Had she ever referred to him as Neil when he had courted her? She’d employed the formal “Captain Marking” because it made her feel young and him feel important, and he’d never once offered for her to call him by his given name, even when he attacked her.
“Neil?”she called again.
He looked up. His first glance was general appreciation. A pretty blonde woman in a pretty blue coat had called his name. But then he realized that she didn’t smile and her voice was hard and bored. And then he looked at her, really looked at her, and recognition dawned.
“Step away from that girl,” Tessa said.
“I beg your pardon?” he laughed. He glanced down at the girl who leaned beneath him against the wall. He winked.
“Miss?” said Tessa. “I would warn you of this man. He is not what he seems.”
She took another step and another. She bore down on them, and she wasn’t even a little bit afraid.
Marking shoved off the wall and straightened to his full height. Tessa raised her chin. The fire inside her roared, fueled by indignation and purpose.
The girl was frowning at her and Tessa said, “Take heed. I know he is dashing and kitted out, but he is a liar and a betrayer, and he is very dangerous. Go home to your family.”
“Dangerous?” said the girl. “But he is an officer in the Army. He is sworn to protect us.”
“He is a predator,” Tessa said. “And he protects no one but himself. You look like a bright girl—pretty, curious, clever. Take my advice, run far away from this one, as fast as you can. And warn your friends. He should be in prison, not the Army. There are other boys in your future; honorable, decent boys. This man has no honor. He is indecent.”
The girl looked at the captain. His creamy skin had gone red and he bit off his gloves with terse, angry jerks. She looked back at Tessa, who did not flinch.
“Begging your pardon, sir,” the girl said, bobbing a curtsy. She curtsied to Tessa, too, and fled.
“You are pathetic,” said Tessa. “That girl is fourteen if she is a day.”
“Perhaps I’ve grown weary of old bags like you,” Marking said. He spat in the spot where the girl had been.
Tessa snickered. “If only you’d grow weary of every girl, so womankind would be free of your abuse.”
“Ohright,Iremember why your tail is so bent in a twist,” Marking said, snapping his finger. “Tess. It’s Tess, isn’t it?”
She did not answer.
“You had a brat. The last time I saw you, you were crying on my doorstep, accusing me of getting you with a bastard. You, who’d beenasking for itfrom the first moment I met you. You remember that, Tess? You remember the way you laughed at everything I said, the way you touched mejust sowhen we danced? Do you rememberasking for it?”
“What Iremember,” Tessa said, “is a man ten years my senior, who saw something pretty and happy and shiny and thought, ‘I’d like to have that beauty and shine for my own.’”
“Stop,”he drawled. “I gave you the thrill of your life, I’ll wager. You don’t look worse for the wear. Expensive coat. Nice boots. Fur hat. Feast for the eyes, actually. Figure’s held up. I’d say whatever I gave you was good training. Not to mention, one of the best nights of your life.”
“No,” she said calmly, “you gave me fear, abandonment by my family, heartbreak, and an innocent soul for whom to provide. Would you like to know what I did with all of it?”
“No,” he said, “but I’ve a suspicion you’re going to tell me.”
In the distance, Tessa heard a shout. Someone called her name. “Tessa!”
Joseph.
Tessa did not look. She held out a hand.Not yet.
She stepped closer to Marking. “What I did was, I released my family, I conquered my fear, I learned a trade that fulfills me, I found engaging employment in a new town that I adore, and I fell in love. I am happy. I am so deliriously happy. And I wanted you to know.”
“Well,” he said, “you’re welcome. All because of me, is it?”
“Inspite of you, you worthless snake. Keep away from that little girl. Do women of the world a favor and stay away from us all. You’re small. You’re pathetic. And you have terrible breath.”
She had the small satisfaction of seeing a look of horror pass across his face. Likely the only barb to hit its mark, but she’d not approached him to make him come around. She’d approached him to take back the final piece of herself that he’d stolen the night against the tree.
