Page 8 of A Raven Realized (The Raven’s Den #5)

She offered sugar and Madelene shook her head. Sugar was an extravagance and having those kinds of things would only lead to her giving in to her other wicked impulses. Perhaps it already was. Only a short time after that indulgent breakfast, she’d been asking for a kiss.

“Do you think he might teach me?”

Bonnie raised her brow. “Will you be staying for a while, then?”

“I don’t know.” Madelene shrugged. “Are you going to tell him I was in his personal things?”

Bonnie took a sip of her tea. “ You are going to tell him. That’s how you’re going to start to earn his trust.”

That didn’t make any sense. How would telling him she’d been snooping around in his bedroom earn his trust?

“Simon is extremely observant and will know you were in there whether you tell him or not. Don’t ever try to hide something from him, and certainly don’t ever lie to him. That’s one of the few ways you will ever make him angry.”

* * *

Simon stared down at the mess of paper scattered across his desk, but none of it was helpful. The vicar was the last thing keeping him at this job, and they were no closer to finding the charlatan than they had been a month ago.

He leaned back in his chair, blowing out a frustrated sigh toward the ceiling as he tipped his head, stretching his neck.

Timms stepped into his office and nodded with his own sigh.

As far as Simon knew, Timms had no personal connection to this case, but he’d thrown himself into it, all the same, working himself to exhaustion at Simon’s side.

Simon had never told anyone here about his sister’s involvement. Not even Timms.

“Do you have anything new?” Simon asked him.

“No.” He shook his head dejectedly. “We might as well call it a night. We’re not going to get anything more tonight.”

With another sigh, Simon pushed himself to his feet. Timms was right, of course. But as long as Simon was here, he didn’t have to face the new conundrum he had waiting for him at home. The very tempting conundrum.

He had managed to find some information about her father today, at least. Robert Lund, fourth son of a viscount. His family connections would make it even harder to find Madelene a safe home where her father wouldn’t find her. That was a problem for another day. For now, at least she was safe.

Simon rolled his shoulders before inserting his key into the lock on his front door. He should be going after the next man on his list tonight, but he was tired. It was important for him to have his wits about him for that sort of thing, so it would have to wait until tomorrow night.

Female laughter floated out from the kitchen, which was a nice surprise. Bonnie and Madelene were seated at the table, each with a cup of tea in hand. At least Bonnie had been friendly and made her feel welcome. He’d completely forgotten she’d be coming and hadn’t warned Madelene.

“Good evening, ladies.”

Madelene whipped around, her happiness instantly replaced by fear. Her eyes widened and she swallowed as she stared up at him. She hadn’t been afraid of him when he left.

“Good evening, Simon.” Bonnie got up from the table and walked to the sink to wash her cup, leaving it on the side to dry. “Will you walk me out?”

When they reached the front door, he held up a hand to stop her. “Give her a chance to tell me whatever it is herself.”

“I was only going to tell you to talk to her. She has no idea what she’s doing here, who you are, what you do, or what you’re going to do with her. She needs some answers.”

“Does that mean she didn’t break any rules?”

She finished buttoning her coat and pressed a light kiss against his cheek. “Goodnight, Simon.”

He sighed as he locked the door behind her. Returning to the kitchen, he sat in the chair Bonnie had vacated and helped himself to a biscuit. As he chewed, he simply stared at Madelene. She looked terrified.

“I’m sorry, Simon. I shouldn’t have violated your personal space.”

“You went into my study?” He really should have a lock on that door, but he lived alone, so there wasn’t usually a reason to keep it locked. Bonnie was the only other person who ever came in, and other than the one time, she only entered the room to dust while he was present.

Madelene’s mouth fell open and she shook her head frantically. “No. Is that what she told you?”

“Bonnie didn’t tell me anything. It was your face. You might as well have confessed the moment I walked in.”

“But I didn’t go into your study.”

He didn’t say anything, simply raised his brow and waited.

“I went into your bedroom.” She looked down at her hands as they fidgeted with her teacup. “And more specifically, your armoire.” She swallowed nervously. “I was looking for?—”

“Something of value?” he interrupted.

