Chapter Nine

T he Right Honorable Miss Bernice Namath

A fine mist touched my face as I skipped down the outside stairs at the T.J. Moran Publishing House, delighted with my first day of employment. The teasing aspect of my conversation with Moran over my innocent comment brought a smile to my mouth. He had been dogged in his determination for an answer, which spoke of his stubborn nature. The once bustling street was empty of people, the hour growing late and the air heavy with the threat of impending rain.

Nothing could dampen my spirits. What started out to be a questionable day ended on a very high note. The boarding house was within walking distance, and as much as I wished to take a hackney, it was a wasted expense at this point. Once I secured my first month’s wages, I might indulge in such a luxury.

“Mrs. Worth.” A familiar voice called from my left, and I turned my head to see Inspector Ashton approaching. His greatcoat whipped around him, and the hat on his head sat at a jaunty angle. He most certainly was an attractive man, but he was dangerous to my family and me. It would be rude not to stop and say hello, however.

“Good evening Inspector, how are you this evening?” There was nothing better than polite conversation to cover an awkward situation.

Inspector Ashton cocked his head and stared at me, his inquisitive stare full of amusement. “I am quite well, thank you very much. How was your first day with Moran?”

“It was excellent, thank you for asking. Mr. Moran is still in the building if you’ve come to see him.” I resisted the need to lick my lips, my nervousness increasing. The inspector had very arresting eyes that missed nothing.

“Since he lives in the upstairs flat, I assumed as much.” Inspector Ashton angled his head and studied me for a long moment. “You appear to be finished for the day. Surely you’re not planning on walking home by yourself this late at night?”

Even though Moran had clarified why Inspector Ashton had been at his office yesterday, I still feared that my lies would catch up to me. Guilt had a way of latching onto my mind, and everything I said and did seemed suspect. “I’m afraid I need to get home, and the only way to get there is to walk. As you have rightly pointed out, it is late, and I should be on my way.”

“Then I will see you home.” He settled his hands on his hips and glanced around. “The streets aren’t safe for a lady.”

“You needn’t inconvenience yourself. I live close by.” The longer I stood there speaking with him, the weaker my knees became. It was beyond silly to be uncomfortable in his company when he was simply trying to be polite. Yet he disturbed me in many ways.

“It is no inconvenience. I don’t want to frighten you, but a very sketchy man across the street has been eyeing you ever since you walked out of Moran’s office. I wouldn’t feel comfortable allowing you to walk by yourself with such miscreants on the loose.”

I started looking around, trying to gauge the truthfulness of his statement. I didn’t see anyone suspicious until I turned back and noticed a tall, thin man in a greatcoat lurking in the shadows. His hat was pulled low, but I caught a glimpse of mutton chops when he turned his head. My heart began to race, and my pulse hummed in terror. “Are you talking about the gentleman in the alley?”

He grinned at my observation. “Indeed I am. You have a very good eye, Mrs. Worth.”

“In this case, I wish I didn’t. I suppose I could catch the omnibus home.” And waste precious coin. Except my life was worth more than a sixpence.

“I think we could do one better.” He lifted his hand and waved over the hackney driver on the corner. The man nodded and jumped from his perch to open the carriage door. Before I could comment, Inspector Ashton placed his hand on my elbow and began to walk across the street. “Come along, Mrs. Worth.”

“Really Inspector, a hackney is too much.” And I thought I was bossy, as Moran so concisely called me. The inspector’s strides were long, and I hurried to match them.

“I beg to differ. It looks like rain, and I insist you allow me to escort you home in the conveyance. If not, I promise to dog you the entire way.” The way he watched me from the corner of his eye made my heart race for another reason. His profile was strong with an angled jaw and Roman nose.

Secretly, I was a bit relieved. After he pointed out the miscreant, my desire to walk home had waned. I swallowed my pride and said, “Then who am I to dissuade you from doing something kind.”

The hackney driver held open the door. Inspector Ashton stepped back, motioning me to enter ahead of him. I climbed the one step and gripped the handle on the side of the carriage. As an unmarried woman, it would be scandalous for me to ride alone with him in the conveyance, but as a widow, I could get away with it. Besides, nobody knew my identity. With the secrets that I kept, it wasn’t wise to be seen with an inspector for the Met.

I sat down on the cracked leather seat, wrinkling my nose at the unpleasant smell that I dared not even try to identify. The carriage rocked as he entered and plopped down in the seat across from me. He was a big man, and he seemed to take up every inch of room in the enclosed space. The air was heavy and not because of the stench of the conveyance.

“Where to?” the hackney driver asked. The still open door brought in some much-needed fresh air.

“Sixty-two Mount Street,” I said before realizing my blunder.

“You live on Mount Street?” Inspector Ashton asked with a lifted brow. “That is more than down the street.”

