Nicu simply wanted to interrogate the idiotic imbeciles, but a little devil disguised as an angel was in the way. He had never been more annoyed in his life. Of course, he was going to save the girl and was insulted that she thought otherwise.
But information came first.
He knew the man had no intention of harming her, so Nicu decided on throwing him off. It was one of his best investigating tactics... the art of surprise. When a person was caught off guard it was easy to loosen the truth from them.
He was getting valuable information.
Why though, did the little hellion have to make such a scene? Nicu pondered. If only people could see things the way he did and keep calm, then she would understand his methods of approaching this issue. However, her outburst was positively adorable in its absurdity, and this was coming from an eccentric Roma.
She had to be no more than twenty-three by the looks of her. Her figure was pleasing to the eye, but also frail, especially in her beaten and weathered chemise. She was obviously an attractive creature, but Nicu was otherwise too preoccupied to marvel at some aristocratic beauty playing the damsel in distress that was not to his taste.
"My good fella, please ignore this rambling..." Nicu paused and cocked his head to the side thinking of a good definition for the girl, "chit and answer this. If it wasn't you men, then who did it?"
The ugly cockney was unable to answer as the tiny she-devil in a sudden burst of unexplained emotion, pressed her pretty lips against the cockney's filthy ones.
Both Nicu and the man's cohort snorted in horror and surprise at this strange turn of events. For once Nicu couldn't form words and was stunned into silence forgetting the case completely. The cockney dropped his hold on her and simultaneously the small birdlike woman, clawed the man's face so viciously both Nicu and the other guy winced.
The unknown silent colleague was quick to act, springing toward the girl, but Nicu's hold on the arms of the kid's jacket was firm and he kept the boy in place.
"What a waste," Nicu muttered to himself, cursing in Romani and blew a sharp whistle through his teeth. Kappi, like a most loyal bloodhound, popped out of a tree and landed right on the cockney's face as the man was about to strike the girl. He pushed her harshly to the ground as Kappi dug his claws into his face and screeched. The man tried yanking him off only to shriek in pain at the attempt.
"Now, don't kill him my fury coon, I need him."
"What is fis fing?" The cockney bellowed out.
"I wouldn't provoke my four-legged companion. He's not entirely tame and could be harvesting a disease. You wouldn't want to become rabid, would you?"
The boy in Nicu's grasp went heavy as a calf and Nicu began speaking in Romani as he grabbed the kids jaw, tilting him up only to see foam seeping from his mouth. He dropped the young lad and darted over to the cockney but was already too late as his mouth begun to foam as well.
The cockney fell to the ground dead and Kappi jumped in time, landing perfectly in the woman's lap. Nicu went over and checked his pulse, spewing out Romani curses at the confirmation. He turned to the young woman who was staring at Kappi with wide eyes. Kappi simply looked up at her with his little nose twitching as he smelled her. Nicu sighed knowing she was about to have a breakdown from having a coon in her lap.
The woman surprised him by petting Kappi and even though he could barely see her shadowed expression, he sensed her smiling in gratitude.
"You were very brave," came the woman's soft and now calming voice. She stood and turned her attention to Nicu as Kappi stood on his hind legs watching her. "Your coon has more of a moral compass then you, Mr. Rowe."
Nicu snorted, "I had everything under control until your little scene."
The woman said nothing as the candle's almost vanquished glow played across her delicate features. She was shadowed and Nicu was unable to get a full picture of her, but what he could see was soft eyes and translucent hair that absorbed the fire's glow.
She shifted her attention to a small body crumbled by a tree. Nicu hadn't seen it earlier. He had arrived just as the man grabbed hold of the young woman. She moved in an awkward fashion and bent to the tiny, crinkled body, stroking the child's hair in a motherly concern.
Nicu stepped toward them, "Is she alright?"
"She's dead."
He crouched down next to her and verified the verdict, and the young girl was indeed gone and had been for some time.
"Did they do this?" Nicu questioned as a venomous breath slipped through his teeth.
The woman shook her head. "She was ill before the fire. She tried to fight it, but..." the woman didn't have to finish and Nicu scanned the area, realizing that she had been about to bury her.
"What was her name?"
She stroked the once pretty young child's golden hair that no longer seeped life. "Gracie."
Nicu glanced out into the dark forest surrounding them. He had to give this iridescent beauty credit, despite how frail she looked, she had made it this far and didn't faint during the commotion, which most woman would have.
"And yours?" he asked.
"Harriet Morgan."
