Loving Madison

Thirty-Six

Cameron sat at his desk, drumming his fingers as he stared at the paperwork he was supposed to fill out and give to Captain Orwood in regards to the arrest of Gaynor Brailsford. He couldn't think of that, not when his mind continued to whirl around Madison's story...that preposterous story about Rosie.

He couldn't believe it. He wouldn't without physical proof! Rosie was not Lord Hanover's daughter.

Or was she?

Angrily, he pushed away from his desk and marched down the hall toward the records room. He'd put an end to this ridiculous idea Madison had of Rosie being the missing girl. There was no reason his parents would lie to him. He remembered his pregnant mother before she traveled to Scotland. He recalled the letters she sent him and Alice during those months after she'd had Rosie. Although he never actually saw his sister until their father brought her home when she was six, Cameron had no reason to doubt, either.

He searched the room full of boxes, trying to remember the exact year his father's life changed. Was it when Rosie was six? Or was it a few years afterward?

Impatient, Cameron carried four boxes back to his desk and dug through all the paperwork Scotland Yard had done during those years.

It upset him to think Madison could get inside his head the way she did and make him doubt his own family. And yet, so far she'd been right about Rosie and about Gaynor and Heath. She'd been right about Judge Gruber's grandson, too. What were the odds she was correct about this?

No! It was impossible! He wouldn't accept it—which was why he needed to find proof that she was wrong. That's the only way he could convince his breaking heart that his family—namely his father—was not a kidnapper.

He stumbled across a bundle of papers wrapped in string that had his father's handwriting all over it. Cameron pulled it out of the box and brought it into better lighting. He scanned the words, looking for the name Lord Hanover. Suddenly, the man's name popped out of the page.

Holding his breath, Cameron read on, anxious to find the girl's name. His eyes came to a jerking halt as he read Madeline Roseland Dixon.

His head throbbed with uncertainty, and he closed his eyes. Memories swam in his head of those few times right after Rosie had come to live with them when his father mistakenly called her Madeline...and then quickly corrected and said, Rosie. At the time, Cameron had thought his father was so involved in the case of the missing child that he couldn't remember his own daughter's name.

Cameron rubbed his forehead. He still didn't think his father was a kidnapper. How could he? His father had done his best in trying to raise three children without their mother. He tried to make a happy home...until he lost his mind.

Had his father truly kidnapped the girl and then gone crazy with guilt? But why when he had a daughter who was the same age...

Rosie was a sickly child...

We can't bring her home for fear she'll become more ill...

She's just too weak to travel...

Cameron swallowed, moistening his suddenly dry throat. Had his sister died along with their mother? Was that the reason their father went off the deep end and kidnapped a girl who was the same age?

Tears stung his eyes and he shook his head. What was he thinking? No! His father wouldn't have done that.

He did another search, this time looking for the year. Finally he saw it. 1800.

Releasing a relieved sigh, he leaned his elbows on the desk. Rosie was born in 1806. There's no way Rosie could be the missing child if that was the year Rosie came into the world. The Hanover's daughter would be in her twenty-third year by now—not sixteen.

Madison was wrong. However, why did she have these visions while inside his house? Had his father been part of the kidnapping?

Cameron released a frustrated groan and stuffed the rest of the papers back inside the box, leaving out his father's notes, wrapping them together and tying them with string. He couldn't think anymore tonight. His doubts were too strong.

Quickly, he carried the boxes back into the records room and then left.

With his heart dragging along his feet, he took his father's notes and placed them in his saddlebag. Madison probably wouldn't be there. The sun had gone to bed a few hours ago. Clouds must have taken over the night sky because there were no stars to light his way home. Even the moon was mostly covered. The wind had picked up speed since earlier this afternoon.

He hoped Madison had gone home. He wasn't in the mood to talk, only because he didn't know how to tell her that she was wrong. Would she hate him when he showed her the evidence? More than likely.

Although they've really only known each other a week, he did know what kind of woman Madison was. He knew how strongly her conviction was to her visions. Indeed, she would be devastated to learn she was wrong about this.

As he reached the estate, there were only a few lamps on inside the house; Alice's and Rosie's, and one downstairs. His gut twisted. Was their visitor in the sitting room waiting for him? He hoped not.

After he put his horse away, he quietly walked into the house. Everything was quiet. He peeked inside the room that held the lamp. Thankfully, nobody was there. He took the lamp and walked up the stairs toward his room. Passing Alice's room, he listened closely just in case Madison was in there visiting. Once again, silence greeted him.

Cameron made it to his room and closed the door behind him. His head pounded with each step. Tears stung his eyes, but he refused to shed them. Knowing what he needed to tell Madison left an empty hole in his heart. He could only pray that she would understand.

He must go with Madison tomorrow to visit Gretchen's Millinery Shop. He needed to know what happened, just as much as Madison did.

Tomorrow couldn't get here soon enough.