Victorian Vigilantes 01 - Saving Grace (19 page)

“Just a minute—”

“No arguments, Olivia. Think of your son’s safety, even if you don’t care about your own skin.”

“Besides,” Isaac added. “You need to describe your attackers to Lady Eva. She might be able to identify them.”

“I am counting on that,” Jake said, doing what he could to suppress his rarely acknowledged violent impulses. “Then I shall have the pleasure of making their acquaintance.”

***

William cast a scathing glance of Stoneleigh’s dishevelled person. His clothing was torn and he had a lump the size of a duck egg on the back of his head where a woman had supposedly thrown him over her shoulder. He had let a damned woman get the better of him! It defied belief. William was so angry at his incompetence he would be lucky to escape this interview without receiving further injuries.

“I have difficulty believing your stupidity,” he said softly. “I’ve always regarded you as the one dependable man in my employ. Seems I got that wrong. Not only did you fail to tell me about this Mrs. Grantley, but you also broke into her house, allowed her to see your ugly face,
and
learned nothing of consequence. What am I supposed to make of that?”

“You were engaged with our mutual friend this afternoon so I had to make my own decision. I did what I thought was right, trying to help you locate Lady Eva. That’s what you asked me to do, ain’t it?”

“Don’t blame me for your ineptitude,” William barked.

“The Grantley woman knows where Lady Eva is, I’d stake my reputation on that.”

William made a scoffing sound at the back of his throat. “After allowing a lady to best not one but three of you, your reputation isn’t worth my spit.”

“She’s not exactly welcomed by society,” Stoneleigh said, thrusting out his chin. “She was accused of killing her husband a few years back and almost hanged for the crime.”

“I recall the circumstances. The real killer was found at the eleventh hour but her reputation didn’t survive the scandal.”

“Right. She came out at the same time as Lady Eva and is reputed to be a madcap. She cares nothing for what people say about her and lives her life exactly as she sees fit. Just the sort of woman to shelter a runaway wife, in other words.”

“And yet she threw you over her shoulder.” William glowered at his henchman. “I’m willing to wager you are at least twice as heavy as she is. How would she know how to achieve such a thing, much less put that skill into practice?”

Stoneleigh looked humiliated. “She got lucky.”

“No.” William stood, sorely tempted to have Stoneleigh soundly thrashed for his stupidity. “You were overconfident and exceeded your orders. You found no sign of my wife in that house and, in spite of Mrs. Grantley’s tarnished reputation, I’m sure there are any number of gentlemen willing to seek redress on her behalf.”

Stoneleigh shuffled his feet, keeping his eyes focused on them. “They don’t know who we are.”

“Idiot! How long do you think it would take a determined person to discover your identity? Hell, if the woman actually
is
in contact with my wife, a description of you is all it would take.” William glowered at the ugly horseshoe-shaped scar beneath Stoneleigh’s left eye. “You’re not exactly inconspicuous.”

“I didn’t think of that.”

“It seems to me that you did very little thinking before acting.” William paced the length of the room, kicking at Stoneleigh’s shins each time he passed him. “If you are identified it will lead straight back to me and the last thing I need at this juncture is anyone prying into my affairs.”

“Let me at least keep the Grantley woman’s house under observation. I’m still convinced Lady Eva will eventually appear there.”

William shook his head. Was there no end to the man’s stupidity? “After last night, I doubt if Mrs. Grantley herself will appear there, especially if she knows where my wife is. Did you leave someone to see who rode to her rescue?”

“Er, no, but it’s not too late.”

“Of course it’s too late!” William threw up his hands. “Damn it, I’m surrounded by idiots. She will be long gone by now and we’re no closer to finding my wife.”

“How did the meeting with our mutual friend go?”

Stoneleigh was clearly anxious to change the subject, but hadn’t chosen well. Reminders of his humiliating exchange with his society controller only heightened William’s ire.

“How the devil do you suppose it went? He enjoys reminding me that I have no control over my own wife. Not that it makes no difference to my work for him, but he’s determined to rub my nose in it.”

Stoneleigh glanced at the long clock ticking away in the corner of William’s office. “The Sikhs will be expecting us at the warehouse.”

