Everything and the Moon (The Lyndon Sisters #1)(51)

“Of course you are, milord.”

Robert put his hand on the carriage and exhaled. “Am I mad, MacDougal? Am I completely, utterly, incurably mad?”

“Well, now, milord, that's not my place to say.”

“How delightfully ironic that now would be the time you finally decide to exercise a bit of verbal circumspection.”

MacDougal only laughed.





Victoria sat on her narrow bed and hugged her arms to her body, as if curling herself into the tiniest ball possible would make all this confusion go away. She had finally begun to carve out a life with which she could be content. Finally! Was it so much to want a bit of stability? Of permanence? She'd had seven years of rude employers threatening her with dismissal at every turn. She'd found security at Madame Lambert's dress shop. And friendship. Madame clucked about like a mother hen, always concerned about the welfare of her employees, and Victoria adored the camaraderie among the shopgirls.

Victoria swallowed as she realized she was crying. She hadn't had a friend in years. She couldn't count the number of times she'd fallen asleep clutching Ellie's letters to her chest. But letters couldn't give a gentle pat on the arm, and letters never smiled.

And Victoria had been so very lonely.

Seven years ago Robert had been more than the love of her life. He'd been her very best friend. Now he was back, and he said he loved her. Victoria choked on a sob. Why did he have to do this now? Why couldn't he leave well enough alone?

And why did she still have to care so much? She didn't want to have anything to do with him, much less marry him, and still her heart raced with every touch. She could feel his presence across a room, and one heavy-lidded gaze had the power to make her mouth go completely dry.

And when he kissed her…

Deep in her heart, Victoria knew that Robert had the power to make her happy beyond her wildest dreams. But he also had the power to crush her heart, and he'd already done so once—no, twice.

And Victoria was so tired of the pain.





Chapter 13



R obert was waiting on her doorstep when she left for work the next morning. Victoria wasn't particularly surprised; he was nothing if not stubborn. He'd probably been planning his return all night.

She let out a deep breath. “Good morning, Robert.” It seemed infantile to pretend to ignore him. “I've come to escort you to Madame Lambert's,” he said.

“That is very kind of you, but wholly unnecessary.”

He stepped directly in her path, forcing her to look up at him. “I beg to differ with you. It is never safe for a young woman to walk in London unescorted, but it is especially dangerous in this area.”

“I have managed to get myself to the dress shop every day for the past month,” she said.

His mouth settled into a grim line. “I can assure you that does not set my mind at ease.”

“Setting your mind at ease has never been at the top of my list of priorities.”

He clucked at her. “My, my, we have a pointy tongue this morning.”

His condescending tone ate at her. “Have I ever told you how much I detest the use of the royal ‘we’? It reminds me of all those odious employers I had over the years. Nothing like a good ‘we’ to put the governess in her place.”

“Victoria, we are not discussing being a governess, nor are we discussing pronouns, either singular or plural.”

She tried to push past him, but he stood firmly in her way.

“I am only going to repeat this one more time,” he said. “I will not permit you to remain in this hellhole for another day.”

She counted to three before she said, “Robert, you are not responsible for my welfare.”

“Somebody damn well has to be. You obviously don't know how to take proper care of yourself.”

She counted to five before she said, “I am going to ignore that comment.”

“I cannot believe you took lodgings here. Here!” Robert gave his head a disgusted shake.

She counted to ten before she said, “This is all I can afford, Robert, and I am perfectly happy with it.”

He learned forward in an intimidating manner. “Well, I am not. Let me tell you how I spent last night, Victoria.”

“Please do,” she muttered. “As if I could stop you.”

“I spent last night wondering how many men have tried to attack you in the last month.”

“None since Eversleigh.”

He either didn't hear her or didn't want to hear her. “Then I wondered how often you have to cross the street to avoid the prostitutes loitering on the street corners.”

She smiled archly. “Most of the prostitutes are very nice. I had tea with one just the other day.” That was a lie, but she knew it would needle him.

He shuddered. “Then I wondered how many damn rats share your room with you.”

Victoria tried to force herself to count to twenty before responding, but her temper wouldn't allow it. She could take his insults and his overbearing attitude, but an attack on her housekeeping skills—well, that was really too much. “You could eat off the floor of my room,” she hissed.

“I'm sure the rats do,” he replied with an acerbic twist of his lips. “Really, Victoria, you cannot stay in this vermin-infested area. It isn't safe, and it isn't healthy.”