Page 15 of Pining for Lord Lockhart
“We can talk to the others about that. With all of us thinking together, surely we will find a way.”
She seemed so sure of herself. She seemed to know it was going to work out before they’d even planned a single particular. Charity Standish was a singular woman. “You. Are one of the smartest people of my acquaintance.” He grinned, suddenly so proud of her he wished to tell others.
But instead of glowing under what he assumed would be her hope of highest praise, a flicker of uncertainty crossed her face. But then she smiled. “Thank you.” She peered out the window. “We’re getting closer.”
The roads became more crowded. Carts with people selling any manner of things, the smell of rotted vegetables, the noise of shouting and loud laughter all alerted them to a different lifestyle than they were accustomed.
As Charity watched for a moment, she shook her head. “I’m no different from any of them.”
“What? Of course you are.”
“But in what manner? Right now I have everything, but in the past, I have had nothing—no income, no hopes for more, nothing.”
“But your connections, your… education, deportment, language. Yes, I see. That is what set you apart from them.”
She nodded and looked back out the window. “How will we ever find her?”
“Are you looking for that one particular girl?”
“Yes. I just want to reward her plumb. And her courage. I want her to know she’s not alone.”
“We’re approaching the alleyway where we were last night.”
She poked her head out and when eyes started looking their way, focusing in on her, he wished she wouldn’t, but he didn’t say anything.
He was happy to support her and wanted this to be just as she’d hoped. They could discuss future safety particulars on the way back to the duchess’ home.
Chapter 4
Charity could not believe her luck. She had marched out of the house with her gifts and no idea how to accomplish her goal. But she’d wanted to help that girl, to give her some hope. And of course, food. Perhaps a hired hack could have taken her. Perhaps she would have had to go begging in the duchess’ stables for a ride. She really hadn’t thought it through, but it was early enough in the morning, she had given herself many hours to figure it out.
And Lord Lockhart had been on her doorstep, with a carriage.
A figure darted in between and around the people and carts pushing forward on the street sharing space with their carriage.
“There.” She looked closer.
Lord Lockhart leaned closer, his face beside hers now, peering outside. She breathed in the smell of him. Mahogany and leather, comforting her and strengthening her. They’d done a lot together. They could figure this out. She squinted. “There again.”
The girl looked to be playing in the street. She darted here and there, bumping some and nearly toppling over others.
“I think she might be stealing.” He frowned.
“No. Is she?”
They watched her for a time, and after a while saw patterns. If she wasn’t stealing, she was certainly doing something, and with a purpose.
Charity was disappointed. She’d hoped the girl was without fault, abused by her environment and simply two steps from starvation.
“The man is making her.”
She followed Lord Lockhart’s gaze to the same man who had put her up on his shoulder last night. He stood in a corner and accepted something from her now and again.
“The most devilish practice.” She was sick inside, for the young girl, for the world she lived in, for all of it.
“How are we going to get her our gifts?” Charity didn’t want her to have to give up the food to anyone else.
“Do you still wish to give them to her?”
