Dear Lord, she hoped her friends made it home.
Reaching the end of the street, she stood beneath a streetlamp waiting for horses to pass. She was safe and would be home soon. Everything was going to be all right, even if she had reached a new low in her life.
Dear Christ, she’d just stolen from the Amble sisters’ nephew. The thought of what her father would think had her snorting.
His children were to always display impeccable behavior. Seen and not heard. The boys were scholars, and Ruby had excelled at stitching, etiquette, and all that was required of a woman in a man’s world. After all, what else did she have to recommend her to a future husband?
Somehow, she doubted Mr. Howarth would be like that with Ella. In fact, she knew he wasn’t, or why would he have employed her. Ruby wished her father had been like that.
She swallowed down the anger as the clop of hooves passed her.
“Miss Knight?”
Her eyes shot up and found Mr. Howarth and his cousins seated on their horses before her. She dropped into a curtsey. When she rose, her eyes shot left and right, but thankfully there was still no sign of the other residents of 11 Nobby Lane.
“Are you all right?” Mr. Howarth started to dismount.
“Stay.” She raised a hand and then realized how that sounded, as though she had a right to tell him to not dismount. “I mean, please, I am well. I am just, ah, out for a walk.” Her voice sounded high and squeaky. “Please go on with your ride.”
“You should not be out here walking alone, Miss Knight,” Lord Raine said.
She forced out a laugh that bordered on hysterical. “I do most evenings.” It was a whopping untruth. “I find the cool evening air invigorating.”For the love of God, Ruby, shut up!“And this is not a street where I would find trouble.”
“Do you really?” Mr. Zachariel Deville said. “Can’t abide simply walking about the place for no particular reason or with no destination in mind.”
“That’s because you are lazy,” Mr. Nathan Deville said.
“Well then,” she said after shooting her eyes left and right again. She really wanted to glance over her shoulder too to make sure no one was sprinting toward her with a raised fist.
Did she look like a thief? What did thieves look like?Excellent, she was now hysterical.Keep it together, Ruby, your employer is looking at you.
“I will walk you home,” Mr. Howarth said.
“No! I do not live far.”
“My wife told me she dropped you at least an hour from here, Miss Knight. That is quite a distance at this time of night, and the areas you must pass through to get there are not the most desirable parts of London. Allow us to see you home,” Lord Raine added.
“You are on horseback.”
“You can climb up behind Forrest,” Mr. Michael Deville said.
“Miss Knight!”
Everything inside her froze. Mr. Winston was calling her name. She watched the men on horseback look for the owner of that voice.
“Ah, as you can hear, I am not alone. My, ah, friend has come to find me. Good evening.” She dropped into a short curtsey that listed slightly to one side, then rose and skirted the horses. Crossing the road, she reached Mr. Winston. Grabbing him by the hand, she tugged him into the shadows.
“Run!” she whispered loudly. Soon they were scurrying down a lane and away from the disturbing Deville brothers and their equally disturbing cousin.
CHAPTERTEN
They reached 11 Nobby Lane, and only when she and Mr. Winston were inside, and the door was shut and locked, did she exhale, loudly.
“Dear Lord, I feel as if I have aged ten years in a matter of hours.” Her voice was hoarse, and her sides ached from the exercise.
“Come, they will have the tea on, Miss Knight, and I fear we both need it. Who were those men you were speaking with?” Mr. Winston did not appear to be breathing hard at all.
“My employer and his cousins. They will now think I’m quite mad, as I sounded hysterical, I’m sure, and told them I like to be out in the dark walking.”
