Never Run From Love (Kellington Book Four) (10 page)

“It looks like it shall just be the two of us,” said
Hal, as he turned back to Miss Sutton.  But he no longer had the carefree look
of just moments before.  “I suggest you get in the carriage with me, away from
the prying eyes of your neighbors.  Unless you’d like to explain here and now
what the devil you’re up to by associating with prostitutes.”

CHAPTER SIX

Mel was really going to have to do something about
Flora’s lack of loyalty.  She took a deep breath, walked past Lord Henry
without saying a word then entered the carriage.  She heard him mutter
something to the driver, then he climbed in and sat opposite her.

She maintained a stony silence.

“Well,” he asked, just when she thought he would not
say a word the entire night.  “Are you going to tell me why you’ve been
travelling to areas of town no lady should venture alone?”

“If you must know…”

“I most definitely must know.”

“I go there to help women who have no choice but to
make their way in the world in those very same areas of town.  You are not my
guardian, nor do you have any claim upon me.  What I do can be of very little
interest to you.”

“I am certainly not your guardian or I would have
long ago discharged your maid for showing an appalling lack of loyalty.  Although,
admittedly, she has proven rather useful to me, even if she seems intent on
robbing me of every shilling I possess.  After sacking her, I would have
confined you to your room until you showed the least bit of sense.”  At her
affronted look, he softened his tone.  “I would be happy to lock myself in with
you.  I’m sure I could find a way to interest you in other pursuits.”

“Must you flirt constantly, my lord?  It grows predictable
and, dare I say, tiresome.”

“If you are tired, then by all means stretch out and
take a nap,” said Hal, as he leaned back on the squabs and his lids lowered
halfway over his eyes.

“You just did it again, my lord.”

“I’m afraid I did, Miss Sutton.  But since I want to
have a rational conversation, I shall try and forgo any future advances until
my curiosity is satisfied, though I cannot guarantee success.   Now tell me what
you are about.  Joining Mrs. Seton in her reform efforts is foolhardy enough. 
But you risk your very life if you’re guilty of even a portion of what your
maid accused you of doing.”

Melanie thought about lying to Lord Henry, but had a
feeling he wouldn’t be easily fooled.  It was one thing to leave him in a sweets
shop waiting for her.  But, for whatever reason, his interest in her safety
seemed genuine.  If he truly felt she was placing herself in harm’s way, he
might reveal all to her uncle.

She had little choice but to reveal at least some of
the truth.  Hopefully, the man would soon lose interest.

“I grew up in a Quaker school.  While I did not
worship in that faith, I found many of their principles worthwhile,
particularly those about helping others.  Mr. Richard Parker was a leader in
the organization.  I worked with him helping women in Philadelphia who’d fallen
on hard times.  I quickly learned that there are very few options for women who
do not have the support of a husband or a family, especially if children are
involved.  Mothers will sacrifice themselves for their loved ones.  It was
heartbreaking to watch.”

Mel paused as she thought about one of the first
women she’d met in such circumstances.  As a sheltered young lady, she’d known
very little about what went on between a man and a woman.  She still didn’t
quite know everything, although she had seen a great deal more than most
unmarried ladies her age.  When she learned that Doris had sold her body for
the money that kept her two children fed and clothed, she’d felt sorry for
her.  Then when she learned one of Doris’s clients was physically abusive
toward her, Mel had tried to convince her to do anything but stay in her
situation.  She’d never forget when Doris told her she had no other options.

Three days later, her body had been found beaten to
death in an alley, barely recognizable.  Mel pledged from that moment on to do
whatever she could to help women like Doris. 

“Miss Sutton?”  Lord Henry was quiet and looking at
her with concern.

“Forgive me.  My thoughts were far from here.  Let
me say only that I became dedicated to the cause of helping those less
fortunate.  When my aunt and uncle sent me for, I was initially reluctant to
come.  But Mr. Parker said there might be an opportunity for me to help women in
London.”

“Oh, he did, did he?” said an incensed Hal.  “It’s
easy for some stuffy old preacher to tell everyone else to save the world.  If
he knew the risks you were taking he wouldn’t allow you to do the work.  At
least he wouldn’t if he were a true gentlemen.”

“I can assure you that Mr. Parker is a true
gentleman.  One who wouldn’t be found in his cups outside a gaming den, nor
stumbling drunkenly about ballrooms.”

“Stumbling about ballrooms,” said Hal with a frown. 
“How do you know…”

“And I can also assure you that Mr. Parker is not a
stuffy old preacher.  He is a well-regarded young man.”  She found the scowl on
Lord Henry’s face rather amusing.  “And quite attractive.”  The scowl
blackened.  She couldn’t resist adding, “He is considered quite the matrimonial
catch.”

“I suppose you are one of those who consider him
so?  I find myself surprised that you would leave Philadelphia at all.  Or is
this simply a ploy where your absence will bring him up to scratch?”

“What makes you think he is not up to scratch?”  Mel
had no romantic interest in Mr. Parker, but if this irritated the high-handed
lord across from her, she would use it to her advantage.

“Because if I were a ‘well-regarded young man’
accounted ‘quite attractive’ by some…”

“By all,” corrected Mel, trying hard not to smile.

“If I were that man and besotted with you, I would
hardly let you hie off to England, knowing as I did there were any number of
lords who would swoop in to take you away from me.  Unless….is your Mr. Parker
a mentally deficient?”

“No!  Mr. Parker is one of the most intelligent men
I know.”

Lord Henry studied her for a moment.  “I notice you
did not correct me when I called him ‘your’ Mr. Parker.”

“Lord Henry, is there a question here?”

From the look on his face there appeared to be
several.  Instead, he simply narrowed his eyes once again.  “I hardly think a
man who lets you consort with prostitutes is good husband material.”

