by Eliza Lloyd
“No.”
Charlie wasn’t a fidgety boy. Instead he had his arms wrapped around his knees and gazed at the morning sky. Probably looking for his angels.
“Danny should have caught up with Frank by now, don’t you think?” he asked.
“I’d expect so.”
“Is it a sin to kill people?”
“Usually. Why? Do you want to kill somebody?” she asked, thinking about the two men last night who she would have gladly taken the knife to herself. Thinking about her brothers in Newgate for saving her seemed a mite unfair, but they’d been used to one-sided justice their entire lives.
“I do,” he said. He heaved a deep sigh as if that confession had relieved him of a lifetime burden.
Imo stared in amazement. Charlie and his angels and churchgoing seemed a far cry from murdering someone.
“Well, since it’s a sin and you like your prayers answered, I’d advise putting that out of your mind.”
“What if I can’t forget?”
“We can forget anything if we’re determined.” She hadn’t thought of Jack until just now.
Behind them the door swung open.
“Imogene! My God, it is you.” Mary FitzPatrick glanced over her shoulder and pulled the door shut behind her. Charlie and Imo jumped to their feet. “What’s happened?” Mrs. Fitz asked.
"Something real bad.” Imo told the story in whispered tones. Mary’s face grew pale and then her lips pursed in anger. Finally, Imo had to tell her that Mrs. Bunton had died and they had no place to go and her shoulder hurt real bad and could Mary put it in her heart to take her in. And Charlie too. And not forever, just ’til Frank and Danny could sort things out. She took a deep breath once it was all out.
Well, not all out. She omitted the part about Jack and the whoring, but that tale could be told later. Once Mary got to know them again and saw that Imo wasn’t really a queer hen, she could confess more of the truth.
Mary folded her hands and brought them to her lips. “Mercy. Mercy. Have mercy. You poor children.” Mary then glanced back at Charlie. “I don’t believe I know this young man.”
“Oh, this is my brother Charlie. I forgot you haven’t met him yet.” Imo explained that they’d “found” him and that he needed a home and that, “I’m sure you’ll like him. He prays a lot.”
“Nice to meet you, Master Charles. You two must be hungry. Let’s get you settled while I figure out what we are going to do.”
Explaining the other tangle took no more than five minutes and Mrs. Fitz nodded gravely.
“You’re not going to lose your post are you? On our account?”
“Oh, heaven’s no. The master of the house hasn’t had a mistress here the last six months and he’s away in Scotland until after Christmas anyway. I won’t be able to pay you a wage, but I figure I can keep you busy for room and board. And this young man can work in the stables. There’s always work for a strong back and a good mind. Come along then.”
It turned out there were only five servants in the household when it was empty. Mary introduced them as her niece and nephew—Imogene and Charles FitzPatrick. The newly found relatives would have a roof over their heads this evening and a belly full of bread and honey and drink as soon as Mary and the cook could slice the roll and heat the fresh milk.
Charlie was given his own bed, but he snuck into her room and lay down beside Imogene.
“We’ll be all right,” she whispered.
“I know. There’s an angel in the corner watching us.”
Imogene couldn’t look, because seeing an empty corner rather than an angel would crush the last of her hope.
Life would be different but they’d be safe and that was a right quick trick, considering the troubles they found themselves. Frank and Danny could manage on their own. If they didn’t do anything stupid.
“Charlie? Will you be happy here?”
He chuckled a bit. “Will you?
Would she? Imogene smiled in the dark. In spite of the danger, she hadn’t felt this safe since Mam died. Being a Farrell was a good thing. Nothing kept them down for long.
“Don’t worry, Jack will find us,” Charlie said.
Jack will find us. It was a pretty thought in their upside down world.
“I’m counting on it,” Imo said.
Imogene Copyright © 2015 Eliza Lloyd
All rights Reserved.
This is a work of fiction. Any resemblance to persons living or dead or places, events or locations is coincidental.
This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each reader. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.
Cover art by Dar Albert
Editors: Jillian Bell and MacKenzie Walton
Electronic book publication 2015
Imogene
Copyright © 2015, 2016 Eliza Lloyd
All rights Reserved.
This is a work of fiction. Any resemblance to persons living or dead or places, events or locations is coincidental.
This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each reader. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.
Cover art by Dar Albert
Electronic book publication 2015, 2016
Other works by Eliza Lloyd
Historical
Wicked Affairs Series
Wicked Desires
Wicked Temptation
Wicked Lord
Wicked Secrets
Wicked Indiscretions
Wicked Siren
Birds of Paradise Series
Another Lover
The Darkness in the Marquess of Dane
A Mistress To Remember (TBA)
Mad Duchesses (series complete)
One Last Night
From Now On
Age of Innocence
The Day After
Mad Duchesses Anthology (ebook and print)
The Curse of the Weatherby Ball
An Occasion to Sin
An Inadvisable Wager (TBA)
The Infamous Forresters
All A Mistress Wants (also part of the Wanton Christmas Wishes anthology)
My Dear Mr. Forrester (also part of the Seven Nights of Sin anthology)
Imogene Farrell series
Imogene
Jack’s Hellion
The Frenchman’s Widow
Lady Prescott’s Confidential Matter
Body of Knowledge series
The Timeless Earl
The All-Seeing Eye
The Trouble With Scots
A Sleight of Hand (TBA)
Contemporary Romantic Suspense
Cold Play series
Best Served Cold
On Thin Ice
Play It Cool
Contemporary
Far From Home series
Lessons in Mountain Climbing
Lessons in Fly Fishing
Lessons in Horse Whispering (TBA)
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