As she was being marched, she could miserably understand a bit of the desperation her father had felt.
Char had never confided to Lady Baldwin about Leo’s “tribute.” She knew that her friend would be horrified to know what had started off as a bit of lark had taken such a sinister turn. And she certainly did not want Sarah to learn of this. Her aunt would be disappointed in not only the thievery, the debt, and Char’s bad choices, but also that Charlene had not confided in her. Sarah worked very hard to provide for them and she would interpret the situation ashermistake.
Tension built between her shoulder blades as they moved closer to the Seven’s lair.
And then they were there. Hal looked left and right before ducking down the narrow alley. Danny prodded her to go forward.
In the courtyard on the other end, Leo threw back the flap of his dwelling and came out as they approached. He placed hischapeau brason his head. The other members of the Seven materialized out of their hidey-holes and makeshift structures. They formed a ring around Charlene.
She faced Leo, her shoulders back and her lips pressed together firmly for strength.
“Hello, Lady Charlene,” Leo said. He swept his hat off his head and bowed, before replacing it.
“Hello, Leo,” she answered.
“Do you know why you are here?”
“You think I owe you money—”
Leo held up a finger as if to warn her. “Iknowyou owe us money.”
“I can give you your money, but not until the month is over.” She said this with perfect conviction. Her father would have been proud.
“I don’t believe you,” Leo answered. “You told us two weeks ago that you had failed to snatch a purse on Threadneedle Street, even though our allies in that territory saw differently.”
“They were wrong.” She was beginning to sound convincing... she thought.
“Were they? Tall Adam and his lot claim they saw you pinch the man’s purse. When he came to me for his share and I told him what you’d said, he was very angry. He wanted to do you harm. The lads and I talked him out of it.”
She looked around the circle at the faces that were too old for their young years. “I told the truth.”
“I doubt that,” Leo answered.
She was tempted to lie again, so she said nothing.
Leo approached her. He was about her height but wiry and strong. “I also don’t believe you have the money any longer, my lady because you spent it.”
“I can’t spend what I don’t have,” she dared to counter.
“Stopit. You are not a good liar, my lady. Nor is it wise to believe I can’t read the papers,” Leo answered. “They have a school in Newgate, just for lads like myself that need moral guidance. The reformers set it up. They taught me to read. I’ve been interested in what I’ve read about you and what I hear on the streets.”
“And what would that be?” she wondered.
“That you might become a duchess.” Leo grinned in anticipation. “Why, all the papers are full of the Duke of B. being on the hunt for a wife. He had a huge ball so that he could look at all the prime stock in London. Duke of B. Silly, ain’t it? Everyone knows whoheis. And they say he is taken with a Lady C. Well, I don’t know who Lady C. is but since Tall Adam came to me complaining, the Seven have been watching your house. We have an investment in you now, my lady. We saw the Duke of B. call on you yesterday. We even watched over a week ago when you went shopping. Had a day of it, you did. You spent more than five guineas.”
“That was my aunt’s money.”
The sly smile left Leo’s face. “We don’t care whose money it is. You pay us first.”
“I didn’t know that,” Char answered. “You didn’t give me terms when last we spoke—”
“Thenlet me give you new terms. The price has gone up.”
“Why?”
“Because you need to learn a lesson, and we have an idea.”
Char did not want to play this game any longer. “What is it?”
