A Secret Surrender - Darcy Burke Page 0,96
hand had begun to brighten her cheek. Harry wanted to kill him. “Are you all right?”
She nodded, but a tear leaked from her eye. He caressed her face. “You’re safe now.”
He went to the doorway, keeping his focus on Remy, and called out, “I need someone to run to Bow Street. Fast. Ten shillings.”
A boy dashed to the doorway. “I can do it, sir.”
Harry gave him five shillings. “The rest when you return with at least two constables. Tell them Harry Sheffield needs assistance and a cart. And hurry.”
The boy nodded and took himself off.
Remy groaned louder, and Harry bent to turn him over. Then Harry dragged him to the wall and propped him up to sit against it.
Harry glanced at Selina. “What happened?”
“I arrived and met Luther in here. He told me a Runner paid him to start the fire. Then Remington showed up and asked for a payment that was due.”
Harry fixed a furious stare on his friend—former friend. “What was the payment for?”
Blood trickled down Remy’s head from the wound Selina had inflicted with the pottery. “Everything she says is a lie.”
Many things, but not everything, Harry had learned. “You’d have me believe that she killed Frost?”
Remy winced, then lowered his gaze. He didn’t say anything.
“Why were you holding her when I arrived?” Harry asked.
“Because he intended to rape me.” Selina wouldn’t lie about that. But Harry didn’t think she was lying about any of this. Now he really wanted to kill Remy.
Harry crouched down and grabbed the top of Remy’s hair. He pulled Remy’s head back, forcing him to look up. “Don’t fucking lie to me, you piece of filth.”
Remy sneered. “I did offer to pay her.”
“Before you promised to kill me,” Selina said.
Harry knocked his head back against the wall, drawing a yelp of pain from Remy. “Speak of her again, and I’ll finish what she started.” He kept his hand tangled in Remy’s hair. “Why did you pay Frost to start the fire?”
Selina answered. “Because Luther agreed to pay Remington a protection fee when he took over Partridge’s gang.”
Harry stared at the man he thought he knew. “You took money?”
“You shouldn’t have cared about the damn fire. About any of it.” Remy’s lip curled. “But you’ve such a soft heart. What did it matter that there were a few less whores and thieving brats? That was a good thing. Partridge refused to pay me. Frost didn’t. We turn our heads and let them rule over their little kingdoms. They should pay for our ignorance—and our protection.”
Harry despised corruption. He tugged on Remy’s hair, causing him to flinch as he met Harry’s gaze. “Did you really threaten to kill her?”
Remy spit to his right toward Selina and glanced up at her. “Fucking whore.”
Fury exploded in Harry, and he hit Remy’s head against the wall once more. This time, Remy slumped to the side, unconscious.
“Harry!” Selina came toward him and touched his shoulder.
Standing, Harry swore. “He’s fine. For now.”
He turned to her. “I want to see you home, but you should go before the constables get here. I don’t want to involve you in this.”
“But I’m a witness. I can say what happened.”
“Then you’ll have to explain why you were here. That won’t reflect well on Lady Gresham. Or Miss Whitford. I have his knife and can prove he used it to kill Frost. Remember, I used to be a barrister. Remy won’t go free.”
“You’re rather brilliant.” She gave him a small smile that made his heart trip. “I can make my way home.”
“You have your pistol?”
She went and found it on the other side of the table, freezing for a moment as she looked down at Luther. A sob escaped her lips before she clapped her hand over her mouth.
Harry reached for her without thinking. He pulled her against him and pressed his lips to her temple beneath the brim of her bonnet. “I’m so sorry. I know he was your friend.”
She held him tightly as she buried her face in his chest.
He brushed his lips against the edge of her ear. “You need to go. I’ll come see you later.”
She stood back and looked up at him in surprise. “You will?”
“There are things to say. Aren’t there?”
“I’ve said everything important.” She brushed at the wetness on her cheeks. “I love you.”
Impossibly, a smile broke over his mouth. “I know.”
She smiled back, and his breath hitched.
“I have things to say,” he clarified. “Go now. I’ll see you soon.”
She tucked the pistol into her reticule. “You’ll