Rhys knew he should put his attention into the business while he was in town, but with Isaac placated with the promise of an invitation to dinner at some point, he wanted to indulge in some time spent with Belle. He was a little worried about her being alone again, though perhaps he'd been concerned for nothing. She was impossible to locate after he'd gotten dressed and it was only by finding two footmen and a maid and inquiring as to the whereabouts of his wife that he was able to locate her in the servant quarters with another woman. They were discussing something and seemed to be sorting through clothing when he knocked on the open door.
"Rhys!" Belle said cheerfully. "This is Gwen, the new maid."
The woman she'd introduced as Gwen dipped quickly into a curtsey.
"Nice to meet you," he said. "I've come to steal my wife, though, if she can be spared."
"Oh don't be dramatic," Belle scolded, coming to plant a kiss on his cheek. "We were just going through her things and making sure she hadn't forgotten to bring any necessities."
"Don't let me rush you," he said as he stepped back into the hallway. "Whenever you're ready I'll be in the study."
"I'm ready," Belle replied before turning to Gwen. "I'll be back later if you still need help."
"I'll be fine," Gwen said with a mysterious smile. "Don't worry so much."
Belle nodded and followed Rhys into the hall. He had the distinct feeling he'd missed something very important, but wasn't sure how to ask what it was.
"Is everything all right?" Belle asked, and he wasn't quite sure how to answer her question. There was nothing wrong with him, but he felt strange.
"Everything is fine," he said at last. "But I thought I might take the day off work to spend it with my wife if she has the time to spare."
Her face immediately split into a beautiful smile that lit up her eyes.
"I think that can be arranged," she said. "Did you have any particular plans?"
"Nothing specific," he replied. "What would you be doing without me here?"
"I usually take the dog for a walk in the park," she said after thinking for a few moments. "We could start there?"
"I can't think of anything I'd like better," he said. "Would you like to leave soon?"
"I just need to dress," Belle said. "I'll meet you in a quarter of an hour?"
He nodded and walked her to the floor with the family rooms before leaving to change into walking clothes himself. Within half an hour, they were well on their way to Hyde Park with the puppy firmly planted on Belle's lap. The two of them made a pretty picture like that. Belle was wearing a navy blue walking dress and for some reason Rose had a pale blue ribbon tied to her collar that Rhys was sure hadn't been there before, but which offset Belle's dress nicely. His wife must have caught him staring at it, because she smiled and straightened it.
"Grace made me promise to put them on her," she explained. "She prepared one in every color so that Rose could be well dressed while she was in the city."
"I'd say she succeeded," he replied, reaching over to pet the puppy. "Rose will be the fanciest dog in London."
Belle smiled happily at his compliment to her pet and tickled the dog behind the ear. They rode in a comfortable silence the rest of the way to the park.
It was a little later than Belle usually went out, but it was still well before the park would become overrun with other people. Being here with her husband felt different than being alone, and it was a welcome change to have her arm through his as they took in the fresh air and the scenery.
"You know," he said after a few minutes. "I've never been here."
"Really?" she asked incredulously. "But you lived in London!"
"I didn't have much time for leisure activity," he replied. "And what time I did have I spent with my son."
"I used to come here at least three times a week," she said. "But then, in a way this was my job I suppose."
"Oh?"
"I had to be seen," she explained. "It's silly, but my life revolved around maintaining a social standing."
"It's not silly," he said, though truthfully it did seem a little pointless. Suddenly, a thought occurred to him. "Do you miss it?"
He saw her look over at him and he looked back to her.
"I don't," she said. "I miss having something to do, but I don't miss this."
This was new information for him. She'd never mentioned being bored by her life, and he wasn't sure how he felt about it. He liked having her around, but then he had correspondence and business he could attend to. Belle didn't really have much besides her dog and whatever projects she could make for herself in their home.
They walked in silence for a little while longer until he felt her tense next to him. He glanced over, and she was staring straight ahead. He didn't see anything peculiar ahead of them, and there wasn't anything nearby he could see. There were a few people in the park now, though he didn't think it was enough of a crowd to really bother her.
"Are you all right?" he asked, tucking his hand over hers where it sat in the crook of his arm.
"I'm fine," she replied quickly. "Just tired. We should go home."
"Whatever you like," he said, turning with her to return to the carriage. "You're sure nothing's bothering you?"
"No," she said. "It's nothing. Let's just go, please?"
