A Secret Surrender - Darcy Burke Page 0,88
said. ’E’s always loved her, but she doesn’t love ’im back as far as I can tell. Like I said, she used ’im.” Theresa curled her lip before drinking more ale.
“Where can I find Mr. Winter now?”
Theresa smacked the tankard back on the table with a laugh. She wiped the back of her hand over her mouth. “Mr. ‘Winter.’” She sniggered. “That’s not even ’is name. You ’ave to look for Luther Frost.”
Winter… Frost… It was as if the names caused ice to form in Harry’s veins. Could he be the same Frost that Harry was looking for?
Harry leaned slightly toward her. “Where can I find Frost? He lives in this neighborhood, yes?”
“Sometimes. ’E comes in ’ere from time to time. That’s ’ow we met a few years back. ’Aven’t seen him since we finished the job.”
“And when was that?”
Theresa scrunched her features. “I’m not good with days. Wot’s today?”
“Tuesday,” Harry said patiently. “A week ago, maybe?”
“Sounds about right.”
It was just over a week ago that Harry had heard about Bow Street investigating the robberies in Mayfair. Had Selina known about the investigation and decided to abandon her criminal enterprises?
The reminder that she’d done all of it right under his very nose turned his stomach. Apparently, she’d never been concerned he’d discover the truth. Why would she? He’d been thoroughly smitten, completely under her spell. Perhaps her role as a mystical woman was not entirely false.
No, Harry didn’t believe that. He was a fool, but she was just a woman. A woman who’d intrigued and manipulated him from the very start. He thought back to how they’d met. Had she even tripped into him by accident? Then the next time he’d seen her, she’d been walking on Mount Street near his parents’ house. Another coincidence he didn’t believe. Everything she’d said and done had been a lie.
And yet, he also thought of the small things she’d revealed, both as herself and as Madame Sybila. She’d been a lost child, an orphan, a victim of a horrible act perpetrated by her employer when she’d worked as a governess. He’d considered whether all those were lies, but somehow, he didn’t think they were. Perhaps that made him even more of a fool.
“You need anythin’ else?” Theresa asked. She scooted her chair closer to his. “We could go upstairs.” Her ale-and-gin-soaked breath wafted toward him.
“No, thank you.” He gave her a few coins. “If you see Frost or know where I can find him, send word to Bow Street. I’ll pay you more if your information leads me to find him.”
She quickly pocketed the coins. “Ask the fortune-teller. She’d probably know where to find him.”
Yes, she probably would. As much as Harry didn’t want to see Selina again, he would have to.
He stood and stalked from the tavern. Outside in the court, he took in the animals and people—adults and children—along with the dirt and disrepair. Was this how Selina had grown up? The thought of her in a place like this tightened his chest. He’d always believed that criminals weren’t born as criminals. Circumstance played a large part in what people chose to do—what they had to do.
He wanted to know what had driven Selina to become who she was today. Because whether he liked it or not, he’d fallen in love with her, and it seemed he couldn’t just shut that emotion off.
Striding from the court, Harry made his way down Saffron Hill. Was she still in her house on Queen Anne Street or had she, like Madame Sybila, fled London? The latter seemed most likely, and he realized that by not arresting her, he’d given her the chance to do so. Perhaps because he’d hoped she would.
But now he’d changed his mind. He wasn’t quite finished with her yet.
Chapter 19
Selina and Beatrix had feigned illness to avoid the engagements they’d committed to since Selina had told Harry the truth. Until today. Tired of waiting to see what Harry might do, they’d gone to a Spitfire Society meeting, which had turned out to be beneficial. They’d made a new friend, Lady Satterfield, who would be a useful ally to Beatrix in her quest to impress her father.
If that could even happen. Selina was still worried that Harry would arrest her and Beatrix, though Beatrix continued to insist that he would have done so already if that was his intent.
The Spitfire Society meeting had also opened up another avenue of opportunity. The ladies had discussed charities they could support, and Selina had