Page 35 of An Unlikely Debutante

Chapter Eleven

The room was warm despite the wide-open window and it was a relief when Lina was able to slip out of her dress and let her body breathe. She was clad in a variety of petticoats and a thin chemise, which Georgina had assured her were absolutely necessary under her dress. Although she was tired, and a part of her just wanted to flop down on to the bed, she felt unusually restless and knew she wouldn’t be able to sleep.

Bending down to slip off the silky petticoats, Lina heard a creak behind her and spun quickly, her arms flying up to protect herself.

‘Hush,’ Uncle Tom said as he advanced from the shadows.

Lina backed away. Tom was a relative, her father’s uncle, but that didn’t mean he’d ever been kind or sentimental about their bond. He was here now for a reason and by the cruel glint in his eyes Lina didn’t think it was anything positive.

‘You’ve been a very naughty girl, Lina,’ Tom said, stalking towards her, his hand hovering just above his waistband as if suggesting he had a weapon tucked away just out of sight.

‘I’ve still got two weeks to get you your money,’ Lina protested.

‘You have.’

The hard plaster of the wall behind her pressed against her back and Lina glanced around the room, searching for something to protect herself with.

‘But you have broken the second part of our deal.’

Lina knew very well she was supposed to have let Tom know when the house was empty. The country dance was just the opportunity her uncle was waiting for to strike and she’d deliberately let the occasion slip by.

‘I wasn’t sure if Mr Pentworthy was going to accompany us all to the dance or stay here until the very last moment,’ Lina said with a shrug, trying to project a bravado that she didn’t feel. ‘Anyway, you’ve got in here without my help, you could easily be helping yourself to the valuables downstairs now instead of threatening me.’

‘There’s one slight problem with that,’ Tom said, stepping closer so there was now only a foot between them. Lina refused to cower backwards, but couldn’t help but flinch as Tom’s breath hit her face. ‘I need money, not goods.’

Lina frowned. Tom had never been particular before about what he stole: money, valuables, jewellery—it was all the same to him.

‘Why?’

‘What does it matter to you why? You need to find out where your toff keeps his money and then inform me when the house will be empty.’

It didn’t make sense. Tom could have stolen a few silver candlesticks in the time he’d been up here threatening her. Understanding slowly dawned.

‘You’ve been caught, haven’t you?’ Lina asked. ‘The magistrates have got their eye on you and if they find you with any more stolen goods, you’ll hang. Money can’t be easily traced.’

‘Never you mind,’ Tom said, but Lina could tell she had come to the correct conclusion. No wonder Tom had been pushing Raul to move on to a different county—he wanted to be somewhere he wouldn’t be known. ‘I’m giving you one last chance, Lina. Find out where he keeps the money and sort out an opportunity for me to get my hands on it.’

There was a desperation in Tom’s eyes and Lina wondered what other trouble Tom had got himself into. He’d always been a greedy, thieving scoundrel, but he wouldn’t normally risk breaking into a titled gentleman’s house to make a little money.

‘Is it worth the risk?’ Lina asked softly.

Fury flashed in Tom’s eyes. ‘I don’t need any judgement from a whore like you.’

Holding her hands out in a placating manner, Lina tried to move farther away, but she was hemmed in by furniture and her back was firmly up against the cold wall.

‘I need some payment for your debt now,’ he said, his voice low.

‘I’ve got two more weeks until the deadline.’

‘The deadline has changed.’

Quickly Lina whipped the silver comb from her hair. It wasn’t expensive enough to cover all her debt, but it was a start.

‘Take this.’ She offered the comb.

Tom hesitated. ‘It’s not enough and I need money, not trinkets,’ he said eventually.

Without hesitation Lina launched herself forward, screamed as loud as her lungs would allow and plunged the teeth of the comb into Tom’s arm. Raul had taught her to act fast and never look back if being attacked, and it had served Lina well over the years.