The duke reached for her hand before she could retrieve it, leaving it there on his chest. He wanted her to hear his heartbeat, the way it was hammering at the moment. For her.
“We will still be followed by my best men. They will be hiding in plain sight, looking like they aren’t with us and not even together,” he explained.
Did he think about the possibility of Victoria and Melody coming?
In the back of his mind, there was a nagging thought, but he didn’t really think of it that seriously. However, he was always ready for anything. Penwike had been a threat all his life. Of course, he’d have men ready to guard him and his family.
As Victoria bridged the last of the inches between them, he could smell her faint perfume. She didn’t like anything too ostentatious. She was just her, dressing for comfort and her own pleasure, and he didn’t want her to change. At the moment, the way her blue eyes sparkled was enough to make her shine.
“It is a good idea, I assure you,” she insisted. “Once the seamstress sees that Melody is thriving, she will be ready to talk. She’ll tell the mother that her baby is in good hands. Melody’s mother isn’t cruel. A mother who would leave their child at a place where she would be taken care of properly did so out of desperation. She must have asked about us. Knew what kind ofpeople we are. I mean, I am not the kindest, but I won’t send away a child. Or—or, they know that?—”
Victoria paled then. Richard knew why she faltered. She was wondering if the baby was left with them because people thought she was not capable of conceiving one. There was no doubt some people already had this thought.
“It’s all right, Victoria,” he said softly.
“I know, Richard,” she said sharply. Then, her eyes widened as if she realized what her tone sounded like. “I—I am sorry.”
“You don’t have to say sorry. You are a strong woman for wanting to do this. But,” he emphasized, as he let his thumb rub Victoria’s jaw before reaching out for Melody’s hand, “You must stay close at all times. I can’t focus on the mission if I don’t know where the two of you are.”
“I agree,” she said easily. “I may be a rebel, like my family said, but I am also sensible, Richard. I won’t be coming to Soho just to endanger Melody. There may be a wildness in me, but I am also aware that I have not seen most of the world yet.”
Richard nodded and breathed deeply. So, this was it. He hated to admit that the plan was probably their only chance to find the seamstress. He hoped he didn’t have to bring Victoria and Melody to Soho one more time. This should be their one and only attempt.
Silence seemed like a habit between them when traveling by carriage. However, this particular trip was different because it carried a tension that bordered on fear. Richard was aware that both he and Victoria suspected that Melody being left behind was no coincidence.
The view changed as they went along, like a transition into a different world. The opulent stone buildings made way for timber frames that leaned with age and neglect. Richard could almost hear them groan with the effort of trying to stay upright.
Coal smoke and other unpleasant smells took over, and he had to check on Victoria and Melody for their reactions. His wife did not seem to mind, and the baby simply cooed, as if aware of the changes in her surroundings.
When they emerged from the carriage, they walked together—just the three of them—but Richard’s men moved like ghosts. He knew them, but the untrained eye would only see men who were not related or associated with each other moving about their own business. Some pretended to inspect the wares, while others chatted. Two even pretended to be arguing with each other. Knowing them, they had hidden weapons on the ready.
The first shop they visited was cramped, making the air thick. Melody whimpered as soon as they entered. Richard walked through the room in long strides, his height almost reaching the low-hanging beams.
How could people work in such circumstances?
He supposed that a lack of funds certainly did not give them much of a chance. If Melody’s mother came from this neighborhood, then it made sense for her to think she would not be able to afford caring for the child.
And yet …
Many women in these circumstances still ended up keeping their children, for better or for worse.
The shopkeeper was elderly, perhaps in her early eighties. She was sewing. It took her a moment to realize that she had guests standing in her stuff shop.
“Good day,” they greeted.
“Good day, my lord. My Lady,” the old woman hastily greeted back, swaying as she stood from where she was seated.
“Melody is here to say hello,” Victoria added, as the baby giggled and did her own version of a wave, hand flapping aimlessly and mouth bubbling.
“Oh.” The old woman looked confused, and then flushed. “Hello, Miss Melody. So, you’ve come to see a poor woman sew? How may I help you, my lord and my lady?”
Richard hesitated. He exchanged looks with Victoria, who simply shook her head slightly. They were not in the right shop.Both of them could tell, or at least they hoped they were reading the situation correctly.
“There is no need to assist us. We are merely here to assist,” Richard replied, taking three gold sovereigns from his pocket and placing them on the counter in front of the woman.
“Oh, thank you, my lord!” she gushed. “To whom do I owe this kindness?”
The duke knew that she did not recognize him, but he merely replied, “You don’t owe anyone anything.”
