“And I was enjoying myself too.”
Nicola gave her a cold stare, anxious to be away from her for a few hours. “Then you must stay, Silvana, I insist.” She turned to Nathaniel, lowering her voice. “Stay with your mother and enjoy the evening. I’ll have Timms drive me home and then he’ll return for you both.”
He walked out of the room with her to the waiting maid, who held her silk wrap. He placed the flimsy golden material around her shoulders. “Sweetheart, I want to come with you.”
“I’ll be fine, really. You stay with your mother. Fran will be home from her meeting by now. If not, I’ll go to bed and have Mrs Rawlings bring me up a cup of cocoa.” She kissed his cheek. “I’ll likely be asleep within minutes.”
“Are you sure?”
She cupped his cheek when he kissed her softly. “I’m perfectly sure.” As she turned away, she noticed Silvana standing in the doorway, a cold calculated look on her face. Nicola shivered as the butler opened the front door, but she knew it was in response to her mother-in-law and not the cool night air. How long could she hold up against the awful woman?
* * *
The little bell tinkled as Silvana entered the small dressmaker’s shop. She paused and looked around the dingy interior, which despite the owner’s best efforts still held the appearance of poor quality. However, for her assignment today it proved to be perfect.
“Ah, Mrs West, I take it?” A woman in her forties, her grey-streaked hair put up in a tight bun, stepped from behind the counter.
Silvana inclined her head and searched for any customers.
“There’s no one here but me, Madam.”
“Good.”
“Your man is waiting out in the lane behind the shop.” The dressmaker led Silvana through a curtained doorway and into a back room piled high with crates of material and articles of her trade. After opening a rear door, she stopped to allow Silvana to go outside.
On the step, Silvana hesitated. From her silk reticule, she pulled out a small purse of coins and placed them in the woman’s hand. “You never saw me.”
“Your man has already paid me, Madam.” The woman said, though she grabbed the purse.
“I am buying your silence some more.” Silvana stared intently into her eyes. “You may prove useful another time.”
“At your service, Madam.” The woman bowed and disappeared back inside, closing the door.
Taking a deep breath, Silvana turned and hurried up the narrow mean yard to the lane beyond. A man sat on a cart, for all the world looking like a tradesman making a delivery. Silvana waited for him to climb down and then she finally stared into Tristan Lombard’s face.
“Mrs West.” He tugged the brim of his hat and smirked as though this was a huge joke. “Like my attire?”
“Shut up, you fool. And don’t ever say my name again. You think this is a game?” She gripped her reticule in frustration.
Lombard reddened and straightened up. “Listen, Madam, I’m not some street urchin you can insult on a whim.”
“No, but you need me as much as I need you. So, let us begin.” She glanced around the lane nervously.
Lombard folded his arms, watching her intently. “Why are you doing this? I’m no admirer of your son’s wife, but your plan is—”
“My plan makes sense. I want Nat and Frances back in England with me. I need them there and the family will benefit from Nat’s money. This country,” she grimaced, “will never prosper. It will never rival England and so they are wasted here.”
“And so you think they will simply follow mother duck home?”
“Don’t be impertinent.” Silvana’s jaw cracked and she realised she’d been clenching her teeth. She forced herself to relax, to concentrate on the job at hand. “All that keeps my son here is his wife. With her gone, he will come home. I shall make sure of it.”
Lombard leaned against the cart, humour lurking in his eyes. “I’d like to see the mighty Nat West be brought under control by his mother. He’s too sure of himself by far.”
Silvana stiffened. “Are you willing to help me in this or not? Because if you think this is some joke—”
His expression changed, became serious. “You want me to get rid of Nicola West. That is far from being a joke.”
“Are you able to do such a thing without making a mistake?” She lowered her voice. “There are to be no traces left behind.”
“There won’t be.”
“It happened last time. Nat is after your