Viridis - A Steampunk Romance (13 page)

Not wanting to give her too much time to think, he
continued on. “What was your relationship to Lord Hawthorne? You
seem to have been awfully… close.”

Her eyes went wide at the implication. “I ain’t that
type, if that’s what yer thinking. I might be poor, but I come
about my living honest like, thank ye.”

William tilted his head in acknowledgement. “I had
not meant to cause offense. My apologies if I did
.”

When she smiled at him, her face lit up. “No
worries, luv. I’m not saying I’m the blessed virgin, either. Only
that my relationship with Niles was an honest one. I cared about
him, ye know. He was a decent man and a good friend. But he weren’t
more than that, and that’s the truth of it.”

“Are you saying you had no romantic or physical
relationship?”

“Aye, that’s what I’m telling ye. But it don’t mean
I miss him any less.” Her voice cracked and her eyes went glassy
with threatening tears as she blinked them back to maintain her
composure. William thought it best to keep on with the questioning,
knowing it would offer her a distraction.

“If you’re not involved in his murder, then why have
you broken into my home? You’d do well to tell me the truth as I
don’t care for lies and you’ve gotten yourself in a bit of a
predicament here. I can help you, but only if you’re honest with
me.” He pulled out a seat, and sat himself down to wait for her
answer.

She worried the cloth of her skirt and bit her
bottom lip, her eyes darting around and not quite focusing on any
one thing. She was thinking so hard William could all but see the
gears in her head turning as she ran through every possible
scenario and its given consequence.

He’d have to admit Phoebe was right about Lilly’s
appearance. With the flaming red hair, freckles on porcelain skin
and a fair figure, she wasn’t a woman one would easily forget, nor
one to fade into the background. But there was also a humor and
honesty he hadn’t expected to find.

“Look, I’ll tell ye what I know, right? There ain’t
no point in lying to ye, and I’d rather keep from dangling at the
end of a hangman’s noose. I broke into yer home ‘cause I was hopin
ye’d have that tinkering Niles always had with him. Thought it
might have some information that would get whoever it is been
following me off me back, ye see. He was always jotting down his
notes in the thing and since it weren’t at his home, I figured ye
might have it.”

“Do you know who’s been following you?” He was still
worried the threat to her life could be real.

“Nah. It’s been just a feeling, like. But I know
they’re there.”

William nodded in acknowledgment. He’d been doing
this long enough to trust his own gut instinct, and Lilly had lived
a difficult enough life to know when something didn’t feel right.
“Who killed him, Lilly? I need to know what happened that night.
Start at the beginning of your day and don’t leave out any details,
since they might prove useful in the future, even if it does not
seem like much now.”

She sighed with a shrug of her shoulders. “I can
tell ye for sure that I know nothing ‘bout who killed Niles. As for
my day, it was no different than any other, really. Just the
ordinary chores, then headed to see my sister at the shelter. We
work odd hours, so our paths don’t tend to cross if I don’t find
her.”

“You only work the nights at the club?” When Lilly
nodded, William continued. “And did you find your sister?”

“Aye, for she’d not miss a day o’ work. Got meself a
bite to eat there at the shelter and then headed to work. Niles
showed up at the club like usual, but left before long to meet with
someone. Said he had some business. I was busy working so didn’t
notice him coming and going, and he didn’t say who he was meeting.
But when he didna show up back at Viridis like he said he would, I
got worried. Then I heard that he’d been done for. Couldn’t believe
it, aye? Soon after was when I got the feeling I was being
followed, and figured it might not be safe for me anymore.”

“Who would want him dead, Lily? What was he involved
in?” William pushed.

“There’s lots you don’t know. Niles— he weren’t yer
typical lord, like. He was into things he’d have been better off
leaving alone.” Now that she had started talking, her pace picked
up, the words tumbling out, seemingly happy to unburden herself.
“He was SS, ye know. Special Services. ‘Tis probably them bastards
that’ve been following me. They’d sent poor Niles to try and gather
information on the Cause and other such things.”

In light of the tinkering currently stashed behind
his bushes, it wasn’t an enormous surprise that Niles was working
for Special Services, but it was good to have his suspicions
confirmed. “But why send someone of his standing to try and
infiltrate a cause for the poor? Wouldn’t it be easier to bribe one
of the poor already involved to gather information?”

