A Most Dangerous Profession (28 page)

“And the child?”

“That was a mite trickier. We found no evidence of a child until last night.”

“What did you discover?”

Mr. Norris grinned, revealing several missing teeth, and laid a finger beside his nose. “We found the tell, guv’nor. Laundry.”

“Laundry? Ah, you mean for the child.”

“Aye. I pretended to be lookin’ fer me lost dog, and struck up a conversation with the maid as she was hanging the laundry in the back. In the bottom o’ the basket was a night rail, several gowns, things as a small girl might wear.”

Robert nodded and wondered if Moira had already sent word to Aniston that she wished to meet him. It was difficult to tell what Moira had or hadn’t done.

She hadn’t trusted him enough to include him. That stung, but Robert accepted it. It would take a lot to completely gain Moira’s trust. And while he’d made significant inroads over the last three weeks, it would take several months, if not years, before she completely let down her guard. She’d had it up too long, and the price of this was too dear for her to simply turn it over to him.

But he was the best person to deal with Aniston. Moira’s emotional attachment to Rowena made them both more vulnerable, and now was not the time for vulnerability of any kind.

He turned to the Bow Street Runner. “Tell me
everything you’ve found out. Aniston’s habits, the number of men in his employ, and where you think he might be keeping the child.”

Mr. Norris began to rattle off an impressive amount of information, reaching into his coat pocket for a map of the house with Aniston’s bedchamber and all entrances clearly marked. “There are twenty-two servants in all, three of them naught but ruffians, and a harsh lookin’ woman who acts as a nurse. Those, he keeps with the child.”

I can handle three.
“Where does he keep her?”

“The attic rooms, sir.” Mr. Norris’s stubby finger poked the map. “This set of steps leads to the attic. I’m sure she’s there, fer there were no lamps lit in that part of the house before, and now they’re ablaze.”

“Good.” Robert examined the map, then folded and tucked it away. “Thank you for the information.”

“Indeed, sir. The little girl . . . she looked scared. I’ve a daughter of me own.” The man’s clear eyes met Robert’s. “Ye wouldn’t be wishin’ fer some help, would ye? I’ve not had a good brawl in a month and I’m due fer one.”

“I could use a diversion. Something to set the place in an uproar and draw attention to the lower floors.”

The man smiled. “I can do that.”

“Good. I’ll be ready at the back of the house when it occurs.”

“Very good, sir. I’ll give ye ten minutes and then begin.”

“One more thing. My wife is quite anxious to assist in saving our daughter. She might arrive before I’ve completed my task. She’ll be carrying a weapon, perhaps two. And don’t be surprised if she’s dressed as a man.”

Mr. Norris blinked. “Pardon, guv’nor?”

“My wife is a bit of a gypsy. It’s difficult to tell what she might or might not do.”

Mr. Norris let out a long, silent whistle. “Very well, guv’nor. We’ll be on the lookout.”

“Thank you.” With that, Robert crossed the street.

Moments later, he was at the rear of the house. The servants were just beginning to stir, the kitchen door opened as the undercooks prepared the morning fires.

He slipped inside while two sleepy-looking men collected wood from the stack by the back door. Robert hurried through the kitchen to a back hallway, sliding into a pantry when footsteps approached.

He’d just exited the pantry and found the back
stairs when he heard Mr. Norris yelling like a drunken coalman, shouting that he’d been cheated and wanted his dibs for the coal already delivered, or he’d call the constable. Footsteps raced toward the front of the house as the servants attempted to silence the overwrought coal vendor whose loud voice might rouse their master.

Robert slipped up two flights of stairs, taking refuge in a linen closet when heavy footsteps tromped down from the attic. When the footsteps passed by, he peered out and saw two big men disappear down the steps.
So Aniston’s thugs think they are needed. Mr. Norris might meet with some trouble.
But somehow, Robert thought the Runner would do just fine.

Robert hurried up the stairs. At the very top was a landing with three doors. He listened at each, deciding the middle one held the most promise.

He silently checked the knob and, finding it locked, backed up a few steps and then slammed his shoulder into the door. It broke, and he staggered into the room, where he found himself facing the third large brute.

