Lady gambit, p.4
Lady Gambit, page 4
Miss Darrow’s meaning was abundantly clear.
Mr Flynn was waiting for her in the yard.
“Of course not. I shall begin undressing while you feed my brother’s coffee addiction.” She tried to sound jovial, but her thundering heart left her breathless. Was Mr Flynn as handsome as she remembered? Would his cologne still have such a profound effect? “I’m excited to see my new gown.”
Miss Darrow had hired another seamstress to help with the workload and had persuaded the lady who’d commissioned the gold gown that peacock blue would suit her better.
While the modiste tended to Theo’s needs, Delphine left her outdoor apparel in the room at the end of the corridor and hurried outside.
Mr Flynn stopped pacing the second he saw her. He appeared relieved though somewhat anxious. “Miss Chance. I was beginning to wonder if you’d show.”
She managed a smile. Something about this man always left her flustered. “I would have informed you if I’d had no intention of meeting you today.”
“Do I detect a veiled reprimand?” he said, alluding to his failure to keep their first appointment. “Forgive me. I was stuck in Winchester. I should have offered an apology when last we met.”
What had kept him in Winchester, she wondered?
Family? Friends? A mistress?
Someone soon to be his betrothed?
“Missing person cases must take you away from home quite often.” A week spent thinking about a man she hardly knew had left her distracted. Having a husband who was rarely at home would be hard to endure. “I imagine your presence is missed.”
His narrowed gaze said he was surprised by the personal nature of her comment. His slow smile said he was intrigued to know her thoughts. “I live alone, Miss Chance. I’m free to roam the length and breadth of the country without admonishment.”
His reply piqued her interest. The notion that he might be lonely fuelled her growing obsession with him. “Then I won’t feel guilty for making you work long hours.” Before she began waffling, she focused on the purpose of their meeting. “Did you speak to the woman at Bethlem Hospital?”
“Yes, though the man in charge tried to persuade me it was pointless.” He stepped closer, and the butterflies in her stomach took flight again. “Her name is Nora Adkins. Is it at all familiar to you?”
Had she spent years attending society functions, she might have trawled her mind to put a face to the name. “Sadly, no.”
“She has been a patient at Bethlem Hospital for sixteen years. You would have been a child when you knew her.”
Sixteen years?
The same length of time she had been under Aaron Chance’s care?
Was it a coincidence, or did Nora Adkins know the secrets of her past?
“I remember nothing about my childhood. Whenever I try to recall places, names or faces, it’s like trawling through dense fog.” It proved so frightening she always turned back.
Mr Flynn’s brown eyes softened. “Daventry said you were wandering barefooted through the rookeries when you stumbled upon Aaron Chance. That you had a large lump on your head but cannot recall how you came by it. What do you remember about that night?”
She’d woken to find herself curled up in a doorway. It was cold and dark, the noises of the night terrifying. Dogs prowled the streets, vicious in their hunt for scraps. Drunken men cursed each other, brawled and vomited in alleyways. The pained cries of hungry babes wrenched at one’s soul.
“I’d been sleeping in the entrance to a baker’s shop, though I don’t know how I came to be there. My head hurt. The pounding like a hammer on an anvil. Dried blood coated my fingertips and my matted hair.” She bent her head and parted her locks. “If you look closely, you can still see the scar.”
Had someone hit her?
Had she fallen?
How could she not know the answer?
Mr Flynn examined the scar. He stroked the silvery line gently with the tips of his fingers, feeling the remnants of the wound Aaron had tended long ago.
“You’re lucky you hit the hardest part of your head,” he said, his voice warm with compassion. His breathing deepened as he slid his fingers back and forth through her hair. Then he suddenly whipped them away and straightened.
Their gazes met, and though she felt a little giddy whenever she looked at him, she explained how Aaron had taken her under his wing and found them lodgings above Mrs Maloney’s bookshop. That her adopted brothers called her Delphine because that was the name sewn into her dirty dress.
“Delphine?” Her given name slipped effortlessly from Mr Flynn’s lips.
