Page 7 of The Artisan and the Duke
Jules seemed to be hung up by Gregory’s words as she stared at him in disbelief. “That almost sounded like approval.”
“It is, in a way,” Gregory agreed. “If you think that I enjoy the idea of women taking on such responsibility, then you would be wrong. However, I have seen what workhouses can do to families, and I would not wish that on any person.”
The next moment, there were shouts from up ahead. “The boys,” Jules muttered and took off at a run. Gregory swiftly caught up with her. Jules felt herself being lifted and pulled back around the corner of a building as a wagon clacked by. “Let go of me,” Jules howled.
“Getting arrested will not benefit anyone,” Gregory said swiftly as he clamped his hand over her mouth. To his surprise, the young woman bit him. In shock, Gregory let her go. As Jules took off again, Gregory cursed his luck and ran after the young woman.
Jules ran out into the open, and a guardsman that Gregory recognized grabbed the young woman. Gregory sighed as a guard put his hand on his shoulder. The tradesmen who had not scattered quickly enough were being loaded into wagons.
“Duke St Claire,” the guardsman holding Jules said as he realized who his fellow guard was holding. “Let him go. He’s not with the tradesmen.”
The guard holding Gregory let him go and apologized profusely, which Gregory waved off dismissively. He caught the look that Jules gave him. He called out to the guardsman holding the disguised woman, “Just a moment. Edgar, was it?” When the guard nodded with a pleased smile that Gregory had remembered him, Gregory continued, “The young man is with me.”
Edgar released Jules who narrowed her eyes at Gregory. Gregory could see the protest forming in the young woman’s face, so he took her by the arm. “I trust that you will not speak of me being here?” Gregory asked Edgar.
The guardsman nodded eagerly. “I never saw you, My Lord.”
“Good man,” Gregory said with a nod of approval at the man. “It would not do for anyone to learn of what Lord Chapman and I are conspiring just yet.”
Edgar agreed with a salute, “Of course, My Lord.”
Gregory slapped the guard on the back and unceremoniously pulled Jules back around the corner of the building and away from the commotion of the square. Jules hissed at Gregory, “Let me go. I should be with my friends. What do you mean involving me in whatever it is you are doing?”
“What I am doing is keeping you out of jail. I think that the guards might be very interested to find a lovely young woman in their cells. Not to mention your so-called friends,” Gregory said as he held onto the young woman to keep her from rushing back to where she felt her obligation was. “You have more sense of duty than most men I know,” Gregory said with a shake of his head.
Jules snatched her arm out of Gregory’s grasp and snapped, “What do you think will happen to my reputation in the guild when it is discovered that some noble came to my rescue?”
The idea had not occurred to Gregory until that moment. He straightened and sighed. “You can tell them that I tried to coerce you into talking if you wish.”
Jules frowned at the nobleman. “Why don’t you go get the guards to let the rest of the guild go?” She eyed him. “You don’t really want anyone to know you are here. That’s why you implied what you did to the guard. Who is Lord Chapman?”
“He is a judge that I have known since childhood. He is not nearly as open-minded as I am,” Gregory assured the young woman.
Jules shook her head at the blond-haired nobleman. “I have to go tell my mother that I am okay. She will get word of the raid soon enough and worry for me.”
Gregory made no effort to hold Jules as she walked away from the square and towards the backstreets. Instead, he followed her. “I can try to help get the guild members released. I know a barrister who likes standing up for the underdogs,” Gregory offered as he caught up with her quick pace.
“Why should you do that?” Jules’ voice held no small amount of contempt and irritation.
Gregory shrugged. “Despite what you might think of my fellows, not all of us are eager for the working classes to crumble. Some of us understand that if that happens, then we will fall too.”
Jules did not respond. She just trudged ahead until they reached a building that was little more than a slum as far as Gregory could see. There was what looked to be some kind of fabric draped over a broken window. “You live here?” Gregory asked the question with obvious disdain.
“No one is inviting you in, Your Lordship,” Jules reminded Gregory as she slipped through the wooden door.
Gregory stared at the door for a long moment and then sighed. He resigned himself to waiting outside.
***
Mrs Kelley rushed over to her daughter as soon as she saw her. “I just heard from Mrs Yates that there was a raid nearby,” her mother said frantically.
“It was the meeting that I was headed to. Luckily, I got away, but a lot of the others were not so lucky,” Jules said remorsefully. “I should be there with them.”
Mrs Kelley scolded, “And what would you do when they discovered your bit of exaggeration?” Jules’ mother waved her hand at her daughter’s body.
“I know,” Jules sighed. “I still feel like I should be with them.”
The frown on Mrs Kelley’s face said enough. The woman shook her head at her daughter. “It is too dangerous to carry on with this ruse any longer. I understand why you did, and it was a valiant try worthy of any knight-errant, but darling, we need to flee the city. Work is barely coming in, and with the guild dispersed, we might as well start looking for somewhere out in the countryside or a smaller town.”
