Seeing Danger (Sinclair and Raven #2)(40)

“Are we still going to that place like you promised?”

“Yes.” Lilly shuddered. Toby had a thirst for ghoulish things, and she had promised if he accompanied her, dressed and clean, on her visit today, she would take him to the place he had heard about.

“Don't like this, it's going to blow.”

“Blow what?” Lilly questioned Toby as she followed his eyes.

The group of men seemed to have swelled to about twenty, and their argument had increased in volume.

“’Ere, lads. We have a lady present!”

Damn, one of them had seen her before she could slip by. Wilson stepped in front of her and Toby stood at his side.

“Hello, my love, care to have a drink with old Dan?”

The voice came from over Wilson's shoulder.

“I'll move these two, Dan,” another voice said, “and then you and I can have a bit of fun.”

Lilly opened her reticule and removed her pistol. Stepping around the men, she aimed.

“I have no wish to have fun, sir. I wish to leave, so I insist you step aside.”

She'd thought he would be intimidated; instead, he laughed.

“There's plenty more should I go down, lovely, and a bullet may be worth a tumble with a lady.”

He lunged at her, Lilly fired, and then hell broke loose.

“Ouch! Bloody hell, she shot me in the toe!”

Lilly watched as more men poured out of the tavern, all heading her way. She, Toby, and Wilson would be outnumbered in seconds.

“Bloody woman. Why can you not stay out of trouble!”

Lilly's head snapped right at those angry words, and there was Lord Sinclair, striding toward her like an avenging angel. She had no time to sigh at the sight he made, instead preparing for the battle that was approaching.

Hands grabbed her and she was once again pushed behind Wilson and Toby. Lord Sinclair made three.

She heard the sound of fists, and then they were moving forward. A hand grabbed her, but Lilly jammed the handle of her pistol down hard, and it released her.

“The carriage is this way!” Lilly heard Wilson yell.

“My carriage is closer. Get to yours and head home. My name is Lord Sinclair, and I will see your mistress reaches there safely.”

After these roared words, Lilly felt herself lifted and thrown over a shoulder.

“Wilson, I—”

Lilly lost the power of speech as Lord Sinclair started to run, and then he wrenched open the carriage door and she was flung onto a seat. Righting herself, she watched Toby leap in nimbly beside her, and Lord Sinclair follow, slamming the door so hard, it rocked the carriage. He then sat opposite her, and the look in his green eyes told her he was in a rage.

“What were you doing in such a place?”

He held up a hand as she opened her mouth.

“Be warned that if you say it is none of my business, I shall not be pleased. In fact, I am bloody furious! I saw you in that window and could not believe my eyes. Have you no regard for your safety at all!”

Where had he been to see her in the window? On the streets below, perhaps? Surely his eyesight must be excellent to see her from down there?

“You promised me you would not walk into danger. Promised to ask James or me to accompany you—”

“Actually, I'm sure I didn't....” The words fell away as his eyes narrowed.

“You,” he pointed a finger at her, “are entirely too reckless.”

“James was busy,” she said, trying to glare at him, when in fact she wanted to touch his jaw, to see what it felt like clenched like that.

“I know you didn't contact him.”

“Are you calling me a liar, sir?”

“Yes.” He held her eyes, and Lilly had to fight not to look away.

“I have handled myself perfectly well for years, and have no need of a man now or ever.”

“God, you are a stubborn woman,” he growled. “For pity’s sake, I have saved you three times now. Is that not a warning to you?”

He did have a point, and perhaps if she thanked him it would go some way toward appeasing him.

“Please accept my gratitude for your actions on my behalf, Lord Sinclair.”

“Dev or Devon,” he snapped.

“Very well. Thank you, Devon.” Lilly nodded and tried to appear chastened, which she'd never really perfected.

“I cannot believe you pointed a gun at that sailor, and then shot him in the foot.” His eyes closed briefly.

“I had not intended to shoot him. He rushed at me, and I instinctively fired.”

“You should have asked me to accompany you today, Lilly.”

“I don't need your help, or anyone's for that matter.”

“Everyone needs help occasionally.”

She dismissed his words with a flick of her wrist.

“Please set us down anywhere, my lord. Toby and I can get a hackney.”

The last time they had been together, he had taken off her gloves, and she had run her hand over his face. The memory was still very clear in Lilly's mind, and making her uncomfortable in his company.

“Are we still going to Dr. Engle’s House of Ghoulish Horrors, Lilly?”

“Of course,” Lilly said to the back of the boy’s head. His face was pressed to the window.