“Yes. Mrs Maloney was surprised. Most people sew initials into garments.”
Mr Flynn glanced at the door to the modiste’s shop. “I need to speak to you privately. Somewhere we can sit, and I can probe your mind. Where I can make notes and discuss the possibility Nora Adkins does indeed know you.”
A gasp caught in her throat. She had expected him to say the woman was deluded, to look remorseful and confirm there was no hope of her discovering her true identity.
“I believe we should sit with your eldest brother and have him work with us. Your safety must be the priority.” He covered his heart with his hand to show he spoke in earnest. “I cannot be your protector, Miss Chance, and I fear you may need one desperately.”
Her pulse skittered.
None of this made sense.
What had he learned at Bethlem?
“Aaron will be furious. He will hide the truth from me. He’ll push me aside and attempt to solve my problems.” He’d gather her in his competent hands and return her to the perch in the gilded cage. “He will never forgive me for seeking help elsewhere.” She would forever be at fault when all she’d wanted was answers.
“I fear the last thing you need is a war between me and your brother.” Concern marred his tone now. “We must dig deep to discover the truth, not squabble amongst ourselves.”
He’d omitted to say this was men’s work.
That she was a liability.
A burden to him and her kin.
The sudden need to flee rose in her chest. Familiar words echoed in her head as they always did during times of stress.
Run! Run, my darling. Save yourself. Don’t look back.
“I’m such a fool,” she said, tears of despair choking her now. Why had she believed she could trust this man? “I thought you understood my dilemma. I thought you knew what I’ve risked to learn the truth.” Water filled her eyes, blurring her field of vision. “Thank you for your time, Mr Flynn. But I wish to proceed no further. Good day to you.”
She moved to leave, but the gentleman captured her wrist.
“Wait! In visiting Nora Adkins, I fear I have opened Pandora’s box. A man asked for me at the Old Swan last night. He’d sat in the tavern all day, awaiting my arrival. The landlord heard him harassing the punters, asking if anyone knew my direction.”
She blinked away her tears. “Perhaps he means to hire you.”
Mr Flynn pulled her closer and firmed his jaw. “You’re in grave danger, Miss Chance. I have a sixth sense about these things. I urge you to speak to your brothers and have them visit me at Daventry’s office.”
She suspected Mr Flynn was not easily spooked and was exaggerating the threat. “When you visited Bethlem Hospital, did you mention my name?”
“Of course not.”
“Has this mystery man visited you at home?”
“No, but—”
“Then what is there to fear?”
His mocking snort said she was being naive. “You visited Bethlem with your brother and his wife two weeks ago. Daventry said you were moving a patient to a private institution.”
“Yes.” Naomi’s sister had relocated to Merryville, an asylum with an excellent reputation. “That’s when Nora Adkins saw me and called me Sofia.”
“You were all required to sign the register. The Superintendent and his staff have access to that information. Your brother gave his address when signing the release papers.”
Her heart skipped a beat.
Should she take his warning seriously?
“Someone is paying to keep Nora Adkins at Bethlem Hospital,” he continued, his grave tone sending an icy shiver down her spine. “That someone may know you. Now they have your name and your direction.”
She remained silent. Mr Flynn was right. The devil could be sitting at the card table at Fortune’s Den. He could be planning to sneak upstairs and lie in wait in her room. Worse still, he could force his way into Aramis’ house and hurt Naomi.
What had she done?
Had she placed her family in danger?
“I should never have hired you.” She should have listened to Aaron, not Mr Daventry. She looked back at the shop door. Doubtless Theo was teasing Miss Darrow, unaware of the impending threat. “I’ve ruined everything. It’s all my fault.”
Mr Flynn captured her elbow and forced her to face him. “It’s not wrong to want answers. But your problems have nothing to do with hiring me. The instant Nora called you Sofia, the die was cast. Whoever is paying to keep her in Bethlem will have bribed the staff for information.”
