To Love A Lord of London (Wardington Park; Raptures of Royalty) (24 page)

J
ane’s eyes
moved to Bruno before sliding back over to Noel. The two men stood on either sides of His Grace, Captain Gore.

G
ore stuck
his cheroot into his mouth and grinned as he leaned back in his chair. On the few occasions that she’d seen him, Gore had always sported his redcoat, the mark of a true member of the British Army. He propped his black boots up on the edge of the desk and simply watched her. His hair and eyes were a cool gray while deep wrinkles and yellow teeth and skin showed a man in poor health.

Since her arrival to the office, the only thing he’d done was offer Jane scotch, which she refused. Soon after that, they both fell into a silence, which managed to fill Jane with terror. Especially when that silence was accompanied by not just his grin, but Noel’s as well. The filthy man had never hidden his desire for Jane.

When another cloud of smoke filled her face, she decided it time to speak. At least then, the smoking would decrease. “I didn’t wish to tell Lord Cartridge anything. If Nelly hadn’t hit him…” she trailed off, unsure of what else to say.

Gore’s cheroot paused by his dry lips. “I agree,” he told her in a gravelly voice. “Nelly should not have hit the earl.” He began to move the smoking device back by his lips. He laughed and said, “Well, the least he could have done was finish the man off!” He laughed again, and the other men joined in.

J
ane’s stomach flipped
. “Did you cause the carriage accident?”

Gore met her eyes. “We were only after the earl. Not you. You’re a good soldier, Jane.” He grinned. “The things you’ve brought from all those homes in the West End truly help my business here.” Then his grin widened. “You bring me such lovely things.”

Jane looked down at the hands in her lap and thought of the many things she’d done since Gore had found her. Stealing from those who rejected him, he called it. Justice, he said. Gore had once been an important man, invited to parties and gatherings of the ton. People had paraded him around during the war. He’d been a true hero, but at the end of the war, even he’d been dismissed.

It was why he forced Jane to take from them. At first, Jane had only stolen from her own home, but that only worked for so long. Eventually, her mother began to wonder if the staff was stealing and threatened to fire everyone. So, Jane had stopped targeting her own residence and began stealing from others. Just a small gold chain here or a candleholder there. Nothing she couldn’t carry in the bag that she wore tied underneath her ball gowns. Until the night of the Wardington Ball.

G
ore had been more
excited about that party than the ton, and he hadn’t even been invited. ‘That house has been locked up for almost a decade. I’m sure you’ll find better pieces there.’ And with that assumption came his idea that Jane needed assistance. He’d sent Nelly to help her. She’d opened a window to let the man in, and then they’d both gotten to work….but then William had appeared. Nelly had been so shocked to see him. The man who usually put fear in Jane’s spirit had feared the earl. She’d seen it in his eyes right before he’d struck him over the head. Nelly had then dropped down to see if the earl was still alive before fleeing into the night.

Gore broke into her thoughts. “I’ll not kill you, Jane.”

Jane wove her fingers together and tried to hold onto herself. The faint like feeling began again. No, he wouldn’t kill her, but would he punish her for something she hadn’t been in control of?

“In fact,” Gore said. “I’m ready to let you go all together.”

Jane looked up. “Truly?”

H
e nodded
, “In exchange for the letter that pronounced your brother a traitor to the crown, I’ll need something though.” The letter, which had actually been addressed to Gore during the war, announced that Bradley Croftman had turned, working for the French, and would be sent to London for hanging. But Bradley had died before he’d returned, and the matter had been dropped. Or it had until Gore had seen he could use it for his benefit. The Croftmans were one of the wealthiest land gentry in England. So blackmailing them, blackmailing the young and naive Jane, had worked. While her entire family had mourned the death of Bradley, Jane had even more so. Her own brother had been a traitor to the crown, and for proof, she’d seen the letter herself. She’d never told anyone in her family, knowing the news would break their hearts, so she’d ended up working for Gore to keep that secret hidden. Would Gore truly give her the letter?

“
W
hat do you need
?”

Gore leaned forward, “William’s secret.” He grinned. “It’ll be good to have a prime minister in my pocket.”

Jane’s hope left her. “No.”

The eyes of her villain narrowed. “No?”

She shook her head in affirmation. “I won’t hurt another person. Not anymore.”

Gore’s grin fell. “Noel was right. Engaged for all of two days and you already think yourself better than us.”

Jane let out a breath. “No, I simply no longer wish to hurt anyone.” Especially William. He was so kind. Always trying to right the wrongs of others. He was everything an earl should be and more.

He stood, “Well, either you continue to hurt your wealthy friends, or I will begin to hurt you.”

And that was when the door opened and Jane saw William confidently stroll into the room. He’d come to save her.

“
G
ore
, this ends now.” William stopped inside of the small office, and his eyes immediately fell on Jane. She was smiling at him, and he smiled back before returning his eyes to Captain Gore.

