Her eyes closed, and the morning took its toll. For a while she’d sleep and forget everything, even Nathan with his dark, angry eyes, and then she’d do what she must.
Chapter Eight
Nathan looked at the boy standing in the kitchen doorway. Small, his face hidden under a cap, with grubby hands and clothes, he was like many who ran about the London streets at all hours of the day and night.
“Please repeat the message you were given,” Nathan said.
“You are to come to Chessen Lane within the hour. It’s important and can’t wait, Mr. Nix said.”
“Thank you.”
“It’s in Spitalfields,” the boy added. Clearly, he didn’t think Nathan had frequented such a place.
“Thank you, I am aware of Chessen Lane. Give the boy some food and money, Fairfax,” he told his butler. Nathan then took the stairs up to his rooms. Grabbing his pistol, he tucked it into the waistband of his breeches and put a pouch of money in his pocket. Pulling on his cloak, he slapped on a hat, then left his rooms.
For the first night in many, he was actually alone in the townhouse. His family was all off doing various things, and he was to meet them later at their club. Ella was now sleeping after he’d read her several books. “Just one more” was her favorite sentence, it seemed. Her nanny was watching over her, as Forrest was with Michael.
His brothers would be angry he was going to the meeting alone, but as nothing may come of it and he was meeting Nix, who’d been an informant for many years, he saw no issue with what he was doing.
Plus, while the book he’d been reading, settled in his armchair with a brandy at his elbow, had been a good one, it had not held his attention.
Damn Bethany Carlow to hell and back for returning to London. He’d had no peace since she had.
“If your brothers return and ask for your location, what direction shall I give them, Mr. Deville?” Fairfax was waiting for him in the front entrance. The man knew absolutely everything that went on in this household. He spent his days ensuring the Devilles were cared for and ran his staff with military precision. They were lucky to have him.
“There is no need to tell them anything, as I will return before them, Fairfax. Go to your room now and put your feet up. I’m sure Mrs. Wood has something decadent you can eat while doing so.”
Fairfax smiled. “Well, there are cherry tarts, Mr. Deville.”
“There you go, then. Have at them and let us worry about ourselves. We will all be here when you rise in the morning. Good night, Fairfax.”
“Good night, Mr. Deville. Stay safe.”
“Always.”
Fairfax was an astute man and knew that notes arrived and the brothers did things and sometimes came home bloodied and bruised. He never said a word, but he had to wonder.
Nathan rode through the darkened streets vowing to once again put Beth out of his head. She’d made her decision, and he had to live with it. Besides, she meant nothing to him now. A total and utter lie, but one he was determined to turn into truth.
Why was she back? Why had he found her bent at the waist breathless in her town house? It had caused a burning sensation inside his chest to see her distressed, which told him no matter how much he wished whatever he’d felt was done with, it wasn’t.
He needed to avoid that woman going forward.
“Enough, Nathan.” He had to find a way to put her out of his head. Not easy when she was again in London. But he was strong and could do it. He’d changed in many ways since she’d left him. Learned to control his temper, learned to hide what he felt. He could learn to stop wanting her too.
Spitalfields wasn’t a place many of his standing liked to frequent. It was lived in by those who had little choice but to do so. As he could look after himself, he had no issue with visiting it.
Chessen Lane was in the once prosperous area known as Weaver Town. Once occupied by Huguenots during the previous century, it was now a shadow of its former self. The light was not great, but his eyes had adjusted by the time he saw the man who stepped out in front of him.
Dismounting, he acknowledged the group of lads huddled around a small fire. “Hello, can I have your assistance, please.”
They got to their feet and strolled to where he stood, looking him over.
“Hold out your hands.” Nathan placed money in the three grubby palms. “If you walk my horse and care for it until I return, there will be more of that.” Digging in his pocket, he found the bag of peppermint sticks he always carried and handed those out too.
They seemed a great deal happier with the sugary treat than the money, which made him sad, but as he could do little about that, he simply patted his horse’s mane and left knowing that it would be protected like a king in his absence.
“You’ve come alone. Not sure that’s wise, Mr. Deville,” Nix, one of the Deville brothers’ informants, said as Nathan reached him.
