Chapter 21

CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE

" H ow do you know this boy, Mary?" Cyn asked as they followed the lad down a narrow road in the East End of London. It was winding around the buildings that climbed on either side. Doors opened onto the street, and they could not see much inside, as the windows were small or nonexistent.

"Lionel lives at the Bird of Paradise brothel. He does all the odd jobs needed, and they look after him. He comes to the Phoenix Agency for food and if it's cold out sometimes."

"There are so many in need," Cyn sighed. "But can you trust him, Mary?"

"No more than many, but in this, I think he is telling the truth."

She had called at the agency after Simon and Meg had left for their trip with Charles and Letitia. Mary had been talking to the boy in the entrance when she arrived with Monty.

"And he said that a woman is in desperate need of help?"

"Lionel said they hid her here so he couldn't find her. Isn't that right, Lionel? "

The boy nodded at Mary's question. He had not said a great deal, just led them to where Cyn hoped Clara was.

"I'm pleased Leona was able to leave yesterday. She will be safe with the others now," Mary said.

Cyn had purchased a house out of London where some of the girls could go to heal and learn the skills needed to start a new life.

"Yes, it was best for her to go as soon as possible," Cyn agreed. "If anyone came looking for her, it would mean trouble for all of us."

"Yes," Mary said.

"There is a building up there. It has a lion on the roof," Lionel said suddenly. He then ran away before they could stop him.

"I don't like this, my lady," Monty said from behind her. "You shouldn't be here. I've heard about these Baddon Boys and the danger they represent to you from Lewis, and why did the lad flee if he's not going to alert people that we're here?"

"We will find the woman and leave as fast as we can, Monty. All will go well," Cyn said with more conviction than she actually felt.

She thought he muttered, "I'm not so sure about that."

Mary nodded again. "Stay alert, my lady. Monty is right. I should have insisted you stay at the agency."

"It's daylight, Mary. Surely not too much harm can come to me with the sun high in the sky? And Monty is with us."

"They don't live by the same rules you do, my lady," Monty said. "There are many who are unscrupulous and would take advantage of the opportunity seeing you presents them."

Cyn shivered. Had she been wrong to come here? Had her need to aid the woman blinded her to her safety ?

"Make haste then. We will find her and leave as fast as we can."

"That building there," Mary said, pointing. The outside was a brick facade, and one side was blackened from smog. On the roof was a large statue of a lion, which seemed odd in such a setting.

"We must be quiet," Mary said. "In and out, hopefully with Clara, before anyone notices."

"I'll go first, my lady," Monty said.

"Very well."

Monty knocked on the door. Mary and Cyn stood at his back. No one answered the knock. Monty then tried the door, and it swung open. The stench hit Cyn first as they entered. Fetid air had her breathing shallowly.

Moving through the single room on the lower level, they found little except for rat droppings and sacks.

"Hello!" Mary called. A scratching sound from the floor above had them all hurrying to the stairs. Monty reached them first and started to climb.

"Stay back," he ordered as they reached the top. A single door was closed. Monty opened it and stepped into the room. Light filtered in through the narrow grimy window. Stepping to Monty's side, Cyn saw the body huddled on the floor under a thin blanket.

"Dear Lord," Cyn whispered, hurrying closer. She dropped to her knees beside the person. Mary did the same opposite. Monty remained standing, watching over them.

"Is she…? I can barely ask," Mary whispered.

"Alive? Yes, she is," Cyn said. "There now, we have you," she bent to whisper into the woman's ear.

She rolled onto her back, and swollen eyes looked up at Cyn.

"Help me. "

"We are going to do that for you now. Are you Clara?" The woman nodded. "Can you walk?"

"Move back, my lady. Let me help her," Monty said. "I'll pick her up, and we'll get her out of here. No point in staying and courting trouble. There's little we can do for her here anyway."

Cyn and Mary moved and then helped steady the woman as Monty got her upright. She was unsteady. He then gently lifted her into his arms and made his way to the stairs.

It was slow going, and all Cyn could think about was getting out of this place. The stench was horrid, and the pall of desperation nearly choked her. That anyone should stay here, even for an hour, was horrifying. But to do so alone in Clara's condition must have been terrifying.

She knew there were both bad and good men in the world, just as there was the same for women. But that someone could inflict such pain on a person willingly was beyond her belief.

They made it down the stairs and out onto the street. The woman was panting with the effort it took and clearly weak and in pain.

"Now, we must walk a few steps farther, Clara, to reach my carriage," Cyn said. "Are you all right, Monty?"

"Aye," he said. One look at his face, and she could see his anger matched her own.

The thudding of rapidly approaching feet had fear sluicing through Cyn.

"Hide!" Two boys appeared. "Hurry!" one of them called, running past. "It's the Baddon Boys!"

She looked to where they'd come from but saw no one.

"They're coming if the boys say they are," Monty said. "That little blighter snitched on us," he snarled. "I'm going to lower the woman to her feet, and you steady her between you," he added .

"Monty—"

"I need to have my fists free, my lady," he said, his voice a low growl.

"Oh dear, do you?"

He didn't reply and simply lowered Clara, and Mary and Cyn rushed to her sides. Looking around, she saw the boys were watching them now from a narrow opening between two buildings. "Come, Mary, let us move Clara that way."

"We can't leave Monty alone," Mary whispered.

"We are not. We are putting her there out of sight before the men arrive, in case our fists are also needed. Plus, then she will at least be safe."

"You can't fight, my lady!" Mary said, scandalized.