“No, not Mount Street, Milk Street. I live in a flat on the corner of Milk Street and Cheapside at the Tucker Boarding House.” My leg began to shake, and I willed it to stop. How could I have made such a blunder? “Sixty-two Mount Street is the address of my previous employer.”

“Milk Street, my good man,” Inspector Ashton said. “I am familiar with Mrs. Tucker.”

“She kindly rented to me.” The driver closed the door, leaving us alone. The gas lamps’ soft glow didn’t cut through the gloomy night with much precision. I was glad for it. My face was overly warm. “I live there with my five sisters.” I tried not to fiddle with the fingertips of my gloves, any weakness would give away my nervousness. I wanted to come across as cool and collected, but something about him rattled me on multiple levels.

“If you were, indeed, a resident of Mount Street, I doubt you would need employment.”

My pulse leaped, and I studied him more closely for signs of suspicion. I didn’t sense any animosity. Indeed, he seemed rather flirtatious. I never considered myself a flirt, but it was the only way I could describe my last conversation with Moran. What my new employer must think of me.

“You are correct on that score.” Many years ago, I would have laughed if anyone had told me I would be working for a living.

“I am familiar with the boarding house since I have lived here my entire life.” Stretching out his long legs, he revealed a scuff mark marring the tip of his shoe. While his clothes were not of the highest quality, they were not inexpensive either. This was the most I’ve ever been exposed to a member of law enforcement, and I prayed I never would see one in an official capacity. By rights, I was perpetrating a fraud by covering up my father’s death, preventing his heir from having access to my ancestral home.

The driver climbed on the perch, the carriage swaying from his weight. Seconds later, the horse moved into traffic.

“Mrs. Tucker is a very lovely woman, and I am pleased to say that my sisters have a safe place to live.” When I decided to perpetrate this fraud, I had read plenty of books about the subject matter. Most of them said that one should stay as close to the truth as possible because the more one exaggerates, the harder it is to keep lies in check. My mother would roll over in her grave if she heard me think along these lines. My cheeks burning with shame, I stared at the grungy window. “Do you have any brothers or sisters, Inspector?” It was time to turn the tables on him.

“I do. Three brothers, all married. I was privileged enough to have a large family. Unfortunately Moran was not as blessed.”

Dare I ask more? I found myself more fascinated with my new employer than I should be. However, Inspector Ashton brought up the subject, thus my window of opportunity opened. “He speaks very fondly about his father.”

Although mine had frustrated me at times, I missed him. There was something comforting about knowing that someone else was watching out for me instead of me watching out for everyone else.

“Mr. Moran senior was a very decent man with infinite patience. It was because of him that I actually started writing.”

My ears perked up at his admission. “You are a writer. Will I have read any of your works?”

“Good Lord, no.” His smile dimmed a tad bit, revealing a crack in his armor. He must be sensitive about his writing. He shifted in his seat, his hands splayed on his knee. “I’ve never published anything, I leave that to Moran.”

The carriage turned a corner, passing unlit windows of familiar brick buildings in a steady clip. Although the carriage had a decided chill, I was overly warm. Never, in my last few years, had I been around attractive men as much as I had in the last week. When I was looking for employment, I wasn’t expecting to end up in a publishing house. “I have not written anything of note, however, I must admit I do enjoy grammar.”

“Then you are indeed the perfect secretary for Moran. He chose well this time.”

“He admitted to being difficult, and although he and I have had a few run-ins already, I would not say he was difficult . I would say that he was unique.” The image of him shirtless would be forever burned into my mind, along with the awkward conversation that followed. He had bluntly told me that he wasn’t interested in me in a romantic manner. While I should have been thrilled, it still pricked my pride.

Inspector Ashton laughed at my quip and shook his head. “That sounds rather like a roundabout compliment.”

“I suppose it is. He is your friend, or so he told me.” I tried not to stare at him but it was hard not to admire his handsome face, the short, cropped beard highlighting the strength of his jaw. The sooner I can leave his company, the better off I’ll be .

“He seems to have shared a lot of information with you.”

Either I could pretend ignorance or face my concerns head-on. “I will admit that I was leery at first. I had no idea that you and he were friends and... well, it looked rather suspicious.”

“You had a suspicion that Moran was up to no good?” His comment dripped with amusement. “I can assure you, Moran is as honest as they come. He and I have been friends since we were eleven years old.”

“That is a very long time.” I had never been close to society ladies outside my family circle. Eloise was my best friend and I was fortunate to have her as not only my sister, but as a confidant.

“Moran said you were a widow.” He watched me with a bit too much interest, and my palms dampened beneath my gloves at his scrutiny.

“Apparently, he shared much information with you as well.” I glanced outside again, pleased to see that we were close to my home. No one had questioned me about my make-believe husband past the typical logistics of how he died and when.

