Page 28 of Only Pleasure Will Do

She nodded, not taking her gaze off him. Like a wild cat one might try to tame.

“I’ve been trying to find a way for us to leave these rooms, Pearl. I don’t want to be here any longer and I don’t think you want to either. Am I right?” He was using the same quiet tone he took with victims he’d had to question when he was a Bow Street Runner, especially female victims of physical crimes.

Again, the child nodded. “I didn’t like that bad man. He hurts people. He hurt Joan and Thomas when he came to take me to see my mama.”

Redmond would pay for all his crimes. Reginald didn’t care if he was the son of an earl; the man had to be held accountable. “Well, I am a man of the law, Pearl. I’m a magistrate, which means I’m someone who judges whether men or women have been bad or not. And I swear to you, when this bad man comes before me, I’ll make him pay for what he’s done to you, and Joan, and Thomas, and your mother. And anyone else he’s managed to hurt.”

Pearl slid across the bed until she sat right next to him. She leaned her head against his chest. “Really, Sir Reginald?”

“Really and truly.” He laid his hand on her head, the baby fine hair like silk against his skin. Then his fingers snagged on something caught in Pearl’s hair. “What’s this, my dear?”

“My hair comb.” She reached up to adjust the bauble before it could slide off her head. “Mama brought it when she came to see me for my birthday in the autumn. Would you like to see it?” Before he could answer, she’d dragged it from her hair and held it up for him to see. “Isn’t it pretty?”

It was a small, jeweled comb such as a child might wear to church on Sunday—three large and three small pearls set on a thin, gold metal comb with teeth.

Reginald’s mouth dried, and he had to restrain himself from snatching the ornament from Pearl’s hand. “It is very pretty, my dear. May I hold it?”

“Here.” She handed the comb to him and sat back. “Mama says I am her pearl of great price, just like these.”

“Your mother is certainly correct.” He held the comb up, almost gloating as the scant light glinted off the gold teeth. “And I will tell you, Pearl, the price of this comb is beyond rubies. Because your comb is our key to getting out of here.” He stood, grabbed his cloak, then held out his hand to Pearl. “Come with me, my dear. Would you like to see some magic?”

Pearl nodded eagerly and took his hand. “Oh, yes, please.”

He led her into the other room and up the stairs to the door. After dropping his cloak on the bannister, he took Pearl’s comb and squatted until he was eye to eye with her. “In order to make this comb into a key to open the door, I will need to bend one of the teeth. I believe I will be able to bend it back, good as new, but sometimes magic doesn’t work quite right. The comb could break instead.”

She stared at the comb then nodded. “If you can make it into a key so we can go find Mama, I think it would be all right with her if you have to break it.”

He gave her a quick smile. There was nothing he wanted more than to go find Maddy. “I will do my best not to.” Reginald turned to the door and fetched his knife out of his boot once more then carefully bent the tooth on the end of the comb at a ninety-degree angle. Again, he applied his eye and then his ear to the door, but the stillness assured him that no one was lurking outside, watching them. He inserted the knife into the keyhole, pushing the lever up, then slid the metal tooth into the lock and slowly pulled the bolt back.

At the loud click, Reginald let out the breath he’d been holding. He dropped his tools and grabbed Pearl up in his arms and danced around in a circle, joy racing through him so strongly he almost ached with it. Freedom at last.

“Sir Reginald.” She giggled as she held on to his neck. “You did it! You did the magic key trick. But can we go find Mama now?”

“We can indeed, my dear.” He lowered Pearl to the landing then stooped to retrieve the knife and comb. “Here you are.” Swiftly, he bent the golden tooth back into alignment and handed the comb to Pearl. “Good as new.”

She pushed it into her hair as he slid his knife back into his boot top before donning his cloak. “Now don’t make any noise at all and stay close to me. Take my hand.”

Pearl grasped his big hand with her small one and looked up, trust shining at him from Maddy’s eyes. His heart swelled.

Cautiously, he opened the door and leaned out into the hallway. He checked both corridors, but as he’d expected, no one had been sent to guard them. Their luck was holding for a change. With soft steps, they made their way down toward the end of the hall where light shone through the crack beneath the door. Wind whistled through the gap.

Reginald grasped the handle, but before he pushed it open, he scooped Pearl up in his arms. He could move more swiftly carrying the child than having her run alongside him. They would make for the tree line to the left of this building then to the driveway that led to the main road. Pray God Marlow was still there cropping grass or they’d have a long walk to Dartford.

Clutching Pearl to his chest, Reginald pushed the door open, stepped out into the daylight, and ran.