“He wants his property back,” she answered because she knew the three lads would understand. “Ruby, and woman who recently arrived at Westbrook House.”
“Did he hurt her?” Jimmy asked, a hard glint in his brown eyes, to which she nodded.
“We will not fail,” declared Charlie as the other two nodded.
“How many doors lead to the house?”
“Three,” Victoria answered along with her three footmen.
Benedick shot her a look of warning and it was clear he wanted her to stay out of the matter. She tried not to take offense, but this was her house and they were her footmen. But Benedick did have more experience in these matters, so she settled back and let him continue without uttering a single syllable.
Victoria may be their employer, but Benedick needed to know what the three were truly made of and he needed them to see him as the only authority when it came to Victoria’s safety and not take instruction from her.
He assigned them a door to guard and then questioned them on which other servant would be best to stand beside them as a partner. It was not safe for them to be alone. If the assailant broke he, he trusted that one of the three men would fight and the other servant would go for assistance.
Each footman offered a name and Benedick so that they were also assigned to the door, and made it clear that the first footman, the ones named by Lady Victori, were in charge and then explained what he expected before he dismissed the footmen.
After they were gone, Victoria pulled away from the window and approached with a smile at the corner of her lips.
It was the first time that she hadn’t glared at him today.
“I cannot recall seeing the three stand so proud.” Her eyes watered but she quickly blinked away the tears. “I remember when they came to us scared. They did not want to have to rely on picking pockets to survive,” she explained. “None of them have families so there was no reason for them to remain in Seven Dials to protect anyone and they were tired of protecting themselves.”
Had his entire family not been rescued, Benedick would have remained to shelter his younger sisters.
“They were lucky to have found Westbrook House,” Benedick said then strode to check that each window in the room was locked.
It was difficult being alone with Victoria, but he could not let her see even a hint of his turmoil.
She was more beautiful than she had been at the house party. Then again, he only got a glimpse of her face before she pulled away from him and strode out of the ball.
What kind of man still wanted to kiss and hold a woman who had soundly rejected him? He should hate her, or at least experience a deep-rooted dislike, but he didn’t because of the time they had spent together prior to the unmasking.
“Thank you, Benedick. I know that you would rather be anywhere else but here,” she said quietly when he returned to her.
Their eyes held for the slightest moment, her blue ones, filled with warmth and concern stared into his. It took him back to the summer when he had only her blue eyes in which to determine a mood or meaning behind spoken words.
But he remembered those eyes and they had haunted him since.
“Yes, well, I will go see that the doors and windows are locked as I instructed and that the footmen are stationed at their doors then allow those outside to return to their duties away from here.”
Victoria blinked and looked away. “Yes, of course, and thank you.”
Benedick started to leave her, then returned. “You lied to me and Sinclair.”
Her eyebrows rose as her blue eyes widened. “I most certainly did not.”
“You claimed that it was one incident and would likely not happen again.”
“That matters little now since you are here.”
“If that man had a reason for accosting you, and made demands, then you know the likelihood of him returning.”
Lady Victoria pursed her lips and crossed her arms over those breasts he had once enjoyed.
“Who is Ruby and why did you not mention her before?”
She quickly explained who the woman was and why the man had attacked her.
