Page 32 of Eight for Losing, One for Loving

“Ma’am?”

Vi paused in her rant and turned to the door, her heart leaping with hope. “Jenny?”

“Yes, Ma’am. I’ve your gown here. It’s not as good as it might be, but—”

Jenny leapt about a foot in the air as Vi snatched the door open, grasped the girl’s arm and hauled her inside.

“Quick!” she instructed, stripping the nightgown off and snatching the shift from the pile of clothing Jenny held. “Don’t just stand there, help me get dressed before that stupid man goes and gets himself killed!”

“Killed, ma’am?” Jenny said in horror. “What man?”

“Mr Hunt—ington,” Vi said, shaking her head. “Oh, just wait until I get my hands on him. I’ll wring his stupid neck, just see if I don’t.”

Jenny stared at her for a moment before letting out a long-suffering sigh.

“Men,” she said in disgust. “They’re all fools. Ma is always complaining about it for my father is a hothead. I walked out with a fellow for a short while until I discovered he was just the same. Well, I sent him packing. They go off half-cocked without thinking things through. Reckon they’ve got to go off and flatten someone to prove they’re strong and capable when all that’s needed is a bit of common sense.”

“Exactly!” Vi said with feeling, recognising a kindred spirit as she wriggled into her corset. “And will they listen?”

“Nah. Leastways, my fellow never did,” Jenny replied ruefully as she tugged at the strings. “But I wasn’t going to spend my life like that. I knew it would be me that had to make things right again, patch up heads and torn clothes and make peace between him and whatever stupid beggar got him all riled up in the first place. No, thank you.”

“Men!” Vi said, throwing up her hands in sympathy with this summary, though she’d never had an experience of that sort. Still, Jenny seemed to appreciate the solidarity.

“Can’t live with them,” Jenny said with a snort.

Can’t live without them, Vi silently added. Oh, lord. If anything happened to Leo, she’d be wretched for the rest of her days, and he hadn’t even made love to her!

Once she was decently attired, Vi ran for the door and then ground to a halt, realising she didn’t have the faintest idea of where to go.

“Lud! How ever will I find him?” she exclaimed, before turning back to Jenny. “Do you know the Hatt brothers?”

“What on earth do you want with them two scoundrels?” Jenny asked, eyes wide.

“Nothing at all, but it’s them that Leo… that is to say, Mr Hunt… Huntington has gone to see. They kidnapped his cat, you see and—”

“His cat?” Jenny looked sceptical, regarding Vi with less than her previous sympathy.

Vi sighed, realising she would have to tell the whole blasted tale again. “A very rare cat, valuable, the dreadful men have stolen it, hoping to hold it for ransom.” She ran through the ludicrous story at record speed, with Jenny’s eyes growing wider with every word.

“Mercy me,” Jenny breathed. “I never would have thought Edgar and Burt had it in them.”

“It seems they did not, there is some kind of criminal mastermind behind the plot,” Vi said, hoping if she made it sound more exciting, Jenny would be more willing to help her.

“But what can you do, ma’am?” Jenny asked. “I don’t say as how you’ve got a deal more sense than the menfolk, but if it comes to breaking heads, well, it might be dangerous.”

“Nevertheless, Jenny, I am going. Please give me their direction.”

Jenny sighed, recognising an immoveable object when she saw one. “Well, if you’re determined, I reckon I’d best get Mick to come along too.”

“Mick?” Vi repeated in confusion.

“They call him the mountain,” Jenny said with a smile. “He’s my brother. Not terribly bright, but he’ll look after us.”

“Us?”

Jenny grinned at her. “Don’t think I’m going to let you have all the fun, do you? I’d pay good money to see Edgar Hatt get his comeuppance. Nasty bit of work, he is. Pinches my behind whenever he gets the chance. Besides, it ain’t proper for a lady like you to be gallivanting about by herself at night. Your husband wouldn’t like it, I reckon.”

“True,” Vi said with relief and smiled warmly at Jenny. “Thank you, Jenny. I will make sure to suitably recompense you for everything you've done for me.”

“I ain’t doing it for that, but much appreciated all the same,” Jenny said. “Come on then, grab your bonnet. We’d best hurry if we’re to catch them up before it’s all over.”