Blaylock’s eyes seemed ready to burst from his head. He opened and closed his mouth several times, then nodded furiously.
Cordon released the man. He fell on his hands and knees and scurried out of the alley like an insect. With luck, he would nolonger be a problem for Kitty. Just in case, Cordon would leave instructions for Helena to watch over the Carter family. Unlike Seraphina, who would prove vexed at the command, or Lucina, who would immediately forget the moment she left his side, Helena was reliable. She would honor his request, especially after he died.
A wave of weakness passed over him. The strength he’d summoned to discipline Blaylock was quickly fading. He ran out of the alley and didn’t dare stop until he was back in Mayfair. Then his foot hit a stone, and he went flying. Rather than fall face-first, he twisted and landed on his side. A fierce pain bloomed in his ribs, and his cheek felt as if someone had rubbed it along the road.
He laid there for several minutes until the fear of being found eclipsed the ache in his side. He pushed to his feet, staggered upright, walked into another alley, and leaned against the wall.
God, hehurt.
He’d never felt such tremendous, bone-deep pain. It radiated down his leg and darkness crept into the edges of his vision.
Home. He had to get home. Then he would be safe.
He hoped.
An hour later, he closed the door to his room and sagged against it. The pain that had bloomed in his side worsened with every step. He didn’t even want to call Adams, for fear of what he might find.
Each slight tug was like a needle thrusting deep into his chest until at least he was free of his jacket and shirtwaist. But there was no relief. The pain only grew worse. He peered down at his abdomen and gasped.
It was like someone had spilled red wine on his side. The bruise that had only been on his back before now reached from just below his breastbone to his knees, with other colors tickling the edges: faint yellows, greens, and purples. He lifted histrembling fingers to the center of the bruise and touched it, then winced as a thick, black substance oozed out. A rattling in his lungs made him cough. A moment later, the world went black.
Chapter Twenty-Nine
Kitty spread thepaperwork over the smooth top of her father’s sprawling desk, tucked into the corner of a lavishly appointed office. She dipped her pen into an inkwell, dabbed off the excess, then signed her name on the last sheet. She could only hope that when everything was done, and her parents saw the misery they had inflicted upon her, they would realize their mistake. It was the only way to get them to stop, as nothing else had worked.
“That’s it.” She felt hollow, like she’d vomited up everything she cared about. It had taken days of arranging with Mr. Carter’s lawyer to find a buyer, who had chosen to remain anonymous, but it was over.
As her father gathered up the papers, she trudged back to her room, then sat on her bed and curled around her lumpy pillow, trying not to think about everything she’d lost in such a short period. First Cordon, then her business, and now her future.
It was as if the past year had never happened, and she was back to being simply Kitty Carter.
Maybe that was for the best. As a dressmaker, she’d barely earned enough from her business to pay her bills. She’d really thought Cordon had been her chance to be respected in London. Instead, she’d insulted the one man who could have changed her life. He would probably never speak to her again. What did it matter, though, if he was only going to live another few months?
A sob stuck in her throat, and then she was crying in earnest. It felt odd to have left her shop mourning a father whom she’d thought dead, and now she was mourning a man who was still alive but might as well be dead for all that it mattered.
“Kitty?”
Betty’s voice. Kitty wiped her tears away and rolled onto her side. Her sister stood a few feet away from the bed, rubbing her hands together.
Despite everything that had happened, Kitty forced a smile. “What is it?”
Betty chewed her lower lip. “Mother said that you would be moving back home, and I just wanted to make sure that…” A tear dripped down her cheek. “That it’s not because of me.”
“It isn’t.” Kitty scrambled out of bed and hugged her sister. “But even if it had been, I’d always forgive you.”
Betty hiccupped. “Are you sure? I don’t want you to give up your shop.”
Kitty sighed. She should’ve expected this would be a tough conversation. Betty had always been softhearted. She could be stubborn and demanding, but she was also Kitty’s sister.
“You matter more than a shop,” Kitty said. Then she pushed away from her sister and smiled. “Aren’t you excited about being able to spend more time with me? Or would you prefer to flirt with your suitors?”
This was her chance to reveal to Betty that Mr. Blaylock was dangerous. She just hoped her sister was not so in love with the man that she would refuse to listen to reason.
Betty blushed. “Notsuitors.” She twisted her lips. “Reginald is eager to marry as soon as possible, but I haven’t seen him in days. I’m afraid he’s avoiding me.”
Kitty resisted the urge to let out a cheer. Cordon had fulfilled his promise, despite their fight. If she was lucky, Mr. Blaylockwould stay away. It was too late to stop the sale of her shop, but maybe she could keep the proceeds for herself.
“I’m sorry to hear that,” Kitty said.
