His lips twitched at her blunt suspicion that he intended to seduce her young mistress.
A suspicion that was well founded.
"As much as she desires, and no more," he reassured the older woman. "Do you not believe she has earned a share of happiness?"
"Yes. No one is more deserving."
"So if I chose to prod Miss Kingly out of her icy shell of composure, then I need not fear being greeted by a frying pan?"
"That depends," she warned, her gaze straying meaningfully toward the frying pan upon the counter.
"Upon what?"
"On whether this prodding endangers Miss Jocelyn's heart. She is not nearly as invulnerable as she would have others believe. Especially when it comes to a devil with a silver tongue."
It was no doubt a genuine concern, but Lucien swiftly shrugged it aside.
He needed to be close to Jocelyn if he were to protect her.
Any unfortunate complications would have to be dealt with once the traitors were returned to the Veil.
"I wish only to see her laugh," he at last murmured.
Meg heaved a faint sigh. "As do I."
"Then we shall have to work together."
"We shall see." The woman was not about to give any more than absolutely necessary.
"You intend to keep that frying pan quite handy, do you not?"
"Oh, yes."
With a laugh Lucien rose to his feet. "We are going to get along just fine, Meg."
Two
Amadeus stalked the woman with a cool precision.
Remaining in the shadows of the derelict shops and lodging houses, he kept a steady pace as she searched for the prostitute known on the streets as Molly.
A prostitute whom he had murdered less than an hour earlier.
For nearly a fortnight he had studied this woman's every movement.
He knew precisely when she would leave her home each evening. When she would bring food to the various street children. When she would seek out the pathetic whores and urge them to abandon their tortured lives and travel to the small cottage she had purchased outside of town.
He even knew that on this night she would seek out the young, hapless Molly as she did on every Wednesday evening. In vain she would plead with the prostitute to leave the brutal husband who forced her onto the streets to pay for his gin.
Which was precisely why he had disposed of the whore and laid his minions into hiding just around the corner.
Miss Kingly's very predictability would be her undoing.
Giving a sharp whistle, Amadeus watched for the three slovenly servants to stagger around the corner and surround the unaware maiden.
Just as he had commanded, the men quickly grasped Miss Kingly and covered her mouth to prevent her from crying out in alarm. Amadeus waited a moment to ensure that she was properly frightened by the sudden attack before he stepped forward to complete his well-plotted scheme.
Only to halt in surprise.