Eight Hunting Lyons (The Lyon’s Den Connected World)

Chapter Eight

“B last it all, Woman! What in the bloody hell do I have to do to gain your permission to offer marriage to Miss Atherton?”

Bessie was tempted to toss off her hat and veil and get right into the captain’s face. Common sense returned as she drew in one calming breath after another. “My dear captain, there is a matter of some delicacy that we need to discuss before I accept your offer for Miss Gemma Atherton.”

“By thunder, whatever is it? Get it said so I can agree!”

“There is a debt to be paid before Miss Atherton will agree to wed.”

“Is the debt hers?”

“No.”

Broadbank nodded. “How much?”

“Don’t you wish to know whose debt you will be paying?”

“Is it important?”

“To Miss Atherton, yes.”

“Very well. How much and whose debt is it?”

“Her younger brother, Simon. The debt is for ￡15,000.”

The captain agreed. “Consider it done. Shall I have the amount sent to you?”

“Miss Atherton has not had the chance to find out who her brother owes the money to.”

“Leave it to me.”

“You’ll handle it?”

“I just said I would.”

“Thank you, Captain.”

He inclined his head in response.

There was a loud knock on the door before it swung open to reveal Titan, her coachman, and a sailor that Bessie did not recognize. From the way the seaman met the captain’s gaze, she sensed he was one of the captain’s trusted crew.

“Titan?” her one-word question was actually quite loaded, and the man knew it when she crossed her arms beneath her breasts.

“A matter of some urgency,” he advised.

She stilled. Whenever the man she trusted with her life, and those within her establishment, used that particular tone, it was not good. “Tell me,” she urged, “and don’t leave anything out.”

Titan looked at the coachman and nodded to him. “The house was dark. No servants were about when I dropped my charge off a block from her home as she requested.”

She slid her glance to Broadbank, noting he was attuned to the growing tension in the room. He was a man who would not be caught off guard by any situation. “I see.”

“As you requested, I did not linger, but thought you would want to know what I observed.”

“Excellent, Timmons. Thank you.” The coachman bowed and left the room.

Mrs. Dove-Lyon met and held the captain’s gaze. “I take it this is one of your men?”

Broadbank introduced them. “Seaman Perkins, Mrs. Dove Lyon.”

“And what did you observe Mr. Perkins?”

“Just Perkins, Ma’am. I was stationed outside of Miss Atherton’s home for the last hour or so at my captain’s command.”

Her gaze shot to Broadbank’s. “Were you now?”

He nodded and continued, “I noted lights being extinguished within the town house and what seemed like a mass exodus of servants—at least fifteen, shortly before I observed the dark carriage pull to a stop a few houses away.”

“Is that all?” Broadbank questioned.

“No, Captain. Miss Atherton alighted, hesitated, then slipped into the alleyway, entering through the servants’ entrance.”

“I see.”

“She wouldn’t have entered through the front door,” Mrs. Dove-Lyon reminded them. “Her father had no idea where she was this evening.”

“I beg your pardon, Ma’am,” Perkins said. “That gentleman from your establishment—”

“Which gentleman?” she interrupted.

Perkins glanced at the captain before replying, “The one involved in bit of a scuffle with the captain. When he came to, on the floor by your back entrance, he mumbled something to Snug about wrangling an agreement out of someone.”

“Is that all?”

The captain’s man met her direct gaze. “He mumbled Miss Atherton best be worth it and took off.”

“About how long ago?”

“When does not matter,” the captain replied. “You and I both know it must have been Harkwell.”

Titan agreed before saying, “If there is nothing else, I’ll return to my post.”

“Yes, of course. Thank you, Titan.”

The man bowed and took his leave, closing the door silently behind him.

Turning to Perkins he asked, “Who did you leave behind to watch the Atherton town house?”

“Grant. I’ll shove off, join him, and wait for you there.”

Broadbank nodded. “We’ll be right behind you, Perkins.” The sailor bowed to Mrs. Dove-Lyon as he took his leave. When the man had his hand on the doorknob, the captain asked, “Did Harkwell arrive alone?”

“Aye, Captain. No footman, just his coachman.”

Broadbank met the man’s gaze and Bessie noted a silent exchange between them. Unspoken instructions that absolutely irritated her no end. The men in her employ communicated that way constantly. If she wanted to know what they were about, she had to ask.

She sighed, admitting they were only carrying out her instructions—in a way that suited them. Fortunate to employ heroes from His Majesty’s military, she normally did not question Titan and her men too often. She trusted them to do their job while protecting her.