“He mentioned it in casual conversation.” Lips quirked, he flattened his palms on his leg, the trousers pulling taut over his muscled thighs. “I am sorry for your loss, Mrs. Worth. It couldn’t be easy being widowed so young.”

“Yes, very hard.” I cleared my throat. “He died three years ago this summer. It was very tragic and sudden.” I lifted a finger to my eye and pretended to wipe a tear away. Eloise and I had come up with an explanation about my supposed widowhood, and I had used it often. I was a very poor liar, and I prayed he couldn’t see me in the dim light to gauge my lie. It weighed heavily on me, and my stomach churned.

“I’m very sorry to hear that. When did you marry him?”

“Three years ago.” Eloise and I had debated what would be believable. At six and twenty, it would make sense that I had been widowed young. “William was a wonderful husband.”

“You married him, and he died in the same year?”

The fire in my cheeks flamed brighter at my blunder. I rubbed at my temple, trying to gain control over my panicked mind. Matching wits with someone who interrogated people for a living was challenging and kept me on my toes. If I wasn’t the object of his curiosity, I would be impressed by his logical mind. “Yes, it was sudden. Influenza. Very sad. I am afraid I will never get over the loss.”

“How very tragic. Forgive my prying into your personal affairs. I can’t help myself, it would seem.”

I laughed at his quip. While I was uncomfortable with my life being scrutinized, I rather liked him. “I suppose it is an occupational hazard.”

“Yes, I have lost potential friends because I am nosy, as Moran is fond of pointing out.” Inspector Ashton leaned back in his seat and tapped his thumb on his leg.

“As I said, he thinks I am bossy, which I freely admit. I guess we all have flaws.”

The carriage began to slow down, the steady clop of the horse’s hoofs lessening. He shrugged and moved his thumb with more speed. “We are all inherently flawed. Has no other gentleman caught your fancy?”

My pulse picked up. Surely he wasn’t interested in me? I had a lackluster season, and although I wasn’t unfortunate to look at, I was often overlooked by men. “No, no other gentlemen.”

Yet another lie. Moran had caught my attention in a way I hadn’t expected. I clutched at my reticle, my mind spinning with more questions.

The driver pulled in front of the boarding house. I had never been so relieved in my life. “It appears we have arrived.”

“Yes, it does. I will see you to your door.”

“Really Inspector, that isn’t necessary.” My sisters were home, and the younger ones might inadvertently say something to give away the game.

“Quite the contrary.” He opened the door and hopped down, holding his hand out to me. “And please, call me Ash. Everyone does.”

“Do they indeed?” I wasn’t sure if it was wise to become that familiar with him. Staring at his hand, I had no option but to place my palm in his. Our eyes locked, and an unwelcome warmth spread throughout my body, settling between my legs. Once my feet hit the ground, I snatched my hand back.

The terrace house was rather unassuming. My landlady stood in front of the house with what looked like a very heavy bundle in her arms. Ash rushed to her side. “Here, allow me,” he said, taking the bundle from her.

Mrs. Tucker smiled with familiarity at Ashton. “Thank you, Constable Ashton.”

“It is Inspector, Mrs. Tucker.” I corrected the woman as I opened the outer door. She looked so frail that a slight breeze might blow her over.

“Who is an inspector?” Mrs. Tucker glanced from me to Ash, confusion in her watery brown eyes. She was hard of hearing, and I suspected her memory was slipping. I tried to assist her whenever possible, and Eloise often brought her leftovers. She had done me a valuable service by allowing me to rent a flat in her home.

“Shall we go inside?” I lifted my voice and pointed to the door.

“In a moment, dear.” Mrs. Tucker frowned and looked around the stairs. “I seemed to have misplaced my package.”

“I have it, Mrs. Tucker.” Ashton shifted the bundle in his arms and placed his hand under her elbow. Kindness rested in his eyes. My heart tilted a bit more in his direction. “If you lead the way, I will take it inside for you.”

“What a dear boy. Are you Mrs. Worth’s suitor now?” Mrs. Tucker asked, taking the stairs to her flat on the first floor. She walked slowly and methodically to compensate for a slight limp.

My cheeks flamed. “No, he is not. He is simply seeing me safely home.”

“He was always such a good lad, a bit cheeky but good.” Mrs. Tucker stopped before her door and turned to look at us. Frowning, she said, “Did you need something, dearie?”

“Your package.” Ashton shared a concerned look with me.

“Yes, you mustn’t forget it.” I shook my head at the silent question and took Mrs. Tucker’s key from her fingers as she fumbled with the lock. She had nobody in her life, and I often wondered if I would follow the same path. Choosing not to marry would mean no children. With my life choices, that would be my one regret.