Victorian Vigilantes 01 - Saving Grace (22 page)

The journey back to Grosvenor Square was made in taut silence. The only person to speak was Lady Eva fussing over Rose. She appeared to be in a bad way. The maid rallied when they arrived at their destination, appearing awed by her surroundings. Lord Torbay strode through the entrance hall, calling for his housekeeper.

“Attend to the girl’s injuries please, Mrs. Farley, then send her to us in the small salon.”

Olivia appeared in the doorway to that room. “Is everything all right?” she asked, smiling at Eva. “I can see you are in a bad temper, Jake, but perhaps you should give Lady Eva the opportunity to explain herself before you jump to conclusions. I am sure she had a very good reason to do what she did.”

Lady Eva shot her a grateful smile. “Indeed I did.”

Olivia poured her a cup of tea and Lady Eva accepted it with a nod of thanks. Isaac threw himself into a chair, clearly torn between relief and curiosity.

“I wanted to help,” Lady Eva said, having the courage to meet Jake’s blistering glare without blinking. He admired her, for that at least. “I was fairly certain Rose wouldn’t speak to either of you gentleman. Indeed, I rather thought she might run to William and tell him what you had asked of her, hoping to be rewarded.”

Jake’s temper cooled, fractionally. “Do you imagine I hadn’t considered that possibility?”

“I have no way of knowing, Lord Torbay, since you didn’t choose to share your thoughts on the matter with me.”

Isaac suppressed a chuckle, earning an angry scowl from Jake for his trouble.

“What did the girl have to say for herself?”

“She told me how to access the secret compartment in William’s desk. There is a lever at the back of the third small drawer on the right. If one pulls that, apparently a whole section drops open at the front, beneath the central drawer.”

“We shall get that information to Franklin,” Jake said. “But it’s information we could have obtained without you exposing yourself, and us.”

“You were in an unmarked carriage. Stoneleigh won’t have recognised you.”

“Let’s hope not.” Jake stood with his back to the fire, hands clasped behind his back. “How did Stoneleigh know you were there? Presumably he did know.”

“Someone in the district told him a lady had entered the premises, apparently. He had someone watching them.”

“Why would he do that?” Isaac asked.

“It isn’t safe to leave Rose there alone. I believe he was worried about other men …er—” Lady Eva blushed but Jake was still angry with her and in no mood to spare her embarrassment. “Well, he wanted to protect his investment,” she said, turning up her nose. “He had beaten her quite badly, as you saw for yourself, and threatened to make her sell herself if she didn’t do as he asked her to. Presumably he didn’t wish anyone to benefit from her services for free.”

“And now he will tell Woodstock that Eva’s under the protection of two gentlemen,” Isaac said.

“I doubt that,” Jake replied. “That would require him to admit he had set Rose up for himself
and
managed to allow Lady Eva to slip through his fingers.”

“How did you get past Stoneleigh if he cornered you in that room?” Olivia asked.

Lady Eva grinned. “I figured if you could deal with three of them, I ought to be able to tackle just one. He was being very violent with Rose and I couldn’t allow that, so I…well, let’s just say that I deployed my hat pin advantageously.”

Isaac threw his head back and roared with laughter.

“I am pleased to see you find it so amusing,” Jake said drolly.

“You must admit, Jake,” Olivia said, “that Lady Eva managed to get the information you required far more easily that you would have.”

“Then it is fortunate we were there to rescue them both,” he replied.

“Ah, yes.” Lady Eva finally dropped her eyes. “I must thank you for that but…er, about Rose. I promised her she would be safe from Stoneleigh, that we would find a position for her where she could keep her baby. I think she would have given me the information I needed even if I hadn’t made that promise. I made it anyway because I feel responsible for her. I expect my brother will—”

Lord Torbay nodded. “She will remain here until this business is over with, then we will see. I will arrange for her to be quartered with the other servants, but she isn’t to leave the premises or communicate with anyone outside of them under any circumstances.”

“My goodness, Lady Eva.” Rose smiled, showing remarkable resilience by looking a great deal better than she had a few hours previously. “These servants’ quarters are fit for a queen. I never had a room all to myself before.”

