office with me and explain that to him? He might take it better coming from another man.”

  “I’m not sure I’m welcome in your father’s office again—not after the way I just ran off with his daughter.” Liam chuckled. “But if we get home and we discover that he hasn’t changed his ways, I’ll march right down there and give him a piece of my mind.”

  Anna grinned as she imagined it. “I do hope it doesn’t come to that, but thank you for being willing.”

  “I’m willing to do whatever you need me to do.” His eyes grew serious, and she wondered what he was about to say. Her heartbeat sped up a little bit. Then he reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out a small parcel. “I hope you don’t mind, but I got you a gift.”

  “A gift? Really?” She took it from him, surprised. “Whatever for?”

  “I just wanted to thank you for everything. For coming, for working with me, for being you.”

  Her fingers trembled as she unwrapped the parcel. “These . . . these are the gloves I was looking at.”

  “I saw the expression on your face at the store, and I thought you should have them.”

  Anna touched them with the tip of her finger. So many emotions were coursing through her, she didn’t know how to identify and separate them. “I don’t know what to say. Thank you.” She looked up at him, a little ashamed at the tears on her cheeks.

  “Did . . . did I do something wrong? I didn’t mean to upset you.”

  “No, that’s not it.” She dabbed at her eyes with the edge of her sleeve, not sure where her handkerchief had gone. “I just can’t believe that you noticed. That’s the kindest thing anyone’s ever done for me.”

  “You deserve so much more than that, Anna. So much more.”

  She opened her mouth to reply, but was interrupted by a light knock on the door that connected to Veronica’s room. “Are you ready for dinner?” she called out.

  “Um, almost,” Anna replied. She didn’t want to go to dinner—she wanted to sit in this moment with Liam and try to figure out what was happening between them, why his eyes had turned from cloudy gray to summer dawn. But that would have to wait until later, possibly much later, and he had already stood and was putting his tie back on.

  She stepped behind the screen and put on her dinner dress, then carefully slid her hands into the gloves. They were perfect—soft, buttery fabric that fit her hands as though they had been custom designed for her. They fit her . . . like a glove, and she giggled.

  “Are you all right?” Liam asked from the other side of the room.

  “
I’m fine.” She came around the screen, fumbling with the button on the right wrist.

  “Here,” he said, reaching out for her arm, and he did the button himself. “There. All set for dinner.”

  She held out her hands and admired them. She had other pairs, of course, but none as nice as this, and she had a stab of guilt as she remembered their price. Liam didn’t make much money as an agent—of that she was sure. She hoped he wouldn’t suffer much because of this kind gift. It would certainly be one she’d remember forever.

  Chapter Eight

  “Thank you for humoring me on this one last walk around the city,” Veronica said, tucking her arm through Anna’s. “I just don’t know if Lord Westcott plans on traveling here at all in the future, and once I get on the ship tomorrow, I might never see it again.”

  “I’m sure this won’t be the last time, but it might be a very long while until you come back,” Anna replied. Liam walked along on her other side, and his arm brushed against hers every so often. It was comforting.

  “I do hope you’re right. But it’s not like he needs to come to the States for any reason—he can handle his business affairs largely through letter and telegram, and my father has said he’ll visit as often as he reasonably can. I’m just not sure how often is reasonable.”

  “Let’s walk through Central Park,” Liam suggested. “It was one of my favorite places to come when I lived here.”

  “Oh, that’s right,” Veronica said, turning to him. “You used to live here until recently. I should have thought to ask if you wanted to visit any friends while you’re here—that was careless of me.”

  “Not at all. I had planned to make a few stops on our way back through, but right now, the priority is making sure you’re set to sail.”

  Liam led the way, and soon they were walking through the most beautiful park Anna had ever seen. It was so green and lush, it looked as though an artist with a palette full of bright paint had run through and colored everything by hand. Almost without realizing it was happening, she and Liam were holding hands as they strolled, and she wondered if it was merely to promote the idea that they were married. To test the idea, she gave his hand a little squeeze, and he returned it. She smiled, looking away—he wouldn’t have done that if this were all pretend.

  Then she looked up and gasped. “Oh! What’s that up ahead?”

  “The Bethesda Fountain,” Liam replied. “Let’s go take a closer look.”

  The fountain was incredible, simply massive, towering over the courtyard. The angel on top had to be at least eight feet tall, and Anna found herself humbled by it. Such beauty and yet such power as the water coursed through it—it was mind-boggling to contemplate how it had been managed. Liam tugged on her hand and pulled her a little closer as they stood looking up at it, and in that moment, Anna couldn’t imagine herself being any happier than she was gazing up at the masterpiece and standing in the shelter of Liam’s arm.

  She turned and glanced up at him, and he looked down into her eyes. The spark that flew between them was so real, she almost expected to see it like a flash of lightning. He opened his mouth to say something, but then he dropped his arm and dashed around her, calling out, “Stop!”

  Anna was bewildered, trying to figure out what on earth was taking place. All she knew was that Liam had brought a man to the ground, Veronica was standing there with her hands clasped over her mouth, and Veronica’s reticule was dangling from the stranger’s hand.

  Liam hauled the man to his feet, keeping a tight grip on him. “Just what do you think you’re doing?” he growled in the man’s ear.

