Page 37 of The Scoundrel of Drury Lane
There was one thing that mattered to her and that was marrying for love. Still, there wassomethingbetween them. Something that came alive as she sketched him upon the paper or when he gazed back at her. There were no secrets between them when he bared his soul to her like that. Touching him had been one thing, a spark of desire, but to draw him, that was to see all of him in a manner more intimate than touch. But was that enough to tie their lives together by marriage?
After he’d proposed, she and Kit had ridden in silence. He’d required no immediate answer, and for that she was grateful. Surprisingly, the silence had been enjoyable, and the breeze and the rustle of leaves in the trees and the rhythmic pace of the horses had been soothing. The complicated nature of their relationship had been, for the moment, forgotten. She’d felt no different from any of the other women riding with a gentleman, having no other care in the world than to enjoy herself.
Everyone they had passed in the park had stared at them, but Kit was unconcerned. After all he had been through, he no longer cared about such trivial matters as gossip. Suzannah had no real place in society and therefore was unaffected by the scandal as well, but she did feel a little ill just thinking of everyone wondering who the Earl of Kentwell was spending time with.
Henry sat down beside her in the front row of the theater. She liked to sit there to see how her sketches would look when she drew the overall outline of each complete scene. “Suze, are we going to Mr. Kit’s tonight?”
“Yes, I shall resume my portrait work this evening. If they don’t need you, perhaps you could go outside and watch for the coach?”
Henry dashed off, and she smiled and shook her head, wishing she had a fraction of the boy’s energy. Jude then came over and took the seat Henry had just vacated.
“Our man Henry looks good in his new clothes,” Jude said. “How did you acquire them?”
If anyone else had asked her, it would have felt like an accusation, but with Jude it came from a place of concern.
“The man who hired me to paint his portrait gave me an advance on my payment, plus a bonus to be spent on Henry.”
Jude’s concern seemed only to deepen. “This man, he hasn’t put you in any position you don’t wish to be in, has he?”
“No,” she answered quickly. “But... he did propose marriage today.”
Jude’s eyebrows rose. “This is the one who was sent to the penal colonies?”
She nodded.
“Thedangerousone,” he added.
Again, she nodded.
“You had better be careful, Suzannah.”
Jude’s warning brought back flashes of Kit’s furious eyes and the strength of his hands as he’d caught her in his arms. He’d never hurt her, but his desire for revenge against Mr. Walsh and Mr. Balfour was frightening. He was capable of great and terrible things, and yet he was also capable of infinite tenderness. He’d saved her from those drunken men. There were a thousand facets to his personality, and she never knew what he would be from day to day. She only knew he wouldn’t hurt her or Henry, and that alone made her feel safe enough to be around him.
“I am trying to be. But I swear the man has the most unbelievable way of befuddling me.”
Jude’s lips twitched. “The man befuddles you?”
Henry came back down the stairs along the side of the theater. “Suzannah! Mr. Kit’s coach is here!”
“I had better go,” she said as she leaned over and kissed Jude’s cheek. “Thank you for always worrying about me.”
Jude’s eyes were overbright. “You remind me of one of my sisters. They sold her when she was fifteen, and I never saw her again. Esther was a woman of courage, a woman with a kind heart and a gentle soul like yours. I couldn’t protect her then, but I can protect you.” He caught her hand and held it. “You know you may call upon me whenever you need help.”
Suzannah’s heart clenched as a wave of emotions washed over her. She leaned over and hugged him tight, her eyes burning. “I know, Jude... I’m so sorry about your sister.” There weren’t enough words to say all that lay in her heart in that moment, but judging by the way his eyes glowed with brotherly tenderness, he knew what she felt. She collected her bag of painting supplies and went out to meet the temporary driver and coach Kit had been hiring out to escort them. Henry was there waiting to help her inside, and they settled in for the ride to Kit’s home.
A light misting rain had begun when she’d first arrived at the theater two hours ago, but now the rain was torrential. It created a roar as it pounded the cobblestone streets. The guttering streetlamps were barely able to illuminate the street.
“Look at it coming down,” Henry said as he peered out the coach window. The rain whipped in waves down the street.
A violent rumbling shook the ground beneath them, and suddenly the horses pulling their coach screamed. The coach driver shouted, and the world around Suzannah seemed to explode. She was flung against the roof, then the sides of the coach.
Pain exploded through her skull, and everything went black. When she came back to her senses, a dull ringing filled her ears. Cold, icy raindrops coated her cheeks. She blinked, and tiny droplets clung stubbornly to her lashes. It took a long moment for her to understand what had happened. The coach had rolled over onto its side.
“Hen—Henry...” She tried to move, but everything hurt. “Henry,” she croaked again. A crumpled form opposite her in the coach stirred and cried out in pain.Henry.
“My leg,” Henry moaned. “Ithurts.” The boy sounded so weak. She had to find help right away, even though every movement was agonizing.
“Don’t move, Henry. I’ll... I’ll get help.” She tried to right herself, but her head spun. She moaned and braced herself against the coach before trying again. “Oh Lord...” The door was now above her and hung open at an odd angle, leaving the heavy rain to pour down on her and Henry.
