Chapter 18

Chapter 18

Isabella had never seen anything like it before. Men beat each other senseless, while other men stood around and cheered. And by the looks of things, there was a lot of money to be made. A lot of money to be lost, too.

The first fight was difficult to watch, but it wasn't long before she found herself getting carried away by it all. As she listened, she enjoyed the impressive sportsmanship of the men in the ring. The way they dodged each other's blows and landed their hits was with great finesse.

Everyone in the room was having fun, but she couldn't forget that she had a job to do. And in order to be successful in that job, she needed to behave as if she did that sort of thing all the time.

The group of men gathered at the table next to them was deep in conversation. It was easy not to notice them if you were carried away with the match happening in the center of the room.

She listened as closely as she could. While she couldn't hear much, she knew that they met every week. That much was clear, and that they had many plans hatching. However, they had decided to put all their focus on their current plan. The greatest plan they'd had to date.

Isabella motioned to Mr. Alton to come nearer, so that she could tell him something. He leaned forward and she brought her lips up to his ear. Her lungs filled with his scent of cedar and it made her heart seize in her chest.

They were so close that if her position faltered even just slightly, they would touch.

"I'm going to pretend I'm getting a closer look at the match," she whispered. "It will give me the chance to skirt past them, listen a little closer. If even for a moment."

Mr. Alton glanced over at the table and back at her. "I'll go with you. This is not a safe crowd."

Isabella agreed. She was surprised that Mr. Alton didn't argue with her. Perhaps she had proved herself to him with Bartholomew. Perhaps Mr. Alton had learned to trust her a little more.

He rose from his seat and motioned for her to join him. She rose as elegantly as she could and took his arm.

"Shall we get a closer look, darling?" he asked loudly.

"Oh, yes please," she answered. "I can't see anything from here."

They moved toward the fight, skirting themselves past the table where the Phoenix Society was still deep in conversation. As they passed, Isabella turned her head. She needed to get a look at their faces, hoping she might recognize one of them.

Hoping one of them might stand out to her as the man who had tried to kill the duke. She had been too eager, though. As her eyes washed over the table, she found herself staring straight into the eyes of a man.

He kept his gaze on her for a moment too long, and it sent off alarm bells within her. As she passed, he turned his head to keep watching, signaling for his comrades to keep quiet.

Isabella pulled the hood of her cape over her head to cover what was visible of her face, and obscure from view the fact that she had turned to speak with Mr. Alton.

"I think I've been spotted. I fear I've been made," she said. "I don't think we should stay here much longer."

Just then, she heard the seats of the table screech against the floor as they rose. Without warning, Mr. Alton took her by the hand. He tugged her to move quicker as they headed for the door.

"Do not run," Mr. Alton said. "But do move with haste."

Isabella did precisely what he asked. She was aware of someone right on their tail. They didn't want to draw any more unnecessary attention to themselves. She thought they would head for the door they'd come through.

Rather, Mr. Alton pulled her away from there and toward the back of the room.

"I spotted a door earlier. Let's find out where it goes," he said.

There, he pushed through another small door and into the street behind. He closed the door behind them. Only then did he turn to her, his face deadpan.

"Run," he said.

They took off, their feet landing as hard as her heart was beating. She heard them as a few men burst through the door behind them, shouting at each other to search for the couple. She didn't want to think about what might happen if they were caught.

All she knew was that she wasn't going to let go of Mr. Alton's hand, and she wasn't going to let him down.

They raced down an alleyway and rounded the corner. It was dark and there were no crowds for them to hide in. She could hear someone coming in their direction.

"Here!" she cried.

With a tug, she pulled Mr. Alton into a nearby hedge between the branches. It was in no way a soft landing, but it got them out of view. They tumbled onto the lawn of a tea shop that was normally bursting with people.

But it was closed then, and they were the only people there.

Mr. Alton landed next to her with a thud.

"Quiet," he whispered, holding his finger to his lips.

She listened as the men ran right past the hedge, calling each other to search for any sign of her and Mr. Alton. They waited there, with their breaths held, until they heard the men leave.

Isabella let out a tight breath of relief as Mr. Alton burst into a low-bellied laugh. She couldn't help but follow.

She'd never heard him laugh like that. It was so childlike and genuine. As if he'd never had more fun in his life. Mr. Alton rose into a seated position and helped Isabella up, too.

"That was great," he said with more laughter.

"I'm glad you think so. I was terrified."

"You handled yourself well," he said. "Pulling me through those bushes was a clever idea. We might still have been running if it wasn't for you."

