“What?” The word was muffled as she bent over. “No, not at all.”
Just then, Lucas’s eyes caught on another shadowed figure making its way through the garden to them.
Likely, his mother had decided they were too long alone. Except... the figure was distinctly male. And it had come from the side of the house, not the terrace. As a precaution, Lucas stepped in front of Miss Faraday’s crouched form. His eyesremained focused on the person—a man, he was nearly sure of it—coming toward them.
“Aye, well this is the first spot a luck I’ve ’ad this evening,” the man said. He was not far now, and Lucas’s shoulders lost some of their tenseness as he recognized Colin but not all of it, both because of Miss Faraday’s presence and because it was highly unusual for Colin to seek Lucas outside the club or Sperry’s office.
“Colin,” Lucas said, glancing down at Miss Faraday. Their eyes caught for the briefest moment. Hers were wide and confused.
“I apologize, Lucas, but I cannae wait or send a letter. This problem is far too big not ta address now. Patrick’s just arrived at the club, and he’s in real bad shape—” Finally, Colin pulled up short, noticing Miss Faraday. His brows shot up. “Apologies again, I dinnae realize ye were not alone.”
Miss Faraday shot to her feet, gaze swinging between them. “None necessary.” Her eyes landed on Lucas. “I will see myself back to the house so you can converse with your... friend.”
“No.” Lucas did not need much time to realize that was not a good option. It was ungentlemanly, for one, but more than that, it caused more problems than it helped. Miss Faraday already had suspicions of him, and this would exacerbate them if he did not have a chance to speak with her first. The party would wonder where he went, and someone might come out to find him. Several scenarios ran through his head in seconds. None of them worked particularly well.
“Colin, go to the servants’ entrance and have Cook put you in the—no, that will cause too many questions.” He ground his teeth, trying to find the best option.
“I truly do not mind—” Miss Faraday began.
“No. Just a moment, I will...” Lucas trailed off. Why could he not grasp control of this situation? He was generally so capable of doing so and quickly.
“Lucas, I really am sorry, but this cannae wait. Patrick’s in real bad shape, and I need ta know if I need to get Bow Street in on this.” Colin tried to speak quietly, but Lucas was sure Miss Faraday heard every word.
Seeming to read his mind, Miss Faraday stepped back. “I will wait over there just beyond the hedge. There was a bench. And I can... cover my ears?”
Lucas sighed. He was taking a real risk here, but everything he knew so far of Miss Faraday showed her to be trustworthy. She’d not questioned him further about his pugilist activities. She’d shared her own secrets with him. She hadn’t even ratted Charlie out that first night. It would have to be enough. “It’s all right, Colin. Just tell me.”
Colin wasted no time. “Some men set on Patrick Trenway on his way home from work tonight. It was to be his last day. He’d told his employer that he would nae be back, an’ he was walking home when he was attacked.”
Lucas stiffened with the recounting, alarm shooting through him. “Is he all right? Does he know who attacked him?”
“He’s alive. Lucas... they...” Colin hesitated, glancing at Miss Faraday. “They said t’was a warning.”
“A warning about what?”
Colin threw up his hands. “For taking tha wrong street home? For leaving his job? For having yellow hair? All I know is we helped him, and within a couple days, the man was attacked and left for dead. If he wasn’t near the club, who knows what might have happened.”
Lucas put out a hand to stop Colin’s rant. He sighed heavily. This was definitely a reason to pull in more help, and he hated that he’d kept such an iron fist that Colin hadn’t felt capable of just going for Bow Street right away. “Tell your contact at Bow Street. And get a doctor on my expense.” He glanced over hisshoulder, noting Miss Faraday’s frozen form as he did. “I’ll come tonight. When I can.”
Colin nodded. “That’s what I expected, but I dinnae—never mind. We can talk when ye come.” With a brisk bow to Miss Faraday, he turned and melded back into the shadows.
Watching him depart, Miss Faraday said, concern coloring her voice, “Do you think the man is all right? I have some skill in medicine... I could help.”
Lucas shook his head. “A doctor will be called. You do not need to worry over it.”
Yet that very expression creased her forehead. “You are certain? I am not inflating my skill; I truly could help.”
“I do not mean to offend, Miss Faraday. I know your skill is as you say—you demonstrated yourself capable with Mrs. Brander and myself—but there is no circumstance in which I could whisk you away from the garden to help and not risk both our reputations.” And, if Colin was correct in his suspicions, the attack had to do with their work in helping men find new jobs, and he could be risking her well-being by bringing her to the club.
“Does reputation really matter so much when a man’s life may be at risk?” Her voice did not hold censure, rather frustration. The same frustration he currently felt.
“No. But a doctor will do as much as either of us could.”
After a moment, she finally nodded. “You are right, of course. But it goes against every fiber of my being to not help.”
“Mine as well.”
They stared out into the shadowed gardens for several more heartbeats.