With a roar, the man bunched his huge fist and swung in Robert’s direction. Robert ducked and, using the man’s momentum, shoved him into the wall, where his head hit with a spectacular thud.

In a perfect world, the maneuver would have ended with the giant senseless on the floor. Instead, after shaking his head like a wet dog, the man whirled to face Robert, ready for another bout.

But Robert had his pistol out and ready before the man could swing again. “Don’t even consider it. I’m quite capable of shooting you through the eye.”

The man growled. “What do ye want?”

“My daughter.” Robert pulled a small bag out of his coat pocket and tossed it to the man.

The guard caught the bag without thinking and eyed it suspiciously.

“That’s twenty guineas. More than you make in a year from Mr. Aniston, I’m sure.”

The man tugged open the bag and poured the coins into his hand.

“You are here because you’ve been paid to be here. Now you’ve been paid
not
to be here. You can either stay and face a bullet, or you can leave with twenty guineas in your pocket and pretend you never saw this place. I don’t care which you choose, but be quick about it. I’ve things to do.”

The man stared at the coins before he raised a bemused gaze to Robert. “And the lass is yer daughter?”

“My only daughter.”

The man poured the money back into the pouch and stuffed it into his pocket, then he lumbered to the door. “I never liked Aniston, no ways.”

“Where is she?”

The man jerked his head to another door by the small coal heater. “She’s in there with her nurse, a mean woman. She’s no’ so good to the lass.”

Robert’s jaw tightened. “Thank you.”

The man nodded and left.

Robert opened the door the giant had indicated. A hard-faced woman stood before the small fireplace. She looked sour even before she spat out, “I heard ye speakin’ in t’other room and I know ye came fer the lass.”

“Where is she?”

A hard line formed on either side of the woman’s mouth. “I’ll have me own coins afore I tell ye tha’.”

Robert had several more pouches of coins in his pockets, but said, “Get out.”

Her lips thinned. “I’ll scream, I will, and raise the household.”

“They’re already raised. I fully expect to see the entire group before I’m done, so scream away.”

A desperate look entered her eyes. “If ye’re the father, ye should know the mither promised me coins fer keepin’ the lass in good health and fer not
hittin’ her—though she sorely needs it sometimes.”

Robert’s hand was so tight on his pistol that it shook, his fingers almost white. He lowered the pistol and snapped, “I’ve warned you. Get. Out.”

“I want the coin she promised me or I’m not leavin,’ and not tellin’ ye where the child is, either!”

Robert grasped her thin arm and dragged her from the room, out to the landing, and to the top of the steps.

“I want me money!”

“And I want
you
to suffer for every moment of fear you gave that child—but neither of us is going to get what we want.” He pointed to the steps.

After a moment, she hunched her shoulders and marched down the stairs.

Robert hurried back to the room. A small bed was in one corner, the sheets awry, as if someone had hurriedly left them. A series of trunks lined one wall.

He softly called, “Rowena?”

No answer was returned. The din outside had quieted, so his time was short. “Rowena, I’ve come from your mother. She’s waiting for you. We have to hur—”

One of the trunks opened and a small, tousled head peeked over the edge. Robert found himself looking down into a small face framed by a wealth
of curly dark hair. For an instant he couldn’t think, feel, or breathe—he could only stare.
Good God, she looks exactly like me.

The little girl returned his gaze solemnly. She was dressed in a ragged gown of dark blue that matched her eyes, and he knew without hesitation that she was his.

She gulped and he caught panic in her gaze. “Where is my mother?”

Robert found his voice. “She will be along soon, but we must hurry.”

Rowena nodded. “You must be my father, then.”

Robert caught his breath. “How . . . why do you say that?”

“Mother said that if we ever needed you, you would come.” Large blue eyes looked directly into his, so honest they almost pained him. “What took you so long?”

Robert’s heart tightened and he said in a choked voice, “Many problems, but I have come. And I will save you, no matter what.”

In that instant Robert faced a powerful truth: she was his daughter, and he never wanted to be without her again.

He lifted her from the trunk and set her on her feet. Rowena slipped her small hand into his. “Are we going home now?”

We. She accepts me without question.
Robert’s eyes stung with tears, and he had to clear his throat. “Yes. We will be going home today.”

“With my mother?”

