Lessons in Seduction (Greentree Sisters 1)

“Vivianna!” Oliver moved to take her into his arms.

But Vivianna had other ideas. She stepped behind the children, using them like a shield. The orphans gazed up at him with interest. Strangely, they appeared to have cobwebs decorating their hair.

“Lord Montegomery, I am sure you remember Eddie and Ellen?”

He looked into her eyes, trying to read them. There was tension in her, as if she were holding her emotions on a tight rein. He understood that. She must have had a dreadful shock. But he was here now. She was safe. He wished she would cast herself into his arms like any other woman, but he supposed that was out of the question. She must still hate his guts, and he knew she had every right to.

Oliver turned to the children and tried not to show his agitation. “Of course I remember Eddie and Ellen.”

They reached out and clung to his hands. In fact, once they had hold of him, they didn’t want to let him go.

“I’ve sent word to the police,” Oliver said. “They should be here soon. Where’s Lawson?”

“Inside.” She gave him a smug little smile. “He can’t get out, don’t worry.”

“Will you give us a reward?” Ellen’s soft voice interrupted.

“A reward?” Oliver looked back at Vivianna.

“Lord Montegomery, the children have something for you.” Vivianna tapped Eddie on the shoulder. He dragged a bundle from inside his jacket and held it out to Oliver. “Here you go, mister,” he said with a grin from ear to ear. “What do you think the reward’ll be on this?”

For a moment Oliver could not move, and then he reached out a hand that didn’t seem to belong to him, and his fingers closed over the bundle of letters tied with black ribbon.

He felt emotion well up inside him. Anthony had hidden these the night he died. Had he thought of Oliver then, had he believed that somehow Oliver would find them? Oliver hoped so. He hoped that his brother had forgiven him and trusted in him before he died.

The writing on the envelopes was in black ink; strong, sloping writing that he recognized at once as belonging to Lawson. It was the actual address that sent a tingle of amazement through him, and of comprehension. Even without reading the letters he now understood Lawson’s single-minded intent to retrieve what was his. But still, he drew one out, unfolded it, and cast his eye over the contents.

It was worse than he had thought.

“Mister?”

He glanced down and saw Eddie’s freckled face gazing up at him. The little boy was watching him with slight impatience.

“Yes, Eddie?” he said.

“The reward. Miss Greentree said as there’d be a reward.”

Oliver smiled and rested his hand gently on Eddie’s head. “And so there will be. I will open an account at my bank and place two amounts in it, one for you, Eddie, and one for Ellen, and when you are twenty-one, the money will—”

“Aw, mister.” Eddie’s face scrunched up alarmingly. “I don’t want no bank account. I wanna go to the zoo! Will you take us to the zoo?”

“I want to go for a ride in a carriage,” Ellen whispered. “A proper carriage with four white horses.”

At a loss, Oliver met Vivianna’s eyes over their heads. “Perhaps you can have both,” she said tentatively. “If Lord Montegomery is willing, of course.”

Oliver didn’t even hesitate. “Zoo it is, then, and carriage as well!”

“Good,” sighed Vivianna, “that’s settled. Now, children, perhaps you could wait here on the steps for the policemen. Will you do that for me, Eddie? Ellen?”

Eddie and Ellen were agreeable, and Vivianna left them there and led the way inside.

“I did not even know they were here,” she told Oliver as she walked. “I thought they had gone with the others to Bethnal Green. The little scamps must have hidden and decided to explore instead.”

“Vivianna—”

“I’m glad they found the letters,” she said quickly. “I really am. That will be the end of it, then, won’t it? You can bring Lawson to justice?”

Oliver nodded and placed the letters carefully into his jacket pocket. “Yes.”