Chapter Thirty-Five

T he Right Honorable Bernice Natham

The early morning rush of traffic and the jingling of harnesses followed me as I walked to work. Sleep had evaded me all night and exhaustion weighed my limbs, but I trudged on. I kept replaying my argument with Moran and each time, it sparked my temper brighter. How dare he propose to me like I was some sort of obligation? I skirted a man sitting on the corner in front of the butcher shop and turned to my left.

Despite my upset with him, my stomach flip-flopped with nerves at the thought of seeing him. There was no way to avoid Moran but I wouldn’t spend extra time conversing about matters that didn’t pertain to the publishing house. The entire office had to be reorganized after the Met tore it apart, which would keep me busy for a week.

I cut across the alley to the street in front of the T.J. Moran Publishing House and my steps faltered. A group of people stood on the corner with white signs. Squinting to read them, I quickly approached the crowd, the words on the signs coming into focus. Save our children from the corrupt. Immoral Moran. Death to Sodomites.

Horror overcame me. News about Moran’s arrest must have leaked and people were protesting outside the building. Shoulders back, I held my head high, determined not to be intimidated by the bigots. However, my association with him might land me in hot water. There was still the matter of bilking my cousin out of his inheritance.

“Mrs. Worth.” An elderly man in a black greatcoat and mutton chops called me by name, stepping away from the group. I recognized him instantly. He was the one who had been lurking in the alley the first day I went to work for Moran.

“You have the advantage.” I was torn between running back the way I came, or continuing on my current path.

He smiled at me with a menacing twist to his lips. “I am Reverend Brown of The Brown Foundation for Morality.”

My knees began to shake but I stood my ground. “I have heard of your organization.”

“I am sure you have. We are working diligently to implement morality in our neighborhoods and save our children from sinners like Moran who want to corrupt their innocent minds.” The fanatical gleam in his gaze sent chills along my spine.

“I wish you luck in your cause.” I made to push past him but he stepped in front of me.

“I bid you rethink returning to your job. You have five sisters, four of impressionable ages. You need to tend to their welfare.”

“Are you threatening me?” Outrage sparked my temper, replacing my fear and I glared at him.

“I am merely telling you what will happen if you continue to work for that degenerate. He might have escaped the law because of his new title. You, my dear, are a different story.”

Had he found out the truth? I stared at him, and shook my head, gripping my bag. If he had, he wouldn’t have called me Mrs. Worth. Would he? “I have to work for a living to provide for my family.”

“It will be hard for you to provide for your family when you are behind bars.” He rocked back on his heels and looked over at the crowd of people before returning his gaze to me. “You seem like sensible woman. Leave and don’t come back.”

“I have four younger sisters to feed. Do you intend to pay me to stay at home and take care of them?” These self-righteous, narrow minded hypocrites infuriated me.

“If you teach a man to fish, h—”

“Oh balderdash. You blanket your bigotry behind scripture, yet you don’t live up to the spirit behind the words.” I settled my hands on my hips, earning several sidelong glances from the women with the signs.

“You have a feisty spirit.” Brown moved closer and lowered his voice. He reeked of spirits and ill intentions. “Perhaps we can come to an arrangement?”

I recoiled, opening and closing my mouth several times. Was he truly propositioning me? Surely not. “I beg your pardon?”

“You are a very comely woman. Moran might be above the law, but you aren’t anymore. Keep that in mind before you say no.” Brown leered at my bodice, his broken toothed smile projecting a lewd air. The man had some nerve preaching morality when he, himself, was immoral.

“So you are threatening me?” Shoulders back, I placed my hand on my chest, breaking his concentration. I wanted him to look me in the eye and address me like a lady. Except in his eyes, I wasn’t a lady and I wanted his ignorance of my identity to remain intact.

“I can make your life easy, or miserable Miss Namath. You have two hours to decide whether you wish to continue down the path of immorality, or become one of my flock on the path to righteousness.” Brown turned on his heel and returned to the group, calling them to attention before I could ask more.

Shaken and unable to think of anything but fleeing his company, I retraced my earlier steps until I reached the street corner. I ducked into the alley, and went through the back entrance. My legs were shaking, tears streaming down my face.

I fumbled with the keys, unable to keep my fingers steady. The second the door shut behind me, I ran up the stairs to the office. I needed to see Moran and warn him. Although we had a falling out, he was still important to me. I knocked on the back office door before entering. My dread at seeing him again was set aside in my need to speak to him.

Moran was hunched over his desk and looked up as I entered, my heart swelling for a different reason before I reminded myself we were on the outs.

“Good morning, Birdie.” Dark circles rimmed his eyes, the haunted look he carried when I picked him up at police headquarters more pronounced. I curled my fingers into fists, my need to comfort him warring with my new determination to keep him at arm’s length.

“Have you looked outside?” I moved to the window to peer out. My focus resting on Brown, I tried to fight the ongoing dread that continued to hold my body enthralled. What an evil man.

