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A man said with a sneer, “I’m guessing he’s her lover.”
If Cam hadn’t been holding Casey, he would have been tempted to knock the man out, but Casey was more important. “I’m her cousin Cameron Tremayne, and I’m with the Home Office,” he said forcefully. “I came here because she told us she was worried about threats against Sir Samuel. As you see, she was right to be concerned.”
His expression confused and unhappy, Mr. Norman said, “He— she has been one of the best clerks I’ve ever had. She’ll be missed.”
Cameron cut through the gathering crowd to reach his horse. He asked Casey, “Can you stand while I mount Arthur?”
She nodded, so he slid her down till her feet touched the ground. She was shaking but managed to stay upright while he mounted. Then he offered his hand and lifted her so that she was sitting on his lap. She burrowed against him after he tucked his coat more closely around her. Turning his mount, Cam headed back to the main road that led out of the dockyard. With one arm supporting Casey, he traveled slowly to keep her secure.
Once more, his mind whispered, This one!
Though he knew this wasn’t the time to think about that, he couldn’t resist brushing a weightless kiss on the top of her head. She was such an intoxicating blend of courage and vulnerability, he didn’t know whether to kiss her or protect her. But for now, he knew what she needed was protection.
She said in a raw whisper, “My life is over.”
“It has changed irrevocably, but it isn’t over,” he replied seriously. “Your future will be full of fascinating and sometimes frightening new possibilities. I’m going to take you to Tremayne House in London, where you’ll be able to come to terms with all the changes you’re experiencing. You’ll be able to become the person you were meant to be.”
She sighed, but her voice was steady when she replied, “I have no idea who that person is or should be.”
“It will take time for you to find that out,” he said. “Luckily, gifted people are usually very resilient. You will survive and flourish.”
“I hope you’re right,” she said bleakly. “Are you taking me home now?”
“Yes, you can rest while I take Arthur to the livery stable and arrange for a carriage to take us to London tomorrow.”
She straightened up in his lap and yanked his coat around her shoulders. “I’m not leaving Gentleman Jack behind!”
“Of course not,” he said reassuringly. “He’s family. There’s a cook shop next to the livery stable, so I’ll bring back food for all three of us.”
The rest of their ride was silent as he thought, and she tried not to think.
CHAPTER 7
Once they returned to her cottage, Casey curled up in one of the two upholstered chairs with Gentleman Jack on her lap. Cameron quietly built up the fire and set water to heat over it for tea, then said, “I’ll take Arthur to the livery now and then pick up the food. Is there a key I can use to lock the door?”
In the past she hadn’t always felt the need to lock the door. “There’s one hanging under the coat to the left of the door.”
She heard the rasp of the key as he locked the door behind him, then closed her eyes and wondered what would have happened if she hadn’t written to the Home Office. Very likely Sir Samuel Bentham would be dead and she wouldn’t have met Cameron Tremayne. So, it was a very good thing she’d sent that letter to London.
But now she was leaving her whole life behind to go to a strange new place. This cottage had been her home for many years and Jamie had been her family and protector. She hadn’t felt so desperately upset and confused since her father had thrown her out of her childhood home. She shuddered at the memory of that morning’s staring male eyes after she’d been stripped of her burning clothes. But if the workers who tore off her clothing hadn’t acted so swiftly, she would have been badly burned or worse. As it was, her back felt barely scorched.
She allowed herself a few moments of remembering the terror she’d felt when her clothing was on fire. Then she drew a deep breath and reached inside to the stubbornness that had refused to surrender when she had been disowned. She had survived that, and would survive this.
After opening her eyes, she set Gentleman Jack on the floor, then set to making herself more respectable. She laid Cameron’s coat over the back of a chair before going into her bedroom to wash the soot from her face, neck, and hands. Then, shivering with cold, she studied herself in the small mirror over her washing stand and tried to think of her appearance as female.
Her features were regular and unremarkable. Since she was beardless, she looked like a young boy but could equally be a young woman. She wondered what color her hair would be after the brown coloring had been washed out with vinegar. She guessed that her blond hair had darkened over the years, perhaps to a light brown.
Since she was nude above the waist, she studied her figure. She would never have the kind of voluptuousness many men admired, but her breasts were large enough to make her gender obvious when her clothing had been ripped away.
At least now that her masquerade had ended, she wouldn’t have to bind them anymore. She wouldn’t miss that!
After changing into a clean shirt and trousers, she studied her image again. In her usual clothing she still looked like a youthful male, but one with some subtle, unexpected curves. Though she didn’t feel quite ready to end the charade yet, she knew that today had ended her life as a young man whether she was ready or not.
She blocked that thought and moved into the kitchen to start making a pot of tea. She was adding honey to a steaming cup when Cameron returned with a bulging carry bag. After unlocking the door and coming inside, he studied her intently. “You look very collected for someone whose life has just been shattered.”
She gave him a wry smile. “I learned early that when disaster strikes, all one can do is get up, keep moving, and have a cup of tea. Would you like one?”
“Yes, thank you.” His brow furrowed. “You look different now.”