Left alone with the captain, she was not surprised when he asked again, “What do I have to do to gain your permission to offer for Miss Atherton?”

“You’ve only competed in one game of chance this evening, Captain.”

“And rescued the lovely Miss Atherton twice. Once from Hinchcliffe and once from Harkwell—who obviously felt it would be in his best interests to run to her father and make an offer, cutting you out of the bargaining.”

She could not deny his words or that irritation had ignited her temper. Anger would solve nothing except muddy what would otherwise be clear thinking. “What would stop you from following after Perkins, who no doubt is headed back to the Atherton town house, standing ready to lend aid to Miss Atherton should it be necessary.”

“Nothing will stop me.”

Bessie was pleased to hear his response. “I shall make the announcement that you and I have come to an agreement. You and Miss Atherton are to be wed.”

“Thank you.”

“Do be careful not to injure either Harkwell—should he return, or Mr. Atherton. I do not wish to have the Watch or anyone from the Bow Street Runners darkening my doorstep this evening. Do I make myself clear?”

“Crystal,” Broadbank replied. Closing the distance between them, he raised her hand to his lips and pressed a kiss to the back of it. “Should you ever have need of me, Mrs. Dove-Lyon, you have but to send word.”

His offer caught her by surprise. “Truly? Why?”

“I find you intriguing and admire your business sense as well as your sense of fair play—although at times tonight, it was a bit off the mark and late in coming.”

Accepting his words, gratified by them, she rasped, “I do hope if I send word that I have need of you, you will lend your aid.”

“Count on it,” he promised. He opened the door and was gone before she could bid him goodbye.

Broadbank inclined his head at Titan on his way through the main gambling room to the hallway leading to the back entrance. Edmund was speaking with Snug, waiting for him. “Did you find out anything else?”

Both men shook their heads.

“Let’s away, then.”

“Give a shout if you need a hand, Captain,” Snug called out as he was about to shut the door.

Broadbank met his gaze and nodded.

Outside, he strode over to their carriage. “Next time, I’ll take one of our brother’s horses. Carriages are too slow.” Giving the address to their coachman, he jerked open the door and stepped up into the carriage.

Edmund climbed in after him and shut the door. “Don’t borrow trouble, Colin. From what you’ve said earlier, you trust Perkins and Grant to keep watch over Miss Atherton. Do you think she is in danger?”

“I do.”

As the coach carried them closer to their destination, Colin inquired, “If you were her father, and learned your daughter snuck off to The Lyon’s Den to have Mrs. Dove-Lyon arrange a marriage for her, what would you do?”

His brother fell silent. A few moments later, he replied, “I haven’t a bloody clue.”

“If I were her father, I’d lock her in her room, procure a Special License, and have her married as soon as possible.”

“Would you?” Edmund queried.

“I just said I would.”

“Good thing we don’t have any sisters and you aren’t involved in watching over them.”

Broadbank grumbled, “If we had sisters, they never would have left the house or gone to The Lyon’s Den.”

“Ah, but you were there to rescue Miss Atherton—more than once, if memory serves.”

As they neared their destination, he told his brother, “If anything happens, send for the Watch.”

“Why not send for them before something occurs? Then we will have another staunch man at our backs.”

Broadbank declined. “We already have two stout seamen waiting for us. It’s enough—and my men won’t be tempted to speak of what happened here tonight.”

His brother nodded his understanding.

The carriage slowed to a halt and Broadbank shoved the door open and leapt to the curb. “Wait here.”

His brother joined him on the sidewalk, reminding him, “I’m not one of your crew.”

Broadbank turned and, for a heartbeat, thought about arguing with his brother but decided not to waste the time.

But he did have need of his brother’s assistance in this whole matter. “Edmund, once I have Miss Atherton out of this house, I need you to find out who her brother owes a ￡15,000 debt to and pay it off. It is part of the agreement and must be done tonight.”

“Of course. I’ll see it done,” Edmund promised.

Colin scanned the area, looking for his men. Spotting one at the entrance to the alley between the Atherton town house and the house next door, he motioned for Edmund to walk past the house to see if Perkins was stationed in the alley on the other side.

“Any news, Grant?”

The man whispered, “Harkwell went in and hasn’t come back out.”

Broadbank noted the town house was still dark. His gut clenched. He would not be waiting for his brother to summon the Watch as they’d discussed. “What of the servants? Have any returned?”

Grant shook his head before asking, “Want me to follow you in?”

Broadbank bent to slip the dagger from his boot. “Wait here for my signal.”

“Aye, aye, Captain!”

Armed and ready to rescue Gemma for a third time, he made his way through the shadows to the rear entrance.