The child watched warily as the farmer left. “Wot if he comes after me agin?”
“He will not,” she said soothingly “Lord Merton and I shall protect you.”
The child gazed worshipfully from Thea to Merton. “Are ye really a lord?”
“Of course he is,” the footman said. “That’s the Marquis of Merton.”
“Gor,” the lad breathed. “I ain’t never met a lordship before.”
Merton stifled a sigh. It was too much to hope for that Thea would allow the child to return to his life of crime. “Miss Stern, what do you plan to do with the boy?”
She drew her brows together, wrinkling her forehead. “I shall try to find his family. If he is an orphan, there must be some way I could send him home. I am sure my parents could find a family to foster him until he was old enough to train for some sort of profession.”
She glanced at Dom hopefully. Her leaf green eyes wide and anxious, and he knew he would regret what he was about to say. “I shall take him with me for the time being.”
Thea smiled as if he’d offered her the most expensive and exquisite jewels in existence. “Perhaps he could be your Tiger until we find a permanent solution?”
He glanced at the lad. Despite the current fashion, there was no way in perdition he would allow a small child to handle his cattle. “I’m sure we’ll think of something.” It was not until then that it occurred to him that neither Cousin Louisa nor Lady Charlotte accompanied Thea. Was she alone? He’d kill Worthington for not taking better care of her. “What are you doing here by yourself?”
“I am not.” She waved her hand at the footman. “I have Fred here, and Grace is at the shoemaker’s. I came to get a book. That was when I saw the farmer grab Tom.”
“Yes, yer lordship.” The boy nodded and turned his reverent gaze back to Thea. “That’s how it was all right. Miss saved me.”
Apparently, no matter what Dom thought, Fate was determined to throw Thea in his path for the sole purpose of rescuing her from her follies. It would be Divine intervention if this turned out well. He glanced at the footman. “Take the boy to Merton House. Tell my butler that the child is to be bathed and fed. I shall remain with Miss Stern.”
As the footman bowed, the corners of his lips seemed to twitch. “Yes, my lord.”
Tom’s clutch on Thea’s skirts tightened, and she calmly removed his hand. “You will be fine with Fred. He’ll take you to his lordship’s house where they shall take care of you, but you must do as you’re told.”
Tears filled the lad’s eyes. “Will—will I see you again?”
She smiled gently. “Of course you shall. I shall come see how you are doing as soon as I am able. Run along now. Everything will be fine.”
He glanced over his shoulder, and a fine tremor shook him. “Yes, miss. I’ll be good. I promise.”
“I know you will.” She leaned down and kissed the boy’s filthy cheek. “I shall see you soon.”
Grace arrived as Fred took Tom by the hand and led him off with the boy looking over his shoulder at Thea.
Glancing from Thea to Dom and back again, Grace raised a brow. “Would you care to tell me what exactly is going on?”
“Oh, Grace”—Thea grabbed her friend’s hands—“Lord Merton was kind enough to take in poor Tom. . . .”
At the end of Thea’s telling of the story, Grace gave Dom a queer look and remarked cryptically, “To be sure.” After a moment, she brought her attention back to Thea. “Well, we had better finish our shopping.”
Thea turned to him and her smile blinded him. “Thank you for your help. If you have no objection, I shall visit tomorrow to see how Tom is getting on. I would come today, but . . .”
He was an idiot to care so much about her approbation, to crave her smiles, to want to hold her. “Tomorrow is fine. I daresay he’ll need an opportunity to settle in.” He took her hand, bringing it to his lips. “Perhaps I’ll see you later.”
She gazed at him for a moment, her green eyes serious in their appraisal. “I shall look forward to it.”
As Thea followed Grace into the circulating library, Dom stood where he was for a few moments watching until Thea disappeared through the door. What was it about her that made him act so strangely? More importantly, how was he to stop it? Then, feeling like a boy escaping his lessons, he grinned to himself. With his new responsibility, he couldn’t very well leave Town now.
Chapter Nine
As Dom entered his front door a bloodcurdling scream reverberated from below stairs. “What the devil is that?”
Paken cleared his throat. “I believe that is young Tom.”
