Ada & The French (The Woodhouse Series #2)

Chapter 22

CHAPTER 22

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*Versailles*

Florence Moore had done many things in her life where people looked at her as if she was insane.

But...following a strange man home was probably the most insane.

Was he a stranger?

He did say his name was Theodore Woodhouse and that was who she was looking for.

Things in Versailles had taken a strange turn. After she, Ambrose, Rupert and Charles split up, she took a different approach.

There could only be so many bars that they could check.

Instead, she walked the town and asked the people if they had seen or heard from him.

Rumours become gossip become truth soon enough - from allegedly hearing of Theodore's whereabouts to actually seeing and meeting him.

But the description they consistently gave did not match the Theodore she knew.

However, a fruit seller told a very interesting story.

He had seen Theodore Woodhouse - an Englishman if he had ever seen one, but a young woman claimed he was her brother and had an illness of the brain.

"What did this man look like?" Florence had asked and he described Theodore in every way. "Where did they go?"

"Some men took him back to his house. Can't tell you where it is though..."

Florence had thanked him - she had a lead.

But she still needed more information.

She continued to ask people, pretending to be a woman who needed his help and heard he was in town and they all told her they had seen him, including a few other men and women who said they had witnessed the incident in the bar.

Theodore was here somewhere - and she had to find him.

Meeting someone in the Orangerie was not planned, but still, the man seemed to be very full of himself. This stranger was charming but braggadocio. He spoke fluent French and English with perfect received pronunciation.

He also then said he was Theodore Woodhouse.

Florence knew this wasn't true and he didn't know that. But if he was pretending to be someone he was not, he knew where the real person was.

Yet following him home, without telling the others where she was, was very dangerous.

But she was ready for anything.

The entire walk to his residence was filled with small talk, Florence acting as flirtatious as possible so let his guard down.

This man had the answers she needed.

They arrived at a tall building and he unlocked the front door. As they entered, Florence surveyed the area so she had an idea of where they were.

She had to be aware of her surroundings at all times.

As they headed up, they arrived at double doors which opened.

"Welcome to my humble abode..." The man spread out his arms, presenting his home.

It was quite nice - a burning fireplace, large windows and beautifully furnished and this was only the living space.

"You bought this place?" Florence asked, admiring the flowers in a vase on the coffee table.