“Are you certain you are not interested?” she asked in a quiet tone, letting go of his chin with a shove.
“Hey! You cannot—” the barmaid started to protest.
“Bella, love, I will find you again in a moment,” William interrupted the barmaid, throwing up a hand between the two women as Bella took a step toward Bridget. “This is a… family matter.”
Bella’s eyes shifted from Bridget’s to William’s suspiciously.
“You two are related?” she asked.
“Distantly,” Bridget said coldly, holding William’s stare.
Bella tsked her tongue in irritation as she rolled her eyes, but left them, rolling her round hips as she did so, no doubt putting out a silent call for other suitors.
“My lady, what are you doing here?” William whispered vehemently the moment they were left alone. “It is most dangerous!”
“I should be asking you the same thing,” Bridget replied with an authoritative tone. “You are my husband’s valet. Are you aware that he has been missing for days? Why are you not with him?”
Bridget’s stomach churned as William’s ears grew red.
“My lady, it is not my place to speak on such matters,” he replied.
“It is your place today,” she commanded. “Tell me where my husband is. Neither you nor he has been home for days!”
“My lady, please—”
“No,” Bridget cut him off. “No excuses. Tell me where my husband is and why you are not with him. You are his valet; you go everywhere with him. So why are you here?”
William’s broad shoulders shrank inward as he looked at her with a mixture of fear and regret, but Bridget did not look away. He might be an entire head taller than she was, but that did not stop her from staring him down.
“I come here when His Lordship visits the Blue Parrot,” William explained with a miserable sigh. “Men of my station are not permitted to stay there, so His Lordship drops me off here and collects me when he is finished.”
Bridget fought the sudden bout of shame she felt.
“Am I safe to assume the Blue Parrot is not an accommodation establishment?” she asked through gritted teeth.
The look of pity in William’s eyes was all the answer she needed.
“My most sincere apologies, my lady,” he replied sincerely.
Her inner scales, balancing her shame and her rage, shifted, and she refused to let the tears that suddenly pricked her eyes fall. She clenched her jaw instead.
“Where is this place?” she demanded.
“My lady, please,” William begged. “If His Lordship knew I betrayed his confidence—”
“You will tell me this instant, or my husband’s punishment will feel like mercy compared to what I will do to you!” she whispered angrily as she snatched him by the collar of his shirt.
William hung his head as he closed his eyes and let out a weary sigh.
“The establishment sits on the border of the East and West ends, just outside of Kensington. I do not know exactly where, as I am told there are no signs for it,” he murmured.
Then he brought his eyes back to her face, looking tortured.
“What I do know, though, my lady, is that even if you go, they might not let you in,” he explained.
“We will see about that,” Bridget bit out, releasing her hold on him.
She turned and drew her hood back down over her face, ready to leave. Then she felt the softest touch on her shoulder. She turned back around and winced at the pitying look on William’s face.
