Ada & The Queen (The Woodhouse Series #3)

Chapter 25

CHAPTER 25

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*Woodhouse Residence, Belgravia/Covent Garden Market, Covent Garden/Hatton Residence, Mayfair*

"I know what this is about..." I said, noticing Florence was also in the room, standing in the corner and ready to pounce if things got too heated and Emerson too had emerged from the shadows.

I was being ambushed by my brothers.

"Oh good, she has foresight!" Theodore's sarcasm irked me but I would not let him get to me. "Was it temporarily unavailable when you made the decision to go to Bethlem?" I cowered. "Did you seriously think that we would not find out, Ada Carne?"

"I knew you would find out because nothing gets past you..." I grumbled.

"Adelaide!" Emerson said sternly and I pouted.

"You are overreacting!" I cried as Adler shook his head.

"No, no...this is me under reacting..." Adler remained calm throughout all of this. "I just want to know why did you go and what did you intend to do with this information when you got it?"

"I had to see him!" I remained calm. "I wanted to see for myself if this man was insane. Did he know what he was doing, because he was apologising when I stopped him at St. James's Park. Why would he do that? He did not seem fully there, but in Bethlem, he seemed like a normal person. He could not understand how he ended up there!" Adler and Theodore listened. "He told me about his life. Do you know he trained in hospitality and hosting at the White House under President Arthut. He was born in Boston in the State of Massachuessts, saying it was the most beautiful place in the world, but I would argue Cornwall is a lot better..." I was going off topic but I had to sell my theory the best I can to these two stoic men. "He told me had a drink with someone and he remembered nothing after that, other than the someone told him to get the Queen..." My voice trailed off. "He must've been poisoned...just like Althea, Hetti and Ephraim!"

The men looked at each other. "Sounds like a madman to me."

I frowned. "What? No! He is not!"

"Are you a psychiatrist?" Theodore asked and I scowled.

"This explains so much about you nosing around my files that day..." Emerson said and I shook my head.

"I do not need to be a psychiatrist to know the difference! He is being set up! There are poisonings happening all over London and there are links to the Royal Court!"

"Which is why you need to not get involved..." Adler replied quickly and I looked at him. "You are a civilian, Adelaide. You are not one of us. We have immunity to investigate these things. You do not."

I crossed my arms. "You keep telling me to do this and when I do, you are always angry at me!"

"There is a way to do this and your way is not the answer..." Theodore explained. "Must I remind you what happened in Nottingham? In Paris? Both times you almost died because you did not stay away."

"Louis would've died in Nottingham if I had not got there. And all those girls of Plumette would have been killed too, as well as Anne!" I cried as my brothers shook their heads. "And before you even start, I did tell you. You told me to stay out of things that did not concern me. Just like you are doing now!"

The men looked at each other and Emerson spoke. "Stay away...Adelaide. This is not a game. If the Royal Court is involved, you do not want to make an enemy out of this person. You will go missing within a heartbeat and if you think any of us will investigate or even bring what may happen to you to justice, you are very mistaken."