G
ore
, who’d been standing when he entered the room, laughed, “Oh, is that so, my lord,” he mocked. “And how are you expecting to bring me in?”

William turned toward the door and watched as Cornelius and his men walked into the room. Then he turned back to Gore, “You’re heading to the magistrate. You’re finished.”

Gore laughed again, jarring William, and the two men behind him laughed as well. Jane stood with wide eyes and came to stand with William, pulling him away from the other men.

S
he had
tears in her eyes, “You know that man?”

“Yes, why?”

Her brown eyes were so wide. “He’s the one who hit you over the head.”

William turned and stared at Cornelius, not believing what he’d just been told. “Cornelius?”

Cornelius grinned a true and dark grin. “It’s Nelly around here,” he said as he moved to Gore’s side.

Gore laughed, wrapping an arm around the man. “Fine work, Nelly. Delivering William.”

Cornelius’ gray eyes drilled into William as his grin remained.

“Why?” asked William to the man he’d entrusted everything to. “For your sister?”

“Yes.” A simple answer. “I’ve been trying to find dirt on you for years, but you’re too clean, William. So, this was the only way.”

Gore cut in, “So, since I can’t control you, we’ll have to kill you.”

Jane turned to Gore, her arms wrapped around William now. “Please, Gore. I’ll do whatever you want.”

Gore smiled, “You’re already going to be doing that, girl.”

The men around him laughed.

One of them said, “Looks like Mr. Croftman will be planning a wedding and a funeral.”

W
illiam’s arms
went around Jane. They planned to kill her as well. This was all his fault. Because of what he’d done to Isabella. And now, he’d be losing the only other woman he’d cared for.

Jane turned to him. Tears flowed from her topaz eyes. He couldn’t let this beautiful woman die. Not his Jane.

He turned to Gore, “I’ve a secret.”

Gore waved him off. “If it’s your little dalliance with the whore, then I already know about it.”

William saw Cornelius stiffen at hearing his sister referred to so harshly. Then William said, “I’ve something else.”

Gore seemed intrigued.

Jane pushed William further into the corner and turned his head down to hers. “No, William,” she hissed. “Don’t do this. He’ll use you for the rest of her life, and you’ll always wish he’d had simply taken it.”

H
e frowned at her
, “Is that what you’ve felt all these years?”

She smiled and whispered, “Except for when I’m with you.”

He’d never heard better words. His hand stroked her cheek. He’d protect her with his life. He turned to Gore and opened his mouth to speak when a loud noise sounded from the other side of the door right before screaming broke out.

Then the men poured in, fighting everyone they saw. Everyone except for William and Jane. The pair looked on as the tussling continued. Punches were thrown, but the new men, whoever they were, outnumbered Gore’s men three to one. And when the dust settled, it was this large group of men who stood.

A young man winked at William. “My lord,” he said before he bowed. “I’m John, leader of The Runners.”

The Bow Street Runners. They were a force to be reckoned with. They were regular men who’d come together in order to solve and fight crime and reported straight to the magistrate.

William shook his head, “I never called anyone to come.”

John lifted his shoulder. “We know. Your driver, Mr. Thomas, came around right after dropping you off here. He’d suspected that something wasn’t right, so he came to us for you.”

M
r. Thomas
. The man he’d blamed for the accident until he realized he was not to blame. Usually, an aristocrat would have still fired Mr. Thomas, but William hadn’t. No one could prevent everything. And so, William had apologized to the driver for yelling at him—an apology being one of the things people of the peerage never did to servants—right before telling him that he had nothing to fear. Especially not losing his job. William grinned and realized he owed the man his life.

O
nce the beaten
men were picked up and ushered out of the building, William turned to Jane and before he could speak, she went to the desk, lifted a letter from it, and tossed it into the fireplace. Afterward, she kissed him. William wrapped her in his arms, loving the way she fit against him so well. She was his. Now and forever.

When the kiss ended, she asked, “What secret were you ready to tell Gore before The Runners got here?”

William let out a breath. “I was going to make something up.”

J
ane’s eyes went wide
. “Are you truly so pure as to not have any secrets?”

He smiled, “It’s kind of who I am.”

She laughed and then rested her head on his chest and whispered., “I guess your only flaw is being with me.”

He forced her to stare at him once again, holding her cheeks between his hands. “My love and devotion for you will never be a flaw. You, Jane Croftman, are perfect for me.”

Her eyes widened as she whispered, “But, what about Isabella?”

He shook his head. “I only see you, Jane. Yes, when I started to help you, it was in part about saving Isabella, but it was also about you. And when I kissed you that first time…” Jane blushed and turned away. William pulled her back, forcing her eyes on him. “Every time I’ve kissed you has been about you and how you make me feel. I’m in love with you, Jane Croftman.”

Fresh tears began to fall. “Then it is a scandalous love match, indeed my lord, for I love you as well.”

They smiled at one another, and William prayed to see that smile for the rest of his life.