Page 5 of His Improper Lady

“What? Stealing things?”

She nodded. “The excitement. The thrill of getting away. The challenge of getting in. The anticipation.”

“Sometimes,” her twin admitted.

“But I guess you have that, doing whatever it is you do.”

“It’s a bit more comfortable when you’re doing it for the government.”

“Do you suppose they’d like to have a woman working for them in the shadows?”

He chuckled. “I can see old Pomeroy’s face if I suggested that. Are you bored, Dizzy?”

“I hope you know that you are the only person who can get away with calling me that.”

“I remember you going after Willie Sparks when he tried to. He got a grand black eye from it, as I remember.”

“Lost a tooth, as well. The dolt. Everyone knew I was faster than him and didn’t punch like a girl.”

“But what about my question—are you bored with your life?” Wells pressed her.

“I suppose...a little. Not like I was when Brock sent me to that school for young ladies so I could learn to speak and act correctly.”

“Mm. School was a misery.”

“At least the boys at your school liked you. I could hardly get anyone to talk to me.” Desiree grimaced at the memory of those two lonely years.

“I was shunned at first, until they found out I could ride better and run faster than any of them. And could climb up to tie the proctor’s underpants to the steeple—I was very useful for pulling off pranks.”

“Yes, well, I can tell you that being able to blacken someone’s eye doesn’t attract many friends at a young ladies’ finishing school.”

“I’d guess not.” He paused. “I thought after you convinced Brock to let you help at the casino, you’d be more...satisfied.”

“I am. I enjoy my work. It’s never boring, and there’s ample excitement in the turn of the cards. I get to use my talent.” Her lips curved up a little as she remembered that night at Brock’s club a few years ago when she had swept in and proved to him how good she was at cards and how much business her presence attracted. Her protective older brother had finally had to admit that his attempts to give her the life of a lady were not working. “I must sound like a terrible ingrate. I’m not, truly. I very much appreciate everything Brock has done for me—these clothes, this house, freedom, safety. I’d probably be dead or in jail by now if he hadn’t come back to rescue us. I wouldn’t go back to that old life for anything.”

“I sense a ‘but’ in there.”

“But I don’t really belong anywhere. I can talk like a lady, walk like one, act like one. But I’m not a lady. To the people we grew up with, I’m now a snob. But a gentlewoman knows at once I’m not one of them. One can’t simply buy a social circle, and I don’t have old friends from school as you do. Even if I did, they’d not want to be seen with a woman who spends her evenings gambling in a club. Anyway, I’d die of boredom doing nothing but paying calls and doing...whatever it is that ladies do. I’m not like anyone else.”

“You’re unique. Nothing wrong with that.” Wells paused. “Desiree...what are you going to do if you find out our father was one of the Moreland family?”

“I don’t know,” she answered honestly.

“Brock is right. They had ample opportunities over the years to see us if they chose. I don’t want you to get hurt.”

She looked up at him. His dark blue eyes were filled with concern. “I’m not naive, Wells. I realize that they won’t look with favor on being connected to a family who owns a gambling club, much less one that used to be circus performers and thieves. I don’t expect them to welcome me with open arms. I just want to know who they are.”

“I know you won’t rest until you do.” Wells stood up, reaching down to pull her up with him. Putting his hands on her shoulders, he looked into her eyes. “If you need help, call on me. You know I’ll always help you. Don’t worry about damaging my position with my employers.” The corner of his mouth lifted. “I’m quite capable of doing that all on my own.”

Desiree had to laugh. “I know. I will. I promise.”

“Good girl.” He released her and stepped back. “I have something I need to attend to.”

“More ‘shadowy’ business?”

Wells just grinned and walked out of the room. She didn’t hear him leave the house—he’d always been as silent as the grave—but she knew the instant he was gone. Wells left a certain emptiness behind him. Desiree went up the stairs to her room. The evening had held so many reminders of her past that she stopped inside her door and looked around the spacious room.

When they were with Falk, all the children who worked for him slept in a room smaller than this. She could still remember the smell of it, the wariness that only her twin’s presence had calmed. She would never take this luxury for granted, and she would never be kin to anyone the way she was connected to Brock and Wells.