A Rogue for Christmas

Chapter 2-3

His companions laughed, one comparing such “sport” with the hunting of a wild animal.

Milburn sneered. “Indeed, except one must be stuffed before it is mounted, while the other must be mounted in order to be stuffed.”

The grating sound of their harsh laughter made Perdita nearly toss up her accounts. She couldn’t bear to hear another word. She rushed out into the cold, not caring if the biting wind tore at her face. Samuel’s threats were unimaginable. How could the ton be so blinded by him not to see his evil? Yet she feared that was the sort of darkness lying in his soul. He was a man with no heart, and he cared for nothing except his own needs. She would not become his victim; she would do anything to escape such evil. Vaughn would be her salvation. She trusted him, something which should have been surprising, yet it did not feel so.

Evil and sorrow left very different shadows on a man’s face. Evil was a malignant presence that smothered and strangled the goodness around it. But it was different with sorrow. Vaughn’s eyes were painted in shadows of pain and loss. It was a shadow that might someday be vanquished by the rays of the sun. She had glimpsed the hope of it in his eyes when she’d kissed him last night, like sunlight streaking through the parted curtains of a mansion that had been shrouded in darkness for eons. It was foolish, she knew, to take pleasure in knowing their kiss might’ve lessened his sorrows, whatever they were, but she did.

Perdita looked around for Hensley and saw with some relief the coach was already approaching. She could not wait another minute this close to Samuel. He and his companions had confirmed her worst nightmares.

Thank heavens for Vaughn.

Hensley had their driver stop the coach, and he helped her inside. The velvet cushions were cold, but she sighed in relief when Hensley placed a foot warmer at her feet.

“Where to now, miss?” Hensley asked.

“Home, I suppose.” She parted the curtains on the opposite side of the square, but then she held up a hand. “Wait. Stay here. I should like to go to that shop. The one just there.”

She pointed at the little jewelry shop across the street. She could have sworn she’d seen Vaughn entering it. Had she been dreaming merely because she was thinking of him just now? There was only one way to find out.