Page 21 of The Queen of Roses

“That is precisely what I expect you to do,” said Mama.

Adele gasped. “But Mama—”

“Jeanette, do not be too harsh on the girl,” said Papa.

“Too harsh? You accuse me of being too harsh?” Mama’s voice raised an octave. “It is high time that she learns the truth.”

Panic gripped Adele’s chest. “The truth?”

“Tell her, Benjamin,” Mama ordered. “Tell our only daughter why I am now forced to condescend to considering the likes of Mr. Whitley as a potential son-in-law.”

Papa cast his gaze down to the carpet in front of him as he whispered, “I am having a little difficulty with money at the moment, my dear.”

“Difficulty?” Adele looked between her parents. “What does that mean?”

“It means that your father thought it would be wise to take all of the money he’s always had in the funds—safe and secure funds—and speculate with it,” said Mama, her arms crossed over her chest.

Adele’s stomach dropped as she turned to her father for an explanation.

“A man from my club approached me with an opportunity to invest in a new shipping line to South America,” said Papa, sounding rather pathetic.

“Except there never was going to be a shipping line, was there? Any fool could have seen that if they had taken one look at the company’s paperwork,” said Mama.

“We were members of the same club—”

“And if you walk into your club now, would you find this mysterious man? No. He’s absconded with all your money,” said Mama.

“Other members invested, too,” Papa protested.

“How many of them other than you put everything they had into the scheme? How many of them were forced to give up everything they’ve ever known to move to a strange place where everyone is boorish and vulgar? How many?” Mama hissed.

“If Papa lost everything, what are we living on?” asked Adele.

“I sold the house on Argyll Road,” Papa admitted.

The house that she had grown up in was gone?

“But you told me you’d rented it because you didn’t wish to leave it empty while you were abroad,” she said.

“It was sold this summer. We are now living off the proceeds of that sale and a modest allowance your mother inherited from her aunt,” said Papa.

The deep tiredness that had hung about her father since she had arrived wasn’t just because of his illness. It was because of his failure.

“But what will we do when the money runs out?” she whispered.

“Do you know, I am not feeling at all well,” Papa announced. “I think I’ll go lie down.”

Adele watched her father shuffle back into his bedroom and shut the door behind him, leaving her alone with her glowering mother.

“I didn’t know,” she murmured.

“Your father insisted that we keep the news from you. He had hoped to recover at least a portion of the money, but it appears that the rogue who stole from him is long gone,” said Mama. “Foolish man.”

“Then Pasadena—”

“Is not a choice but a necessity. We can live more inexpensively here than in London, although soon we will be forced to move from this hotel,” said Mama.

“Where will we go?” she asked.