Her brow dipped and she suddenly looked offended rather than guilty. “I’m not a thief,” she said coldly.

What was he doing? She wasn’t a criminal, and yet here he sat, interrogating her as if she were. “I’m sorry, Madelene. I’m tired and grumpy and I obviously jumped to some incorrect conclusions. Forgive my rudeness. I’ll be quiet and listen.”

She didn’t speak again for a moment, distrust making her uneasy. Self-loathing soured his stomach. The last thing she needed was another bully.

“What were you looking for?” he prompted.

She shrugged. “I just wanted to find something that might tell me a little about you.” She looked up at him. “I am sorry, Simon.”

“You’ve nothing to apologize for, Madelene. I’m the one making false accusations. You are welcome to go anywhere in this house except my study. If I didn’t want you in my bedroom, I would have said so.”

“You’re not angry?”

“Of course I’m not.”

“Well, now I'm glad Bonnie came after me and brought me back.”

“Did you leave the house? That, I did ask you not to do.”

Her panic was back. “I didn’t plan to, but then Bonnie appeared in your doorway while I was looking in your wardrobe.

She thought I was stealing something. I knew she would tell you and I panicked.

” A sudden sob broke from her lips. “I don’t want to go back to Auburn Ridge. Please don’t send me back.”

“Hey,” he said softly, but she didn’t hear him. He was a bloody cad. He hadn’t meant to frighten her. He knelt down beside her and took her hands in his, squeezing gently until she looked into his eyes. “I will never take you back there, Madelene.”

“But what if you thought I had stolen from you?” Her voice was jerky. She tried to stem her crying as she wiped her tears.

“Not even if you did steal from me.”

“Really?”

“Really.” He got to his feet. “Let’s go to the drawing room where it’s more comfortable.

” He held out a hand and led her from the room and up the stairs.

He poured himself a much needed drink. “Would you like something?” She shook her head decisively.

He returned the decanter to its place. She was perched on the very edge of the sofa, still looking uneasy.

Rather than settling into his usual chair, he sat beside her on the sofa, leaning back.

He took a sip of his whisky and placed the glass on the side table.

She turned to look at him and he patted the back of the sofa.

He needed her to know she was safe with him.

Slowly, she scooted herself back, but her body was still stiff.

“I know you have a lot of questions, Madelene. The truth is, I don’t have very many answers, but I promise I will do my best to make sure you’re safe.

That means I’ll never take you back to Auburn Ridge.

It also means I won’t be returning you to your father.

For now, I don’t have any better answers than that, but you’re safe here until I can find a more suitable solution. ”

She turned to look into his eyes for a moment before finally relaxing. “Is this what you do? Rescue women in need?”

He choked on his whisky as he laughed. “Don’t get any romantic notions about me being some kind of savior, Madelene. I’m simply not a monster.”

“Bonnie asked if I was one of your strays, so I assume that means I’m not the first.”

He let out a long sigh. Bonnie was a fine housekeeper, and a good friend, but not always very discreet. “The others, if you want to call them that, were not like you. They merely stayed here a night or two until I could get them settled back with their families.”

“Did they also come from asylums?”

“No.” He didn’t typically share with people what he did, but she needed to understand, at least a little bit.

“I work for the Intelligence Services. For the past year, we’ve been working through a list of people who entered into fraudulent marriages.

When we take the men away to be arrested, the women need somewhere to go.

So far, we’ve always been able to find family to settle them with, but sometimes it takes a day or two, so they stayed here during that time. ”

“Is that what you plan to do with me? Find some family member willing to take me in?”

“I don’t know,” he said honestly. “Presumably, any family you have will know your father. You’ll not be going back to him, but hopefully I can find someone who will be a good option.”

“He didn’t abuse me, Simon.”

“He may not have abused you physically, but he certainly mistreated you.”

Her brow scrunched as she worked through her thoughts. “He just did the best he could to teach me to keep my demons under control.”

“But that’s just it. There are no demons in you, Madelene.”

Her dark eyes moved over his face to his lips. “If that’s true, then why do I want you to kiss me again?”