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She looked down at her clasped hands and nodded Lifting her gaze to his, she said, "That’s where the children are"

And where he couldn’t protect her He’d been fortunate with Sykes, but he’d played enough cards at Dodger’s to know that fortune was a fickleslowly recovered Frannie brought hiht they slept in the circle of each other’s ar took short walks about the residence, and eventually took longer ones about the garden Peter would often join him there

They didn’t usually talk, and yet there was a ca couldn’t quite explain He was going tomuch sooner than he wished

Frannie sat at a table on the terrace and watched wistfully as the strikingly handsoarden It was strange, the way attachments between the most unlikely of people could be for to a close They’d not made love since his encounter with Sykes, but she could sense hi desperately to protect her heart, fearing that it was far too late for that

Fro was a temporary addition to her life, and she had ht, in the dark, she desperately wanted to tell him that she’d fallen in love with hi that much more difficult

That evening, during dinner, she told hio with aze "I believe I’ve proven I’m an inadequate protector"

"You’ve proven that you’d risk your life forhis head, he returned his attention to the food on his plate "You should probably ask Swindler"

Only she wanted Sterling with her "I want to talk with Feagan I’in palace It won’t take long I’d very h he understood the ave her a brisk nod "I’ll have the coach readied"

The journey to the rookeries was as quiet as their days had beco held her He always seereat deal of jostling, starts, and stops, the driver was able to h the area until they were very near where Frannie expected to find Feagan The place had suffered in the years since she’d last been here, acco a sharp eye on her

Because she knew his preferred table, it didn’t take her any tiht of him, alone, in the corner Aup he gave her a crooked grin "Frannie darling, to what do I owe the pleasure?"

Sterling pulled out a chair for her and she sat beside her foran asked

Sterling looked at her and she nodded

As Sterling walked off, Feagan said, "Nice enough gent, I suppose Cares fer you"

"You alot him killed"

"Weren’t my idea Was ’is Can’t blaan Whenever one of the lads was arrested, it was the boy’s fault for being reckless, not Feagan’s for sending hi the tankard in front of Feagan, before taking a chair beside Frannie Beneath the table, he wrapped his hand around hers She drew strength fro hard, she took a deep breath and forced out the words, "Feagan, are youlow, he rubbed his hand over his et a silly notion like that?"