‘I know who you are. I knew your brother.’
She tripped at the mention of him, but Col righted her. ‘Oh. He never mentioned you.’ Not really surprising. Kingsley had been private like her.
‘They won’t get away with it,’ Col said. ‘We might be hungry, but we’re not stupid.’
Blake seemed to have forgotten all the steps of the dance. ‘They?’
‘The defenders. They can only bend us so far.’
Her feet stilled, and she stared up at him, feeling trapped within his grip. ‘Us the merchants?’
He nodded. ‘Every person they’ve hung on that wall is noted up here.’ He tapped his head.
She took the opportunity to increase the space between them, but his hand returned to her back, drawing her close once more. ‘I’ve seen you talking to the commander. You learn anything we should know about?’
‘We?’
‘There’s plenty of people like us hurting right now.’
There was the ‘us’ again.
‘He doesn’t talk about his work.’ Was that what people thought she was doing with Harlan? Getting information? A smarter idea than stupidly falling for the man who had helped hang Kingsley on the wall. ‘I’m afraid I’m proving to be a terrible dance partner. Blame the wine.’
She had barely had half a cup.
‘Just tell me what you know. Has he said anything about the port wall?’
So that was why he had asked Blake to dance and not Lyndal—information. ‘I don’t know anything.’
‘There are rumours they’re going to close it.’
‘It’s part of a supply chain. They can’t close it.’
‘They can do whatever they want.’ She was done. She tried to pull her hand free, and when he did not let go, instincts took over and she shoved him away with her spare hand. He released her and stepped back with a look of surprise. ‘When a lady says she wants to sit down, you don’t keep hold of her, you show her to her seat. Do you think you can remember that for next time?’
Col’s face reddened. ‘Kingsley always said you were a pain in his arse.’
His words cut, but before she had a chance to retaliate, a defender stepped up to them and took Col by the arm.
‘Let’s go.’
Col’s eyes widened. ‘What did I do?’
‘Harassing this woman.Move.’
‘Harassing?’ Col looked at Blake as the defender began dragging him away.
While he had proven to be a bit of an arse, he did not deserve to be locked up for it. ‘We were just dancing,’ she said, following them with a sigh. ‘You can let him go.’
‘My orders come from Commander Wright. Take it up with him.’
Harlan.
Blake turned, searching for him. She saw him disappear behind a group of women. Jaw set, she followed. Couples swirled in her vision, strangers stopped in front of her, people shouted things when she clipped their shoulders passing by. She dodged, pivoted, and rose up on her toes when she lost sight of him. Head shaking and hands curled into fists, she stopped and turned in a circle. He did not get to thrust himself into her life, interfere whenever it pleased him, and then just stroll off without any explanation.
A black cloak caught her eye, the end of it disappearing behind a nearby house. If he thought he could hide from her, he was wrong. She strode after him, mind racing with all the things she would say. She slipped between the two houses, the noise dulling as she stepped into the shadows. Hands caught her waist, and she inhaled as she was spun around. Harlan’s face came into view, mere inches from hers. Her lungs stilled, and her angry words dissolved on her tongue.
They stared at one another. His expression was relaxed while her own was tense. It was almost as if he had expected her to follow him. He took hold of her hand, raising it to shoulder height. His other hand drew her so close her stomach brushed the front of his uniform. His eyes never left hers.