  “I was just looking for some easy money,” the man said, struggling against the restraint. “I didn’t hurt nobody.”

  “Have you ever seen this woman before?” Liam asked, turning him to face Veronica.

  “No, never.”

  “So why did you choose her bag?”

  “She was distracted. I thought it’d be easy.” The man was still wriggling, trying to get free.

  “Where do you live? Where are you from?”

  “Here. Right here in New York City.”

  Onlookers had gathered around, and a moment later, two uniformed officers pushed their way through and approached.

  “What’s the meaning of this?” the first one asked.

  “This man tried to steal my friend’s bag,” Liam replied. “I’m Agent Mason of the Pinkertons and have collared him for arrest. Would you like to see my badge?”

  “Yes, please,” the second man said as the first took custody of the thief.

  Anna stood next to Veronica and they linked arms as they waited for Liam to finish speaking with the police. “Have you ever seen that man before?” Anna asked.

  “No, never,” Veronica replied, her voice a little shaky.

  “Is it possible that he might be the same man who tried to abduct you in Colorado?”

  “I . . . I honestly don’t think so. They seem very different.”

  Anna decided to leave it at that for the time being. Veronica was obviously upset, and Anna wanted Liam there when she questioned Veronica anyway—he knew so much more than she did about investigating, and she was worried that she’d go about it the wrong way or forget all the most important questions.

  After what seemed like quite a long time, Liam was finished, and he took each woman by the elbow. “Straight back to the hotel with us,” he said, hurrying them along. “And we’re not leaving it again until it’s time to leave for the dock.”

  “But I wanted to visit that one last shop,” Veronica began, but he silenced her.

  “You, Miss Miller, are in my care, and we are staying in the hotel. When we reach our rooms, we have a lot to talk about.”

  “All right,” she replied meekly, and they returned the remaining distance in silence.

  ***

  The two women sat side by side on the edge of the bed in the double room. Liam paced in front of the window, trying to pull his thoughts together, but also his temper.

  “Miss Miller, why did you wander away from us?” he asked at length. “I thought we agreed that you would stay near us the entire journey to your fiancé’s estate.”

  “Yes, but I wanted to see what the fountain looked like from the other side,” she explained. “I thought it wouldn’t do any harm—I didn’t go very far. You could still see me, couldn’t you?”

  “That’s not the point. You violated the agreement we had, and the very moment you were outside our reach, you were attacked yet again. Can you please explain to me how that keeps happening? Is it extraordinarily bad luck?”

  “It must be! What other explanation could there be?”

  “I don’t know. That’s why I’m asking for your thoughts on the matter.” Liam stopped pacing, realizing that he was fueling his own frustration. Instead, he sat down and took a deep breath. “In order for us to protect you, we need to understand why you’re being targeted. Do you promise me that you’ve told us everything you know?”

  “Yes! Why would I keep anything from you?”

  “We’re all rattled, and that’s understandable,” Anna said, lifting up her hand as though asking permission to speak. “But we need to remain calm. Veronica says she doesn’t believe the man who robbed her is the same man who tried to kidnap her, so we’re dealing with two separate culprits. Is it possible that they’re working together, or were these truly isolated incidents?”

  “I was hoping it was the same man because that would mean the danger is over now that he’s in custody.” Liam shook his head. “If the two incidents are connected, and there are two culprits, we’re dealing with something larger than I thought at first. Miss Miller, does your father have any connections with organized crime?”

  She blinked, startled. “What? No! I can’t imagine that he would!”

  “It’s something we have to consider.”

  “But . . . it was just a simple theft. I wasn’t hurt, and you caught him immediately. I was never in danger.”

 
“And you weren’t in any danger the first time, either—you said your abductor wasn’t even very strong,” Anna pointed out. “Is it possible that they’re trying to frighten you?”

  “But . . .” Veronica stood up and walked over to the window, then turned and faced the room again. “I’m so confused. What should we do now?”

  “We should get on that boat and sail to England,” Liam said. “If these scare tactics are meant to keep you from leaving, you should do the very opposite of what they want.”

  “Up until now, she hasn’t actually been harmed,” Anna said. “What if they decide she’s not getting the message, and they do something more?”

  “We need to examine this from all angles.” Liam took off his necktie and tossed it on the small table in the corner. “First, it’s entirely possible that the kidnapping attempt and the theft attempt were isolated incidents carried out by two inept criminals in two separate cities. If that’s the case, why did they both target Veronica? Again, is this a case of bad luck?”

  “She dresses very nicely,” Anna pointed out. “They could be targeting her because it’s obvious she’s wealthy.”

  “Excellent point.” Liam turned to Veronica. “Do you have any clothes with you that are less fancy?”

  “I did bring a few simpler dresses, but most are nicer.”

  Liam nodded. “If your wealth is making you a target, you should wear those simple dresses for the rest of the journey. We don’t know if that’s the problem and we don’t know if that’s the solution, but it’s worth trying.”

  “I agree. They’re in my trunk at the shipyard, though—I don’t have them in my smaller bag here at the hotel.”

  “Then you should borrow one of mine,” Anna said.

  “Oh, thank you. Yes, that should work.”

  “All right, that’s a possible fix for one possible problem,” Liam said. “I also considered the idea that you’re being chased by a jilted lover, but you’ve said you don’t have any.”