Page 93 of Seducing the Knave

It was clear that she was still shaken. Her reddened fingers trembled and tear tracks stained her cheeks.

“What is your name?”

“Madge. Madge Williams.”

“Do you need assistance getting home, Miss Williams?” Elle asked and the question was greeted with a sobbing hiccough and a run of fresh tears.

“That’s the problem,” she gasped through heaving breaths. “I came to town last month, answering an advertisement for scullery maids. It was all a lie. The position wasn’t for honest work at all. But I had nowhere else to go and Remy promised if I just did what he said...I’d earn enough to go home.” She pressed her knuckles to her mouth. “But...I can’t...I just can’t anymore.”

“You no longer have to,” Elle assured just as she felt Langworth return to his position behind her. Glancing back at his towering, forbidding countenance, she whispered, “We must help her.”

“Aye, m’lady,” he grunted as he gave a short nod then slipped his hand into the breast pocket of his woolen coat to withdraw a small card containing the image of a mythical beast and an address.

Elle took the card and extended it to the woman. “Go to this address. You will find friends there who can help you.”

“Thank you, thank you so much.” The girl dipped a hasty curtsey before wiping her sleeve across her cheeks. “Thank you, m’lady. I’ll go straightaway.”

As the young woman turned and darted swiftly away, Elle wondered if perhaps they should have escorted her to the house themselves. But then it was too late as her small form blended in amongst the other foot traffic along the street.

“Ye shouldn’t be so impulsive, m’lady,” Langworth grumbled. “That scene could’ve been a ploy to lure do-gooders fer an easier fleecing.”

Knowing the gruffness of his words were inspired by concern, Elle flashed him a quick smile of assurance. “But it wasn’t. And if it had been, you’d have protected me.”

She could’ve sworn she saw a slight blush tinge the man’s cheeks before he looked over her head. “We should be gettin’ back.”

Elle sighed. “Yes, I suppose we should.”

As they started strolling back toward the house, Elle wondered aloud, “Do you think Max would be upset that I invoked his name as a threat against that evil wretch?”

She was somewhat surprised when Langworth answered, “Nay, m’lady. I reckon it’s what he’d’ve wanted ye to do.”

“Really?” she asked casually, “Even though I’m not supposed to know anything about his activities in that regard?”

The large man gave a quick flinch as he realized what she’d revealed. She could actually hear him trying to figure out how best to respond so he wouldn’t inadvertently betray any information Max wouldn’t want revealed.

Taking pity on him, Elle gave a short laugh. “I won’t tell him if you don’t.”

But her words of assurance seemed only to make the man more tense. “Telling ’im ain’t necessary,” he replied stiffly.

His reply seemed strange but before Elle could request clarification, there was a blunt sound of some sort of impact and Langworth gave a harsh grunt.

Elle spun around to see her giant of a guard brought to his knees on the muddy pavement while being restrained by two very large brutes, one with his arm squeezed tightly around Langworth’s neck.

Her gasp of shock and fear caught in her throat as another figure swooped toward her. Strong arms wrapped around her, cutting off her scream. A second later, she was tossed over a beefy shoulder, landing with enough force to knock the air clear from her lungs. She fought to draw a full breath, flailing about in panicked desperation to free herself, but her efforts were utterly ineffectual.

Within moments, her captor forced her into a vehicle that suddenly appeared beside them. Just before the door closed, she caught a flashing glimpse of Langworth’s flushed and straining face as he struggled against the men holding him. Nothing could have frightened her more than the odd shadow of regret and resignation she saw in his eyes.

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