Page 29 of An Unbending Lady for the Desperate Earl
“So, I am in danger?” Miss Longacre turned her gaze into the flames, her hands fidgeting in her lap.
“Not if I can help it,” Victoria replied. “I am working under the assumption that you may be targeted, given the wealth of your family, and the fact that you possess a similar aesthetic to the ladies who have been taken before you. Most of them, anyway.”
Miss Longacre clasped her hands together until her knuckles whitened. “Then I am grateful that you are here, Miss McCarthy. Although, if I may ask, where is Lord Galbury?”
“Victoria, please. Or McCarthy—whichever you feel more comfortable with,” Victoria insisted. “As for His Lordship; he is keeping watch in the gardens. That is why I was in the passageway beside your chambers, so I could signal my whereabouts to him.”
“He is working with you?” Miss Longacre sounded stunned.
“He is, in order to return Lady Helena to her family.”
She relaxed slightly. “That makes perfect sense. I don’t know why I was so surprised.”
“Perhaps because it is relatively unheard of, for a member of high society to involve themselves so directly in a case,” Victoria suggested. She may have admired Miss Longacre, but nothing could dampen her dislike for the upper echelons.
“Perhaps,” Miss Longacre agreed.
“Now, you ought to retire for the night. You must be exhausted from your coming-out ball, or whatever this evening was in aid of.” Victoria folded her legs as delicately as she could, beneath the mass of fabric. “I will stay awake, and alert you if there is any sign of foul play afoot.”
Miss Longacre smiled. “This is most unusual.”
“Does your lady’s maid not attend on you in such a fashion?”
“I prefer to see to my own evening toilet, and she certainly does not stand guard over me as I sleep,” Miss Longacre laughed, that sweet sound drifting over Victoria. “But, as I said before, I am grateful to have you here, McCarthy. I haven’t slept well since the kidnappings began. I believe I may rest easier, knowing I have such a formidable watchwoman.”
Victoria peered at the young lady. “Do you really offer your assistance to the orphanage at Poplar?” She knew the one Miss Longacre referred to, though it seemed outlandish that such a woman would set foot in such a place.
“I do. My father instilled in me the importance of sharing the wealth that we accumulate in life, but that does not always mean giving money to those in need. Sometimes, they need food, or comfort, or a kind word to let them know that there is some hope in this world.” Miss Longacre sighed sadly. “That is particularly true for children who have lost everything.”
“You have a good heart, Miss Longacre,” Victoria said. “There are not many born to a station such as yours who would think that way. Most are concerned with hoarding their wealth, and never contemplate sharing it with those in need.”
“We are not all alike, McCarthy.”
Victoria paused. “No… I suppose you are most definitely not.”
Her mind turned to Christian, who had proven that he, too, was unlike the high society elite that Victoria had seen in her three-and-twenty years. He was not afraid to get his hands dirty, and he had followed her instruction at every turn.
I am receiving quite the education tonight.
With all said between the two women, Miss Longacre prepared for bed whilst Victoria warmed herself by the hearth. An awkward moment presented itself, as Miss Longacre slipped beneath the sheets and muttered a cursory “Goodnight” to Victoria. She parroted a reply, not wanting to seem rude, but it felt very strange indeed to wish Miss Longacre a goodnight, when she did not know if any good would come once she fell asleep.
Chapter 13
Christian waited in the shadows of a rounded shrub and breathed a small sigh of relief when he saw the candle flickering in the first-floor window at the far left of the house.
What if the devils are already in the household?He had listened to Victoria’s suggestion regarding Sir John and Lord Mobberley, but he couldn’t refute the nagging doubt that she may be wrong. Then again, if they were the culprits, the staff would be sure to notice them ascending the staircase. He had to resign himself to that hope as he continued to wait.
He crouched low to the ground, trying to ignore the creeping chill that slithered through his body. He wished he had thought to bring an overcoat, but there had been no time, and his mind had been so preoccupied with thoughts of Victoria that he had neglected to pluck one up on his way out of his home.
He sat there for what felt like an eternity, anticipating the three flashes of light from that upper window. But they never came. Even so, it did little to calm his nerves. No news did not necessarily mean there was nothing awry.
How did my life come to this?He loathed the cretins who had taken Helena, more than he could put into words. Before she had been stolen away, the kidnappings had seemed like distant tragedies that would never threaten his own peaceful world. And his future had all been laid out for him, his mind having come to terms with all of that, long ago.
I was to marry Helena and start a family of my own, to replace the one I lost. I was to make good on my promises to my parents, that I would take Helena as my wife and unite our families. I was prepared to do all of that… but now?Victoria had come into his world and turned it upside down. His heart quickened whenever he thought of her, and he found himself constantly looking forward to their next meeting. In truth, he couldn’t think of a single hour when his mind had not turned to her at least once, wondering what she was doing at that exact moment.
She had ruined that peaceful, laid-out plan. And yet, he couldn’t be angry with her for doing so. She had not intended to intrigue him to the point where it had developed into something akin to affection. She had not attempted to entice him, as other ladies had done. She had simply been herself, and intoxicated him regardless, quite without meaning to. No, that fault lay with him.
What will I do when we find Helena, and this mission comes to an end?Could he really relinquish Victoria’s company and go back to those well-laid plans that had been forged by his parents and Helena’s? He supposed he would have to, when the time came. Besides, he was under no illusions that Victoria felt the same confused emotions that he did.
