Devin reclined in an armchair, looking around to make sure there were no extra ears to hear his confession. “She took me behind the bushes beyond the pond and begged me to kiss her.”
Silas burst out laughing. “You jest. The woman is cold as a Scottish December.”
“I do not jest.” Silas laughed harder. “All right, I hardly ever jest.” Devin smiled. The waitress returned with their first round of drinks. They ordered another before she left.
“So...did you?” Silas asked, leaning forward eagerly.
“Why, I couldn’t let the lass beg. It would be most ungentlemanly of me, would it not? I couldn’t sleep at night knowing her poor heart had been crushed.”
“Rake,” Silas teased.
“With the best teacher.” He chuckled, pitching back the first of what would be a night full of drinks. “Though I don’t understand. As soon as it was over, she gathered herself and left. Something about her is just...off. I wonder what has embittered her. She seems almost resentful of men on a whole.”
“Her father has enough money and loves her enough to not force her hand into marriage, so it’s told. There’s obviously more to the story.”
“I don’t believe it for one second. Mr. Johnsworth doesn’t seem the kind to dote over a bitter maid regarded as a daddy’s girl.” Devin shrugged, deciding not to let Silas in on the details of the park, and changed the subject. “Did you find what was missing from your office?”
“No, I did not. There wasn’t anything out of place whatsoever. I’ve looked high and low to no avail.”
“Most peculiar.” Devin shook his head.
“We’ll get to the bottom of it, don’t worry.” Silas winked knowingly and ordered yet another round of drinks.
He politely thanked the waitress and watched as she walked to the next table. The stage’s red velvet drapes parted. The lights dimmed in preparation for the next show. Confrontation arose between the young waitress and a group of men at one table. The men made brash and crude remarks. Devin leaned back in his chair to hear what they were saying–most of it rude and most unacceptable.
She tried to escape them, but they dragged her back into their clutches. Silas glanced over to the table and stood quickly. The woman started to scream while the unruly patrons pawed her. Devin turned to see the abuse and joined Silas in an instant.
“Is there a quarrel here, good sirs?” Devin raised his voice over the lady’s overwrought cries.
A short man turned to face Devin and instead of meeting eye to eye, met eye to chest. His face paled as he looked upward, directly into Devin’s smirking face.
“I said, good sir, is there a problem?”
“No problem. The wench just needed some attention,” the man drawled drunkenly and clawed at the girl again.
Silas walked forward two steps, putting himself even with Devin and towering over the drunken man.
“I would suggest you leave the lady alone.” Devin plucked the girl from the man’s grasp. She hid behind the two gentlemen.
“She ain’t a lady. She’s naught but a whore! How dare you take the side of a common harlot? Is she one o’ yers? The whole damn lot of them here are a mite uppity. They should all be taken down a notch. Show them where their place in life is.”
Devin clamped his hand on the man’s shoulder and pushed him back down into his chair forcefully. “You need to shut your gob, Lord Alexander. Because I do know for a fact, your beautiful wife Lorna is expecting your first child any day now. Is that correct? In addition, your dear sweet Lady Alexander is all the source of income you have. If I were you, I would drop the discussion of your class and return to her before your whereabouts are made public, as with the whole of Miss Merriweather’s. I would hate for this incident of bad booze and bad judgment to be the end of this fine establishment...or your reputation.”
Silas looked to Devin. “My friend, you are verbose.” He cracked his knuckles. “Let’s just solve it another way.”
“Only when necessary, Baron, and I deem this situation important enough to defuse with as many words possible.” He turned to Lord Alexander again. “Are we at a peaceable agreement, then, sir? You shall keep your mouth closed and cease manhandling the fine, hardworking females of our favorite haunt?”
“This is an absolute outrage,” Lord Alexander huffed as he struggled out of Devin’s grasp, hopped up and stumbled down the stairs toward the exit.
His dining partners stood and faced off with Devin and Silas, leaving without further incident. As they departed, the one in the back mumbled something near-inaudible. “Helping the lower class will bring ruination to us all.”
Silas cocked an eyebrow and turned to watch the speaker as he left, donning his hat on the way out the door.
“What is it, Silas? You look like you’ve eaten something sour.”
“What that man said on the way out–did you hear him?”
Devin leaned forward in his chair, resting his arms on the table. “Yes, something about the ruination of us all?”
“Yes. Troublesome times we’re in.”
Devin jerked his thumb over his shoulder, toward the door. “Indeed. Wasn’t he Mr. Rothschild?”
“I believe you’re right. It wouldn’t surprise me. He’s a piece of work. Always berating those he thinks are beneath him, almost abusive to an extent.” Silas turned to the waitress. “Are you all right?”
She brushed tears away, tried to smile, gave a small nod and left their table to continue working.
Devin pulled his silver watch from his pocket and clicked it open. “I think I shall return home. I’ve had quite enough for the duration.”
“Cheers,” Silas said, raising his glass to him. “I shall inquire to the colonel and find out if he’s aware of anything happening in town.”
Devin gave a curt nod, finished his drink, and departed into the London night.
* * * *
The street was foggy and hard to see as Devin rounded the corner toward the park. He wandered the area where he and Jillian had kissed, and looked to the sky. The most recent storm clouds had receded, revealing the brightness of the stars.
Jillian was always on his mind. He had met her at a coming-out party many years before, yet never had the courage to pursue her. He’d stood by and watched the suitors drop off right and left, but left her alone. He’d heard rumors of her leaving her father’s home after her twenty-first birthday in order to maintain her own independence. Mr. Johnsworth pretended to be the ever-loving father, but when Devin had seen them together, he saw no love. The words were there, but the man seemed more fearful of his daughter than anything else.
Devin looked toward the direction where Jillian’s carriage departed earlier, and an idea struck him. He jogged back in the direction of Miss Merriweather’s secret entrance to find Silas again.
He found him with the waitress sitting in his lap, whispering into his ear. Silas’s hair was mussed and he looked well-kissed.
Devin laughed as he approached his friend. “Er...Baron?”
“Back so soon, Mr. Dashing?” Silas called over the woman’s head.
“Yes. I have a question. Perhaps you have the answer.”
“All right, all right.” He tried to answer as the girl turned to face him, straddling his lap and nuzzling his neck. He rolled his eyes skyward and tried to regain composure. “She was just repaying