Page 50 of His Scandalous Lessons
“The law might have some disagreement there,” Thorne said, his eyes flashing.
“You—”
“Someone tell me what the bloody hell is going on,” Richard interrupted.
Thorne and Alexandra merely glared at each other, both refusing to answer. Before Richard could get a word out of them, Jeffries scratched on the door. The little girl was behind him. “Sir? The child is fed. She’s…she’s insisting to see that one.” He gestured to Thorne.
Thorne made some small noise and held his hand out to the girl. “Come ‘ere, little one.” The girl tentatively placed her hand in his. “That’s right. You know a man from th’ rookeries when you see ‘im, aye? You've heard the name Thorne. You know I’ll protect you.”
“Nick,” Alexandra whispered, kneeling so she was eye level with the child. “My god, the poor thing is frightened and ill. She’s not yours, is she?”
Thorne shook his head. “Found ‘er at Kendal’s.”
Alexandra’s brows rose in alarm. “Kendal? As in theduke of?” She looked from Thorne to Richard. “You both have a great deal of explaining to do.”
“You first,” Richard muttered.
Alexandra scowled at him, then returned her attention to the child. “Sweet child,” she murmured. “Would you like to stay here and rest?”
“She’s from the East End, Alex,” Thorne said shortly. “Means she’s mine to protect.” He looked over at Richard. “I’m takin’ her. If you don’t do anything about that fucking toff, his life is mine, along with that name you promised.”
“No.” Alexandra reached out to grasp Thorne’s arm, and Thorne tensed. “You’re not taking her to that gambling den of yours. She’s just a child.”
“Better there than ‘ere. She’ll be with ‘er own.” He stared at Alexandra. “We’ll both be.”
Alexandra let out a breath and released him. “Very well. Take care of her, won’t you?”
“You wanna come check on her,” Thorne said gruffly, “then you’ll have to see my face some other time, won’t you?” Alexandra looked away as Thorne lifted the girl into his arms and, with a brief nod to Richard, allowed Jeffries to escort him out of the house.
The room was quiet after that. Alexandra wouldn’t look at Richard.
“Explain,” Richard said.
“How about you explain how you came to find that child at Kendal’s residence, and why she looked as if she were in the middle of a waking nightmare?”
“Alexandra.” Richard’s patience was hanging on by a thread, after tonight. And that thread was bloody well fraying. “You do not get to avoid the question. Tell me how you seem to be on such intimate terms with Thorne, the lord of the goddamn criminal underworld.”
Alexandra grimaced. “Fine. I only ever knew him as Nicholas Spencer.”
Richard’s eyebrows went up. “Nicholas Spencer? The man who writes essays about the underclasses and tears your work apart, that Nicholas Spencer?”
“The very one.” She glared at the door Thorne had just left through. “His real name, I came to discover later, was Nick Thorne. And he’s a liar, thief, criminal, and confidence artist. But by then, it was too late.”
Richard’s gut clenched. “Too late for what?”
Her eyes met his. “I married him. We’ve been married for four years, since I was seventeen.”
Richard squeezed air out of his lungs and ran his hands through his hair. “Holy hell. Holyfuckinghell. How was it possible I didn’t know about this?”
“No one knew except the old earl.” Alexandra looked helpless. “He orchestrated the whole thing.”
“Father. Orchestrated your marriage. To Nicholas Thorne.”
His sister sighed. “It’s complicated. I’m illegitimate, Richard. He wasn’t my father.”
Good god, he needed to sit down. He needed a drink. He needed a whole damn bottle. He—
“Sir?” Jeffries was at the door again. “You’ve another visitor. He says it’s urgent. His name is Samuel.”
