Sleeping Engagement

XXXIX. On Matters of the League

"She fainted in my arms and I took her to my room. I came back to find the butler and we both returned to the room." He paused to take a deep breath. "He was dead by then. Just one strike and the bloody bastard died. He did not suffer enough," he gritted out. "For everything he had done to those around him—to me, to Fiona—he deserved more."

"And what did you do next?"

"We locked him in the room. When Fiona woke up, she asked me what happened. That's when I ordered the butler to get me a hackney. I couldn't use my father's carriage. I had to take her somewhere before she remembered out what happened. Or what she did."

He let out a shaky sigh.

"Then your servants are aware."

"Yes. But they won't talk. They're loyal only to the Trilby they serve. At the moment, that's me." He shook his head, as if he, too, found his story unbelievable. "Fiona doesn't remember killing him and I hope it stays that way."

Margaret could not agree more.

Edmund looked at Cole, as if he was torn between the feeling of betrayal and the helplessness.

"You can't send her back to the Manor, Edmund," Cole told him.

"She's safer there than she is with us. I don't see any other choice."

"Taking her back to the Manor will only give her father easy access to her," Margaret pointed out.

"I know, but the Manor has rules. And everyone abides by them. Noah will not repeat what he did."

"How can you ever make that certain?"

"I'm certain," the young man said, but his flickering eyes that would not meet them told otherwise.

Cole sighed. "If you want her safe, Edmund, let me take care of her. The Manor is not the best place for her. She needs family. I can give her that."

Margaret's eyes went to Cole and a tear fell from her eye. Edmund was silent for a while, lips pursed in an internal battle that only he could feel. "I know," he finally whispered. "I don't know where to take her. I don't know how I can keep her away from us." He stared at Cole. "And God, help me, even after what you did, I still trust you."

"And you can," Cole insisted. "I meant to talk to you, but you disappeared."

"Of course, I did. I just found out you exposed Fiona to her," Edmund said, throwing Margaret a look. He shook his head. "Even if I trust you with her, she can't stay with you or the Haverstons. The work you do will only put her in much greater risk."

"I know the place for her," Margaret said. "It's not with the League, I promise."

Both men looked at her, one baffled, the other filled with doubt.

"My brother Benedict and his wife are building a school for children who lost their families. Fiona can stay there without anyone ever knowing where she came from. She will be with children her age. She will have a semblance of a normal life."

Edmund closed his eyes and sighed. He looked tired.

His shoulders shrugged in resignation and he slowly nodded. "I need to think about this."

Cole stared at him for a long time, hands resting on his hips. "Who is helping you, Edmund?"

"A cousin."

"And this cousin has a name?"

He shook his head with a scoff. "I cannot tell you. Don't ask me anything about my family, please."

"Does your family know you've taken her?"

"Not all of them."

"And those who do agreed that you can keep her?"