“And ye think they don’t already?” She let out a
laugh that brought a light to her eyes. “But they can only get so
far up the chain with no influence, aye? Niles though, he’d be able
to get in with those higher up, offering money and support, though
I didna think the money was his own. The Cause has plans, but won’t
get far if they cannot get the backing they need. Funny thing is,
once he got involved, he really felt for what the poor are going
through.”

“And Lord Niles was offering the Cause the funding
they needed?”

Lilly gave him a wicked smile. “Takes bodies to
fight a revolution, but a bit of gold ain’t never hurt, aye?”

Chapter Seventeen

Seth couldn’t figure out what had changed in the
time it took for him to retrieve his steam coach. When he had left
Phoebe, it was all they could do to keep their hands off each
other, her sultry eyes lighting her face. Yet now, she sat there a
completely different person— all in the span of ten minutes.

She claimed exhaustion, and with all she had
constantly going, he shouldn’t be surprised. However, her voice
seemed strained and she kept her distance during the entire ride,
avoiding his gaze and conversation.

Seth pulled the steam coach in front of her house,
and was about to get out to open her door when she put a hand on
his arm.

“My headache has gotten worse and I doubt it will
let up. I think it’s best if I just get some rest. I will see you
tomorrow?”

“Let me at least see you in.” Without waiting for
her reply, he exited the vehicle coming around to help her out,
trying to ignore the quickening of his heart and the ache in his
heart.

“Seth, really. I’m fine—”

“Nonsense. I won’t stay, but at least let me see you
to your door. I’d never forgive myself if you slipped on the icy
path.” He took her hand in his, and led her to her home.

Lights, left on for her arrival, glowed by the path
and door. The walkway had been cleared of snow, but a thin layer of
shimmering ice still coated the cobbles. He helped her up the
stairs and was about to bid her goodnight when the light from her
house fell across her face. Her lips were cut and swollen, her hair
falling from its pins.

He muttered a curse, as a quiet rage filled him,
twisting his stomach in knots. He reached over and gently tilted
her chin up so that he could see her face and look into her
eyes.

“Phoebe.” His voice came out a coarse whisper as he
fought to control his emotions. “Come inside out of the cold.”

With the truth exposed, Phoebe now seemed visibly
shaken, the tremor in her voice giving her away, as she dropped her
guard, all pretenses gone. “No. Not here. I’d been hoping to slip
upstairs unnoticed, but if you come in, it will rouse Martha and
Sarah. I’d rather they not see me like this, for I do not want to
worry them.”

He nodded then escorted her back to the steam coach
and drove them to his home, his body rigid with fury
.

Her injuries looked far worse in the bright lights
of his kitchen. He sat her down at the table and busied himself
with the kettle and teacups, wrestling with his emotions. If he
addressed her at this very moment, he knew his anger would get the
best of him. Shaken and hurt, what she needed right now was someone
calm and levelheaded. Independent as she was, getting angry would
only make her defensive and put her guard up, distracting them from
the true matter at hand.

He set the kettle on the stove with a metallic
clang, and then pulled a clean cloth from a drawer under the
counter. Soaking the end in icy cold water, he wrung it out and
then knelt before her so he could look at her face.

“Let me see here.” Taking the cloth he pressed it to
the swollen part of her lip, dabbing gingerly at the dried blood.
When the kettle whistled, he handed her the cloth, and got the tea
steeping.

They said nothing while they waited, Seth needing
the time to approach things in a calm manner and Phoebe obviously
not wanting to discuss matters. She had barely said a word, barely
moved a muscle, her eyes cast downward at the hands in her lap as
she fingered the ribbon on her skirt, further avoiding any
discussion. He wondered at what happened, unable to keep his mind
from tormenting him with a half dozen scenarios designed to tear
his heart to pieces and send his blood boiling.

Seeking further distraction from his thoughts, he
poured the tea, then went to the frost box, pulled out some meat
and cheese, and grabbed the bread and butter from the counter.
Pulling out a knife, he proceeded to slice and plate the food,
putting the meal on the table when he was done.