"I doubt I'll be much help, but surely I must try if they set upon Monty," Cyn said with far more calm than she was actually feeling. In fact, she was terrified. A terror so strong, her knees felt weak, and she was struggling to draw air into her throat, as it felt too tight. The last time she had felt such fear was the day her mother told her Leo had left London with his family in disgrace.

"You run, my lady. It is the way it should be," Mary hissed.

"No, it is not," Cyn said. "I brought you here, and I will stay until we can leave together."

They reached the boys, who were now watching wide-eyed. Cyn opened the small bag she carried around her wrist and handed over coins to each of them. "If you look after this woman until we return, there will be more of those for you. If we are not able to return to you, then take her to the Phoenix Agency on Lenton Street and ask for Lewis. Will you do that for me?"

"Aye," one of them said solemnly.

"Please run, my lady," Mary begged her.

"She's right," one of the boys said. He was helping Clara to a narrow opening between two buildings. "You need to run if you're a nob."

"Every life is worthy of saving," Cyn snapped, enjoying the flush of heat the boy's words had produced. That he believed her more worthy of survival than him, as did Mary, made her angry. "Now please care for Clara, and remember what I told you about the Phoenix Agency," she added.

"I see them now," Monty called. "Four men approaching. Flee, my lady! You also, Mary!"

"I am not leaving you to face four men, Monty."

"They will care little about your title, my lady. Leave at once." She could hear the desperation in his voice.

Her eyes went to the four men approaching. They wore dark hats pulled low and long black coats. They looked menacing.

"I will not allow Toby or the rest of your family to lose another sibling."

"Please go," he begged her.

"No." Cyn slipped her hand into her pocket, wrapping her fingers around the handle of her pistol, which she always carried with her now.

"Catch!" Cyn watched as Mary caught the piece of wood the boy threw her, and then he and the others disappeared into the shadows.

Clara was safe, at least, for now.

"You're meddling in business that doesn't concern you, Lady Lowell," one of the men said as he reached her. "These women belong to us, and we don't like anyone taking them away. The Wolf is not happy."

"I beg your pardon?" Cyn said in her haughtiest tone. "No woman is owned by a man, especially not one who mistreats her." Eyeing the four men before her, Cyn wondered how she was going to get out of here with everyone safe. She could feel eyes on them but knew no one would come to their aid. Most just wanted to live their lives without trouble. To go against a gang like this would challenge that.

"Our women are," another of them snarled. "Where is Clara?"

"I have powerful friends that can make your life extremely difficult. I suggest you step aside and let us pass," Cyn said.

All four of the men laughed.

"My lady, when I say run, please do," Monty said.

"I will not be leaving you," Cyn said, pulling out her pistol. "Move, gentlemen, if you please, as I will not hesitate to shoot you."

"You'll only hit one of us, and even then, it's not likely seeing as you're a woman."

Her fingers itched to slap the sneer off the face of the man who had spoken.

"At least one of you will suffer then," Cyn said.

"More than one," Monty added.

There was no way out of here. Panic gripped her. What had she done bringing Monty and Mary here? At least her Simon and Meg were far from London. Charles and Letitia would care for them if something happened to her. Dear Lord, she didn't want to die here in this filthy street.

"This is your last warning. If you do not let us leave, I will fire my pistol, and contrary to what you believe, I'm an excellent shot," Cyn said with more courage than she felt.

The men advanced; she took aim and fired. The man on the right yelped, and Cyn watched him grip his arm. Relief that she hadn't killed him was replaced with the knowledge that she would now have to use some other means to escape and fight.

Monty charged.

"Kick, punch, do whatever you can, my lady!" Mary cried.

It could never be a fair fight. One strong man and two women against four men who were no doubt used to fighting.

If you ever need to subdue a man, you go for his nose or groin.

It had been Charles who taught her that after Kenneth died. He said he never wanted her or Letitia to be helpless.

Forming a fist, she struck out as one of the men approached her and missed. Bothering hell. He grabbed her arm and forced it up her back painfully. She raised her knee and managed to connect with some of his groin as he twisted.

"Bitch!" His hand swung toward her, and before she could duck it, he slapped her hard enough across the cheek to make her see stars. But she didn't fall. Stumbling backward, she bumped into someone. His grunt told her it was the man.

She then heard him grunt again after a solid thwacking sound.

"Take that!" Mary cried from behind her.

Righting herself, Cyn faced the angry man heading her way again.

"Make fists with your hands!" Monty roared.

Her face burned, but that was nothing like the rage consuming her. These men thought they owned women. She wanted to reeducate them, which was laughable, but it was how she felt.

Rage gives you strength , Charles had told her that day.

"Move your feet!" Monty instructed, and then she heard another thwack, which she hoped was him punching someone and not the reverse. Cyn started bouncing on her feet like Simon did when he wanted to annoy Meg, jabbing out with her fists at the man before her. He swung a large dinner plate–sized fist at her; Cyn ducked this time, and it sailed over her head.

"We've been watching you, Lady Lowell, but until now, you've not interfered with our business overmuch. That's changed. Now the Wolf wants you stopped," the man growled.

"You'll end up hanging from a noose if you touch her," Monty yelled.

"No one will catch me," the man said, his expression smug. He advanced on her again, and Cyn jabbed, putting as much force as she could behind it. It was more luck than skill that had her connecting, and the man grabbed his nose.

"Bitch!" He lunged at her and forced her to her knees.

"My lady!" Mary cried.

"And now I'm going to teach you to mind your business," the man hissed as he bent over her.

Simon and Meg flashed through her head again then, and Leo. Would she ever see them again?