“Truly, if I were married with children and my mother was told of some transgression I had done when I was a child she would make sure I knew of it,” Anna said.
“You should, you know.”
Again he turned serious. She could not seem to keep up with his changing moods. This was so unlike the man she had known over a decade, she could not understand him.
“I should what?”
“Marry. Have children.”
The subject instantly brought a rush of tears to her eyes, but she blinked them away and looked outside. She knew if she looked at him she would let the tears fall. It had been the one thing she regretted about her mistake three years earlier. She had always wanted a horde of children.
“I would rather not talk about it.”
“You cannot spend the rest of your life paying for what happened.”
She sighed. “I said I did not want to talk about it.” She cut him a sharp look. Anger flashed over his face. Lord Bridgerton was not accustomed to being told no.
“As you wish.” He rose from his seat and she followed suit. “I must speak to Sebastian. Thank you for the conversation.”
She nodded and watched him leave. When he reached the doorway, he turned to study her for a long moment. “You would make a wonderful mother, Anna.”
In the next moment, he was gone, not allowing her to respond to him. She sank onto the settee and blinked, trying to keep the tears at bay. She rarely thought of what she was missing by choosing the path she had, but just hearing Daniel make the comment brought it all to the forefront.
The one man she might break her promise for had just told her that she would make a good mother. It was enough to make a woman weep.
Daniel escaped to Sebastian’s study, thankful he had avoided any of the other women in his house.
“You seem to be out of sorts.”
Daniel tossed his best friend a mean look but said nothing else as he poured himself some tea.
“Did you and Anna have a fight?”
“No.” He knew he was terse, and he didn’t give a bloody damn. He itched from the inside out. There was something there, something in that sad expression Anna had that told him she still hurt…still longed for that bastard. Anger whipped through him, barely contained. He wanted to destroy something. He felt so inept, so impotent. If the bastard had not killed himself years ago, Daniel would gladly hunt him down and kill him for hurting Anna. For the first time in years, he had almost lost it, almost gone to her and pulled her into his arms.
When she hurt, he did too.
And that alone was enough to drive him insane.
“Please, don’t talk so much. You might overwhelm me.”
Daniel sighed. “If you must know, I apologized.”
“For what?”
“For telling her that she should not be working down in White Chapel.”
Sebastian chuckled. “Ah, yes, I was told of your visit.”
“Excuse me?”
“I have to thank you for that because you made me look like a good brother. She was none too happy with you.”
He set his tea on the table beside him and stared at his friend across the expansive desk. “Indeed?”
“What do you think you were about?”
“I am not sure now. Everyone seems to think I have lost my mind.” And he was beginning to think he had. Why else would he seek the woman out when being in her company was so painful?
“I have to agree.”
“You mean to tell me you aren’t worried about what she does?”
“Of course I am, but I know better than to try and stop her. If I forbid her, you know the result of that. She would just go around me, and without any protection.”
That was true. From the moment he had met Anna she had never been one to sit idly by and allow things to happen around her. She had always jumped into the middle of the activity and enjoyed. He shifted in his seat, avoiding Sebastian’s probing gaze. After his encounter with Anna, his emotions were too open, too raw. He could not believe that she had not divulged who helped her those years earlier. He had indulged in befriending Sebastian’s younger sister because she seemed to enjoy the things he did too. They both thrived in the country and they had a special affinity for horses. And he had never met a girl quite like her. She loved adventures, but she was still feminine. They had remained friends until he’d attended her coming-out ball. Then it had become impossible.
“Truthfully, I was hard pressed to tell her no three years ago. You remember what she was like. Not only had she lost a man she thought to marry, but she put a cousin she dearly loves in danger because of it. It was a bit too much to bear for her.”
“And so you allowed her to go traipsing around an area filled with whores and beggars?”
One eyebrow rose at his tone and he could understand that. He sounded as if he felt he had a right to her.
“You forget just how broken she was. The fact that she showed any interest was enough for me. I could not let her sit here and waste away. What did you expect me to do?”
“I do not see what the bloody hell she thinks she is doing.”
“I believe I heard all of this a few days ago. And since you seem to either be hard of hearing or are starting to lose your memory in your old age, I will remind you of what I said. I might disagree with her being in such a dangerous part of town but, believe me, she does very good work there. Why, she practically manages the orphanage, and I am sure that is not something any of us expected of her three years ago.”
He could not argue with that. After leaving his argument with Joanna, Daniel had started to dig into the background of the orphanage and had found that Anna was not only their primary benefactor, she did a lot of their fundraising. It was a lot for any person, not to mention a young woman who had no training or background for it.
“Why do you seem so interested in this? Do you not think I can protect my sister?”
“Of course I do. I just feel…protective, as I do with my sisters.”
