Now wasnotthe time to panic. Neither was it the time for someone to threaten him since he could not protect himself.
He just needed to turn the corner up a little ways and he’d be within shouting distance of the hospital. Up ahead, there were more streetlamps lighting the way as well.
Macgregor.
His name whispered with the wind as it blew against his face. Ridiculous. The wind wouldn’t say his name… But someone had.
He stopped, swung quickly around, hoping to catch whoever followed him. The street remained empty.
Macgregor.
There it was again. He jerked toward the sound coming from a different direction. Something wasn’t right, and he didn’t like the spooky feeling crawling up his spine.
Nearby, hurried footsteps crunched on the road, coming closer by the second. He couldn’t be frightened. He wasneverfrightened. People were afraid of him, not the other way around.
“Who goes there?” he shouted then heard his question echoed. “This is ludicrous.” He grumbled and turned back toward his destination.
As he passed an alleyway, a woman cloaked in brown and black rags, rushed out and grasped his arm. “Please, govna, I beg ye for some money. I’m starvin’ and need to feed me fam’ly.”
Gagging, he pushed her away. Her stench of raw onions and fresh urine was more than he could stand. “Leave me alone, ye old crow.”
She reached for him again, and he stumbled over his feet to get away, bumping into someone else. Suddenly, a sharp pain pierced his back, cutting through his clothes and slicing his skin. Fiery agony blazed through his body as his shirt dampened quickly from his blood. He jerked around to see who had stabbed him, but all he could see in the shadows was a hand holdinghismissing knife coated with his own blood.
The pain became unbearable, and he collapsed to his knees. Coldness seeped through him like liquid pouring through his veins. Each breath he took became more difficult until he couldn’t breathe at all. Quickly, his vision turned black.
*
Trevor sat atthe breakfast table, staring at his plate of untouched food. For three days he hadn’t had any ambition to do anything, let alone eat. Since finding Louisa stealing from his mother, he had locked himself in his home, refused visitors, stayed in his chambers more than he should, and turned away the offer of playing with his children.
Everywhere he looked, he saw Louisa. In the brief time she’d spent in his household, she had turned everything around. Even his servants had smiled more. That was before she left, of course. Before… he bade her to leave and never return.
The sorrow in his heart was, at times, more than he could bear. Gwen’s death had never crushed him as much. Now he wondered how he could go on. He’d given his whole heart toLouisa, and for the first time in a long while, he believed in love and trust, only to have her show him that love and trust didn’t belong in his life.
He’d lain awake at night, trying hard not to remember her smile and the way she stared dreamily into his eyes. Desperately, he tried not to think of kissing her and the way she’d melted into his arms. He tried not to recall the way his children loved to be around her and the way she made them laugh. The way she’d madehimlaugh.
He wouldn’t allow his emotions to get the best of him. He refused to cry, although a few times when he’d drift off to sleep only to awaken to find his pillow damp.
“Your Grace”—Hobbs walked in with a package in his hands—“this just came for you.”
Trevor’s frown deepened. “Who brought it?”
“It was from a courier, my lord.”
Hobbs set the package on the table then laid the newspaper beside it. “And here is your daily paper. Is there anything else you need now?”
“Not right now, thank you.”
The butler nodded and quit the room. Trevor stared at the small package, having no idea who would have given him this—or why. He really didn’t feel like opening it, but curiosity nudged him enough to move his plate aside and slide the package in front of him. Quickly, he tore off the paper just to get it over and done with.
Lying inside was his mother’s satchel with the necklaces Louisa had taken three nights ago.
His throat choked with emotion and his eyes became misty. Shaking his head slowly, he told himself he would not let this affect him. Using his finger, he moved the necklaces around, noticing a paper underneath. He pulled out the paper andopened it up. Beautiful handwriting slightly slanted lined the page. The date on the letter was yesterday.
My Dearest, Since you would not let me explain the other night, I have decided to write you a missive—if only for my own state of mind. I pray you read what I have to say. What I wanted to tell you the other night was that although I had originally started to take the jewels, I had changed my mind and was putting them back when you caught me. Before this had happened—the day I had left to see if I could force my memory to return—I did remember what happened. I remembered everything about my life and especially the day I ran in front of your vehicle. I had found my family that day, but before I could tell them, Macgregor stopped me and threatened to harm them, and especially you and the twins, if I didn’t steal your mother’s jewels. Believe me when I say, I did not want to, but I also know Macgregor would have hurt you, so I had no choice. When you walked in on me, I had changed my mind and was coming to tell you the truth to see if you could help me find a way to stop him. Not to worry, though. I will find a way to stop him. Maybe then I will be able to forgive myself for all the terrible things I have done while in Macgregor’s employ. And mayhap one day you will soon come to forgive me, which is the thing I want the most. Please do not let my family know I’m alive. One day I will feel confident enough to tell them the truth, but until then, I cannot forgive myself for everything I have done in the past. Give the twins a kiss from me and tell them I love and miss them. Yours Always, Elizabeth Louisa Hamilton.
Tears blurred his vision and he quickly blinked them away. What was wrong with him? Could he really believe what shewrote? Had she indeed tried to save his life by stealing his mother’s jewels for Macgregor?
Deep in his heart, he believed her. Yet the things he’d heard about her from those other children who had worked for Macgregor made Trevor doubt she was so sweet and innocent.
