Then Came You (The Gamblers #1)(107)

It was ten o’clock in the morning. At the East End of London shops had been open since eight, the streets filled with the noise and bustle of vendors, wagons, fishermen, and milkmaids as they all went about their work. Here in the West End, the populace awakened in a far more leisurely fashion. Having arrived early at the corner of Hyde Park, Lily watched the world outside the carriage window. Milk women, chimney sweeps with their soot bags, newsmen, and bakery boys rang at the doors of fine homes, greeted by maidservants. Children walked along the streets with their nannies to take the morning air, while their parents would not stir from bed and partake of breakfast until early afternoon. In the distance was the drumbeat and music of the guards marching from their barracks toward Hyde Park.

Lily’s gaze sharpened as she saw a lone figure come to stand by a timber post next to the street corner. It was Alton Knox, garbed in the traditional Learie uniform—black breeches and boots and a gray coat studded with shiny brass buttons. A low-crowned hat topped his head. After taking a steadying breath, Lily leaned out the carriage window and beckoned with her handkerchief. “Mr. Knox,” she said in a low voice. “Over here. Please come to the carriage.”

Knox complied, exchanging a brief, pleasant word with the footman before climbing into the privacy of the enclosed vehicle. Removing his hat, he smoothed his salt-and-pepper hair, and murmured a greeting. A solidly built man of medium height, he had a nondescript face that could have belonged to a man much younger than his forty years.

Lily sat in the opposite seat, giving him a nod of welcome. “Mr. Knox, I appreciate your willingness to meet here instead of at my residence. For obvious reasons, I cannot allow my husband, the earl, to discover that I have conducted any business with you. He would insist on explanations…” She let her voice trail off and looked at him helplessly.

“Of course, Miss Lawson.” Knox paused and corrected himself with a faint smile. “But of course, it is Lady Raiford now.”

“My marriage was an unexpected turn of events,” Lily admitted self-consciously. “It has altered my life in many ways…except one. I still am determined to find my daughter Nicole.” She lifted a money pouch and jangled it slightly. “Fortunately I now have the means to continue the search. I would like your help in this matter, as before.”

Knox’s gaze riveted on the money pouch, and he gave her what was intended to be a reassuring smile. “Consider me reinstated, Lady Raiford.” He reached out his hand, and she gave him the small but hefty bag. “Now, tell me how matters stand with Gavazzi.”

“My communications with Count Gavazzi have not ceased, Mr. Knox. In fact, he boldly confronted me last night, making entirely new demands.”

“Last night?” he questioned in surprise. “New demands?”

“Yes.” Lily gave a distraught sigh. “Before, as you know, Giuseppe wanted only money. That I was able and willing to supply, as long as I believed there was hope I would regain my child. But last night…” She broke off and shook her head with a sound of disgust.

“What sort of demands?” Knox asked. “Forgive my bluntness, but did he ask for your personal favors, my lady?”

“No. Although he did make advances that I found intolerable, it was even worse than that. Count Gavazzi threatens everything I have, my home, my marriage, my social position, because of some ludicrous ambition of his to become a member of the beau monde!” Lily hid her satisfaction as she saw that Knox’s face was wiped clean with astonishment.

“I can scarcely credit that,” he managed to say.

“It’s true.” She lifted a lace handkerchief to the corner of her eye, pretending to blot a tiny tear. “He approached me at Lady Lyon’s birthday celebration last night, arrayed like a straggly peacock, in front of hundreds of people! He demanded that I introduce him, and become his sponsor so that he would become accepted into the elite circles. Oh, Mr. Knox, you should have seen the dreadful spectacle.”

“The fool!” he burst out angrily, paying little heed to how odd his sudden fury must have seemed.

“He was witnessed by several people, including Lord Lyon and my own husband. When I managed to coax him to a private corner, he revealed his bizarre ambitions. He said that he would return my daughter back to me soon, but first he wants my influence to gain him a position of social consequence. The idea is quite unsupportable. He’s known in Italy as a scoundrel, a criminal! How could he imagine he would be well-received here?”

“He’s nothing but foreign scum,” Knox said grimly. “And now it seems he’s not only worthless but unstable.”

“Exactly, Mr. Knox. And unstable men tend to betray themselves—and their schemes—with foolish mistakes. Is that not so?”

“You’re correct,” he said with a sudden and unnatural calmness. “In all probability he will become a victim of his own greed.”

There was a cold flatness to his gaze that chilled her. His grave face had taken on a reptilian expression—sinister and predatory. There was no doubt, Lily thought, that he intended to put an end to Giuseppe’s dangerously unrestrained behavior. If Knox truly was involved with Giuseppe and some rookery gang, his fortunes were tied to theirs, and the wagging of loose tongues was untenable.

Earnestly Lily leaned forward and touched his arm. “I pray you will find my Nicole,” she said softly. “Mr. Knox, I can promise you a significant reward if you succeed in this.” She placed a delicate emphasis on significant, and he visibly savored the word.