“Yes.” After he’d stomped George Aniston into dust for what he’d done to his child.

Robert stooped down so that he was on a level with his daughter. “We have to make a run for it and it could get difficult. There might be some fighting.”

“I can fight, too. Will we be fighting the bad man who’s mean to Mama?”

“We might.”

She sent him such a ferocious look that he wanted to swoop her into a hug.

“I feel the same way about him. We must go now, and I need you to stay behind me. Can you do that?”

Rowena nodded. “I’ll need my shoes.” She pointed to her boots that lay discarded in a corner.

He fetched them and then helped her put them on.

And that was how Moira found them when she slipped into the room a few moments later.

Robert was down on one knee in front of Rowena. Their heads were very close together, and her throat tightened at seeing how much alike they
looked. To see Rowena so trustingly close to Robert, both of them engaged deeply in conversation, made Moira’s heart ache in a new way.

Robert had claimed that by not informing him of Rowena’s existence, she had stolen something from him. Seeing them together, a dawning look of delight on Rowena’s small face, Moira realized he was right.

Robert solemnly held out his hand. Her big eyes fixed upon him, Rowena spat into her hand and then slapped it into Robert’s.

He chuckled, released her hand to spit into his own, and reclasped her hand. “It’s a bargain,” he said.

Moira started forward, and they both turned toward her.

“Mama!” The word broke Moira’s heart, and she sank to her knees to catch her daughter to her. With a sob, she buried her face in the girl’s silken hair. “Oh Rowena, I’m
so
happy to see you. Are you well?” Moira held her daughter from her to examine her dear face.

Tears streamed down Rowena’s face, but she nodded, her lips quivering slightly. “I’m fine. Mr. Robert told me—”

“My, my,” said a silky voice. “Such a tender scene. I hesitate to interrupt.”

Moira was on her feet in an instant, clutching Rowena to her as she turned to face George Aniston.

He stood in the doorway, a dueling pistol in his hand. She had no doubt that the trigger was made to discharge at the faintest squeeze of his finger.

She started to push Rowena behind her, but Aniston’s chilly voice ordered, “Don’t move.”

Moira froze, her heart thudding sickly.

Behind her Robert cursed, drawing Aniston’s attention. “I almost forgot about you, Hurst. Put down your pistol if you wish to keep these two alive.”

Robert dropped his pistol to the floor.

Aniston curled his lip at Moira’s attire. “I fear that Hurst’s ruinous company has destroyed your sense of fashion. Even I wouldn’t wear a such a profusion of lace.” His gaze returned to Robert. “Now join your lovely lady so I can keep an eye on you both.”

“No.”

Aniston’s jaw tightened. “Don’t tempt me, Hurst.”

“If you waste your bullet on me, you’ll have Moira to deal with.
If
you hit me, which I doubt will happen. Moira, did you know that Aniston was once in a duel? He lost, of course. He shot so wide
of his opponent that he nicked a bystander who was ten paces to the side.”

Aniston’s face was bloodred. “I did that on purpose. It was a matter of honor—”

“Before the duel, you made a big show of paying an undertaker to prepare to carry off your opponent’s body—so don’t pretend you didn’t mean to kill him. You’re just fortunate that he was a horrid shot himself.”

Robert chuckled, as if he didn’t see the mounting fury in Aniston’s thin face. “It was most amusing, Moira. The fat squire hit Aniston, but not where he intended. He shot off one of Aniston’s toes. The biggest one, I believe, wasn’t it?”

Moira noticed that Aniston’s gun hand was shaking slightly; his body was stiff with outrage.

Yet Robert continued on. “I daresay you have to order specially made shoes, don’t you? Most cripples do—”

“Stop it!”
Aniston started forward, the gun pinned on Robert.

Moira realized then that as he’d been speaking, Robert had moved away from her and Rowena. He was now almost at the window.

As Aniston went forward he was moving away from the door, and soon she and Rowena could make a dash for it. Moira grasped Rowena’s hand
and caught a flicker of a glance from Robert.
So this is his plan. But what would happen then?

“Where is the onyx box?” Aniston asked.

“It’s gone,” Robert said. “I sent it to London this morning.”

Aniston’s jaw tightened. “I want that box.”