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“Indeed,” she confirmed. “The Covent Garden killings were her doing—a means of ensuring none of her former girls could betray her to the Archangel. But it was too late.”
“Emma and Rose.”
“Yes. When the man who bought Rose was killed and she then disappeared, Boucher must have guessed the Archangel was behind it. Knowing his reputation for going after those who exploit children—”
“She decided it was in her best interest to cut ties and lie low.” He shook his head. “I still think we’re missing something.” His eyes narrowed. “Until Emma and Rose came under your care, you did not know Boucher was the one running the Temple of Aurora, did you?”
“No. When I first met her, it was in a…” She forced herself to say it: “normal brothel. According to my friend, she was until recently using intermediaries to conduct all business transactions involving children. Not so with the man who bought Rose. When she was rescued and questioned, Rose described Boucher, but said she’d grown thin and unkempt. She has fallen on hard times. Dealing directly with a client was an act of desperation.”
He uttered another oath. “I think I might have been wrong. This is not about you. I think it all started with Emma and Rose.”
“What makes you say so? The messages were clearly meant for me.”
“You knew nothing of Boucher’s connection to the Aurora until they came, and the trouble here started only after their arrival.”
“But how could Boucher even know they were here?”
“What if she did not send out a description of you—what if it was the girls she was searching for, and she learned about you only after they were found?”
“No one outside this place knows about them except the Archangel, and he conveyed them here himself.”
“The kitchen maid, Sally,” he murmured. “How long had the girls been here when she arrived?”
“Sally was here first. They arrived about two days after she’d been hired.”
He pulled at his chin, and in the silence she heard the soft rasp of his fingertips against the stubble. “Boucher knows the Archangel is after her. She knows he’s been hiding the rescued children somewhere. This school is no secret. Many know of its existence, that it’s a charity run by anonymous donors, and that its students and teachers are all female—well, until recently,” he amended. “It’s an obvious place to look.”
Jacqueline didn’t bother hiding her dismay. “But that would mean—”
“Yes. You must ask your cook how often Sally has been leaving the grounds and if there has been any suspicious behavior on her part.”
Fear pulsed through her. “I shall do so right now.” She turned, but was stopped by a hand on her elbow. The warmth of his touch sank through the silk of her sleeve.
“I’m sorry this has happened,” he said softly, remorse shining in his eyes. “I know you don’t want to attract attention to this school, but it may be unavoidable.”
“You are not to blame. If what you say is true, trouble would have come whether or not you were here.” She suddenly felt very small and afraid. “Having said it, I’m glad you are here.”
One corner of his mouth lifted in a rueful smile. “Despite the fact that I’m not really a mathematics teacher?”
“Quite the contrary.” The lump in her throat grew. “You may have arrived at the enemy’s bidding and under false pretenses, but your presence is ultimately the work of Providence. As a constable, you are far better suited to protect the children than any mere teacher.”
“Only the children? What of you?”
“Me?” As she watched, his blue eyes darkened to midnight. She suddenly became aware that they were standing a little too close. But nothing could’ve made her take a step back. A flush heated her cheeks. “I…I’m quite capable of defending myself.”
“I don’t doubt it,” he said, drifting a little closer. “But you’re not alone anymore.” Reaching out, he brushed a stray wisp of hair back from her face. “I’ll do whatever it takes to keep you and the children safe.”
He cares for me! The knowledge, combined with the featherlight touch of his knuckles against her skin, elicited an almost irresistible yearning to lean in to him and toss caution to the wind. She forced herself to look down, away from temptation. “Thank you,” she managed, taking an unsteady step toward the door. “Mrs. Sloane will be wondering what to do next. And I must speak to Agnes. You had best go to Mrs. Hayton’s—take the carriage. Constable or not, I think it unwise to walk the street alone at this hour, especially with the person who killed that animal still loose.”
…
Will bit back a sigh. His frustration was purely with himself. This day had run afoul on so many levels already, and he’d just added to the trouble by letting his burgeoning sentiments get the better of him. “I would prefer to stay.” Her eyes widened, and he could’ve kicked himself for the way it had sounded, coming at the end of such awkward intimacy. “I don’t like the idea of leaving you and the girls here on your own tonight.”
“I assure you no one will be able to gain entry,” she reasoned, her manner flustered. “The rear gate has been secured again, and all the doors are secure. There is no way in.”
“Not on the ground, no.”
“The outward-facing wind