Rose had been given a small attic room, clean and warm, and her injuries had been attended to. Rose’s situation had taken a decided turn for the better and well she knew it.

“Just remember where you are, Rose, and don’t speak out of turn. Lord Torbay can be very generous to his servants but he will not thank you if you cause any disruptions in his household.”

“Don’t worry, m’lady, I’ve learned my lesson. I just want to have my baby and give it a better chance at life than I ever had.”

Eva’s soft heart melted at the sincerity in the girl’s voice. “I understand. Once this business with my husband has been resolved, we will talk about your future.”

“You was ever so brave, madam, attacking Stoneleigh like that.” Rose chuckled. “I never would have thought you capable. He won’t be bothering no other women for a good while now. You put paid to all that.”

Eva smiled. “We none of us know what we are capable of until we are pushed beyond our limits of endurance.”

Satisfied that Rose was comfortable, Eva returned to her room to attend to her toilette. She hadn’t allowed much time to prepare herself before the dinner gong sounded but that hardly seemed important. She hummed to herself as Betsy dressed her hair, still buoyed by her success. Even though it might have ended very differently had Lord Torbay and Isaac not appeared when they did, at least Eva had found the courage to go to Whitechapel, a place she had hoped never to see again. She had made a decision without reference to anyone else, and carried it through. It was a liberating feeling.

Both gentlemen dined at home and Eva was grateful for Mrs. Grantley’s presence. She kept the conversation flowing and teased Lord Torbay out of his curmudgeonly mood. Isaac sent Eva frequent glances across the table, his expression giving nothing away about the nature of his thoughts. He appeared to be less angry about her impetuous actions than Lord Torbay was, but Eva knew better than most that appearances could be deceptive and suspected he was saving his scolding until they were in private.

Excitement spiralled through her as she considered what form his displeasure might take. So far, his gentle punishments had met with her complete approval. She glanced up from beneath her fringe of lowered lashes and their gazes clashed. She noticed an unholy light burning through his cerulean eyes, as though he knew something about her that she herself didn’t yet realise.

Dear God, had he guessed the nature of her thoughts? Did he know how totally shocked she still was at the enjoyment she received from his punishments? More to the point, what was he planning for later? Something told her that tonight he would take her further than ever before and Eva’s impatience to discover where that journey would end made her an inattentive dinner guest. Mrs. Grantley addressed a remark to her twice before it registered.

“I beg your pardon, Mrs. Grantley, I didn’t hear what you said. I was wool-gathering there for a moment.”

Mrs. Grantley shared a glance between her and Isaac and flashed a knowing smile. “I crave your assistance with Jake here,” she said. “He is being completely impossible, which shouldn’t come as any great surprise to those of us who know him well. However, this time he has gone too far. He insists I remain beneath his roof when there is not the slightest reason for me to stay. Really, he insults me by assuming I cannot take care of myself. I can assure you, Lady Eva, no blaggards will take me unawares a second time.”

“Are you so very uncomfortable here?” Lord Torbay asked in a languid tone.

“Not in the least. It was rather more your comfort I was considering. When you are alone, or only have Isaac for company, you needn’t trouble yourself to be agreeable.” She sent him a saucy smile. “It must be a terrible strain, having to make conversation when you would much prefer to have your nose buried in a book.”

“I dare say I shall survive the experience.”

Eva enjoyed listening to Mrs. Grantley badger her host. She supported her with the occasional comment, but the lady proved she was perfectly capable of fighting her own battles. Eva’s mind returned to the question of Isaac’s plans for the evening. Only she knew that her nipples solidified as she contemplated the assignation. Only she knew that moisture trickled down her inner thighs and that rushing excitement thrust her to the pinnacle of need whenever their gazes clashed.

Dear lord, but she was pathetic! She loved Isaac with every fibre of her being, even if that love wasn’t reciprocated. Eva was a realist. As the wife of a traitor and criminal, the only future she could look forward to was one of notoriety that would make Mrs. Grantley’s situation pale by comparison. Even so, that would be vastly superior to living beneath William’s hateful control. Eva was only just starting to realise that once the business with the diamond was exposed she would be free to live her life on her own terms, without deferring to any man. A respectable gentleman like Isaac Arnold could not afford to have his name linked to hers, she perfectly understood that. However, that didn’t mean she couldn’t enjoy his society for as long as she remained in Grosvenor Square and take full advantage of every precious minute they managed to snatch alone together.