She most certainly was not all right, but he knew there was no way to press her for more information. She'd tell him when she was ready for him to know, and until then all he could do was keep an eye out for signs of her distress.
Once they reached the carriage, she let him press a kiss to her forehead before handing her into it and passing up the puppy into her waiting arms. She held the dog a little tighter on the way home than she had on the way to the park, and Rhys couldn't shake the feeling that something had spooked her. He tried to watch her without staring, but he suspected that she caught him a few times anyway.
It was all too soon that they arrived at the house. He was going to lose her to the rooms where she'd retreat to lick her wounds privately and try not to disturb him with whatever it was that had bothered her so.
Jefferson was pacing in the hall when they entered and Rhys had only a moment to wonder at his servant's agitation before the other man's eyes lit on them and he was halfway to bowling them over in his haste.
"Thank God you're back," the valet exlained. "There are detectives in the drawing room asking after the new maid."
Rhys felt his heart drop into his stomach and next to him Belle stiffened.
"Is she all right?" Belle said quickly. "Tell me you didn't send her in there with them."
"No we didn't," Jefferson said quickly. "I'd sent for her, but Lizzie and Rachel both seemed to know something and insisted we wait for you to return."
"Good," Belle sighed. "Very good. Which drawing room are they in?"
"The red one," Jefferson replied, glancing quickly over at Rhys. "Should I tell them you're home?"
"No," Belle replied. "I'll go in and see them now, thank you. I don't need to change clothes."
Rhys watched as his wife seemed to brace herself before taking a deep breath and transforming in front of him into a perfect image of her old self with a gracious smile on her face and a tilt to her chin that bordered on haughty - the look of a woman who was simply used to getting her own way with no question. It was fascinating to see as she swept through the hall to the drawing room. He was pulled helplessly behind her by the sheer force of her presence. She was putting on a performance and he couldn't stop himself from watching it.
"I'm so sorry to have kept you waiting," she said solicitously as soon as she entered the room. "It hasn't been too long, I hope?"
She set the puppy down at her feet and slipped her gloves off as the detectives stood and greeted her.
"Not long at all, mum," one of them said with a bow. "We're sorry to disturb you at home like this."
"It's quite all right," she replied, offering her hand for them to bow over. "But we haven't been introduced. I'm Lady Belle, and this is my husband, Rhys Gold."
Rhys never really seen anything quite like this, it was like he was watching another woman. She was friendly but imperious, and she hadn't used her title since they'd wed. He realized all at once what she was doing: she was attempting to intimidate the detectives. It was working well, though - the two other men were giving each other uneasy looks at this new piece of information.
"I'm Detective Humbert, madam," the younger of the two men said at last. "This is Detective Booth."
"How can we help you?" she said, sitting at last and letting the puppy up on her lap. Rhys joined her on the settee, a silent player in this pantomime.
"We just have some questions," Detective Booth said. "We had a report by a Mr. Arthur King that his wife, Gwen, had gone missing."
"How terrible!" she exclaimed, and if he hadn't known better Rhys would have believed she had no idea about any of this. But she knew - she had to have known. That was why she'd been behaving so strangely the moment she knew these men were here. She'd been expecting them, and he had no idea why.
"Forgive my interruption," Rhys said as evenly as he could. "But what does that have to do with us?"
"We had a report that she's been seen in the neighborhood," Detective Humbert said. "And that a woman matching her description has been in and out of your house."
"Well that's silly," Belle said easily. "The only women who have been in and out of the house are the servants."
"Are any of them new?" Booth said. "No one could fault you, madam, if you or your housekeeper were perhaps mislead?"
They were giving her an out, and Rhys turned to watch how she'd react. These officers clearly suspected something but they also didn't seem to have any particular desire to press the issue with a Viscount's daughter. For her part, Belle was completely at ease. He knew for a fact that she was trying to hide something but he still wanted to believe her.
"No," Belle replied. "They've all been with us since before we were married. Well, except for Rachel - she's the daughter of one of my father's tenants."
"Is that right?" Humbert said to Rhys.
"It's like my wife said," Rhys said. "As for the servants from this house...my son runs it most of the year so I can't attest to how long they've all been here. There aren't any new ones that I'm aware of, though."
"You wouldn't mind us seeing the maids, then?" Booth replied. "Just so we can tell Mr. King we've exhausted the lead, of course."
"Of course," Belle said. "We have nothing to hide."
