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“You don’t want to know.”
She gave him a remarkably cheeky smile. “Actually, I do.”
He stared at her in disbelief. “That’s what you want to talk about, not this mad scheme? If anyone gets wind of this little escapade, your reputation will be thoroughly shot.”
“I did bring Hannah with me,” she replied with a hint of apology.
Her maid was currently working hard at trying to fade into the wall.
“Sabrina, this is a very dodgy part of town,” he said, getting exasperated. “No respectable lady would come here with only a maid as escort.”
She looked down her elegant little nose at Graeme. Since he was looming over her, he found it a neat trick.
“This establishment is perfectly respectable. Besides I’m on an errand of mercy.” Her glare was defiant. “I cannot refuse to help this poor child.”
Said child had pulled her cap down as soon as she’d spotted him, and had yet to say a word. Embarrassed, probably, and trying to figure out the best way to bolt. Graeme hoped like hell that Tilly wasn’t trying to pull a con, taking advantage of Sabrina’s kind heart.
“It’s all right, miss,” the girl said in a muffled voice. “I’ll go.”
“Stay right there, Tilly,” Sabrina replied.
“No, miss. I gots to go now afore it’s too late.” She started to slide out from behind the table.
Graeme pointed a finger. “Stay.”
When the girl froze like a startled fawn, Sabrina scowled at him. At the same time, Emmy thumped a coffee mug down on the table, also giving him the evil eye.
You’re making a hash of things, laddie boy.
Summoning his patience, he swung a leg over the bench and sat next to Sabrina. “It’s all right, Tilly. Whatever it is, we’ll get it sorted.”
The child finally lifted her head. Graeme’s heart slammed into his ribs when he saw her bruised face, and he had to struggle to control an upwelling of fury. For a moment, he wanted to break not just every piece of furniture in the place, but in the entire damn city of Edinburgh.
“Mr. Graeme is a Kendrick, dear,” Sabrina quietly said. “They always keep their word.”
Emmy nodded. “Lord Arnprior and his kin are honest and true, even the wild ones like this bloke. Ye can trust Clan Kendrick.”
Graeme threw her a sardonic glance. “Thank you.”
The woman shrugged and returned to her work.
“I will help you, sweetheart,” he said to Tilly. “My word on it.”
The girl blushed, embarrassed by his term of endearment, but he also caught her shy smile.
Sabrina patted Tilly’s hand. “I told you.” She glanced at him. “By the way, how did you find us? We were quite careful not to be seen.”
“Ainsley was up with the baby. She caught a glimpse of you and Hannah scampering down the street.”
Sabrina frowned. “But how did you find us here, specifically? We had quite a good start on you, even with the warning.”
With his coat flapping, he had been stuffing his shirt into his breeches as he’d bolted out of the house. Luckily, he’d come upon a chimney sweep who’d seen the women heading to the closest hackney stand. The driver remaining there had overheard Sabrina’s directions to the driver she’d hired. Graeme had eyed the fellow’s broken-down hackney and equally unfortunate nag and had made the decision to run back to the house to fetch Royal’s curricle and a groom. He’d wasted a few minutes finding the right coffeehouse, but notwithstanding that inconvenience, finding Sabrina had been as easy as falling off a log.
“It’s what I do, lass.”
“Your talents are quite remarkable. And annoying,” she added with a mutter.
“You cannot imagine how annoyed I’ll be if you try anything this hen-witted again.”