"How long do you think we need to wait here for?" she asked. "I have no idea how many of them followed us out of there."

Mr. Alton nodded. "We might be safer waiting it out here for a while."

Isabella took a look around them. There were tables and chairs that stood empty. It was odd to see the tea room so quiet.

"What do you say we take a seat?" she offered.

They sat in at the table and let the cool air wash over them, calming their heartrates and they caught their breath.

"I don't think I've ever known a woman as fearless as you," Mr. Alton said.

After a short silence, it came as a surprise to her. With each compliment he gave her, she found that it meant more to her. They were compliments she never knew she wanted to receive.

"I wouldn't say that I'm fearless," she said. "There are things that scare me."

"You didn't show it tonight," Mr. Alton said.

"Tonight is not what scared me," she said. "Tonight was nothing but exciting. Tense at times, sure, but invigorating nonetheless."

Adrenaline coursed through Isabella. Enough to make her legs tremble. She suspected it was the same for Mr. Alton, too. They spoke more openly, laughed more easily, and seemed as though nothing in the world could stop them.

"What is it that scares you then?" he asked.

"I probably shouldn't say this, but marriage," she answered. "I fear being a caged woman, with a life devoid of any adventure. Destined to be a mother and wife and nothing more. That scares me more than anything."

"That is frightening indeed," Mr. Alton agreed.

The coast was clear then, so they headed for the carriage. On the way over to her house, they shared what they had heard and discussed what would be their next steps. When the carriage arrived, Mr. Alton walked her to her front door.

"Thank you," he said. "Your cleverness and fearlessness have turned this into a successful night."

"Thank you," she returned. "For yet another wonderful adventure."

She wanted to linger there with him another moment, but she knew the dangers of that. Isabella needed to protect her heart, particularly when their adrenaline and emotions were running so high.

But it did not go unnoticed by her that he waited until she was secured in her home before turning to head to the carriage. She knew then that she never had to be afraid when he was around. He would be her hero.

***

The weeks that followed were some of the toughest weeks of Isabella's life. At home and with her family, she had to pretend that everything was as it always had been. Meanwhile, she had an entirely different life filled with adventures that she could speak to nobody but Eliza about.

"Have you given it more thought?" her mother asked over dinner.

"I beg your pardon?" Isabella returned.

"Aren't you listening?" her mother snapped. "The duke will be wanting an answer. You can't keep him waiting forever, you know. He'll move on. Honestly, Isabella, I wish you would take this more seriously."

"I assure you, I take it very seriously," she said.

"I must agree with your mother," her father added. "While this decision should take some thought, you also don't want to make him lose interest. There are other eligible women who would take the chance without all this thought behind it."

"Exactly," her mother agreed. "He is an important man. You don't have many options here."

"I just don't know," Isabella said. "I need more time."

Her parents were unimpressed by that answer. That much was clear by the knowing glance they gave each other.

"I'll extend a letter to him and invite him for dinner," her father said. "That way, you might keep his interest in the matter. Do think on it, though, Isabella. We cannot keep this up for much longer."

Isabella nodded. She had hoped that the offer from the duke might simply disappear. She wanted to refuse it, so that she could be available to Mr. Alton. But that was under the assumption that Mr. Alton was interested in her in that way.

Sure, he had paid her many compliments, but that didn't mean that he felt as strongly about her as she did about him. Isabella was having a hard time even confessing to herself that she was developing feelings for him.

She simply didn't know what to do with any of her emotions. All she knew was that she was desperate to hear from him again. And that, after knowing him, her life would never be the same.

He had shown her so much, and given her so much joy, that it now felt as if everything was missing from her life. Mr. Alton had created a void in her which could not easily be filled by her day-to-day activities.

That night, as the duke joined them at the table for dinner, she could not help but compare it to the night she'd spent with Mr. Alton. They had run from criminals and taken part in illegal gambling and boxing matches.

The duke spoke only of his plans for his home and the upcoming ball to be hosted at Lady Edith's home.

While she knew that nothing could compare to a night with Mr. Alton, she also felt that there had to be something better for her out there than a life with the duke, regardless of what such a marriage would mean for her family.

"Lady Edith always knows how to host a splendid affair," her mother said. "The last one was so tastefully put together it put every other salon to shame."

"I look forward to it every year," the duke said. "This year, I've invited young Mr. Alton and Mr. Langley to join us. I believe they'll find it most enjoyable."

Isabella perked up. She would get to see him again, and sooner than she thought.