Her husband’s jaw twitched. “Would both of you justsit!” he ordered.
As one, Elizabeth and Papa sat.
“I trust Harris with my life, so I trust him with Annabelle’s life too. She will not be harmed. She may be ruined in the eyes of society, but she’ll not beharmed. So you will calm your overwrought selves and listen to me.”
He rang the bell, no doubt in need of coffee rather than more spirits this early in the day. “Neither of you understand whom we’re dealing with. Finch hurts women and derives pleasure from hurting children. Not only does he run a nasty gaming den and bawdy house, but he also deals in flesh. Human flesh.”
“You mean he … sells people?” Elizabeth asked.
“Yes.”
“But slavery is illegal.” Papa pushed back. “Mr. Finch never once gave the impression he?—”
“There are many ways to enslave a person, Winthrop, but once one human has bought another, for service of any sort, that relationship, the person purchased, it is a form of slavery.” Milton’s tone was laced with bitterness, and Elizabeth felt a sudden, sharp chill. Had he not purchased her, too, in marriage?
“No, I cannot believe this.” Her father shook his head. “Not in London, not Mr. Finch. Not once did he allude to such dealings. Why, upon first meeting the man he struck me as?—”
“He reels people in till they dangle from his hook, with no choice but to do his bidding.” Milton’s face hardened.
“And you believe he wishes to wed Annabelle because…?” Elizabeth drilled deeper. She’d not waste time on Papa’s circuitous thinking.
“Because he can.” Milton slammed the brandy bottle down so hard upon the bedstand she jumped. “Because he has a grudge against me and knows that by taking your sister as wife he can insinuate himself intomylife, forcing me to acquiesce again, as if I were his bloody—” He inhaled a shaky breath, not finishing his sentence.
“So it is because of you that Bella is now in danger.” Fresh anger surfaced, bubbling in Elizabeth’s breast.
“No,” Milton fired back. “It is because of your father that Finch now has the means by which totakeBella. I merely paveda path the day I married you.” He slumped against his bedpost, as if to prop himself up.
Elizabeth stared at the floor. She would not explode with fury, nor would she let her fear for Bella get the better of her now. She mustn’t. “Then what do you propose we do, sir?” She stared Milton squarely in his face. “Or are we to rely solely on Mr. Harris to keep Annabelle from Mr. Finch’s clutches?”
***
Elizabeth’s words, her tone, hurt; Milton blamed himself enough for this mess.
“Harris will keep Bella safe. My faith in him is absolute. Whatever Arty does, he does for good reason. As for Hieronymus Finch, I’ll make sure that man does not lift a finger against anyone in my family again.”
“But if he’s taken her to Gretna…” Winthrop sniveled.
“And would that be such a terrible thing?” Milton snarled, taking two steps closer to tower over his father-in-law. “Would you rather she be married to Finch? Abused? Shared? Pawned to other men for use?” He would not spare this worthless coward the truth. “If Arthur Harris deems it necessary to marry your daughter to keep her safe from Ronny Finch then you should thank God he is so willing.”
Winthrop cowered in his seat.
Lizzie placed a hand on her father’s shoulder. “You needn’t be so harsh, sir.”
“Oh I think I must,” he bit back. “Neither of you can fathom what it is to beownedby that man.”
Silence draped the room until Milton cleared his throat—and mind. “I will make inquiries today, to determine where Arty has taken Annabelle. You, Elizabeth, will accompany your fatherhome and pretend to visit your ailing sister. Take Ginny as your companion, then stash her in Bella’s bedchamber. She is roughly your sister’s size and coloring and can play the role of a young lady taken to her bed.”
“And you, sir.” Milton turned to Winthrop. “Youmust stall Finch for all you’re worth, because he will demand Annabelle’s hand in immediate marriage now. Tell him she is overcome by the incident at the ball, that she is distraught. Tell him she requires time yet to recover. Do everything in your power to make him believe she resides within your house, because if Finch gets word that Harris has her, he will pursue them, ruthlessly.”
“But how can I prohibit him from?—?”
“Good God, man, it is your house! And she is your daughter!” Milton had long lost all respect for his father-in-law. “It is within your right to demand Finch leave your property.”
Winthrop looked like he would fold to a flea.
“Do you trust your servants?” Milton asked.
“Well, I … That is …” The fool faltered so long Milton turned to Lizzie.
