“Humph.” Williams’s sullen grunt as he turned and left the boardinghouse made it abundantly clear how little Silas’s word was worth.
Four
Silas’s promise proved just as unreliable as his friend had suspected, for it so happened that he saw Miss Williams less than an hour later.
He’d barely had the time to shave and slice himself some day-old bread for his breakfast when she rapped on his door, bold as brass. She had the audacity to widen her rich brown eyes in surprise when she found him standing on the other side. As ifshewere startled to find him in his own home.
“Good morning,” she said brightly.
“What the hell are you doing here?”
“May I come in? I’d rather not say where anyone might hear us.”
Silas darted a glance to either side. Thomas hadn’t dared to come back downstairs since he’d been scared off, and Mr. Kurtz must still be sleeping, so there was no one around to catch them.
But he’d promised Williams he would stay away from his sister, and here she was making a liar out of Silas before the day was out. This cursed woman couldn’t seem to keep from landing him in trouble.
Deciding quickly, he took her by the wrist and pulled her inside,then slammed the door behind them. Better that the neighbors shouldn’t see her.
Miss Williams gave a little shriek at this rough treatment and stumbled on the hem of her gown. Before he’d had time to think about it, Silas set a hand on her waist to steady her.
They both froze. It brought the memory of their kiss flooding back, as strong as if she were still pressing her champagne lips against his. Silas’s heart was pounding a little faster as he released her and cleared his throat. What was wrong with him?
Miss Williams had turned a rather fetching shade of pink. “I brought you your money.” She thrust a fat envelope in the direction of his chest. Then, as an afterthought, she added, “You should really curse less. It’s very shocking to a lady.”
“I’ll be sure to keep that in mind if I should meet one.” Although the insult escaped his lips before he’d had much time to think about it, his irritation lessened as he took the envelope and peered at the stack of notes inside. Was there really sixty pounds inside? That might not justify all the trouble she’d caused him, but it certainly lessened the sting.
“Excuse me!” Miss Williams’s cheeks went from pink to mottled red. “You’ve no right to speak to me that way.”
“And you’d no right to kiss me last night. You cost me my job and your brother’s trust. Besides which, it’s not very ladylike to pay me to compromise you and turn up at my home unchaperoned, now is it?”
“Well, no,” she was forced to admit. “I suppose not. And Iamsorry about all that. But it was for a good cause.”
“Ruining your own life?” He raised an eyebrow. He didn’t care what she did. Not really. But he couldn’t entirely suppress a spark of curiosity. There’d been real desperation in her eyes in the minutes before her disastrous decision. And the way she’d spoken of her family… Well, Silas had meant it when he said he understood thatpart.
He might not know much about Miss Williams, but he understood the weight of her resentment. That restless burning that had her stalking her own downfall. If no one stopped this girl, she might come to real harm before she turned back.
“I call it an improvement,” she retorted. “No one will marry me now, which is exactly what I wanted. Sixty pounds well spent, I say.”
“Shh!” Silas darted forward to press his palm over Miss Williams’s mouth, as if there were some way to seal the words back in before the other boarders heard her. They’d seemed to be a good enough sort, but poverty made people desperate. Did the chit want to get herself robbed?
Her eyes widened in shock. Silas almost pulled away, but stopped himself. Why should he take care to keep from frightening her when she’d used him without a second thought last night?Someonecertainly needed to stop her from getting into any more trouble.
A little scare might do her some good.
* * *
Hannah’s heart was pounding so hard she was sure Mr. Corbyn must hear it. Why did he keeptouchingher?
Yes, she had touched him first, if one counted yesterday. But that was then. This was now. She’d made an effort to be businesslike when she’d come over here.
The money would more than compensate for what she’d cost him, and then Hannah wouldn’t have to worry about him anymore. Wouldn’t have to think about him ever again, in fact.
But every time Mr. Corbyn put his hands on Hannah’s person, the answering cry from her body made a liar of her. He leaned in deliberately close when he covered her mouth, flooding the air shebreathed with his scent. Soap and clean linen, mixed with the background smells of the house—the smoky traces of tobacco and tallow candles.
“Don’t talk about how much you gave me,” he growled, his voice so low that she had to strain to hear it. Gentle as a storm in the air. Though he didn’t touch her anywhere but her mouth, Hannah found herself unable to move a muscle. “There are other boarders here. You have no way of knowing if one of them might be willing to slit your throat for that sort of money.”
He released her all at once. Hannah felt a little dizzy.
