Taming of the Beast (Scandalous Affairs #2) - Christi Caldwell Page 0,98
Ye got yerself a new job?”
“Something like that.”
Oswyn dipped his head out, and after peering up and down the street, he motioned them in, leading them into a kitchen with a surprisingly sturdy fire that immediately eased the chill left by the walk through East London. And that wasn’t the only incongruity with the outside of the residence. Furnishings as fine as those enjoyed by a member of the lower gentry filled the household.
“Looks like two ghosts are meeting now,” Oswyn was saying. “Both underestimated, weren’t we?”
“Aye, but then, those of us truly born to these parts often are.”
Their unlikely host gestured to the chairs. Thick, plush cushions padded each of the matching seats.
When they’d each taken a seat, Oswyn nodded at Faye. “Who’s this one?” Unlike with Colb, there was no trace of disdain. Rather, he sounded like a man sorting out all the players.
“She’d like to speak with you about Diggory and the children he kept.”
Oswyn smirked. “Indeeeed?” By the way he stretched out that syllable, he was all too happy to oblige.
Faye cleared her throat. “More specifically, I would like to know about the lords and ladies who had a hand in those disappearances and who were content to keep those children lost.”
“Ye want to out the nobility?” he asked.
She inclined her head. “I do.”
His smile widened, the gleeful relish of one who’d been waiting for this very moment. “The Duke of Wilkinson’s wife had a hand in taking his bastards and giving them to Diggory. It opened up a whole new world for Diggory.” His scarred face hardened. “The duchess did it so that her daughter could live a life as the only cherished child of His Grace. While Helena and Ryker toiled in the streets, taking knives and fighting for their lives, fancy Diana lived her perfect life.” The other man looked about and then dropped his voice to a whisper. “But that’s not all.” He left that to dangle there.
Faye glanced briefly at Tynan. His features were set in a frown, his body tense. He didn’t want access to this information.
“The duchess helped fancy friends of hers get rid of their husbands’ bastards, too.”
Her chest constricted. “Why?” she whispered, not realizing at first that she’d spoken aloud.
“Different reasons. Competing affections. Bastards cost money. It was a”—his lips twitched in a sneer—“polite way of getting rid of them.”
Nay, there was nothing polite about it. It was the height of cruelty and evil to make innocent children pay for the sins of their parents.
What Oswyn spoke of was the manner of salacious story that would hold the ton’s fascination, if for no other reason than because of the duke’s rank. All the while, crimes that were previously unknown by the world would be brought to light.
“Why…” She dragged her chair closer to the table. “Why haven’t more people…?”
“’Eard about it?” Oswyn correctly finished her question. He shrugged. “Why would they? The Duchess of Somerset and Ryker Black don’t talk about their past, and so they’re content that the other people who were wronged don’t ’ave their justice.” His scarred, pock-marked face formed a hard, ugly mask. “They don’t care about anyone beyond themselves. Not truly. Look out for one another and to hell with the rest,” he spat with all the vitriol of a man who knew from experience.
Justice.
There could be justice in this life, after all.
Faye proceeded to make quick notes about everything Oswyn had revealed. “Were the Duke and Duchess of Wilkinson equally involved?” she asked, looking up.
He chortled. “’E’s a duke. What do you think? She got locked up. And in the end, ’e’s never paid the price.”
“How do you know these details, Mr. Oswyn?” she asked.
“I lived in the household and helped look after the duke’s daughter.” His mouth tightened. “Some people were willing to see justice done. They were thwarted in the end.” With a distracted air, the burly stranger rubbed at a place near his rib cage.
“And you were shot for your efforts,” she murmured.
“An’ Oi was shot by one Oi looked after loike me own son,” he whispered. Pain ravaged his voice and his features. He suddenly stopped that movement and let his hand fall to his side. “Ye want names?”
“Yes, please.”
As he rattled off name after name, she scribbled them in her notes as fast as she could until he finally stopped. Silence fell as she stared at her notes, her heart hammering.