Page 33 of No Match for Love (Regency Love Stories)

Lucas watched Miss Faraday from the corner of his eye as they awaited the door opening. He’d acted without thought in hailing her down on the street, but he couldn’t bring himself to regret it. It was natural to hail a friend, was it not? And that was what he and Miss Faraday were.

Of a sudden, a memory of Marietta shaking her head at him overtook his thoughts. He’d seen that look of disappointment on her face far too many times. Why would it appear now of all times?

He took several surreptitious breaths to work through his emotions at the memory. He’d managed to stuff them back down by the time the door creaked open. Lucas had to look to knee height to see who was looking around the door frame.

But then the little girl smiled wide and pulled the door open, looking at them both with twinkling eyes. “I told ’em you’d come again.” And she disappeared into the flat, apparently expecting them to follow.

Lucas gestured for Miss Faraday to go first then he followed.

“Anne,” Lydia whispered after the girl, who turned at her voice. “We did not mean to interrupt your day. I can just leave this with you...”

Little Anne shook her head. “You ain’t in-rupting. Mama’s up with Georgie. He cut himself real bad on some glass bottles and needs a’stitching, but Mama’s tremors are so bad, and Fanny ain’t half so good at her needlework.”

Miss Faraday froze. “Your brother’s hurt?”

Anne nodded. “Yer basket’ll make him so happy. Come.”

Lucas and Miss Faraday shared a bewildered look, but Miss Faraday pressed on up the narrow staircase and into the next room, so Lucas did likewise.

The scene before them was humbling as always.

Papered walls that were peeling, a pathetic fire in the grate that made the room stifling, and a little boy moaning on the couch with an older lady bent over him.

“Anne, who was— Oh gracious!” The woman jumped to her feet wiping her hands on a cloth. Her eyes widened. She dropped into a curtsy. “Lord Berkeley. Has Anne... or what... Dear me, please come in.”

“Do not worry yourself on our behalf, Mrs. Frisk. We will not interrupt your day for long. Might I introduce you to my friend, Miss Faraday?” Lucas lifted a hand to indicate her.

Stepping forward with a hand outstretched, Miss Faraday smiled kindly. “I met your children some time ago and wished to say hello. I was delayed in my coming but wanted to give this to you.” She held out the basket. “And Lord Berkeley here brought something for the children.”

Anne clapped her hands together, looking up at Lucas while bouncing on the balls of her feet expectantly.

Lucas stooped to be closer to her eye level, always feeling far too large and menacing when he spoke with children. He handed out the candies. “Share them with your siblings,” he said softly. Anne whooped, grabbing the handful and running straight for her brother.

Lucas came back to a stand. “Miss Faraday’s was the basket I brought last time I was here.”

Mrs. Frisk was still staring at the basket Miss Faraday held, but then she reached out with trembling hands. “Thank you,” she murmured. “This is too much.”

Miss Faraday smiled. “It was no trouble. I will just leave, then... except...” She peered around the woman. “Is George all right?”

Mrs. Frisk looked back at her son, curled in on himself. Her expression grew grave. “He was looking for work at the docks and fell, cutting himself on some broken bottles. I think it may need stitching but...” She trailed off, looking at her own hands.

“Have you called for a surgeon?” Lucas asked. He knew several in the city.

The woman shook her head bitterly. “They care not for us, and we cannot—well, they would not come.”

Lucas understood what she didn’t say. They could not pay and therefore would not be treated. A wave of frustration overwhelmed him. He was about to offer to pay for the service, if they could convince the surgeon to come, but Miss Faraday stepped forward again.

“I have some skill in suturing—Mrs. Frisk, was it? If you’ve some good, strong thread, I can handle the job for you.”

Mrs. Frisk’s eyes widened even further. “I could not expect a lady to—”

“Pish, I’m hardly a lady. And you are expecting nothing.

I am offering. Have you any thread? And a sharp needle?

I promise I do not exaggerate my skill.” She’d already moved to George’s side and was coaxing his hands off the poorly wrapped bandage on his calf.

Just as when that woman had hurt her wrist, of a sudden, Miss Faraday had transformed into a competent, levelheaded woman of medicine.

Lucas could only stand in the middle of the room, feeling too large for the space and very much in the way. He had been around many an injury, had experienced a few himself, and yet, watching Miss Faraday was both mesmerizing and disorienting.

Thankfully, someone had their wits about them: Mrs. Frisk immediately jumped into action and brought all Miss Faraday asked for plus water, rags, and clean bandages.

Miss Faraday worked quickly, smoothing back the boy’s fevered forehead and whispering something that calmed him down and had him setting his jaw as if he were far older than the six or seven he must have been.

