Page 77 of An Unwitting Alliance
She nodded, tugging on his hand and leading the way through the soft rain.
Soon she felt like she was dragging him. She turned to see he had his head tilted back, and he was letting the rain run all over his face.
“What are you doing?”
“Washing away my blush. Miss Cassie Vail is holding my hand of her own accord.”
He was a tease of the worst sort. She tore her hand from his. “This is notthatsort of meeting.”
He laughed and snatched her hand again. “Let a man dream.”
She smirked but did not pull away again. She led him around the house and past the garden to the shed. Her shed.
She yanked the door open and dashed inside to avoid any more moisture.
“So this is where you disappear to,” he said.
She found her hidden lantern and lit it. “It’s not always easy to find a minute alone in a big family.”
Tom closed the door behind him and glanced around. He took a step backward and got jabbed by a rake. “Not very cozy.”
“This way.” She moved an empty crate and then another until an opening was formed. Tom followed her into the larger back half of the shed that Cassandra had converted into her own little space.
His expression said it all. “I am most impressed.”
“You are amused, not impressed.”
“I’ll have you know the Rebels have a place not so different from this in Brookeside.”
“The Rebels?”
“My friends you met tonight. We band together now and then to overturn injustices. It’s sort of a passion of ours.”
“Like the workhouse?”
“Very much like it. And we hold our meetings in an old Grecian temple. It has a chair as fine as this one that we call Mother Hen’s Throne of Putrid.”
She scrunched her nose. “I do not think I would care for such a chair, and I resent that you are comparing it to my Throne of Comfort.”
He laughed and leaned against her bookshelf. “So what is it that is bothering you? I imagine tonight was a bit overwhelming, and I am sorry for bombarding you that way.”
“It was overwhelming. But so was when you met my family for the first time. You adjusted and so will I.”
“An admirable sentiment.” He stepped toward her, his brow furrowing. “Then, what did you want to tell me away from all the others? Is this about earlier? I was a cad to even think you took the pearls.”
“You did upset me, but that isn’t it.” A part of it, yes, but not the part she wanted to tell him.
He reached up and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, his face leaning down toward hers. “Did you want to tell me how irresistible I am? Perhaps confess your love to me? I am shocked, Cassie. But I did warn you against falling in love with me.”
“Hardly.” How could she be distraught with this man so near? She pushed against his chest, and he eased back. “I have something serious to discuss.”
He folded his arms and took on the most solemn expression he was likely capable of. “I did not think it could get more serious than that, but regardless, I will hear you out.”
She pretended to be exasperated when really she was amused. In fact, she felt lighter than she had all day. “It’s about the pearls. I am determined to take them back to Patricia tomorrow.”
Tom frowned. “Can it wait until we return from the workhouse? I don’t want you going there alone.”
“I cannot be easy with them in my possession.”
