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She shook seeing it "Coot theave them a wide berth No one would help theroans and whi
Desperately, she hailed a hack The jarvey took one look at them, and his weathered face pinched "Oh, no, I don’t want no part of this" He rabbed hold of his horse’s harness It wouldn’t do much; ht, but it startled hiotup with a deadher load, she dug into her pocket and pulled one out Precious coin, but orth it "Four blocks for one sovereign"
The driver’s eyes narrowed "Done But you’re getting hihad passed out, and his dead weight washer topple
The man’s eyes shifted to the coin, then back to her With a et him into the cab, and they were off Her victim moaned with the jostle of the coach but didn’t wake Aardly, she patted his shoulder as her heart thundered within her breast
What had she beco a word she said "I’ll get you well"
Chapter 5
London, May 1, 1879
It had been hell Miranda clattered down the back stairs of her house The ers were ice cold as they slid along the handrail
Her guest had screa a ony in it was enough to finish shredding as left of her soul What had she done? She could only thank the heavens that Father hadn’t been at home He would have taken his own pound of flesh had he discovered her guest
Pray God none of the neighbors had heard the man’s shouts of pain She did not knohat she’d say should a constable arrive
Going to hospital had been out of the question; one wasup an infection there than one was to be healed Besides, Miranda kne to heal burns
It had been a trial though, cutting the thug’s clothes ahile he writhed as skin pulled aith his clothing, getting hiht attend to his roasted flesh
A sob broke from her mouth as she rushed into the kitchen He needed more laudanuingerly placed upon hi for her reticule when a pair of arms wrapped themselves around her waist
Miranda squeaked, but her body recognized Martin in an instant He pulled her back against his hard chest before turning her round His lipscould be more welcome at that moment She needed to be held just now, leaeous" His hand smoothed down her back "I want to coht, but her ht very well die on her "Martin, I need to--" Her words were cut off when he kissed her again It was a nice kiss, as kisses went, but she squiret a word in
He pulled back, oblivious, it seemed "When we are married, I will come home to this"
A sharply drawn breath behind the She and Martin both froze Miranda winced as she pictured the scene they made
"What did you say?" came the sharp hiss from her father
Slowly they turned to face hier was quickly rushing up his neck
"You’ve been creeping behind my back, have you?"
Miranda didn’t knohether he spoke to her or Martin It did not matter They were one in this "Father, we meant to tell you"
"Oh?" He took a step closer, and his hands fisted "When would that be? When you’re swelling with a bastard child?"
She lifted her chin "Surely you can’t object toMartin"
"Surely I can!" he roared "I told you to stay away from him"
Martin flinched "Sir…"
"Do not ’sir’ me, you wastrel" Spittle flew from Father’s lips "I treat you like a son, and this is how you repay me?"
Miranda stepped in front of Martin "You treat him like a son, and yet you would deny him the opportunity to become son to you in truth? Why?" She clenched Martin’s hand It was too cold "To what can you possibly object?"
The heat in Father’s eyes dimmed just a bit "I’ve no true objection to your character, boy" Father’s gaze went to Miranda "But he’s notrand"
"Nonsense!" Miranda sed down the urge to screa but each other, Father"
"You are not hed "I don’t see why not Your dreao of Martin to step closer to her father
"I am sick of dreams I want the reality And the reality is that Martin and I love each other and will marry, whether you will it or not"
Her father’s body visibly recoiled, his eyes going wide But he rebounded quickly "You have not reached your hter I most certainly can stop you"
"And we most certainly can run off to Gretna Green should we need to," she snapped back "Like you andtoo red A vibrating anger s
Martin stepped around her "Sir, we need not go to such lengths I know you worry, but I will take care of her I swear"
It took a laring a hole through Miranda’s skull His gaze softened on Martin "As I said, boy, it has nothing to do with you"
"Then why don’t you tell us what it does have to do with?"
Miranda said A warning plucked at her spine She would not like his answer
Martin caught her by the shoulder "Miranda," he said softly, yet with a hard look in his eyes "Let ripped it hard "We handle things together"
A muscle in Martin’s jaw bunched, but he squeezed her hand back