He placed a cup of tea on the table before her and
took the bloodied cloth from her hands. “Here, let me soak that in
some more cold water. Careful with the tea. It’ll sting, but will
do ye good none the less.”

He ran the cloth back under the cold water, wringing
it out with far too much force. Just the thought of someone hurting
Phoebe… he gripped the sink, his head hung low as he resisted the
urge to smash his fist into the wall. Taking a deep breath, he held
it until he felt his lungs would burst, and then let it out slowly,
finally turning back to hand her the wet cloth.

He sat in the chair adjacent to hers. “Do ye want to
tell me what happened?”

“There’s nothing to tell. Nothing of any consequence
happened and what little did, I’d sooner forget.” Seth could feel
her putting up a wall. She would not even look at him, her gaze
instead falling to her hands as they fidgeted with the cloth,
whether in embarrassment or avoidance, he could not say. However,
one thing was clear— she certainly did not want to discuss the
matter.

“
This
,” Seth brushed a light thumb across her
lip, “is
not
‘nothing’ and I’d appreciate ye being honest
with me.” His anger had his words slipping further towards the
Scots.

Without looking at him, she said, “It was just a
misunderstanding.”

He reached up and tucked a stray curl behind her
ear, then tilted her chin so she looked him in the eyes. “My love,
ye ken ye’re not capable of telling even the slightest untruth
without it being completely evident, and this was nae
misunderstanding.”

He took a deep breath, taking care to keep the anger
out of his voice as he asked the question that had been plaguing
him since seeing her bruised face, even though he already knew the
answer.

“Was it Victor?” He could have choked on the
name.

She gave him a barely perceptible nod. That was all
he needed.

Seth helped Phoebe to her feet. With the truth now
out, she looked exhausted. “Come. Ye need rest more than anything
else right now,” he said, wrapping an arm around her waist.
Together, they climbed the stairs to the second floor, housing the
sleeping quarters.

He steered her down the hall, but not to his room as
she might expect, but in the opposite direction. She stiffened in
his arms and came to a stop. “Where are we going? Your room is that
way.” She pointed with a tilt of head.

He took a deep breath before releasing it, willing
his voice to remain calm though his tone was stern. “We’re going to
the guest bedroom.”

Phoebe stopped and looked at him. “Why?”

Frustration now edged his voice. “Phoebe, it’s been
a long night, and quite frankly this isna something I want to
discuss right now. You need rest, and I need to clear my head.”

“What is there to discuss? I don’t understand.” A
glint of anger was quick to spark in her eyes and he couldn’t help
but wonder if it was a remnant from her earlier confrontation with
Victor.

He ran his hand down her arm and took her hand,
bringing it to his lips. “Phoebe.” He let out a deep sigh. “We
canna continue like this. I understand if ye’re not ready to marry
me, and I’ll not push ye into something ye dinna want. However,
it’s our current relationship that makes men like Victor think they
can treat ye with disrespect, and I’ll not fuel their argument. I’m
sorry.”

Her mouth tightened to a thin line, anger lighting
her eyes. “You cannot tell me that you blame me for Victor.”

“I don’t, Phoebe. I don’t. I blame myself for being
weak, and not waiting until our marriage to take ye to bed.”
Through gritted teeth, he continued. “And I blame Victor for not
keeping his hands to himself and forgetting that ye’re a lady.”

“Is this about my not wanting to get married? We
were young, Seth, and our lives were in a tumult. It would have
been too much to contend with when my sister was ill and getting
worse with each passing day. I had to concentrate on my work, and
you had your assignments with the Cause.”

“Marry me then. Things have changed, aye? And I’ve
promised I’ll not leave again.” He took both her hands in his,
willing her to just say yes, desperate to hear that one word after
all these years. “Marry me, Phoebe.”

His heart thundered away, each moment an eternity,
as he waited for her answer. He could see her searching for an
answer, searching her heart and her soul. A fine dew broke out
across her forehead and the color drained from her face. Her eyes
lost focus, and Seth knew she was going to faint. He slipped his
arm around her waist to support her weight as she struggled to hold
on. Then, just before she lost consciousness, she managed to get
her answer out.