“I would hardly think you are a good judge of
anyone’s suitability as a husband.  From what my cousin tells me, you avoid
marriageable young ladies as if they were plague carriers.”

Suddenly, he grinned.  “So, you asked your cousin
about me?”

Drat
.  Mel couldn’t
believe she let that slip.  “You did show up at my doorstep, after all.  And then
follow me to Mrs. Seton’s.  And waylay me tonight.”

“About tonight.  Where is your destination?  Not
that I’m going to allow you to go there.  But I am curious.  Is it that
boarding house Flora told me about?”

“Yes,” said Mel a bit too quickly.  “So kindly drop
me off there.”

“I will not drop you off anywhere, kindly or
otherwise.  And I get the distinct impression you are bamming me, which is a
mistake on your part since I am particularly difficult to fool.”  Off her look,
he quickly added, “besides today at the sweets shop. Where do you really want
to go?  And before you think to lie again, please consider that since I know
how determined you are there is a good chance I shall escort you to where you
wish to go, if only so you don’t go there on your own.”

Mel considered his offer.  She had to admit she would
feel much safer with an escort, even if Lord Henry did present dangers of his
own.  She doubted he would ravish her or in any way force her to do something
she didn’t wish to do.  But each time she’d been in his presence, she’d felt an
odd and wholly unwelcome attraction.  Their one kiss continued to invade her
thoughts at the most inopportune times.  It wasn’t his actions she feared, but
her own.

In the end, she decided to do what was best for her
mission, if not her emotional well-being.  She decided to trust him.  For
tonight.  “I was going to an alley near an establishment known as Madame
Thurmond’s.”

“The devil!” 

Lord Henry almost jumped out of his seat.  Gone was
the seductive, cool aristocrat.  In his place was an overbearing,
overprotective man.  “I absolutely forbid it!  You shouldn’t even know of such
a place.”

“I shouldn’t even know of such a place?  You are one
of its most famous clients.”

For a moment, Lord Henry Kellington was struck
dumb.  Then he drew breath.  “I will admit that I have, on occasion, frequented
the establishment.  But that is hardly any concern of yours.”

“Just as my activities are no concern of yours.”

“My activities aren’t putting me in harm’s way. 
Yours most assuredly are.  And how do you know that I have been there?”

Mel wasn’t sure how much to reveal, so she said only,
“I’ve heard your name mentioned.”

He looked distinctly nonplussed.  “By whom?”

“By some of the women who work there.”

Lord Henry was saved from a response by the carriage
drawing to a halt.  He looked out the window to get their bearings, then opened
the panel between him and the driver.  “Madame Thurmond’s,” he told the man.

Mel could have sworn the coachman questioned the
order, no doubt because she was in the carriage.  But a moment later, they set
out again for the famous brothel.

“I see there was no need to give him directions,”
she couldn’t resist saying.

“No, Miss Sutton,” said Lord Henry with a sigh.  “My
coachman knows the way.”

*                    *                    *

It was
, thought Hal,
the
most extraordinary experience he’d ever had with a woman that didn’t involve a
sexual act.
  Miss Melanie Sutton fascinated him beyond her considerable
physical appeal.  With the exception of his sister, her friend Rosalind and his
brothers’ wives, he didn’t know a single female who would undertake such a
dangerous task, all in the name of saving the less fortunate.  Not to mention
that the “less fortunate” women at Madame Thurmond’s had more blunt than most
of his friends.

It wasn’t that Hal didn’t feel compassion for the
poor prostitutes who plied their trade in the alleys and doorways of the East
End.  He often slipped them money when their procurers weren’t looking.  But he
never took them up on their offers of gratitude.  He was too careful of his own
health to risk catching the pox or any other disease.

But this American chit wasn’t just out to help a few
women with coins.  She was on a demmed crusade.  And he believed she had a good
chance of winning on sheer determination alone.  She’d engaged him in a battle
of wits and hadn’t just been holding her own.  She’d been winning.  It was a
most disconcerting thought.

What was even more unsettling was the protectiveness
which had arisen in him ever since she’d left him at the sweets shop and hopped
into a hack on her own.  He’d been on edge all afternoon, hoping that the
dreadful Flora would follow through on her agreement to tell him when Miss Sutton
planned on leaving the house.  Because he’d been completely certain she wasn’t
going to wait for him to pick her up.  Even after receiving word that she was to
leave at eight, he’d been sitting in the carriage since seven, taking no chances
that the minx would outwit her maid.

He didn’t want to take her to Madame Thurmond’s, but
he had no doubt she would follow through on her threat to go without him.  So
he would stay by her side through whatever mission she fancied she was on.  But
he couldn’t follow her day and night.  He even had plans to meet Francis later
that evening, long after he hoped she would be home, safely in bed.

In bed.  It didn’t pay to think of comely Miss
Sutton with her hazel eyes and supple mouth in bed.  She might speak to
prostitutes and have an understanding with the saintly Mr. Parker – who was
almost certainly a prosy bore – but he could tell she was still an innocent. 
The blasted wager was bad enough.  But if anyone saw the two of them together
at Madame Thurmond’s she would be ruined.

And he would feel compelled to offer marriage.  It
was almost enough to make him jump out of the moving carriage.

But he couldn’t very well let her to go there
alone.  He would accompany her there tonight, then in the morning he would have
a long talk with Lord Heffner to let him know exactly what his ward had been up
to.  She would be furious with him, but he couldn’t in good conscience allow
her to continue placing herself in danger.  Anything could happen to her in the
area around Madame Thurmond’s.  Hal reflexively leaned toward her.

“What are you doing my lord?” she asked, eying him
warily.