One of Sebastian’s eyebrows rose as he studied Daniel. After a few beats of silence, Sebastian said, “Indeed. Well, I assure you that even if she were in trouble without escort, she would have help from the locals in the area. She has gained the respect of many of the inhabitants. Several of them would probably slit your throat if they thought you were a threat to her.”
“And you are comfortable that she spends her time with these people?”
Sebastian blew out a sigh filled with exasperation. “Good God, man, let it be. She is protected and won’t get into any trouble. She has been there for over two years working without a hint of trouble.”
He wanted to argue, but he could see speculation in Sebastian’s gaze. One thing he did not need was her brother wondering just why he was so interested. He would make sure that nothing happened to her even if her brother did not.
Sebastian watched his friend climb into his carriage and sighed. There was something decidedly odd with Daniel’s behavior. There had always been something Daniel kept from him, some secret he did not want Sebastian to know. He did not think it were illegal, Daniel was much too honest for that. But there was something there that seemed to occupy much of his time, especially these last few months.
The door opened and shut behind him. He did not need to turn around to see who it was.
“Was that Daniel?” Colleen asked as she slipped her arms around his waist and rested her head against his back.
“Yes. He has taken a bit of interest in the comings and goings of Anna.”
“Hmm.”
Without breaking contact, he turned around and pulled her close. “What does that mean?”
She widened her eyes innocently. “Whatever do you mean?”
“Do not even try to play me, Colleen.”
“I saw them dancing the other night.”
When she did not continue, he knew her clever mind was working something out. “And?”
“There seemed to be something between
them.”
He jerked back and looked down at her. “You’re mad. Daniel thinks of her as a little sister.”
She said nothing else but gave him one of those irritating looks.
“Colleen?”
She smiled, one that never failed to seduce him. “So, my lord. You have some empty time on your hands this afternoon?”
Heat and love slipped through him as he leaned his head down to brush his mouth over hers. His worries about his best friend were easily forgotten as he set about loving his wife.
By the time Daniel arrived home later that night, all he wanted to do was climb into his bed. His day had started early and gone downhill fast. His meeting at the docks had gone as well as he expected. Meaning it had been a mess.
The door opened and Higgens stood beside it, an anxious look on his face.
“My lord. We had a problem arise.”
Daniel sighed as he stepped over the threshold of his townhouse. “Of course we have. What is it now? Mother complaining because I did not attend tonight’s festivities? The way I smell she probably would understand.”
“Good God, Daniel, what on earth happened to you?”
He looked down the hall to find his mother gaping at him.
“I decided to take a dip at the docks.” He strolled into his study. If he was going to deal with smelling like rotted fish and his mother, he needed brandy. “Really, Mother, you would think after all the years you have spent as a spymaster’s wife you would be accustomed to this.”
“It is quite different when it is one’s husband.”
He took a stiff drink and studied his mother. She had not dressed to go out which raised his suspicions. But there was something wrong. She was pale, a frown marring her brow.
“What happened?”
She went over to his desk and pulled a piece of paper out of the drawer. She hesitated before giving it to him.
“Mother.”
There were still times, even after all these years, that she tried to shield him from the truth.
She gave up and handed him the letter. He didn’t see much at first, but he saw the signature. It was a name that had haunted him since he was a lad of ten and three.
The Viper.
“It is him.” His mother’s voice shook when she spoke.
He looked at her and he realized the fear was very real. And for good reason. It was the man who’d killed her husband.
“You must leave London.”
He cut her a sharp glance. “You know that is impossible.”
“Did you read it?”
He nodded as he searched for clues in the writing but knew there would be little there but threats and demands. And a condescending attitude.
“Well?”
“I understand—”
“You have no children, so you cannot understand.”
“I cannot leave London at present. You know that as well as I do.”
Tears gathered in her eyes and panic surged through him. His mother did not cry. She did not carry on. She held onto her emotions.
“This is not the end of it.”
With that, she turned around and stomped out of the room. Regret filled him at his harsh words, but he could not have his mother dictating what he did. He had too much on his plate now. Joanna seemed convinced her husband’s killer was to be in London soon, and he had a problem with someone selling secrets to a French agent and now it seemed that the man who’d killed his father had decided to come out of hiding.
And the one thing he wanted to do was to kill Daniel.
Chapter Six
Anna frowned as she stepped down from her carriage the next morning. Mrs. Markham stood on the front of the steps, a worried expression as she looked up and down the street. Anna drew in a calm breath and walked to the steps of the orphanage.
“Is something amiss?”
Mrs. Markham looked down at her and the fear she saw in the matron’s eyes sent a slice of panic inching down her spine.
“Oh, my lady. We had some problems last night.”
Anna marched up the stairs. “Problems.”
“Someone tried to break in.”
Worry turned to outright panic. “Break in? To the orphanage? Why would they do that?”