She set her puppy down on the floor and went to ring for a maid, asking her to send the other girls into the room. Rhys wasn't sure what her plan was, but he knew she had to have made a plan for this or she wouldn't have been so calm. It had been a long time since Rhy had been in a position to need to lie to constables, and he hadn't missed it. The fact that his wife was doing so fluently was a strange flashback to a life he thought he'd left behind and it was making his skin itch to see.
The aids came in one by one with little fanfare, Lizzie and Rachel being quickly dismissed along with most of Neal's household staff. Gwen was in one of the last groups sent in, and as soon as she entered the room Rhys felt the energy change.
"What's your name, miss?" Humbert said to her.
"Sarah," Gwen replied quickly. "Sarah Collins."
"And you're from London?"
"No, sir," she said, keeping her head down and eyes averted. "I'm from Sheffield."
"And do you have any family in Sheffield?" Humbert continued.
"I'm an orphan, sir," she said evenly. "Though I'm given to understand I have some cousins in Leeds."
Rhys could tell they didn't believe her. There must have at least been a sufficient description of the missing wife to identify her if not a photo. He had an image flash in front of his eyes of his wife in stocks for stealing away a man's lawful wife.
"Mr. Gold," Booth said, turning to face Rhys. "You don't mind if we bring in the husband to identify her, do you?"
"You can't be serious," Belle interrupted before Rhys could even figure out how to string two words together. "You can't honestly think my maid is this missing Mrs. King."
"She fits the description, madam," Booth replied. "And if she's not his wife then we can easily put this behind us."
"Fine," she said, glancing towards Gwen. "Bring him in if you insist, but I can tell you that you've found the wrong woman."
The detectives looked at each other uneasily, clearly not willing to call her a liar but also not entirely believing what she said. For his part, Rhys was trying to watch both his wife and the maid to discern what they possibly could have prepared. Belle was a perfect image of a haughty society bride confident of her place and peeved at the intrusion, and Gwen was a portrait of calm serenity except for a tell-tale tightness in her hands as they dug into the folds of her skirt.
Detective Booth excused himself momentarily and the four of them sat in silence until he returned. A few minutes later, one of the footmen entered with a man who Rhys had never seen before. He was decently enough dressed - a shopkeeper, perhaps - but he had the red cheeks and bloodshot eyes of a man who drank too much and suddenly the entire situation came crashing into focus.
"Gwen," the man said, sounding almost relieved. "I was so worried about you!"
Gwen flinched and moved away as if on instinct as her husband approached her. The man looked as though he wanted to pursue her but thought the better of it once he realized where he was.
"You're mistaken," Gwen said quickly. "I don't know you. My name is Sarah."
"Why are you lying?" Mr. King asked. "Just come home, please. I miss you."
Everyone was silent for a moment as the drama played out in front of them before Belle finally broke the silence.
"This is ridiculous," Belle said in a huff. "You're mistaken, sir. This is my maid and she's been with me for years."
"Is this true?" Humbert said, turning to Gwen.
"Yes," she said. "I've never seen this man before in my life."
Rhys could hear the strain in the woman's voice and the detectives had to have heard it, too. She was scared.
"My wife is telling the truth," Rhys said at last. "We just brought this maid into town with us."
"This is my wife," Mr. King exclaimed loudly, turning between the assembled. "They're all liars!"
"Ask my father," Belle said before anyone else could speak. "We expect him in London soon, or you can visit him at his estate in Northampton. He'll tell you she's been with me for years."
She stood and fetched a piece of paper and a pencil off the desk and scrawled something on a paper before handing it to the detectives.
"Here's his address," she said. "My cousin and his wife will be at the house soon, too and you can ask either of them."
"Viscount Maurice French," Booth read off the paper, looking nervously at Humbert. "And you expect him soon?"
"Likely by week's end," she replied. "My cousin is only recently married and I'm sure my father will want to congratulate his heir."
"We'll be sure to call on them when they arrive," Humbert said at last. "In the meantime, she can't leave town."
"You can't be serious," Mr. King blurted out. "You're just going to leave her here? I'm telling you, that's my wife."
"And she has two witnesses saying she isn't," Booth replied. "We'll get to the bottom of this soon enough. We're sorry for bothering you, Mr. and Mrs. Gold."
Humbert also took his leave, and Arthur King reluctantly followed as the footman led them out. Rhys didn't relax until they were out of sight.
"They're make me go back," Gwen blurted out with tears in her voice. "I'm so sorry for bringing this onto you."
