Chapter 6 #2
September 8, 1827
Rowe House
Well Close Square
Warrick seemed uncomfortable in the perfectly tailored business attire he'd begun wearing ever since her son's wild questioning. He pulled at his neck cloth periodically and had the unnerving habit of leaping up to pace at odd times.
Beatrice was on her last nerve herself, because she'd just received a message from her brother-in-law Elias that he'd be visiting her within four days to be apprised of the state of Rowe Shipping.
She knew under the terms of the pact she'd made with one of the London underworld's most dangerous criminals that she had to share the information.
Which was a hard decision to make when the man, his heat, and his blasted scent of oranges were right next to her.
She was having a devil of a time studying her notes concerning where and when the other incidences of theft and abuse of children had occurred, so that they could put together a map of the area with markings of the events.
After their volatile coming together two days earlier in an altogether unwise kiss was interrupted by the tea cart and her inquisitive son, Warrick had remained the perfect gentlemen.
Although to be fair, she'd participated in their dangerous kiss a little too eagerly, somewhat in the manner of a youthful strumpet.
She couldn't help reliving the vivid kiss, even though the incident had been cut short.
She couldn't shove away the memory of his lips on hers, his probing fingers against her breasts.
Beatrice had re-visited that insane kiss over and over since then in her dreams. She had to get down to business and share the hard facts with Warrick before she descended into a sort of madness of longing she wouldn't be able to crawl back out from under.
She took a deep breath and plunged in. "Elias is arriving in four days, so I suppose he'll be launching something to implicate you and your brothers over the next day or two."
"How long have you known?" Warrick's tone was sharp and accusing.
"I received his message just before you arrived."
"He may be on to us. Is it possible one of your servants is on his payroll?"
She sobered at that possibility. It did seem as though her brother-in-law knew an inordinate amount about what went on in her household.
"I don't know. I suppose it's possible. We've never employed a lot of servants, just the bare essentials, so I've known most of them since I came here as a new bride. "
"Anyone new?"
She thought a moment and then her mouth flew open. "Yes--. I just hired a new footman."
"Turn him off today and see if you get a reaction from Elias when he shows up to snoop."
"What do we do now?" Beatrice felt shaken and vulnerable at the thought of a spy in her own house.
"We dig in and get ready for whatever Elias is planning this time to discredit us." Warrick's voice brimmed with determination.
She wished she felt as sure of herself. "Where do we start? There are hundreds of places he could strike next."
He gave her one of his rare smiles that always made her feel as though she could do anything as long as he was there. "First of all, what cargoes will be unloaded from any of your ships over the next few days?"
She walked to a wall lined with shelves and pulled down one of the ledgers.
After slamming the heavy tome onto her desktop, she opened to a page in the back quarter and went down a row of names with her index finger.
"The Dorset and the Bonavista. They're both due in sometime tonight, and we have lighterman scheduled to meet them out at their anchorages mid-river.
" She gave him a worried look. "How do we know where they'll be stealing the children to do their dirty work? "
"My men have been out on the streets, calling in favors and listening for rumors. We're convinced old man Holliman's chimney sweep services are where the children are being snatched from."
"How did you get that information so quickly? And how can you be certain it's reliable?"
"Did you forget? We have the schedule of when your ships arrive as well, and besides, we're The Horsemen. We have our ways." He gave her another one of his wicked smiles and pulled her toward him.
Beatrice debated the wisdom of whether or not to sink into him for a short minute before realizing she might as well admit she was lost. This time, she opened fully for him, his first tentative touches with his lips turned into a deep claiming she never wanted to end.
She matched him thrust for thrust of their tongues.
When she explored the inside of his mouth, she could almost taste the oranges of his scent.
This time, when he slipped a finger inside her bodice, she helped him access all of her breast. When he bent his head to suckle, an explosion of need wracked her body.
The expected tap at her study door, which never came, added to the intensity and anxiety of their feelings as their mutual exploration moved to the comfortable chair in the corner. When she settled onto his lap, Beatrice considered in wonder how perfectly they fit together.
How had she not known that at the beginning? Why had she not protected herself against her current plunge into forbidden pleasure?
Thank God he'd left his boarding axe leaning against the door.