He jerked awake from one, his body coated in a slick sweat. The room was dark again, but he realized this time it was not his eyesight—night had settled, but he could see streaks of light through the curtains from the moon and street lamps outside. The form in the chair by his bed was far too large to be his mother, and a glint of moonlight off blond hair told him his father had taken up the watch. A light rumble also told him that Philip had drifted off.
Good. Thomas wanted to be alone with his thoughts for a while. Everything he could remember since the attack felt fuzzy and foreign, with faded images and nonsense actions. He closed his eyes and let his mind drift.
The faces of the two men who attacked him floated by, their size difference cementing them as a unit in his mind, like some Drury Lane melodrama. The sharp pain from the pistol ball, then the wavering vision of green... which he now knew was Robert arriving as the men fled. Footsteps running...
They had hurt Maximilian. They had kept his cane.
The ache in his shoulder became infused with a smoldering fury.
Their words then echoed in his head.“We’re here from your girl Rose... Crazy bitch from hell who takes on all the ne’er-do-wells among you people.”
A hard weight settled on his chest. The words had to be a lie. Rose would never... she could never have responded to his touch the way she had, so open and compliant, then send them after him. Could she?
Shedidpay people within her network.
For information.
But would she pay for other services?
Even if she did, would she do this?
She was furious when that evening ended. She had thought you wanted her for a mistress. And there had been no response from his offer.
An offer he’d withdrawn.
“Crazy bitch from hell...”
“I do admit I was surprised to see you in league with that crazy bitch from hell at Higginbotham’s.”
Thomas’s eyes snapped open.Broxley. Those were Broxley’s words. Broxley... who had been in league with Bentley.
It isn’t an uncommon insult.
But aimed at Rose? And if they were working for her, would they disparage a woman paying them money?
Thomas gritted his teeth. No. They would have bragged about it. Bragged about getting paid for an act they probably would have done anyway for the coins he’d had. And Rose had been clear about why she had not pursued Roger Bentley. Would it not make more sense that if she were going to pay for violence, she would send them after Bentley?
He felt some of the fog lifting from his brain, the thoughts tumbling through more clearly now. He pushed down on the mattress to shift, only to have the spike of pain pin him back to the bed. “Damn it.”
Philip stirred, his head jerking up. “Are you in pain?”
Thomas struggled to calm his breathing. “I need to see Robert.”
“I doubt he’s back from Campion’s yet.”
“Do you know if he’s had any luck finding the men who shot me?”
Philip shook his head. “Not yet. Are you remembering more?”
“I am.”
Philip stood and started for the door. “I’ll leave a note for him to come see you.”
“Father?”
Philip paused, looking back at Thomas.
“Did I truly rescind my offer to Lady Rose?”