“Will you help me hold his shoulders still?” she asked over her shoulder to Lucas.

Yes, something he could help with. He did as asked, unable to find any words to share with the boy that might make the next few minutes easier.

He’d worked with many surgeons on fellow pugilists, but never on a child so young.

So he just nodded at the boy, hoping to relay some strength through his expression.

George pressed his eyes shut. “I’s ready.”

Miss Faraday was indeed competent. She had the large gash cleaned and sewn up in under ten minutes. George tried not to move, but Lucas had to exert a fair amount of pressure on him to help him along in that. Mrs. Frisk held George’s hand tightly throughout it all.

Every one of them seemed to breathe a sigh of relief when Miss Faraday tied off the last stitch. She leaned over, placing a soft hand on George’s cheek. “That was more than a little brave, Mr. George. Now, you must stay off that leg for at least a week. And keep it clean. Can you manage that?”

George, eyes swimming with moisture, nodded bravely. “Yes, miss.”

She smiled. “Good.” Her gaze shifted up to Lucas, and he was surprised to see the emotion—a mixture of sadness and relief. Her eyes held his for an extended moment, his breath catching strangely in his chest.

But then she brushed back her skirts and stood, murmuring instructions to the boy’s mother. Lucas turned back to George. He crouched beside him on the couch.

“That was very brave, George.”

The boy sniffled. “Really?”

Lucas nodded solemnly. “As brave as the bravest of men.”

A shaky smile crossed his face, and Lucas matched it.

The door to the room opened, and Lucas glanced over his shoulder before coming to his feet. “Peter,” he said, crossing the room to shake the man’s hand.

Peter, his forehead coated with sweat and his thinning brown hair mussed from where he’d just pulled his hat off, acknowledged Lucas with a nod, but looked immediately around him to his family. “I got yer note, Mary. What ’appened?”

His wife came to his side. “He is all right, Pete. He’s all right.” Her voice was watery, and Lucas backed up to give them space. He felt the moment Miss Faraday approached him, stopping at his elbow.

“Shall we go?” she asked quietly.

Mrs. Frisk was relating all that had happened to her husband, who had gravitated toward his son on the couch and sat beside him. George’s sisters had stacked themselves nearby, one on Peter’s knee and the other on the floor beside George’s head.

Lucas nodded. The family would be well now, and Lucas could check on them later.

Together, Miss Faraday and Lucas moved for the door, not wanting to interrupt the family even to bid farewell, but as they were a step from exiting, Peter looked up.

“Lord Berkeley? Might I have a word before ye leave?”

Lucas stopped. “Of course.”

Peter disentangled himself from his kids and gestured for Lucas to proceed him to the front door. Miss Faraday was still nearby, but as they reached the small hall, she turned to him.

“I will take my leave so that you might have your conversation.” She grasped the doorknob, and Lucas fought the desire to ask her to wait a moment.

What for? To have the honor of taking her to her carriage? Yes. He wanted even that small thing. What in the blazes was happening to him?

When he said nothing, Miss Faraday met his eye with a sad sort of smile. He didn’t know what to make of it. “Goodbye, Lord Berkeley. I have... I have enjoyed my acquaintance with you.”

Startled, he nodded. That was all. He only did his dashed nodding in response to her farewell. And why did her farewell sound like such a serious, perhaps permanent, thing?

And she was gone. The door closed behind her, and Peter turned to him in full, not realizing the extent of the inner turmoil Lucas was experiencing.

But his words demanded attention.

“I wanted t’ warn ye, Lord Berkeley.”

“Why is that?”

Despite being within his own home, Peter glanced over his shoulder. “There’s been problems with my ol’ employer. A few men have told me t’ keep ma head down. I s’pose they been lookin’ for men who left and questionin’ ’em.”

Lucas’s brows furrowed. “Has anyone been hurt?”

Peter hesitated. “I don’t wan’ t’ get in the middle of anything, but... yes. Nothin’ major. But John got roughed up, and Patrick—”

“I heard about Patrick.” Lucas itched to pace, but the dim, cramped hall was far too small. “Dash it all. Thank you for telling me, Peter. Seems these men aren’t happy to be losing their employees. You’ll tell me if you hear anything else?”

“A’ course.”

“Thank you.” Lucas made to leave but paused. “And do as they recommend. Keep your head down. I’ll see what I can do on my end.”

Peter gave a crisp nod. “Sorry for th’ trouble.”

“It’s no trouble at all. I am sorry.” And with that, Lucas left.

He had a great deal to do of a sudden. He would need to follow up on the rest of the men he’d helped recently—make sure it was only one employer doing this.

If it was the Heatherdown Company, then he’d find out why they were doing it. And all before anyone else was hurt.