Startled by her comment and what it implied, James barely managed to think of a quick excuse before the servants were all on their way out the door.The lads were already gone by the time he found his tongue.
“I was actually hoping one of you might assist her,” he told the women.When they turned to him in surprise, he said, “I was wounded last night, in case you weren’t aware.Will make it difficult for me to manage, what with the movement of my right arm restricted.”
Not exactly a lie.The wound in his upper back did make it difficult for him to lift his right arm without the tissue stretching in a way that risked delaying the healing process.Nevertheless, he made a show of wincing and making a grimace the next time he moved it so they would think he was much worse off.
“Very well,” said one of the women.“I’ll help yer wife prepare for her bath while Mildred fetches the dress.”
“Thank you…?”
“Tabetha,” said the woman, her manner polite though her expression conveyed a desire for practicality rather than kindness.
Needing another excuse to quit the room altogether, James told her, “I’ll go ask Mr.Roper for more tea and another bucket, in case she starts feeling queasy again.”
He was gone before either Tabetha or Lady Edwina could manage a protest.
Once in the hallway, he expelled a deep breath.Defying his orders was already proving more complicated than he’d expected.There were definitely elements he’d not taken into account.
He scrubbed his face with his palm, prayed that all would be well in the end, and proceeded downstairs.
The tea and bucket did not take long to acquire, so he asked for additional writing supplies as well and took a seat at a table where he proceeded to pen a letter he’d no intention of sending.At worst, Tabetha and Mildred would think him a thoughtless husband for taking so long to return to his sickly wife’s side.Better that than to walk in on Lady Edwina in the nude.
He gripped the quill harder and muttered a curse, forcing his traitorous mind to banish the vision of supple curves and smooth, unblemished skin.
I will likely live to regret this, he wrote, putting his most pronounced thoughts into words.She deserves better than being stuck with a brute.
True.But a cultured aristocrat wouldn’t have had the wherewithal to save her as he had.He’d likely have called the authorities and let them handle the matter, leading not only to Lady Edwina’s fate being exposed but also to her prompt return to her brother’s care, no doubt followed by marriage to the man who’d saved her.The opposite of what she wanted.
Still, a London inn was not the ideal place for a woman of her stature.It lacked the comforts to which she’d been accustomed all her life.Furthermore, James feared that the longer they stayed at The Mad Bull, the greater the risk of Croft discovering their location.
If one of Murdoch’s informants worked here, news of their presence would soon reach Croft’s ears.
No sooner had this thought occurred than he heard a man say, “I’m here on behalf of Chief Constable Kendrick.”
James would have ducked beneath the table if he’d have fit.Instead, his only choice in terms of hiding was to turn his face toward the wall.The only small blessing was the fact that he did not recognize the voice, which hopefully meant the Runner wouldn’t know who James was.
“How can I be of service?”The innkeeper asked.
“I’m seeking an Irishman, roughly thirty years of age, slim of build, dark brown hair, and about this tall.We know he’s fought here in the past — that it was he who stabbed Mr.Ian Callahan to death at one of your tables.”
“Aye.I remember the scoundrel.Do ye honestly think he’d be fool enough to return here after that, or that I’d let ’im back in?”
“No.But we’re thinking one of his top men might be using this place for recruitment purposes when there’s a fight.”Some rustling sounds filled the ensuing silence before the Runner added, “Any chance you or one of your employees might have seen or overheard something of that nature?”
“The crowds are loud here in the evenin’s, and we’re kept busy fulfillin’ orders.There’s no time for us to hang about wonderin’ over who’s chattin’ to who or what they’re sayin’.”
“I’d like to ask your employees about that myself, if you don’t mind.”
“By all means.Be my guest.”
James listened to the sound of fading footsteps, his mind now whirling with the need to help Lady Edwina avoid detection and his desire to know if the Runner learned anything useful about O’Leary.
Two opposing wants that could not co-exist.
James frowned on that thought.Kendrick had a standing agreement with Croft.Surely he’d share whatever he found.By contrast, Lady Edwina depended on James.He could not in good conscience betray the trust she’d placed in him.
And with one of Kendrick’s Runners now here, the chance of Croft himself showing up had increased.
The sooner James and Lady Edwina left, the better.
