As a child, as an officer, as a barrister. It was fine linen, expensive, handmade with initials stitched into the corners. All she had left was the cloth she’d lifted from James. Keep talking to me.” Bertie’s small handkerchief was soon soaked. Sinclair opened his eyes again, gray slits in the dim light. “I will.” Sinclair’s eyes slid closed, his hand going slack on hers. “Well, maybe you’ll be able to tell him this story,” Bertie said. “It’s a relief that I made it home to have a son to tell the stories to.” “I tell Andrew stories.”īertie laughed shakily.

“I don’t boast.” Sinclair contrived to look offended. “Says the man who boasts about his soldiering days, surviving by a hairsbreadth in North Africa.” “You’re good at reassuring me, but I’d rather hear some plans for doing it.” We’ll get out of this.”īertie drew a breath, letting his warm Scottish voice flow over her. “Am I hurting you?” Bertie asked anxiously. Devlin might give up eventually-depended on how much he was being paid-but it might be too late for Sinclair.īertie pulled out her own handkerchief and pressed its pristine white fabric to the wound. He might die down here before they could get out. Sinclair’s face was gray-white, his voice, as reassuring as he tried to make it, dry and growing faint. But here they were, stuck down a hole, with men roaming the streets looking for them. Sinclair needed to be examined and stitched up. There wasn’t quite as much blood as Bertie feared, but that didn’t mean the wound was trivial. The handkerchief grew bright red with blood. “They’re good at making people believe they can’t be that bad. “Confidence tricksters talk their way out of everything,” Bertie said. I’d thought James safely in a prison somewhere long ago, or maybe dead and gone, but he must have persuaded the prison governors to let him out. It appears that James hired Devlin to try to find you to hurt me. “I’ve dragged you straight into my troubles. “I’m sorry, Bertie.” Sinclair stroked the backs of her fingers. Dad hates Devlin more than he can be angry at me, that’s for certain.” “That he didn’t swallow his fear and take money from Devlin for bringing you to him?”īertie nodded. “Are you sure your father only wanted to warn you?” Sinclair asked.

Rules for a proper governess