“They can damned well wait. Get out and send Rose to me.”

“She’s gone. You told me to dismiss her.”

William threw back his head and roared. “I need a woman, and I need her now. Presumably even you can arrange that.”

Stoneleigh scurried for the door. “I shall see what I can do.”

***

Stoneleigh, humiliated by his failure to find Lady Eva and the dressing down he had just had to endure, marched into the kitchen. He had been convinced, absolutely sure, the Grantley woman had Lady Eva under her roof. She wasn’t there but the woman knew where she was. It was only a matter of making her talk. How was Stoneleigh supposed to know she fought like a man? Even so, he’d managed to subdue her and she would have spoken eventually, had not her male servant chosen that precise moment to return and threatened them with a damned gun. He hadn’t known the man was on his own, of course. He said others were right behind him and Stoneleigh couldn’t risk being apprehended.

Fuck it, everything had gone wrong today and Stoneleigh needed to take his anger out on someone. He beckoned to the pretty kitchen maid who was attending to the dishes. She wiped her hands on a cloth and walked up to him with a saucy smile playing about her lips. Stoneleigh had been planning to have her himself. Now he would have to send her to Woodstock—a situation which did nothing to improve his mood.

“Tidy yourself up and go and report to the master in his study,” he said, patting her backside. “And for God’s sake, do something to put him in a better frame of mind.”

“Any suggestions, Mr. Stoneleigh?”

He actually managed a brief laugh at that one. “I’m sure you’ll think of something. Unbutton your bodice and let him see the goods.”

“What’s in it for me?”

Yea gods, everyone was out to feather their own nests. “Play nice, make him smile, and he’ll pay you well. He will also elevate you to a better position, possibly even upstairs maid.”

“Well, in that case.”

The girl unbuttoned her bodice in front of Stoneleigh, causing him to smack his lips together when he saw what was hidden beneath it.

“Come and find me later on,” he said curtly.

“If you like.”

She walked away, swaying her hips. Stoneleigh figured she would keep Woodstock occupied for a while. He always took his time with the new ones. That left Stoneleigh with just enough time to nip back to Whitechapel and pay his respects to Rose.

When he arrived she was sound asleep. He woke her up by poking his rigid cock between her lips.

“Aw, I didn’t hear you come in.”

Her less than enthusiastic response tipped Stoneleigh over the edge. He slapped her so hard her head smashed against the wall with a sickening crack.

“Don’t ever give me less than your complete attention.” He tugged her hair until she cried out. “I rescued you and can just as easily leave you and the brat in your belly to sink.”

“I’m…I’m sorry. I didn’t mean nothing. You woke me up, that’s all. I wasn’t expecting to see you.”

Stoneleigh, aroused by the violence, flipped her onto her belly, pulled her to her knees and drove himself as harshly as he could into the ungrateful chit. Her screams were drowned out by the sounds rising up from the busy street outside the window.

“Just so we’re clear,” he panted. “Whenever I tell you to do something, you do it without question.”

“You’re hurting me.”

“I’ll hurt you a damned sight more if you don’t learn some respect.”

Her sobs, far from causing him to ease up, only drove him on. He yanked her hair so hard that her head snapped back. The fear and revulsion in her eyes made him feel invincible. At last something had gone right for him on this terrible day.

Eva enjoyed the luxury of taking breakfast in her chamber, even if being idle gave her too much time to think about Grace—to wonder what she was doing at that particular moment. To miss her so badly a physical ache throbbed through her wounded heart and brought tears to her eyes. Please God, if there is any justice in this world, give Lord Torbay the strength to bring William down. Only then could she be reunited with her daughter, free from fear and interference.

She refused to think beyond that point. About Isaac, who had brought her alive in so many magnificent ways. About her future. About anything at all.

“One day at a time,” she said aloud, sipping at the steaming cup of hot chocolate Betsy had delivered to her.

When she made her way downstairs an hour later she thought her ears must be deceiving her. She stopped, cocked her head to one side and listened. No, there was no mistake. Childish laughter was coming from the small salon that Lord Torbay favoured. Could it really be? Hope flared and blossomed. God had been precipitous in answering her prayers. Somehow Grace had been snatched and brought to her.

