His expression hardened.“Frightened?Of what?”
Samantha knit her brow and widened her eyes to affect concern.“Four women have been killed, Mr.Croft, yet the culprit remains on the loose.We just thought… If we could defend ourselves somehow, perhaps we’d be safer.”
“While I agree with that theory in principle, I should warn you that my sister knew how to throw an effective punch, yet she still perished.”His eyebrows dipped and it was as if a dark shadow fell over his brow.“However, there’s no denying the merit of such training.”
“My thought exactly,” Samantha said.“I tried to explain as much to Mr.Reed, but he insisted on seeing us out on account of our sex.”
“Hmm.”Mr.Croft glanced at the door.“Allow me to speak with him, will you?If you’ll wait here a moment, I’ll see if I’m able to change his mind.”
“I hate to impose,” Samantha told him.
He took a deep breath and straightened his shoulders.“No imposition at all.”
“You should have warned me,” Hazel said as soon as the door closed behind him.
“About what?”Samantha asked, turning to her while adjusting her hold on her bag.
“About his looks,” Hazel hissed.“That man is handsome as sin, Samantha.I’m glad he’s not my assignment.”
Hazel wasn’t wrong, though it was a point upon which Samantha refused to linger.She could not allow Mr.Croft’s appearance to muddle her mind.And she wouldn’t.Looks were just looks.They had no bearing on who the man was at his core - a high-class criminal whose prosecution hinged upon her.
“You’re focusing on the wrong thing,” Samantha said.“According to what I’ve been told, he’s a merciless villain.That is what I see when I look at him.Nothing more.”
The sorrow shrouding him as he’d delivered that rose to the spot where his sister was murdered and the anguish marring his features during her funeral didn’t change that.
Mr.Croft had inherited his father’s position as head of the Croft family, an organization reputed to deal in blackmail, to sell information in exchange for favors, and which was also rumored to have arranged the escape of several high value prisoners from Newgate.The rumors surrounding him were extensive.
The problem was there was no proof, and considering the power the family wielded within Society, proof would be required if the court was to gain a conviction.A challenge, to be sure.
The door opened and Mr.Croft appeared, his steely gaze landing upon Samantha at once.“Mr.Reed has extended a rare invitation to you and your sister.Please come with me.”
“But what about the other members of the club?”Hazel asked in dismay.“They were very upset by our presence.”
“All have agreed to tolerate it just this once,” Mr.Croft informed her.He stepped aside and gestured toward the door.
Samantha wasn’t sure what sort of deal he’d struck to make this happen, but she reckoned it to be the underhanded sort that ended with an ‘or else’.By all that was holy, he’d just trumped a duke.
Unsure whether to be impressed or terrified, Samantha re-entered Reed’s Boxing Club with caution.She almost expected one of the men there to launch an attack as some sort of test.
But no.All remained calm and quiet, the members this time continuing their exercise without paying Samantha or Hazel any mind.Including Wrengate.It was the strangest experience.And it got stranger still when Mr.Reed approached.
“I hope you can forgive my lack of hospitality earlier.”His cheeks were ruddy, his eyes a touch wary.“I didn’t realize you were Mr.Croft’s friends.”
Samantha managed a smile.“As I understand it, you were merely enforcing the rules.”
Mr.Reed expelled a deep breath and nodded.“Yes, but as Mr.Croft has reminded me, there is room for some leeway now and again, under the right circumstances.”
Really?
“You told me you came here in order to get a few pointers on how to defend yourselves,” Mr.Croft said coolly.“If that remains the case, I’m happy to assist you.”
Samantha thanked him while wondering what he was up to.Few people would be so helpful toward a person with whom they weren’t well acquainted.There had to be an angle.She just hoped it didn’t include him being on to her ruse.
15
With every instinct on high alert, Samantha followed Mr.Croft to a private training room together with Hazel.There, she set her bag on a bench and removed her bonnet, then smoothed a hand over her hair.Glancing sideways, she caught Mr.Croft studying her with interest.He’d removed his hat and was in the process of shucking his jacket.
“How did you make Mr.Reed change his mind?”She was genuinely curious to know, though she doubted he’d give her an honest answer.