"No," Belle said, going to comfort the other woman. "My father will say whatever I ask him to and the detectives will never go against him. You'll probably need to stay inside for the rest of the trip, but as soon as this is all sorted I'll have someone take you to Northampton. It will be safe for you there."
"She's right," Rhys said to Gwen as calmly as he could manage. "If Lord Maurice speaks for you then nothing your husband says is going to make the police do anything. They'd have to arrest my wife for harboring you and they won't want to risk that."
"See?" Belle said. "Go upstairs and calm down. It will be all right, you'll see."
Gwen nodded and curtseyed before exiting the room and leaving Belle and Rhys alone again.
"Thank you for speaking for Gwen," Belle said. "I didn't think they'd find her here."
"Apparently not," he said a bit more harshly than he'd meant. "And you didn't leave me much choice, since it was lying for her or seeing you arrested."
"You're not angry, are you?" she said, turning quickly towards him. "I didn't mean any harm."
"Intent is meaningless," he snapped. "Do you have any idea what you've done here? You could have been arrested! You still could be, you know. And so could I."
Belle looked legitimately shocked at his outburst, but she narrowed her eyes and was quickly fighting back.
"So you expected me to hand her back to her husband?" she said, moving to the door to the parlor and shutting the door. "To let him have her back? You saw how she reacted when he came in and you want me to give her back to that?"
"That's not what I said!" he shot back, trying hard to hold his temper in check though she was pushing it. "But did it not occur to you that I might help you? Or that I might have a problem with detectives suddenly appearing in my house looking for the help? You could at least have warned me so I didn't do anything to compromise her safety!"
Belle seemed taken aback by his outburst. He'd never yelled at her and only rarely yelled in general. He could probably count on his fingers the number of times he'd yelled at Neal throughout the boy's childhood. What would he even have done with a poorly behaved child?
"The story wasn't mine to tell," she said after a little while, coming back and setting her hand on his chest affectionately. "I did mean to tell you, but the time was never right. I wanted to get her safe and settled before the household learned the truth."
"I'm not the household," he replied as his hand moved to rest over hers without any input from him. "I'm your husband. I have a right to know what goes on in my own house."
"You're right," she said softly, standing on tiptoes and kissing his cheek. "I'm sorry. I should have told you. Am I forgiven?"
He wasn't truly angry anymore. He had been, certainly, but the anger had left him now and he was just tired.
"Of course," he said. "On the condition you tell me next time we take in any fugitives."
Belle smiled at him sweetly and threw her arms around him tight.
"I promise," she said. "I really did plan on telling you soon. I didn't think they'd find her so fast, though."
"She needs to stay inside from now on," Rhys replied as seriously as he could manage. "He's going to be watching for her now that he knows where he is."
"I'd wanted to send her away," Belle admitted. "I wanted to get her out of the city."
"That's going to have to wait," he said. "But I agree, she needs to be out of the city soon. I just don't know how yet."
Belle huffed and nodded, pressing her cheek into his chest and clinging to him tighter. He wrapped his arms around her shoulders and held her tightly. He didn't want to admit how affected he'd been by the entire confrontation. It had drained him to once again be on tenterhooks trying not to say the wrong thing that would somehow make it worse.
"You weren't terribly angry, were you?" Belle asked. "I really didn't think you'd mind."
"No," he said. "I wasn't very angry."
He had been scared and angry she hadn't told him, but he never would have said she couldn't hire the girl, either.
"Good," she said with a smile, pulling away kissing his cheek again. "I'd hate to think I'd hurt things between us."
He smiled down at her and rubbed his hands up and down her arms slowly. How could she ever think he'd be angry with her? Of course he understood. Hadn't that same instinct to protect been his motivation for marrying her?
She was still looking at him with watery blue eyes and he indulged in bending down to capture her lips in a soft kiss. His wife sighed softly and he felt her fingers begin to work their way up to his collar and the hair at the back of his neck. Her freckles were fading, and he could see a light dusting of powder on her skin at this distance. He was a little surprised at how much he missed them.
"I need to write my father," Belle said after a while. "Or at least have a note left at the house to warn them."
"Good idea," he said, letting her step away from him. "Give it to Lizzie and send her to buy something. She can drop it off before she comes home."
Belle nodded, understanding his meaning perfectly. This all couldn't end soon enough. Once they had left the city they would likely be safe, but the trick was going to be lasting that long.