Violet crammed an entire cake into her mouth. She swallowed before saying, “Harry told me you climbed down from the window using a rope of bedsheets. Crumpets, that’s ingenious. How I would have liked to have seen that!”
“Vi once wanted to be an acrobat,” Emma said dryly.
“Carlisle doesn’t mind that I’m unconventional.” Vi’s grin was that of a woman who knows her husband loves her for exactly who she is.
In fact, all of the ladies had that special glow.
“Our brother can’t stop singing your praises, Tessa,” Thea, the Marchioness of Tremont, said with a gentle smile. She was a quiet beauty with golden brown hair. “It’s not like him at all.”
“What isn’t?” Tessa said curiously.
“How open he’s being about his feelings,” Em replied. “Our dear Harry is a genius, except when it comes to matters of the heart.”
“When it comes to feelings, he’s a clam.” Vi polished off a plate of sandwiches.
Emma raised her brows. “Shall I ring for more refreshments?”
“Might as well,” Vi said. “I am eating for two, after all.”
Privately, Tessa thought the other was eating enough for six or seven.
“When he got entangled with that De Witt chit,” Vi went on, “he didn’t say a word to us. Just brooded and looked miserable. Next thing we knew, he was embroiled in some scandal at Cambridge, got tossed out, and ran off to become a navvy. Then he returns to London, again not telling us anything, and enlists with the police force, of all things!”
Since learning of Harry’s true identity, an ember had embedded itself beneath Tessa’s breastbone, and now it smoldered to life. After hearing Harry’s heartfelt confession, she was no longer angry at him. She understood why he’d lied to her, knew he’d been trying to do the right thing. She believed that he loved her; how could she not, after his passionate speech and all his efforts to protect her and her family? Harry being the man he was, she knew that he would also do the honorable thing by her.
What she didn’t know was whether she had the strength to do the right thing by him.
“Why did he choose to join the police, do you think?” she forced herself to ask.
“Serving justice runs in our family,” Emma said. “Before Ambrose opened his private enquiry business, he worked for the Thames River Police for many years.”
Not only was Harry a policeman, he came from afamilyof them? She, on the other hand, was descended from a long line of underworld cutthroats. The smoldering turned into a flame.
We come from two different worlds. How will we build a life together?
“After the scandal at Cambridge,” Thea said quietly, “I think Harry felt a need to redeem his name. To him, joining the police might have been a way to regain his honor, although, in truth, he never lost it.”
Tessa agreed. Honor meanteverythingto a man like Harry. If he married her, how could he continue working as a Peeler? If she married him, would she have to give up her dream of serving her grandfather, of making the underworld a better place?
She thought of her grandparents’ story and, for the first time, wondered whether it was fair to ask the person one loved to sacrifice everything. She and Harry loved each other, yes. But what if love wasn’t enough?
“Now we have Harry back because of you, Tessa,” Polly said. “We have you to thank.”
As the sisters chimed in their agreement, Tessa forced a smile. She told herself not to worry about the future right now. Her priority was the rescuing of her menfolk. Once they were safe, then she would face other decisions.
In the meantime, she had Harry, had his love, and she would make the most of these precious moments for as long as they lasted.
The door opened, and her heart thumped at the sight of her beloved. Then she registered that he was alone. She surged to her feet. “Where’s Mama?”
He came to her, squeezed her shoulder. “She’s fine, sprite, and with Ming at the Garritys’. As it turns out, Garrity is a true ally to your grandfather. After the meeting at Nightingale’s, he and Black apparently met in private and came to an understanding. Although Garrity would not disclose specifics, he indicated that he is just as vested in finding the culprit behind The Gilded Pearl as Black is. He pledged to help Black and to provide safe harbor if needed.”
“But why isn’t Mama with you?”
“She’d had a dose of laudanum before bedtime, and Gabby suggested that we let her sleep and bring her over here in the morning.”
Overwhelmed with relief, Tessa nodded.
“Morning will be coming soon enough,” Emma said. “We should all get some rest so that we can be fresh when we plan the rescue of Tessa’s kin.”
