Bedford Street Brigade 02 - Love Unbidden Read Online Free PDF Page B
Author: Laura Landon
said they wanted the ledger Henry took.”
Quinn leaned forward. “Do you know what they were talking about?”
Nellie shook her head, then winced.
“Try not to move, dear,” Cora warned.
“I don’t know anything about a ledger. I told them that, but they didn’t believe me.”
“Why would they think you knew anything about the ledger?”
“I think they thought I was Henry’s wife. They called me Mrs. Dunston.”
“Can you tell us anything about the men who broke in?” Mack asked.
“Not much,” Nellie answered. “It was dark and I couldn’t see them clearly. One of them was about your size,” she said. “The other was smaller. He was the one who hit me when I told them I didn’t know anything about a ledger.”
Nellie seemed more fragile than before, and Quinn fought the urge to gather her in his arms and hold her.
“Is there anything else you can remember, Miss Sutton?” Mack asked.
Nellie paused a moment, then shook her head. “That’s all. The smaller man hit me again, and I don’t remember anything after that.”
“That’s all right.” Quinn reached out and touched her cheek. “You’ve been very helpful.”
“Have I? I don’t feel as if I have.”
“Well, whether you feel as if you were or not, you were. Now, rest.”
“Yes,” Mack said. “Get some rest. Cora will stay here with you, and someone will be downstairs to guard the house.”
Her gaze shifted to Quinn’s and held it. “Will you be here?”
“I have a couple of matters to attend to, but I’ll be back as soon as I can. Don’t worry , though. Jack will be here, and whoever else Mack can spare.”
“And I’ll be here, too,” Cora said. “And as long as I’m here, I can guarantee you that my husband will be close by. Now, close your eyes for a few moments. I’m going to fetch us a cup of tea. I’m sure we could both use some.”
Quinn waited behind until Mack and Cora left the room, then gave Nellie’s hands a gentle squeeze. “You were very brave, lass, but you’re safe now.”
Tears filled Nellie’s eyes and she swallowed several times.
Quinn wished there was something he could do to erase the fear he knew she felt, but there wasn’t. Only time would make what had happened less real. Less terrifying. “Rest now. I’ll be back later.”
Quinn placed his palm against her cheek, then leaned down to kiss her on the forehead.
“Be careful,” she whispered.
“Always.”
Quinn kissed her a second time, then left her room. He found Mack and Cora in the kitchen. Cora was brewing tea from the water he’d placed near the fire earlier. She had found the pastries Daisy had sent over yesterday and was making a tray to take to Nellie.
Cora pushed a cup of tea in front of him. ” “Here, you look like you need this.”
Quinn reached for the cup. “I feel like I need something stronger, but this will do for now.”
Cora placed the second cup of tea in front of Mack. “I have water heating for a bath,” Cora said. “I’m sure Nellie will sleep better after she’s bathed. Would one of you gentlemen bring it up in a bit?”
“Of course,” Quinn answered.
Cora picked up the tea tray and carried it out of the kitchen.
When they were alone, Mack turned to him. “Do you have any idea what this is all about?”
Quinn shook his head. “I assume it has something to do with Dunston’s work at Paxton Import.”
“Is it possible Dunston hasn’t been completely honest with you?”
“I didn’t think so, but perhaps I’d best pay him another visit.”
Mack took a drink of his tea, then set his cup back in the saucer. “I left word for Jack to meet me here when he arrives. Why don’t you pay Mr. Dunston another visit and I’ll stay here until Jack gets here.”
“Will Cora stay until I get back?”
Mack nodded. “I doubt I could force her to leave.”
Quinn smiled, then drained the last of his tea before he rose. “I’ll be back as quickly as I can.”
Mack gave him a sharp nod,
Quinn leaned forward. “Do you know what they were talking about?”
Nellie shook her head, then winced.
“Try not to move, dear,” Cora warned.
“I don’t know anything about a ledger. I told them that, but they didn’t believe me.”
“Why would they think you knew anything about the ledger?”
“I think they thought I was Henry’s wife. They called me Mrs. Dunston.”
“Can you tell us anything about the men who broke in?” Mack asked.
“Not much,” Nellie answered. “It was dark and I couldn’t see them clearly. One of them was about your size,” she said. “The other was smaller. He was the one who hit me when I told them I didn’t know anything about a ledger.”
Nellie seemed more fragile than before, and Quinn fought the urge to gather her in his arms and hold her.
“Is there anything else you can remember, Miss Sutton?” Mack asked.
Nellie paused a moment, then shook her head. “That’s all. The smaller man hit me again, and I don’t remember anything after that.”
“That’s all right.” Quinn reached out and touched her cheek. “You’ve been very helpful.”
“Have I? I don’t feel as if I have.”
“Well, whether you feel as if you were or not, you were. Now, rest.”
“Yes,” Mack said. “Get some rest. Cora will stay here with you, and someone will be downstairs to guard the house.”
Her gaze shifted to Quinn’s and held it. “Will you be here?”
“I have a couple of matters to attend to, but I’ll be back as soon as I can. Don’t worry , though. Jack will be here, and whoever else Mack can spare.”
“And I’ll be here, too,” Cora said. “And as long as I’m here, I can guarantee you that my husband will be close by. Now, close your eyes for a few moments. I’m going to fetch us a cup of tea. I’m sure we could both use some.”
Quinn waited behind until Mack and Cora left the room, then gave Nellie’s hands a gentle squeeze. “You were very brave, lass, but you’re safe now.”
Tears filled Nellie’s eyes and she swallowed several times.
Quinn wished there was something he could do to erase the fear he knew she felt, but there wasn’t. Only time would make what had happened less real. Less terrifying. “Rest now. I’ll be back later.”
Quinn placed his palm against her cheek, then leaned down to kiss her on the forehead.
“Be careful,” she whispered.
“Always.”
Quinn kissed her a second time, then left her room. He found Mack and Cora in the kitchen. Cora was brewing tea from the water he’d placed near the fire earlier. She had found the pastries Daisy had sent over yesterday and was making a tray to take to Nellie.
Cora pushed a cup of tea in front of him. ” “Here, you look like you need this.”
Quinn reached for the cup. “I feel like I need something stronger, but this will do for now.”
Cora placed the second cup of tea in front of Mack. “I have water heating for a bath,” Cora said. “I’m sure Nellie will sleep better after she’s bathed. Would one of you gentlemen bring it up in a bit?”
“Of course,” Quinn answered.
Cora picked up the tea tray and carried it out of the kitchen.
When they were alone, Mack turned to him. “Do you have any idea what this is all about?”
Quinn shook his head. “I assume it has something to do with Dunston’s work at Paxton Import.”
“Is it possible Dunston hasn’t been completely honest with you?”
“I didn’t think so, but perhaps I’d best pay him another visit.”
Mack took a drink of his tea, then set his cup back in the saucer. “I left word for Jack to meet me here when he arrives. Why don’t you pay Mr. Dunston another visit and I’ll stay here until Jack gets here.”
“Will Cora stay until I get back?”
Mack nodded. “I doubt I could force her to leave.”
Quinn smiled, then drained the last of his tea before he rose. “I’ll be back as quickly as I can.”
Mack gave him a sharp nod,