But her heart stopped when he picked the thing up.
Bracing herself for an earth-shattering boom, she plugged her ears, face scrunching.
And—
Jackson pivoted, sweat dripping down his brow, relief on his face. Even so, he boomed at her with his very next breath. “Blast it, Kit! I told you to get out of here.”
“I—never mind me! What of that bomb?” She tipped her head towards the keg now cradled in his arm.
Slowly he shook his head. “It’s not real. It’s only a distraction.”
She whirled.
Sure enough, down the lane and across the road, Carky’s chair was empty.
Chapter Nineteen
Horse hooves clattered sharp on the ear, an annoying accompaniment to the continualskritch-skritch-skritchof the seat springs as the cab bounced along. The combination was enough to drive a grown man to stop up his ears, but while Jackson acknowledged the noises, the clamour failed to grate on him as it usually did. He stared out the window at the foggy streets, gaslights lending an eerie glow at intervals in the darkness, trying desperately to ignore the dread lodged in his craw for what must take place this night. The day, with its faux bomb, had been stressful enough.
His gaze drifted back inside the carriage, skimming over the shadowy image of Bella chewing on the foot of a rag doll in her mother’s lap and landing on Kit’s face in the dim light. Judging by the grim set of his wife’s jaw and her refusal to make eye contact, her belly was every bit as knotted up about the evening’s imminent events—which grieved him to no end. He’d do anything to ease her pain.
But like a canker of the foot while on march, their only recourse was to chin up and suffer through it.
“Ay-oh!” the driver called, and the cab lurched to a stop. “’Ere we are then, guv’nor.”
Jackson shoved open the door and alighted, taking a moment to sweep his gaze around the dark street in all directions. He even cast a glance at the rooftops before digging out a coin to plant in the jarvey’s outstretched palm. Then he grabbed the travel satchel, set it on the ground, and held out both arms for Bella.
“Ba-ba!” Bella flung her little body against his.
“Pa-pa,” he whispered in her ear before cradling her against one hip. Crooking his other arm, he offered his elbow to Kit to anchor herself until she landed on the pavement.
As soon as her feet touched ground, she straightened her skirts then reached for Bella. “I’ll take her.”
“No, I—” His voice broke, and he turned away. Too much emotion clogged his throat and likely played out on his face as well. These moments with his daughter were far too precious to so easily let her go…even to her mother. Clutching the sweet girl tightly to his side, he swiped up the satchel with his free hand and strode the few steps to bang on his father-in-law’s door.
Graybone opened with a forbidding tilt to his head. Was everyone cursed to such angst on this foggy August eve?
Not trusting his voice quite yet, Jackson offered him a sharp nod.
Graybone craned his neck, surveilling up and down the street before opening the door wider and allowing them to pass. The instant they did, he slammed the thing shut and threw the bolt.
“Really, Father.” Kit rolled her eyes. “Such dramatics. Do you think we would have attempted to approach your house if we had the slightest inkling Carky may have followed?”
He grunted as he buffed a light kiss to her cheek. “It always pays to be vigilant, Daughter.”
Yet all his gruffness melted as he bent to poke a finger in Bella’s belly and tickle her with his whiskers. “How’s grandpa’s girl?”
“Ba-ba!” She giggled.
Jackson’s heart wrenched to see such tenderness softening the big man’s face as he straightened. What a transformation the past two years had wrought in him…in all of them, truth be told.
Graybone rubbed his hands together. “Let’s have at it, then, shall we?”
Jackson hung his hat on the coat-tree then followed his father-in-law and Kit into the parlour, where Mr. Coleman perched on the edge of the sofa like a nervous hen atop an egg. His fingers fluttered an uneasy rhythm on the cushions. Kit sat next to him, leaning over to lightly pat his shoulder. A valiant effort to put him at ease that did nothing to lessen his stiff posture.
“I am happy to see Carky has not yet found you, Mr. Coleman.” She winked then held out her arms for Bella. “Come to Mama, darling.”
“I’m happy she hasn’t found me either.” Mr. Coleman’s voice shook. Not surprising. He’d been through a lot.