"Are you a teacher?" He continued, and she nodded in response. "Can you explain to me what happened?"
Her face drifted to his and their eyes met through the darkness that enveloped them as the candle burned out. Nicu had a hard time discerning her eye color, but he could see the signs of distress. Her almond shaped eyes lifted a little at the corners in an appealing way, but she had dark circles, and the little upturned ends were red. He could tell she was struggling to see in the thick blackness and was trying to adjust her eyesight as if she was looking at a fogged mirror.
"I failed her," she whispered in the air between them.
He shook his head. "I doubt that, little one. She must've been a fighter to have walked this far?"
Harriet said nothing, but Nicu noted how weary she appeared and took a shot in the dark. "She didn't always walk, did she? You carried her."
Again silence, but Nicu had gotten his answer. Harriet looked over at the men where Kappi was busy scurrying through their pockets. "What happened to them?"
Nicu glanced back at them. "I call it the suicide pill. A poison made in a capsule that if broken will kill a man in a matter of seconds. Whoever hired these men, didn't want it coming back to him."
Harriet looked lost as she asked, "Why would they target a finishing school? Where you able to find the others?" She sounded hopeful.
"No."
Slowly, Harriet lowered herself until she sat on the ground instead of crouching over Gracie. "How did you find us?" How—" Harriet paused and Nicu watched as dread filled her face. "The girls, I have to get back to them."
She sprung up and cringed as she did so. Nicu grabbed her wrist not letting her move. "They are already long gone by now and in good hands. My sister lives not two miles from here. My friends St. George and Lord Rathborne have probably led them safely out of harm. If you would have kept going, you lot would've stumbled upon Marshwood Castle."
Harriet's eyes widened in surprise as she went back to sitting next to him. "Marshwood Castle? You're friends with the Marquess of Rathborne. That means your sister is the famous Lady Rathborne."
Nicu flashed a smile at that. His sister had become quite famous after marrying Alastair. London society had been shocked to its core when they learned a Roma woman got the Marquess of Rathborne to come up to scratch. Of course, their courtship wasn't as smooth as St. George thinks it was. Yes, Alastair had fallen in love the minute he saw Esma, but then she opened her mouth and the two fought constantly. She was too worldly and outspoken, while he was pompous and narrowminded. That's where the true depths of their love began in those moments of quarreling and wicked banter.
"I've always wanted to meet Lady Rathborne," Harriet said in a dreamlike fashion as she looked at Gracie with haunted eyes. "Gracie would've been so excited."
Nicu watched as Harriet struggled to keep her composure. He stood and grabbed the small stiff girl and gently maneuvered her over his shoulder. "I promise, you'll approve more of my sister's character than mine."
Harriet furrowed her brows as she stood along with him. "I apologize for my outburst, Mr. Rowe, but you must agree that you were not acting like a gentleman."
"Oh, assuredly I wasn't, but I never do. We Roma are far from gentlemen. I needed information and I knew the man wasn't going to hurt you. In fact," Nicu paused, "he took a fondness for you and refused to let you go."
Harriet walked beside him, and he watched her limp every so often. "What else did you see?"
Nicu smirked at that. Smart girl, he praised. "They wanted the girls alive, and you lucked out at being an attractive spinster."
"I assure you, Mr. Rowe, the other teachers were just as attractive and, in my opinion, more so because I am rather plain," Harriet quipped defensively. "Those women were good friends of mine, and I won't have you defiling their names or appearances."
Nicu contemplated her remark, remembering the faces he saw, and Harriet was right, the others were fair and pretty as well. Suspicion rose in him. "Then why did they not kill you on the spot dearest? All the other teachers were."
Harriet halted as Nicu looked at her with flaring unspoken accusation. The young woman began to breathe heavily. "You dare to suggest that I was an accomplice in this madness?"
Nicu's expression did not falter. "Yes, especially with how I found track marks leading the men to your group."
Her face paled and Harriet became slack jawed. "Are saying one of us is a traitor? How did you know it wasn't one of the men?"
Nicu stepped toward her in an intimidating fashion. "Because Miss Morgan..." His eyes caught the moons glow and gleamed accusingly at Harriet. "They were made by a letter opener. Tell me do you think men like those carry something like that around?"
The plot thickens!!!! What do you all think of Harriet and Nicu's first interaction? These two will definitely be butting heads in the future.
Who wants some more? Leave me a heart emoji if you do!
I am very excited for this story, and I really hope you all are enjoying it! I am having a lot of fun editing my historical romances and pushing myself as a writer.