He gave a mock bow. “My plan is to leave you to your ablutions while I search for the best place to hire the men we need. I’ll return later.”
She lowered her hands. “Very well. Take your time, please.”
Crooking his lips, he stepped into the hall and waited until he heard her lock the door. Then he headed downstairs. He considered the hotel bar but decided it was a little too tame for the kind of men he wanted to hire. After nodding to the clerk at the reception desk, Peyton strode into the street.
***
Judith sank into the steaming water and sighed. The soap’s rose-scented fragrance surrounded her. As annoying as she found her new husband, she was grateful he’d asked for a bath to be brought to their room. What a surprise he’d been so thoughtful. She could fall asleep here in the water.
Instead, she washed her hair and her body. Since she didn’t know how long Peyton would be gone, she didn’t stay in the bath as long as she would have liked. She selected one of the other dresses she’d included in the carpetbag. This one was green taffeta trimmed in black lace. She thought she’d packed carefully. No matter how much she shook it, the dress remained wrinkled.
The sight of her nightdress caused her to pause. She would like to don her night wear and crawl into bed. Her stomach reminded her she hadn’t had an evening meal and had only picked at her noontime food. Questions nagged her about arrangements for sharing the room.
What was wrong with her? She tucked the pouch containing the deed and will next to her abdomen and laced her corset. In front of the cheval mirror, she turned to be certain the papers hadn’t caused a bulge.
She carried a heavy burden of guilt. Her brother could be lying in pain and she was in a nice hotel room with a good bed. After sending up another prayer, she finished dressing and hurried next door.
After her rapping, Abigail opened the door but she wore her robe instead of a dress. “Come in if you wish.”
“I was checking to see if you’re all right and if I can help you. You haven’t dressed yet? Did you stay in the bath too long?”
Abigail issued a wistful sigh. “You tell your husband I loved that bath. I sat there until the water cooled. You two go have dinner. I’m going to bed and sleep until morning.”
Judith took Abigail’s hands. “We can bring you dinner or have the hotel dining room bring it to you.”
“That’d be real nice. I’m hungry but too tired to mess with dressing then going down and ordering.”
Judith spotted a bell hop near their rooms. She caught up with him before he reached the stairs. “My mother would like dinner in her room. Would you take care of that?”
“Yes, ma’am.” He went over to Abigail’s room and took her order. “I suspect your food will be ready in less than half an hour.”
Abigail looked the young man up and down. “You have a pass key?”
Alarm crossed his face. “Yes, ma’am, but I promise you I would never use it unless requested to do so.”
Apparently she was satisfied with his appearance and answer. “Our trip has left me very tired. I’m requesting you bring my dinner up here. Instead of knocking, please bring it in and set it by the bed, which is where I’ll be waiting.”
When he’d hurried away, Abigail shook her head. “I hope I can stay awake until he brings my supper.”
Judith stood in the doorway so she could see Abigail and the hallway. “I’ll stay here and talk to you. I’m sorry you’re so tired. You should wait here while we go to Los Perdidos.”
“You can get that notion out of your head right now. I got tired today but I’ll be fresh and ready to go tomorrow. That bath relaxed me so much I can hardly keep my eyes open and I’m grateful to feel clean after our travel. I look forward to stretching out on the bed all night.”
“Here comes Peyton. I wonder if he’s had success.”
Abigail made a shooing motion. “Go and talk to him. Be nice. You must be respectful while you are married to him.”
“You’d think you were his mama instead of mine. Go to bed and I’ll see you in the morning. If you need anything, bang on the wall between our rooms.” She closed the door and strode toward the man she was supposed to respect.
His eyes conveyed admiration. “My, Red, you look refreshed and lovely. Is Mama ready to go to dinner?”
“She’s having room service.”
“Wise choice.” He extended his arm for her. “She appeared exhausted but I remember the two of you had already had a train trip by the time I met you.” He guided her to the staircase.
“We’d hurried to get ready before that. She doesn’t let on but she worries a lot about my brother. Until my inheritance came through, we didn’t have the funds to do anything to solve the mystery of what had happened to him.”
“You and your brother sound close.”
“We are. The three of us are all that remains of the McAdams—or at least my branch of them. I guess there are a lot more in Scotland.” They descended and crossed the lobby toward the dining room.
“And spread across the U.S. but that doesn’t help you.”
He ceased speaking while they were seated and shown the menu. They ordered and the waiter hurried toward the kitchen.
“Mama asked me to thank you for her bath. She appreciated your thoughtfulness and so did I.”
“My
