“Hmm. Maybe so...” He blew out a long breath. “But one of these times, Amisi, you’re going to cross the wrong man. It is a dangerous game you play, especially as a woman.”
Unbidden, her fingertips fluttered to her throat—right where the cold metal of a blade had nearly taken her life. A shudder ran down her backbone. “You’re right.”
His jaw hardened to granite. “Then give me your word you’re done with such risky business.”
Truly she ought to be, especially after last night’s threat. But next time Mr. Dandrae contacted her with a valuable find that deserved a home in a museum, would she truly have the gumption to turn him down?
“Amisi?” her father prodded. “I would have your word here and now on the matter.”
She dipped her head. “I—”
“I hope I’m not interrupting anything.” Edmund’s deep voice turned both her and her father’s heads. “But I have a rather urgent question.”
“Sounds dire,” her father rumbled.
“On the contrary.” Edmund glanced at the artifacts spread on the table. “Though on seeing this progress, I suspect your answer will be more than satisfactory.” His gaze flicked between her father and her. “I am wondering how much longer it will take the two of you to finish the artifacts.”
“I’d say maybe a week more, if that.” She arched a brow at her father.
He nodded. “We should be able to complete the valuations by next Friday.”
“Excellent. That’s when I must leave.” Edmund gave her shoulder a light squeeze. “And I should very much like you to accompany me, both of you, that is.”
She angled her head, noting the boyish gleam in his eyes. “Where to?”
“Lord Bastion is ready to announce my candidacy, so London it is.”
Blast that woman! Blast her smug smile. Her snobby little nose. And especially blast that starchy look of hers tagging him as naught but a scabby bufflehead. Brudge tossed back his gin and slammed the glass onto the countertop, earning a cross look from the barkeep.
Scupper scratched behind his ear, wincing from the jostle to his jaw. “Seems to me we’re but two foxes scamperin’ after the moon. That prize is outta our reach. So what we gonna do, guv’ner?”
Exactly. What was he to do? He couldn’t very well break into that fine manor home and crack a safe, not with armed men patrolling the place. A belch rose, and he pounded his chest, heartburn lighting a fire up to his throat. Only one week remained to pay off Wormwell. Seven days to raise more money than had dribbled through his fingers in the past year.
He never ever should have signed a contract with that devil. Never should have tried to deal with ...
A deal?
Hmm.
Now there was a thought.
He shot to his feet, then grabbed the counter to keep from toppling. “Come on, Scupper. Time to move.”
Scupper drained the rest of his drink, then swiped his hand across his thick lips. “Where we goin’, guv’ner?”
“London. Time to negotiate a new pact with ol’ Wormwell.”
23
Bypassing the carafe of lemon water, Edmund poured three flutes of ginger beer, a tricky feat in the swaying train carriage. My, how different this ride was compared to last month’s trek to Oxford, not only in his choice of drink but that he was no longer alone.
He delivered the first glass to the professor, seated near a window with a book in his lap, his eyes finally open. The man had napped nearly the entire journey, forcing Edmund to postpone his toast until now. Ignoring the man’s arched brow at the offering, Edmund crossed over to Ami, opposite her father on the sofa. The thick tally ledger sat on the cushion next to her, the cover finally closed after she’d diligently gone over each and every item with him. Good thing the trek from Oxford to London hadn’t been any shorter or she’d not have finished.
He handed her a glass, then sat beside her. He’d not fully taken her father’s advice to woo her this past week, but he had gifted her a small golden brooch shaped as a honeybee, and it did his heart good to see it pinned to her collar—where she’d worn it every day since he’d given it to her.
“What’s this for?” She nodded toward the bubbly liquid. “We’re nearly to London.”
“A toast is in order, I think.”
