These Vicious Masks: A Swoon Novel(78)

“He just thinks he’s playing hero,” I said.

“I thought that’s what every girl wants from a gentleman,” he said, wedging his cane into gaps in the planks and giving Sebastian a pointed look.

Surprise and confusion momentarily crossed Sebastian’s face. He regained himself and turned to make his way out of the docks. “We must go now,” he said. “If Mr. Elliot went to the police first, we can still catch up.”

“There’s no chance,” Mr. Kent said. “We need to go to the police, as well.”

“They’re in league with Dr. Beck,” I reminded him. “It’ll only make matters more difficult.”

“I doubt he’s spoken to every single policeman. All I need to do is ask each of them whether they plan to betray us, and we’ll have fifty trustworthy men at Dr. Beck’s door in two hours.”

“In two hours, Robert will be dead and Dr. Beck will be gone,” I corrected and whirled around to follow Sebastian.

“Please remind me why we’re friends with Robert again,” Mr. Kent said, following me past the busy ships, the salty odors, the endless warehouses, and the rusty front gates. Once we reached the muddy street, he bowed and tipped his hat. “Well, good luck to you, then.”

“What? You aren’t coming?” I asked, appalled.

“If you’re truly going through with this foolhardy plan. And I don’t think you need my help for it anyway,” he said, glancing at Sebastian crossing the road to find a hackney.

“I can’t tell if you are joking, Mr. Kent.”

“I’m not. In fact, I’ve been so sincere lately that I wouldn’t be surprised if my name has magically changed to Frank.”

“Excuse me, Evelyn.” Miss Grey tapped my shoulder from the side. “May I come along?”

“Yes, of course. I just worry it might be dangerous,” I said, glaring at Mr. Kent as I spoke. He pretended to be enthralled by some seagull settling on a warehouse roof.

“I know, but I must help in any way I can.”

“Thank you,” I said, my heart thawing a bit.

Mr. Kent seized my hand. “Excuse us a moment, my dearest, selfless Miss Grey,” he said and pulled me aside, next to a shoe-shining stand, to speak privately.

“Miss Wyndham, I know you’re not pleased with the shocking things you’ve discovered lately, and I know you’ll think even worse of me when I tell you of the things I did before we met. But everything I—”

“Sir, you are a liar and a cheat!” a customer bellowed at the shiner behind us.

Mr. Kent glanced over his shoulder and attempted to ignore the yells. “Everything I do is to—”

“These shoes are still soiled! The mud is right there! Return my money, sir!” the customer yelled again.

Mr. Kent bristled and spun around to the shoe shiner. “Sir, are you wrong in this matter?”

“N-no,” the shoe shiner stammered. “I’m trying to be fair.”

Mr. Kent turned to the customer. “Are you wrong?”

“Yes, of course I am,” he said, his face flushing.

“Then avoid stepping in the mud, shut up, and be on your way! I am trying to convince a girl to love me!”

Stunned into silence, the customer grumbled and stormed off. The shoe shiner profusely thanked Mr. Kent, who waved him off and turned his attention back to me.

“Now, where was I? Oh, yes, as I so perfectly proved right there, everything I do is to be the good man that you deserve, and I want you to understand the effect you have had on me.”

I gave him a sharp look. “Is this really the appropriate time to be discussing this?”

“It’s essential we do this now, with all the heroics that’ll be going on and the emotions running wild and the hasty decisions being made. I want you to know that you are the perspective I was talking about at the Argyll. You are what makes everything else melt away.”

“Yet you won’t help me right now.”

“Must I really die to prove it to you? I know my limitations, and I’m wise enough to accept them. Miss Rosamund may need a hero, and she has plenty of qualified individuals to handle the matter. But you . . . you don’t need one. You need me, just as I need you.”

He stepped closer and put out a hand to my cheek, forcing me to look right at him. “Miss Wyndham, when I first met you in London, I thought you the most intelligent and the strongest girl I had ever had the pleasure of meeting. She would never moon after some mopey, dark boy. She would look for the man that challenged her, amused her, and made her sparkle and enjoy life.”

I sucked in air, trying to understand and sort out all the stirrings, the pressure, the knowledge, the trust I felt. But could I? Could I ever love this man, who’d only care for comfort, who’d skate on the surface with wit alone, who’d refuse to let us confront anything deeper, who’d ask me this question at a time like this?

Miss Grey rolled up with the carriage, Sebastian jogging behind. If Mr. Kent would not join me, I could waste no more time.

“You are right about one thing, Mr. Kent. I don’t need a hero,” I said in a firm, even voice. “But I could never love a man who would not be my ally.”

His confident smile faltered. I took Sebastian’s outstretched hand, and he helped me into the carriage, following right after. I refused to look back. But just as Sebastian pulled the door shut, Mr. Kent’s figure appeared on the other side of the carriage with a reluctant smile.