He glanced over his shoulder at her, and the light of her lantern caught the silver of his eyes, giving them an unholy gleam. “Frannie is quite bright. I do not question her ability to learn, rather your ability to teach. Once I see that you’re able to fulfill your part of the bargain, I shall see to mine.”
“I will not tell you the name until you are ready for the undertaking.”
“I’m agreeable to those terms.”
“And I shall never tell you why.”
“It seems I should at least know what he’s done to deserve to die.”
His last few words caused her stomach to tighten painfully. She knew what she was asking, knew what the consequences would be. If she could think of another way to save Winnie, she’d turn to it. But she knew threats would not sway Avendale. And Winnie was right. The law was of no use to them. So Catherine strengthened her resolve before saying, “It’s a private matter.”
“This particular part of our arrangement does not sit well with me.”
“The man you killed—Geoffrey Langdon—why did you kill him?”
“My reasons are my own.”
“Did he deserve what you did to him?”
“No, he deserved much worse.”
“I believe you.”
“I don’t give a bloody damn if you believe me or not.”
She took a step forward. “I mean, I take you at your word that he deserved it, so why can you not take me at mine that this other gentleman is deserving of death?”
“Because, Lady Catherine, you live in a world where ladies weep because they didn’t receive an invitation to a ball. What you might consider insult, I would merely consider inconvenience.”
“You think because you grew up on the streets that you alone are privy to the dark nature of man? How terribly conceited you are.”
“I have seen the worst of men and I have seen the best. Can you say the same?”
Could she? Could she even begin to fathom what horrors he might have witnessed?
“On this matter, I believe I have seen the worst.”
He nodded very slowly. “Very well then. I’ll take you at your word that he deserves what I shall deliver.”
She thought she should have been relieved. Instead doubts plagued her. She shoved them aside. Now was not the time to get squeamish about her actions. “Then we have a bargain. Shall I have papers drawn up?”
The man who rarely exhibited emotion looked horrified. “Good God, no! There is to be no evidence, nothing written anywhere that will lead me to Newgate. Even the missive I sent earlier should be burned.”
“Then how do we signify that we’re both in agreement?”
“We’ll shake on it.” He removed his glove and extended his right hand toward her.
On her skirt, she wiped her palm—which had suddenly dampened—before pressing it against his. His long fingers closed over hers, and he drew her near, so near that she could see the narrow black outline that circled the silver of his eyes. “You are now in league with the devil, my lady. May you rest easier at night than I.”
Her heart hammered as he released his hold, turned away slightly, and began to tug back on his glove. “We shall need to be discreet. I’ll have my coach waiting in the alley at midnight tomorrow. Meet me there, and I’ll escort you to Frannie.”
“You must love her very much to be willing to do all this.”
He twisted his head slightly and held her gaze. “I’m not doing anything for her that I’ve not done for her before.”
Chapter 5
Damnation, what was it about the woman that had him confessing things he’d never confessed to anyone else? What was it about her that filled him with shame about his past? What made him want to shock her down to her very toes? What made him want to appear as evil as she believed him to be?
The thoughts had been tormenting him ever since he’d left her garden. He was no doubt a fool for getting involved in this matter without more information. She wouldn’t reveal who she wanted killed until he was ready to carry out her bidding. For all he knew, he was the one she wanted done in. Not that he could think of a single reason why she would. A wise man never went into a situation without knowing all the details. He was sadly lacking in details.
He banged on the door of the simple lodging. He waited a minute, banged again. He saw a light flicker in a lower window and banged once more.
The door opened and an elderly woman held up her lamp. “Are you daft? Are you not aware of the hour?”
“I need to see James Swindler.”
“He’s abed.”
“Then get him up.”
She glared at him. “Have you no decency? I’ll do no such thing.”