Eva was absolutely determined that tonight, once he got the scolding out of the way, Isaac would make full and proper love to her. She was a different person to the petrified creature who had arrived at this house a few short days ago. She was starting to understand she was woman in her own right, with something to offer to the world, and she was no longer afraid to go after what she wanted.

“You must excuse us, ladies,” Lord Torbay said when the meal came to an end. “Isaac and I must go out for a short time. Have the goodness to remain here without putting my servants to the trouble of keeping track of you.”

“Where are you going?” Mrs. Grantley asked.

“You’re not going to Sloane Street, are you?” Eva asked at the same time. They were desperate to get into William’s desk and now knew how to go about it, but surely they would leave that to Franklin?

Isaac rested a hand on her shoulder. “No,” he said softly. “We have to be elsewhere, but we won’t be gone for long.”

It was his way, she knew, of telling her to expect him later on.

“Well,” Mrs. Grantley said as they repaired to the small salon and took tea together. “If I had wanted to be alone and neglected I could have remained at home.”

“They do seem to be a law unto themselves,” Eva replied, grimacing. “Lord Torbay was very mean to me. All I wanted to do was help.”

“He can be impossible. Impossible, arrogant, dictatorial—”

“But you could tame him, if you put your mind to it.”

“Me?” Mrs. Grantley’s trilling laugher filled the room. “You are quite mistaken.”

“I beg to differ. I have seen the way he looks at you when your attention is elsewhere. It’s not the look of a man who is indifferent.”

“Lady Eva, you are—”

“Call me Eva.”

“Thank you, I shall. And I am Olivia.” She smiled. “I am so glad we’re no longer being formal since I am persuaded we could be firm friends.”

“I should like that.”

“However, you are quite wrong about Jake. I am not in the market for an affair and Jake could never marry someone of my notoriety.”

“Lord Torbay does not give your background a second thought.”

“And I am equally sure his admiration for me doesn’t extend beyond my ability to be useful to him. There are certain aspects of his work that require a woman’s touch.” Olivia smiled. “However, as to you and Isaac.”

“The obstacles you refer to apply equally in my case. Even if I could somehow rid myself of William—”

“Which you will if Jake succeeds, and he always does.”

“Yes, but William will hang and I shall then be in a similar position to you.”

“Well, we shall just have to see about that.” Olivia yawned and stretched her arms above her head. “But now, you really must excuse me. I am exhausted. I shall check upon Tom and then retire. Goodnight, Eva.”

“Goodnight, Olivia.”

Eva decided she might as well go up herself and wait for Isaac. She had no idea how long it would be before he returned, but she dismissed Betsy as soon as she decently could and sat beside the fire with her unread book propped in her lap.

***

Isaac and Jake met with Franklin a short distance away from Sloane Street, conveying the information they had obtained from Rose.

“Hmm.” Franklin took a moment to consider it. “It won’t be easy to get in there. Woodstock’s been in a permanent temper since Lady Eva disappeared.”

“How did he take the newspaper article?” Isaac asked.

Franklin chuckled. “You could hear him raving all over the house. It was pretty damned effective in distracting him. He has taken some of the men from the warehouse to join in the search for his wife.”

Isaac thought how close she had been to capture just that afternoon and his heart lurched.

“Good,” Jake replied. “That was what we were hoping he would do.”

“Problem is,” Franklin said. “Since things started going awry for him, he has become even more obsessive about his privacy. When he’s not at home, he sets someone to patrol the corridor outside his study.”

“He doesn’t trust his own indoor staff?” Jake flexed a brow. “That must make for an uncomfortable atmosphere.”

“If he notices, it doesn’t bother him. Besides, he enjoys people being awed by him.” Franklin sniffed. “Makes him feel important.”

“I don’t doubt it,” Jake replied. “Inadequate men find it necessary to lay down the law at every opportunity.”