A Scandal Most Daring

“Well, yes, but-” Whatever else Tahlia had been about to say was interrupted by the sound of heavy footsteps approaching them. It was disconcerting that she couldn’t identify which direction they came from because the smog seemed to make everything echo hollowly. Without even realising it, she edged closer to Connor’s reassuring strength.

“Where are we?” she whispered with a shiver.

Connor placed a protective hand in the small of her back, and was relieved when she didn’t smack him away.

At least this wretched smog was good for something, he mused wryly.

“Damn it,” Connor growled suddenly when something in the fog caught his attention.

“What is it?” she whispered, wondering what he could see that she didn’t.

Connor drew her closer to his side.

“Just stay close to me,” he replied as he assessed the shadows and shapes around them, and tried to judge what, or who, they were.

Before Tahlia could speak, a short figure lunged out of the gloom toward her. The young lad was upon her before she could do little more than gasp. A hard tug on her purse warned her that this was no ordinary pedestrian; it was another mugger. This was not the same one as before; this assailant was considerably younger, and far more agile. She screamed loudly in protest when he began to tug frantically at her bag. Refusing to allow the oaf to make off with her belongings, she clung on.

Connor leapt forward and grabbed a handful of the young lad’s shirt.

“Get your damned hands off her,” he snarled in a fit of rage. The fist he landed on the lad’s midriff was brutal, and enough to render the attacker unable do anything but gasp for air. “Who sent you?”

“Connor,” Tahlia gasped.

“Who sent you?” Connor persisted when the young lad didn’t speak.

Rather than reply, the young lad began to squirm and kick in an attempt to get free. Connor struggled to hold such writhing determination, and eventually had little choice but to drop him. The lad immediately took to his heels and disappeared as swiftly as he came.

“Come on,” Connor growled. He slid an unrelenting arm around Tahlia’s waist and propelled her along beside him. “I can’t even guess what the heck is in that purse of yours, but tell me if there is anyone else likely to try to snatch it today.”

He suspected she was up to something illegal, and it had everything to do with the bag she was now clutching protectively against her chest.

As far as he could see it, she had appeared in London, a place her uncle had informed him she was never returning to. Once here, she had chosen to go out, on foot and unchaperoned on what was probably the most dangerous day a woman could be out on the streets. Not only that, but she wasn’t in exactly the most affluent area of the city. What on earth was she up to?

“Are you alright?”

His question this time was more of a command, and held no hint of earlier softness. When she didn’t reply, he glanced at her. If the broad sweep of crimson across her cheeks was any indication she was incredibly angry.

“I want to go home,” she bit out.

“Let’s go then. This time, don’t stop for anything,” Connor growled.

“How do you know where we are?” she gasped. She stared hard at a shop front as they passed but was unable to see anything beyond its small square windows.

“It is more luck than judgement on a morning like this,” Connor conceded. “Did your uncle not warn you about going out in weather like this?”

“I had a business meeting to go to,” she snapped defensively.

“Business?” He lifted his brows at her in astonishment.

When Tahlia read the scepticism on his face her annoyance turn into outright anger. His reaction was nothing more than an insult.

How dare he? She wished she could take her leave of him and walk away. It only took one quick glance around, though, to realise how foolish that move would be.

“Wait!” Her sudden outburst made him slam to a halt in the middle of the path.

“What?” His put-upon sigh was full of masculine impatience, and the final straw as far as Tahlia was concerned.

“You don’t have to be so rude,” she snapped. “My maid is back there looking for me.”