Mrs. Markham stepped aside to allow Anna inside. It was a drafty old home that had been purchased with funds Anna had practically begged off her acquaintances. But there was something homey about it. She had tried to convey an atmosphere of a regular home since most of the children had never had that luxury before entering the orphanage.
She pulled off her hat as she hurried up the steps to the office.
“Yes, my lady, they tried to fiddle with the door.”
She stopped on the step and looked down at the matron. “Fiddle?”
“They were trying to open the lock.”
With her frown deepening, she continued on her way. “Do you have any idea what the reason behind it might have been?”
Anna walked into her office. Several staff members, including their bookkeeper, Mr. Francis, were in deep discussion. She did not have to ask what their subject was. It was easy enough to discern from their expressions.
“What is going on?”
Mr. Francis stepped forward. He was a wonderful man, just two years older than she. He was the son of a wealthy merchant who aimed to step into his father’s shoes one day and run their spice business. But his father believed in giving back to the community, and so he had volunteered his time to handle their money.
“My lady. I did not hear of this until I showed up this morning.”
He cut a cold look at Miss Richardson, one of their teachers. Her spine stiffened. “I did not see the reason for bothering anyone about it this morning. Mrs. Markham and I were sure the watch would not come down here in the middle of the night and Lady Anna had a board meeting to attend to last night.”
She sighed. “I will contact my brother to see what can be done. But I am afraid Miss Richardson is correct. The watch will do nothing unless something happens.”
“So they wait until someone is hurt, then they do something.” The disgust dripped from Mr. Francis’s voice. He had led a sheltered life, perhaps more sheltered than her own. While not a stupid man, there were things he was a bit naive about.
She offered him a shrug. “I am sorry, but that is the way of the world. Thankfully, we have the power of my brother. We will definitely make sure there is someone to take care of things. Now I am sure that all of you have duties to attend to.”
Everyone filed out of the room except for Mrs. Markham. The matron closed the door behind them.
“We will have to keep an eye on those two.”
Anna paused in sitting down. “Who? Miss Richardson and Mr. Francis. They cannot stand each other.”
The older woman laughed. “Where there is emotion there is something else beneath it. Both of them have been at each other the last few weeks.”
Anna pulled out a piece of paper to write a note to her brother. “I trust that the children have not witnessed any arguments.”
“No.”
“Well, hopefully it will blow over.”
She chuckled. “The only thing that will help that blow over is a good roll in bed.”
Heat filled Anna’s face. “Really, Mrs. Markham.”
Even after all these years she was not accustomed to her matron’s frank talk. Anna guessed that was what happened when you hired a former working girl to be the head of your orphanage.
“I am just speaking plain.”
“I do not think it is any of our business. So why don’t we discuss what is going on. Do you have any idea why someone would try to break in? I can’t see a reason around here.”
“That is what is puzzling me, my lady. Most of the residents would never allow someone to even knock on the front door. It had to be someone new, or someone not from the area.”
“Hmm. Well, I will send a note to my brother. I am sure we can get someone to watch the area at n
ight to make sure. He can also bend the ear of a few friends and see if we can get more watch patrols.”
“Not likely, especially at night.”
She smiled at the woman. “It is worth a try.”
Mrs. Markham chuckled. “You are always so optimistic. Do you never see the bad in the situation?”
Anna shook her head. “I see the bad. I just think that there is some good in all people.”
“I hope you keep that idea, my lady.”
Several hours later, Anna hid behind a smile as she finished a country dance. She knew this would happen. Her mother would make her attend more soirees after she attended Cicely’s ball. There was not much she could do about it. Complaining would not work, and whining was beneath her. It was little to ask of her. Her family had been very patient and understanding after what she had done. And she thought it might be a good place to raise funds.
Unfortunately, she had been besieged by young men since she had stepped into the ballroom. Young men who did not have control over their fortunes, and most of them could care less about the orphanage. Most other men did not care either, but they were married and their wives did.
“It is good to see you out more, Lady Anna.”
She cut a sharp glance at the young man returning her to her mother.
“I go out, Lord Greenwood.”
He reddened and swallowed and she instantly felt guilty. He was a nice enough man with a shock of curly red hair, dark green eyes and the sweetest disposition. Unfortunately, even though he was several years older than Anna, she always felt as if she was the older of the two of them.
“I do apologize. I did not mean that you did not do anything. I know that you do a lot of work with your orphanage.”
That made her stop in her tracks. “You do?”
He smiled. “My father told me all about it. Apparently, your mother does talk about it.”
His father? She had no idea her mother was acquainted well enough to be discussing her daughter with the man. She looked for her mother in the crowd and found her looking up at the Earl of Greenwood with a smile that stunned Anna. She could not remember ever seeing her mother looking like that, not since their father died.
The Spy Who Loved Her: Once Upon an Accident, Book 3 Page 6
