Page 57 of A Most Unlikely Lady
She narrowed her gaze. ‘And the note from Thurston’s pocket.’ Realisation dawned, and with it a growing sense of horror. ‘Good God. It can’t be.’
‘I fear it is.’ Edward’s tone was grim.
She pointed to the first column. ‘FH.’ Then the next. ‘LOA. AO. RS. ASO. Edward, those are the initials of orphanages throughout London. The Foundling Hospital in Bethnal Green. London Orphan Asylum, Alexandra Orphanage. Ragged Schools. And ours.’ Ivy’s hand was shaking, and Edward carefully took the note from her. ‘They are making lists.’ Bile rose in her throat. ‘Of children.’
‘I believe the first set of numbers are genders, the second are ages.’
‘Oh God. One for boys, two for girls.’ Tears threatened, but they would do no good against these bastards. The children didn’t need a weeping woman full of horror. They needed a warrior ready with every weapon in her arsenal. ‘We must do something, Edward. We must find the leaders of this group and destroy them. I have been a coward, letting Philippa, Hannah, Millie and Penny fight against these monsters while I stayed hidden in the shadows.’
Edward pushed his chair back and stood. ‘You are no coward, Ivy. I saw you face off against one of these fiends myself. At the Widow’s Ball, you could have stayed behind me while Thurston threatened me with a pistol, but you didn’t.’ He grabbed both of her shoulders and leaned down to look in her eyes. ‘You stepped out of the shadows and defended me. Just as you defended these children the night he snuck through the bloody window.’
She shook free of his grip. ‘But it’s not enough.’
‘It’s not your responsibility to defeat the Devil’s Sons, Ivy.’
‘You’re wrong. It is my responsibility. It is yours. It is all of ours. If we do not fight against these bastards, who will?’
He hissed out a breath and ran his hand through his hair.
Ivy felt the thrill of victory. She was right. He knew it. ‘Exactly. We need to inform the others. Immediately.’
‘All right.’ Edward paced in a tight path between the kitchen table and the stove, then back again. ‘I must go to Scotland Yard for several appointments or Reading will hunt me down and kill me, but I should be free by this afternoon. Can you leave the orphanage and meet at Philippa’s?’
‘I’m planning on tea at two with Olivia to discuss the ball and then I need to supervise the children for their chores. Could we invite everyone over this evening after the children are abed?’
‘That all depends on whether you have sufficient supplies. Do you stock any port or brandy in this kitchen?’ Edward made a show of opening cupboards and drawers.
Despite the seriousness of their situation, Ivy giggled. ‘No. I don’t think our budget extends to spirits.’
‘Well, then. I shall have Reading send a runner to bring supplies from my townhouse. Lord knows we don’t want to put the Prime Minister’s men into the same war room as the Queen’s Deadly Damsels without some liquid fortification.’
‘So, it’s settled? We’ll invite Hannah and Killian, Millie and Drake, Penny and Liam and Philippa, of course. You should probably bring some whiskey as well.’ How was this suddenly feeling like a party?
Because all my favourite people will be there. Including Edward. Especially Edward.
Oh no!
In a rather terrifying moment of clarity, Ivy realised her feelings for Edward had vastly surpassed polite acquaintances, eclipsed mere friendship, moved beyond someone with whom she might explore newly found physical desires, and delved into territory she never believed she would ever traverse. She couldn’t even think the word, but it hovered on the edges of her mind like a mist.
Focus on the task at hand. Namely, finding these bastard Devil’s Sons. Not twittering like a ninny over the Commissioner of Scotland Yard.
Edward drained his coffee cup, then took it back to the Belfast sink in the scullery where she heard him washing it out.
Oh my. He even cleans up after himself.
She allowed herself a moment to lean against the counter as her heart beat a mad tattoo.
I must pull myself together. There’s no time for mooning about.
As he walked back into the kitchen, she straightened and poured tea into her cup.
‘I shall take my leave. But I’ll see you tonight, fortified with spirits and Reading. I would never say this in front of him, but he has quite the mind for investigations, and we need all the help we can get unless you object?’
Ivy shook her head. ‘No. Please invite him. Should I ask Olivia to join us?’
Edward frowned, a line forming between his brows. A rogue desire to press her thumb there and smooth it away had her fingers twitching. ‘Best not. Philippa is not a fan of Lady Smithwick’s. For now, it’s probably wise to keep the two of them apart.’
‘I don’t know why she’s taken such a dislike to her.’
