Notorious Pleasures (Maiden Lane #2)(99)

She let out a breath and concentrated on her surroundings. The Ghost walked with an almost soundless tread, light and athletic. His head was up, and he seemed almost to scent the wind. Twice he stopped and turned down a different street as if to avoid the mob. Once he took her arm and urged her into a run, just before she heard shouts from behind them. Oddly, though he never spoke and she couldn’t see most of his face, she never felt afraid of him.

When at last they came within sight of the temporary home, Silence stopped short. There was a crowd of people outside the home’s doors, but she could see in the light of the lanterns they held that they were soldiers.

“Whatever are soldiers doing here?” she asked.

Obviously she didn’t expect an answer, but when she turned, she was surprised to find herself alone. She glanced quickly up the street, but there was no sign of the Ghost.

The Ghost had disappeared as abruptly as he’d appeared.

“Men are so maddening,” Silence muttered to herself, and started for the home.

“Mrs. Hollingbrook!” Nell appeared at the home’s door and ran toward her. “Oh, ma’am! We were that worried for you. Three informers have been murdered tonight—or so they say. There was rioting in the streets, and Mr. Makepeace has been beside himself. I’ve never seen him in such a state before.”

“Where is Winter?” Silence asked distractedly. “Is that Lady Hero?”

“Yes, ma’am,” Nell said. “And the Duke of Wakefield himself! You can’t credit the excitement there’s been.”

Silence squinted. It looked very much as if…“Is Lady Hero kissing Lord Griffin?”

Nell nodded. “She’s engaged to him.”

“But I thought she was engaged to his brother, the Marquess of Mandeville,” Silence said, feeling very confused.

Nell shrugged. “Not by the looks of it.”

And indeed Lady Hero seemed quite affectionate with Lord Griffin. Silence was still trying to puzzle the matter out when Winter suddenly appeared, hatless and panting.

“Thank God!” He wrapped her in a bear hug, an extraordinary demonstration of affection for Winter. “We feared the worst.”

“I’m sorry,” Silence gasped. “I had to move the baby to a new wet nurse, and by the time I was done, it was already dark.”

Winter stepped back and closed his eyes. “Well, no more. I don’t think I could survive another night like this one. From now on, we only go out in pairs.”

Silence nodded. “You’re right. If it hadn’t been for the Ghost of St. Giles—”

He turned suddenly and pierced her with a stare. “What?”

She blinked, taken aback. “The Ghost of St. Giles. I saw him. He was the one who escorted me home safely.”

No need to go into how he’d found her. Winter was already anxious about her well-being without telling him how close she’d come to rape—and worse.

Winter lifted his head, glancing about the dark street. “He was here?”

“Yes,” Silence said slowly. “He brought me here and then disappeared. Why do you ask?”

Winter shrugged. “The Ghost always seems to be about when I’m not. I’d like to catch a glimpse of this phantom apparition someday.”

“He isn’t a phantom, that I can assure you,” Silence said. “He was as real as you and I.”

Winter grunted. “Well, in any case, we don’t have the time to speculate about the Ghost at the moment. Our illustrious visitors require our attention.”

“Lady Hero said she had something to speak to you about,” Nell said. “I just remembered.”

“What is it?” Silence asked.

Nell knit her brows. “Something about spinning. I can’t think what, but she did seem most insistent.”

“Spinning?” Silence couldn’t think how spinning might concern Lady Hero, but then the aristocracy was a breed apart at times. “We’d best go see.”

Chapter Twenty

“I have one last question for you,” the queen announced to her frowning suitors. “What is in my heart?”

Well! Her question was not met with joy by the three princes. Prince Eastsun frowned and for a moment simply opened and closed his handsome mouth before admitting defeat and bowing from the room. Prince Westmoon scowled and stomped out, muttering about the frivolousness of queens and women in general. Prince Northwind shook his head and said, “Who can understand the heart of a woman?” And then he, too, left.

The advisers, ministers, and men of letters fell to arguing, but Queen Ravenhair quietly left the throne room and made for the stables….

—from Queen Ravenhair

SIX WEEKS LATER…

“He’s a priggish ass, and I don’t see why I should bother to even reply.” Griffin threw the letter from Thomas on the breakfast room table.

Across from him, his wife of only one week continued to serenely pour her tea. “You need to not only answer him, but also agree to see him for dinner because he is your brother.”

“Humph.” Griffin crossed his arms on his chest and attempted to glare at Hero but was somewhat diverted by the magnificence of her décolletage. “Is that a new frock?”

“Yes, and don’t change the subject,” she replied with adorable severity. It always rather aroused him when she attempted to be severe with him.