She dashed into the room, smiling broadly, not pausing to wonder why her daughter hadn’t been brought directly to her. Arms stretched wide, her steps faltered as she crossed the threshold, as did her smile. Disappointment ricocheted through her liked a poisoned dart. Grace hadn’t been responsible for the laughter after all. Eva wondered if she had enough strength to withstand the disappointment.

A small boy of about Grace’s age sat on the rug in front of the fire, playing with building bricks. Mrs. Grantley was crouched beside him, helping him to construct a pyramid. As soon as it was completed the child promptly knocked down again, gurgling with laughter and clapping his hands. Lord Torbay was elegantly sprawled in a nearby chair, watching proceedings with an indulgent half-smile playing about his lips. Isaac, she now noticed, was stretched full-length on the floor, giving the building project his full attention.

“Ah, good morning, Lady Eva.”

Lord Torbay unwound his limbs and gracefully rose to his feet. Isaac sent her a somnolent smile from his position on the floor, handed the brick he held to the child and stood also. Mrs. Grantley looked up and smiled, which is when Eva noticed unattractive discolouring on one side of her face where a large bruise was forming.

“Good morning, Lady Eva,” she said. “This is my son, Tom. Like you, we are prevailing upon Jake’s hospitality.”

“Did something happen?” Eva asked.

She crouched down to join in the child’s game, listening intently as Lord Torbay explained the events of the night before. She was aware of her mouth gaping open and anger coursing through her blood stream.

“You could have been seriously hurt, Mrs. Grantley. Tom could have been…this is all my fault.”

“Nonsense.” Mrs. Grantley stood up and shook out her skirts, handing Tom over to the nursemaid who had just entered the room. “You are not culpable.”

Eva chanced a glance at Lord Torbay, who didn’t look happy. The muscle in his jaw flexed and hardened and his eyes burned with anger.

“We wondered if Mrs. Grantley’s attackers are known to you,” he said. “Please describe the main character to Lady Eva, Olivia.”

“Certainly. He was a large, uncouth brute, with straggly brown hair that fell to his shoulders and he had a horseshoe-shaped scar beneath his left eye.”

“Stoneleigh!”

“Who is Stoneleigh?” Isaac asked.

“My husband’s chief henchman.” Eva pursed her lips. “He would think nothing of torturing a woman to obtain information.”

“Ah, of course.” Isaac looked grim. “Franklin talks of him in his reports. That’s where I had heard the name before.”

“I thought it must have been him,” Lord Torbay said. “I haven’t had the pleasure myself…yet, but Olivia’s description corresponds with Franklin’s.”

“What do you intend to do about it?” Eva asked.

“Much as I would like to tear the rogue’s head from his body,” Lord Torbay replied, “this situation calls for patience. I am hoping to hear from Franklin this morning with news of Rose’s whereabouts. Finding written evidence of your husband’s activities and the name of the person who put him up to them is becoming pressing.”

“I wish I could help.” Eva spread her hands and sighed. “I feel so useless sitting about, allowing the rest of you to take all the risks.”

Isaac sat beside her and sent her a vibrant smile. “We would never permit you to put yourself in danger’s path,” he said softly. “Leave it to those of us who have experience of these matters.”

“Experience? Huh, I have lived with danger these past five years. It’s time I stood up to my husband and fought my own battles.”

“Pick your battles wisely, Eva. If courage or brute force solved these issues then we would have acted long before now. Sometimes patience, waiting for events to evolve is harder than taking action, but it
is
the wisest course.”

“Yes.” Eva expelled a frustrated breath. “I am sure you’re right, but even so I—”

“I would imagine your husband has seen this by now.”

Lord Torbay handed her a copy of the morning
Chronicle
opened at the society page, his snippet about William placed in a prominent position. The piece included a picture of William at some function or other, scowling and looking ill at ease. Eva clapped a hand over her mouth but laughter still escaped.

“For the first time since leaving, I wish I was in Sloane Street for another reason other than to see my daughter. I would give much to witness William’s reaction. He will feel totally mortified.”

Lord Torbay shrugged. “Hopefully it will also anger him, and angry men make mistakes.”

“You see, you are helping, Eva,” Isaac said, “just by continuing to defy him.”