She didn’t shirk out of his grasp but drew comfort from his touch. “What can I do to make this problem go away? Please tell me, Mr Flynn. I’ll do anything to keep my brothers safe.”
Before he could utter a word, the back door flew open with such force it almost came off its hinges.
Theo appeared, his charming smile giving way to a menacing snarl. “Get your damned hands off my sister before I break your bloody neck.” He covered the distance in a second, shoving Mr Flynn hard in the chest. “You devious bastard. I should have known something was amiss.”
Mr Flynn stood firm. “This isn’t what you think.”
“I’m not blind. I saw you mauling her.”
Theo threw a powerful punch that whipped the air.
Mr Flynn proved agile enough to deflect the blow.
Theo stripped off his coat and tossed it to a terrified Miss Darrow. “Hold this. It’s the last thing you’ll ever do for me, madam.” He faced Mr Flynn and bared his teeth. “You’ll fight me now or in Green Park at dawn.”
She tried to step between them. “Theo! No! This isn’t Mr Flynn’s fault.” He did not deserve Theo’s disdain. He did not deserve to make an enemy of her brother. “He’s not to blame. I arranged the meeting. I called him here.”
Mr Flynn remained unruffled. “I have no argument with you. My business is with your sister, though I’ll not break her confidence by explaining why.”
“She’s my responsibility, damn you. Your business is with me.”
“Miss Chance is old enough to make her own decisions,” Mr Flynn countered, his courage quite impressive. “I answer to my client. No one else.”
Theo pulled back his arm, but she grabbed it before he let his fist fly. “Mr Flynn is an ex-runner. I’ve hired him to find my parents.”
Her brother jerked as if reeling from a slap. Confusion and pain marred his blue gaze. Darkness passed over his handsome features—shadows of betrayal and mistrust.
“I asked Mr Flynn to discover what he could. Then I intended to sit with you to decide what to do. I saw no point upsetting everyone unless I had solid evidence they were alive.”
A shroud of sadness fell over him. “You trusted your secret to a stranger? You should have told me. I’m on your side, Delphine. You should have had faith in me, believed I would help you.”
If only this was a horrible nightmare and she could wake to make different choices. “Theo, I’m not allowed to visit Miss Lovelace to take tea. Do you think Aaron would permit me to scour the rookeries looking for my parents?”
She didn’t want to argue with him, not here, not now, but once someone lit a fire in her brother’s belly, no amount of water could douse the flames.
“I would give my life for you,” Theo cried, thumping his chest instead of hitting Mr Flynn. “I would do anything you ask of—”
“I have tried talking to Aaron. He won’t listen.”
“Then we will try harder,” he countered. “We’ll call a meeting as soon as we return home. We’ll find the answers you seek. You have my word.” He gestured to Mr Flynn, who stood silently watching their exchange. “Though the less said about this dubious arrangement, the better.”
Once home, her brothers would take control of the matter. They would keep her in the dark and share half-truths to spare her feelings. They would make swift judgements to protect their family.
“We have no need of your services, Flynn.” Theo scanned the man’s athletic physique and scoffed. “I’ll forward your fee. I demand your silence in this matter, else there’ll be the devil to pay.”
Mr Flynn looked at her, concern etched in his dark eyes. “I must hear it from you, Miss Chance. As you know, my fee has been paid. Do you still require my services?”
“Perhaps you’re hard of hearing, Flynn. I said—”
“Enough, Theo! I can speak for myself.” She faced Mr Flynn, feeling a pang of regret that they would have no cause to meet again. “Thank you for taking the time to assist me, sir.” Her brothers would not permit him to pry into her affairs, so this was the last time she would gaze upon his handsome face. “And for agreeing to meet in this unconventional manner. I never meant to cause you any trouble.”
“You haven’t,” he said in a soothing voice. “Should you need my services in the future, you know where to find me.”
“She won’t,” Theo snapped.
Mr Flynn ignored her brother. His gaze drifted over her face. “Tell them what we discussed. You need their protection. You must take every precaution while searching for the truth.”
