The Robber Bride (Regency Historical Romance) by Jerrica Knight-Catania

  ***

  “There. We live just down that alley.”

  Fin peered down the darkened alley, praying to God this wasn’t some kind of trap. What if the girl was being used as a pawn in some kind of nefarious scheme to rob unarmed lords?

  He shook his head. His imagination was running away with him.

  He followed Sally down the alley to a door. She pushed it open and Fin had to duck to go through it into the small room. It was dark and musty, but fairly clean. Food was on the table and a pot of water hung over a low-burning fire in the grate. He had a feeling Victoria had a bit to do with all of that.

  Sally’s mother lay on a palette in the corner. Her skin was white and pasty, certainly the pallor of death. He went to the bedside and knelt down next to her. Under the blankets, he found her hand and pressed his thumb to her wrist. It pulsed.

  Fin released the breath he’d been holding and turned to the girl. “She’s still alive, Sally. I promise I will do everything in my power to keep her that way.”

  “Oh, thank you, sir!” Sally ran to him and hugged him about the waist. Fin patted her head, knowing he was doing the right thing.

  “You and your mother are going to come live with me until she is well again,” he told her.

  Sally gasped, her eyes alight with joy and tears. “You are most kind, sir!”

  Together, they put out the fire and gathered their few personal belongings before fin scooped up the woman and led Sally back to the carriage.

  His mind spun with confusion. Was this why Victoria robbed carriages? To take care of poor and sick people? And why? Why not ask her parents for the money or host a charity event? Was it really necessary to risk life and limb in the middle of the night in order to help those less fortunate?

  Sick or not, Victoria was going to explain all this to him immediately.

  Sixteen

  Victoria opened her eyes to find Fin standing beside her bed. She struggled to sit up, but Fin held up a hand to indicate she should stay where she was.

  “You need your rest,” he said. “I promise I won’t stay long.”

  “How did you get in here, anyhow?” she asked, bringing the covers up over her chest. Even that small amount of activity weakened her. She hated being ill.

  “Tom let me in. I told him I had something important to discuss with you, and he didn’t ask a single question, for which I am extremely grateful. I would have had a devil of a time explaining this to him.” He procured a small piece of parchment that bore her name and address.

  Victoria’s heartbeat quickened. “How did you get this?” she asked, her eyes fixed on the paper.

  “Sally brought it to me. She was looking for you, but found me instead.”

  “Oh, God.” She looked up at Fin. “Caroline?”

  Fin nodded. “The doctor is doing all he can, but it’s not certain that she’ll make it.”

  “Doctor? Do you mean to say that you’ve…?”

  “Well, I wasn’t about to stand by and watch a sweet girl like Sally become an orphan without at least trying to save her mother.” Victoria only stared up at him, so grateful that her friend had such a generous heart. “I brought them both home with me. Caroline has a much better chance of survival with constant care and a clean environment.”

  “I did the best I could,” Victoria said. “Sally and I scrubbed that little room until our backs ached and the skin nearly came off our fingers.”

  “I’ve no doubt of it.” Fin took her hand, and Victoria’s heart fluttered at the contact. It didn’t make a lot of sense. They’d touched plenty over the years. So why all of a sudden did it feel different? “Victoria, I understand now why you were in Southwark, and I suppose your work in Southwark had to do with your…nighttime profession, shall we say? It’s all very noble and honorable, but why don’t you just ask for the money to help Caroline and Sally?”

  It seemed he knew everything now, except for the part about the hospital. It didn’t make sense to try and keep it from him anymore. And frankly, she was far too tired and weak to fight with him. “Because it’s not just for Caroline and Sally. I didn’t even know about them until a few days ago, when I came upon Sally begging in the street.” She paused and took a breath. “I fund a hospital.”

  Victoria waited as her words sunk in. “You fund a hospital?”

  “That’s what I’ve been doing these past two years. When I tell Mama I’m going to visit Lady Hartswell, I’m really in Southwark helping Sarah and Molly run the place.”

  “You mean to say that you tend to the sick?”

  Victoria nodded. “I also foster relations with the undertaker.”

  Fin squinted at her, shaking his head, as if he didn’t know who she was anymore. “How did I miss all of this? I thought you were just being rebellious, running off without a word at the balls and parties, thumbing your nose at your parents. I never imagined…”

  Silence fell between them and Victoria wondered how this changed his opinion of her. Would it alter their relationship forever? And would that alteration be good or bad?

  “I am thumbing my nose at parents,” she said quietly, picking absently at the threads of her counterpane. “Mother always referred to the lower classes as degenerates and thieves, but I knew they were just people who either didn’t know any better or were just down on their luck. I wanted to help, to make a difference in some way, but Mother would never let me. I tried to encourage her to hold a charity event, but she wondered why we would fundraise for those people. That’s when I realized I would have to raise funds another way.”

  “And so you prey on the richest?”

  “Not necessarily.” She gave him a sheepish grin. “I prey on the most uncharitable, of both heart and money.”

  “Then you were smart to choose Lady Beecham, for I can’t think of a better candidate, according to your criteria.”

  Victoria gave him a smile. “Then you approve of my methods?”

  “Not in the slightest.” Fin’s expression turned grave once again. “Victoria, I…I worry for you.” He let out a loud sigh as if it was a difficult thing for him to say.

  “That is not so surprising. We’re friends, aren’t we? You wouldn’t be a very good friend if you didn’t worry for my safety under the circumstances. But—”

  “You are more to me than a friend!” he blurted out, and Victoria startled a bit.

  “Well, no, I suppose you think of me more like a sister—”

  “That’s not it.”

  Silence. Long, interminable silence.

  And then Fin gathered his jacket hastily and walked to the door.

  “Wait!” Victoria called after him. She had to know what he meant.

  Fin stopped with his hand on the doorknob, but didn’t turn to look at her. “It is most inappropriate for me to be here right now. I hope you feel better soon.”