“That’s too much to ask of you.”
“You may ask anything of me, Miss Trewlove.”
Reaching out, she rubbed his shoulder. “I won’t take advantage of your generosity and kindness, Mr. Tittlefitz.” Looking past him, the smile she gave to the tall, broad man escorting two women through the door was ten times what she’d given Tittlefitz, and Matthew knew a sharp tightening in his chest. Not jealousy, surely.
“Beast!” She rushed across the room and flung herself at him, her arms circling his neck as he caught her easily and held her close. The smoothness of their actions indicated they’d engaged in them a thousand times.
“Her brother,” Tittlefitz explained quietly beside him. “He doesn’t come around much.”
“Doesn’t like books?”
Tittlefitz chuckled low. “Too busy terrorizing the darker parts of London from what I understand.”
Beast finally released his sister. Matthew could see where the man might have acquired that moniker. His presence fairly swallowed the room, made it seem too small. He possessed a confidence that indicated he was not one to be toyed with.
“I’ve not seen you in ages,” Miss Trewlove said.
“I’ve been busy, but the lasses here were wanting to learn to read, so I decided to bring them to you.”
Matthew watched as she turned to the girls—girls who, to his eye, were women, probably younger than twenty-five although they had a worn, frayed look about them like clothing that had been washed far too many times—and gave them an enthusiastic greeting. “We’re so pleased to have you here.”
She waved him and the secretary over. “Allow me to introduce Mr. Tittlefitz, one of the tutors. And Mr. Sommersby, who is considering taking on the task of instructing as well. And you are?”
One of the girls—short of stature and quite buxom—homed her gaze in on him and stepped forward. Although she was buttoned up to her chin and down to her wrists, she still managed to bring attention to her well-endowed attributes by moving in a sinewy, lithe motion, like a snake on the verge of striking. “I’m Lottie, I am, and I’m ’appy to do some instructin’, ’andsome.”
“That’s not the reason you’re here, Lottie,” Beast said, a firmness in his tone that would brook no argument.
“Right.” She winked at Matthew. “Maybe after lessons.”
“I’m Lily,” the other girl said, a bit shyly, not nearly as bold as Lottie. “I know some of me letters, enough to spell me name. I just don’t know how to put the rest of ’em to use, so they mean somethin’.”
“When we’re finished with you, Miss Lily, you’ll be able to read and write anything you like,” Miss Trewlove said with confidence that would transfer to the doubtful. “Go with Mr. Tittlefitz. He’ll get you primers.”
“I’ll be leaving now,” Beast said. “You girls take a hansom back to the lodgings.”
“Thanks, Beast,” they said in unison, before traipsing after Tittlefitz.
Matthew felt a pat on his backside as Lottie walked by him. Ah, yes, these were well-worn ladies who thrived in the night.
Beast heaved a heavy sigh. “If they give you any trouble, let me know. Sometimes they like to be a bit mischievous, especially Lottie.”
“They’ll both be fine. Once lessons get started, they’ll become enthralled by the learning.” She rubbed his arm. “Don’t you worry.”
After giving his sister another hug, he left. She turned to Matthew. “Mr. Tittlefitz handles the newer students, teaching them their letters and some of the basic words. Miss Lottie might be disappointed when she realizes that. Although you’re more than welcome to sit in their circle and observe how he gets on with them if you like.”
He couldn’t stop himself from smiling. “Is that jealousy in your tone, Miss Trewlove?”
“Certainly not. It’s just that she seems to have taken an interest in you.”
“I suspect she takes a keen notice of all men. How do you suppose she came to be in your brother’s company?”
“Beast has a heart of gold. He’s always finding strays or those suffering through hard times and doing what he can to better their lives.” She leaned conspiratorially toward him. “I suspect she’s a fallen woman—both of them actually—and Beast is striving to reform them. Learning to read is the first step.”
“You’re not put off by them?”
“If not for my family, it’s quite possible I might have traveled the same road they did. I don’t sit in judgment, Mr. Sommersby. If you do, then I mistook you for the caring sort, and you are probably not the one to help us out when I’m occupied.”
Her eyes reflected her disappointment in him, and it irked that he may have given her reason to find fault with him. “I’m not judging them.” He’d be hypocritical if he did. He’d turned to prostitutes in his youth. High-priced ones, to be sure, but they still plied their wares like the poorest of girls who catered to those who lived in the rookeries. “Many women I know wouldn’t be as accepting as you. You’re quite remarkable.”