Moran joined me, staring at the group. The heat of his body permeated the sleeve of my coat, the faint scent of cinnamon reminding me of the intimacy we’d shared the night before. A scowl marked his brow, a tiny muscle ticking under his skin. “Bloody hell.”

“It’s Reverend Brown. He, well, he...” I couldn’t finish, my pulse thundering in my temples. Panic had settled in and I wasn’t sure I would ever feel safe again. While I longed to lean against Moran, I couldn’t allow myself to yield to the weakness.

“What did he do to you?” He twisted to look at me, outrage and fear reflected in his eyes.

I shook my head, unable to speak. Moran drew me into his arms, his familiar strength and gentle hold welcome after my encounter with the reverend.

“He threatened me and my family.” I clung to his warmth, my knees shaking. It had been ages since someone had offered me comfort and it was tempting to reveal everything. Distancing myself from him would be difficult under the best circumstances. “He is horrible. Simply horrible.”

“I know.” He kissed the top of my head, his heart beating in a steady rhythm against my ear. “What exactly did he say to you?”

“He knew me by real name...”Oh God! Any ounce of comfort I had gained in the past few minutes disappeared. I fought the wave of nausea. How much more had Brown discovered about me? Surely not about my father? You have two hours to decide. “He told me that while you were above the law, I wasn’t.” More importantly, if he dug deeper into my past, he would open Pandora’s box. “He also said I had two hours to make the decision.”

“I was afraid of this.” Moran released a pent-up breath, his arms a continued comfort to my jangled nerves. “Ash warned me this might happen. I am sorry to have gotten you into this mess.”

“Have you talked to Ash since we last spoke?” I pulled back to look into his face, needing a distraction. He looked haggard, as if he hadn’t truly slept. I wanted to smooth his brow, but that wasn’t my place.

“Ash came by last night. It didn’t go well.” He pulled me back into his arms, more for himself than me. “I have never seen him this upset before. I hope our friendship isn’t over.”

“Ash is a reasonable man. He will come to terms with it eventually.” I stepped out of his embrace, needing to distance myself so I could think. The situation with Brown muddied the waters. I had come to work with the intention of setting boundaries between us. “The office is a mess. I think I should start cleaning it but I am afraid it won’t be an easy task.”

“I think under the circumstances, it would be best if you didn’t work here anymore.”

Silence hung between us after his quiet pronouncement, the shouting of the crowd adding to my tension. “Why? Because I refused to marry you?”

He whipped his head around, brow lifted in shock before he shook his head. “No, that has nothing to do with my decision. Once the situation with Brown stabilizes, I will be abdicating the title. You will be much better off if you distance yourself from me. I won’t have you risk your safety because of me.”

“You are terminating me?” The tears I’d held at bay threatened to fall in earnest. He was dismissing me and not just from my position. Everything inside me wanted to clutch his arm and beg him to reconsider. I stood my ground. The situation was bigger than the both of us and I had to think about my sisters.

“I am trying to protect you the best way I can. Never fear, I will provide you with six months’ wages and a good reference. The wages might take me some time to gather but I will hurry for your benefit.” His profile to me, he continued to stare outside. “These people are determined. Brown threatened you, and while I will have Ash report it, Brown will be unrelenting in his pursuit of you.”

“Letting him win is not the solution.” Do not cry! “He knows where I live. There is no safe place to go so I might as well stay. Let him try to do his worst.”

“I can’t do that Birdie. We can’t let him win. I will contact Stark and have him send a patrol to your house until I can hire a permanent guard for you.”

“Like a prisoner in my own home.” The joyless smile I cast in his direction echoed the hollow space in my heart. I didn’t want to leave the publishing house or the opportunity he had given me. Pain rushed into my chest and I wanted to drop to my knees and sob. I loved him like I had never loved another and he had no idea.

Because you haven’t told him .

Nor would I ever tell him. I had my pride.

“Hopefully not for long. I am sorry, genuinely sorry.” Moran spun on his heel to face me, sincere regret in his gaze. He lifted his hand and caressed my cheek. “I will distract them while you slip out the back door. It is time I faced Brown head on.”

Holding back a sob, I lifted onto my toes and pressed a bittersweet kiss to his lips. Over the years, I had safeguarded my heart. In the span of a few weeks, he had melted my resolve and burrowed into my soul. I would never forget the magical nights I spent with him. Settling back on my heels, I nodded and tried to force a smile that I was certain came off more as a grimace.

“I would recommend you leave while Brown is otherwise occupied.” Moran grabbed his hat and coat and, after one last look at me, exited the door. “Goodbye Birdie.”

I stood in his office for a breathless moment, sobs sticking in my throat. It was over. Truly over. With a nostalgic last look around, I went down the back stairwell. Emotions roiled through me, an array of regret, love, and fear. Brown’s warning rushed back to me and I quickened my steps. I had two hours until he acted. With the shouts of the protestors burning my ears, I picked up my skirt and ran to Milk Street. I had a lot to do and little time to do it. I might have lost Moran but I still had my family to protect.

Once this was all over, I would have time to reflect. Until then, I had to act.