“I will. Thank you.”
Their eyes locked for a heartbeat.
Then Mr Flynn bowed and left the yard.
She stared at the empty space—a genuine ache in her chest.
How strange she should miss a man she hardly knew.
How odd she was glad to have his handkerchief at home.
Miss Darrow cleared her throat. “Your coat, Mr Chance.”
Theo snatched the garment from the modiste, his displeasure evident. “I can tolerate many things, Miss Darrow, but never deceit. I’ll not trust a word from your lips again. Send me the bill for your work thus far. My sister will find a new modiste.”
Tired of being deprived of a voice, she said, “I shall see you next week, Miss Darrow. You’re not at fault here and merely followed your client’s instructions.” She faced her brother. Mr Flynn’s courage had given her the strength to be bold. “If you’d rather not pay her bill, I shall find work to cover her fees. Don’t challenge me on this, Theo. It is not open for debate.”
Before he could reply, she returned to the fitting room and dressed in her outdoor apparel, dreading the thought of going home.
Miss Darrow was waiting in the corridor. “Mr Chance stormed through the shop without saying a word. I believe he’s sulking outside on the pavement.”
“Pay him no mind.” She took a moment to embrace Miss Darrow. “He’s never annoyed for long. Despite his volatile reaction, Theo is a loving brother. He worries about me. That’s all.”
“Men and their pride. He’s lucky you were here. Mr Flynn can kill a man with his bare hands but would never brawl in front of a lady.”
The mention of Mr Flynn brought a wave of guilt. “Will you send word to him? Offer another apology for what occurred today. It was foolish to think I could keep my brothers in the dark.”
Miss Darrow gripped Delphine’s hand. “Of course.”
“I shall see you next week at two o’clock.”
The modiste hurried to open the shop door. “I doubt I’ll be welcome to tea, but I’m sure we’ll have much to discuss at your appointment.”
“I shall be here promptly at two.”
Miss Darrow was her only friend. She would wage war with her brothers rather than find a new modiste.
Theo was pacing in a bid to cool his temper. He threw the modiste a disapproving glare before opening the carriage door. “It’s one thing to keep a confidence. It’s another to trick a man into believing a lie.”
Delphine might have spoken up, but two burly men dressed in black appeared on the pavement behind Theo. A beast of a fellow stepped around the front of the carriage, a pistol in each hand, his mouth a menacing sneer.
He cocked the hammers simultaneously and aimed one muzzle at their coachman, Godby. “Move a muscle, and I’ll put a lead ball in your chest.”
Theo stiffened and stepped forward to shield her. “I suggest you move along. You’ve picked the wrong person to rob.” He spoke in a sabre-sharp tone that would make anyone consider their position. “You have until the count of three. Don’t let me find you standing there. You’ll not get a second warning.”
The fiend grinned. “Give me the girl, and no one will get hurt.”
Theo transformed from angel to demon in an instant. Gone was the inviting smile that made ladies’ hearts flutter. His eyes turned ice blue, cold and dangerously chilling. His face twisted into a grotesque mask of the devil’s own making. “Who sent you? Tindell? Meldrum? Whichever fool hired you, I’ll triple the fee.”
“Give me the girl, or I’ll shoot you where you stand.”
Though fear had her heart thumping hard in her chest, she gripped Theo’s arm. “I shall go with him.” If the villain wanted her dead, he would have shot her already. He certainly had no issue waving a weapon in broad daylight. And the distraction might give Godby and her brother time to disarm him. “Let me go, Theo.”
“Over my dead body,” her brother cried.
That’s when the blackguard fired a shot.
That’s when her beloved brother collapsed to the pavement.
When her world came crashing to the ground.
Chapter Four
The loud crack of pistol fire was unmistakable. A woman’s ear-piercing scream rent the air. Not any woman. Dorian would stake his life Delphine Chance was in trouble. Panic seared through his chest. Without thought, he instructed his coachman to wait on Water Lane, then took to his heels and sprinted the short distance to Miss Darrow’s shop.
