Page 95 of An Unwilling Earl
Suzette’s eyes widened. “My, aren’t we full of surprises. You up and married the solicitor.”
“He’s actually an earl.”
Suzette barked out a laugh. “Well, that’s rich, in all ways. From the rookery to royalty.”
“A countess is not royalty.”
“Close as.” Suzette sounded bitter as she stared down at the balled-up handkerchief in her hands. “Wish I had me a rich gent who’d sweep me out of the rookery and give me a title.”
Charlotte was feeling a bit uneasy. This was a different Suzette. Not the laughing, feisty woman she’d met in the rookery. She was relieved when Mrs. Smith and Jacob entered with tea and biscuits.
“This will warm you up,” Charlotte said a bit too brightly as she poured Suzette tea and handed her a plate with biscuits. She remembered the first time she had come here and had eyed the plate of sandwiches, thinking it seemed like so much food, and how hungry she had been and how much she’d wanted to shove every one of those sandwiches in her mouth but had somehow refrained.
Suzette was eyeing those biscuits the same way.
“Mrs. Smith,” Charlotte said. “Do we have any of that cherry pie left over from last night?”
Mrs. Smith eyed Suzette warily. “Some.”
“Can you pack some up for Miss Suzette? Along with any other food we can spare?”
Mrs. Smith hesitated, then nodded and left to gather the food.
“Miss Suzette.” Suzette snorted.
Jacob pulled a chair up and sat down. “What can we do for you, Suzette?”
She eyed Jacob with her one good eye. “I got myself in a bit of a bind.”
“What kind of a bind?”
“Just a spot of gambling. I owe a few people.”
Charlotte’s heart sank. She’d given Suzette almost all of the money she had so that Suzette could remain in their lodgings, but it seemed Suzette had gambled it all away.
“How much do you owe?” Jacob asked.
Suzette whispered an amount that made Charlotte gasp. “How in the world did you lose that much money? How did you have that much money to lose?”
Suzette looked offended. “They spotted me the coin, and they were fleecing me. Cheaters, the lot of them. I was playing fair and square, but they wasn’t.”
“I’ll give you the money,” Jacob said.
Charlotte looked at him in surprise.
Suzette’s eyes lit up. “Oh, I knew you would help. I just knew you had a good heart and wouldn’t want to see Charlotte’s friend suffer. Thank you.”
Jacob held up his hand. “There are restrictions.”
Suzette sniffed and looked at Jacob warily, as did Charlotte. This was a side of Jacob that she had never seen before. A hard side.
“If I give you this money, I don’t want you to darken this doorstep again.”
Suzette’s gaze swept over Charlotte then shifted away as a guilty look crossed her face. Charlotte felt used, and it saddened her. She’d considered Suzette a friend, and Lord knew that Suzette had helped Charlotte out of a difficult situation when she’d first entered the rookery. It was Suzette who had taught her how to survive. But the rookery was all about survival, using what resources you had and doing whatever it took to make it to the next day.
Suzette knew that she could count on Charlotte, but Jacob was right, they had to draw a line, especially now that Suzette knew that Jacob was an earl and she his countess. If they didn’t put an end to this, Suzette would be on their doorstep asking for money every week.
“I thank ye,” she said quietly, but Charlotte could see the seething anger in her eyes.
