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“Tellto keep her voice fro

Gentry’s gaze met hers, and she was struck by how vibrant and hopelessly blue his eyes were “John becae They tried to protect each other, helped each other when possible, and talked of the day when they would be released Although it was selfish, John dreaded the day that the boy would be released That day was not long in co And when his friend was set free, John kneould be alone again”

Pausing, he raked a hand through his thick brown hair, disheveling the glealy difficult for hiht before John’s friend was to be released, there was an outbreak of cholera on the ship John’s friend took ill, and despite his efforts to care for hi position He reasoned that since his friend was already dead, there was no har his place”

Sophia was utterly bewildered “What?” she asked faintly

He did not look at her “If John assuain release in aanother year on the prison hulk And there was no doubt that John would not have lasted that long So in the night, he switched clothes with the boy’s corpse, and whento John Sydney”

The carriage rolled to a halt, and the putrid stench of Fleet Ditch began to seep inside Sophia’s heart beat with terrible force, sees “But that doesn’t make sense,” she said woodenly “If your story is true, then—” She broke off suddenly, aware of an high-pitched buzzing in her ears

As Gentry stared at her, the coldness seeling toemotions He set his jaw and forced out more quiet words “The name of the dead boy was Nick Gentry”

Suddenly Sophia burst into violent tears “No,” she sobbed “It’s not true Why are you doing this to me? Take me back to Bow Street!”

Through the hot, watery blur, she saw his face draw closer “Don’t you know uished whisper He shocked her by sinking to the floor and clutching handfuls of her skirts, his dark head buried against her knees

She was duled in her skirts A harsh sob lodged in her throat as she touched the back of his left hand There was a small, star-shaped scar in the center It was the saotten in childhood, when he had carelessly brushed it against a fireplace iron still hot from the coals Tears continued to slip down her cheeks, and she covered the mark with her own hand

His head lifted, and he stared at her with eyes that she now recognized were exactly like her own “Please,” he whispered

“It’s all right,” she said unsteadily “I believe you, John I do know you I should have seen it at once, but you are ed”

He responded with a sorrowful growl, struggling to contain his feelings

Sophia felt her own face contort with a confounding mixture of joy and wretchedness “Why didn’t you co Why have you stayed away and let rieve for you?”

He scrubbed the sleeve of his coat over his eyes and let out a shuddering breath “We’ll talk inside”

The foot down easily and reached for Sophia She put her hands on his shoulders, felt hiround However, her knees quivered like jelly, and she was surprised when her legs began to collapse

Gentry caught her at once, his hands hooking beneath her arot you I’m sorry—you’ve had a shock”

“I’ to push him away

Maintaining a supportive aruided her toward the house It was a converted building that had once been a tavern Sophia could not help gaping at her surroundings, which looked like sohtmare This was an area of London that even the bravest runners would have avoided at all cost The people who skulked through tortuously twisted streets hardly seehostlike in their tattered clothes

Vermin scuttled over piles of refuse in the street, while the aromas of cesspools and drains cohterhouse into a smell so rank that it actually caused her eyes to water There was noise and tus and chickens, drunken brawls, even the occasional crack of a pistol

Glancing at her face, Gentry smiled faintly at her reaction to the place “It’s not exactly Mayfair, is it? Don’t worry, you’ll get used to the smell in no time I hardly notice it now”

“Why do you choose to live here?” she asked, nearly gagging on the foul air “People say you havebetter than this”

“Oh, I have high-kick offices in town,” he assured her, “where I meet ealthy clients or politicians and such But this area is where all the flash houses and prisons are, and I need easy access to the, he explained further as he guided her up a flight of rickety stairs “Flashes are successful thieves They live in flash houses, where they are soamble, drink, and make plans”

“And you are thehi maze of secret corridors, staircases, and dark recesses

“Some would say so,” he replied with no trace of shaood one, too”

“You were not meant to live like this,” she murmured, appalled at what had become of her brother

“And you were meant to be a servant?” he pointed out sardonically “Don’t sit in judgment, Sophia We’ve both done as necessary to survive”

They approached a heavy door at the end of a craeway, and Gentry reached to open it for her

As Sophia stepped inside, she was stunned to find an elegantly decorated set of rooold-fras The French furnishings were heavily gilded and upholstered in brocade, and the ere swathed in blue-gray velvet

Stunned to find such elaborate roolanced at her brother ide eyes

He smiled casually “Just because I have to stay on West Street doesn’t mean I have to live badly”

Feeling weak after receiving as surely the greatest shock of her life, Sophia made her way to an overstuffed chair Gentry went to a sideboard, poured two drinks, and brought one to her “Have solass into her hand

She obeyed, grateful for the smooth burn of the brandy as it slid down her throat Her brother sat beside her, tossing down his drink as if it ater His gaze fastened on her, and he shook his head with apparent wonder “I can’t believe you are really here For years I’ve thought about you, never knohat had become of you”

“You could have let me know that you were still alive,” she said crisply

His face was suddenly expressionless “Yes, I could have”

“Why didn’t you?”