“I can’t be sure I have this right.”
“Go on,” she told Joshua, handing a wet glass to Georgie to dry.
“It was something like tainder by verdict.”
“Verdict is a word I know, but nottainder.”
“Maybe it wasattainted?”
“I don’t know that one either.” She continued scrubbing.
“Whatever it was made King unhappy. You came up behind him while we were talking. He said, ‘I’m still a marquess for a few hours and that termagant can’t make me scrub floors.’”
Violet ceased scrubbing. She remembered the termagant slight, but she hadn’t heard the first part. “What does that meanfor a few hours? You’re sure that’s what he said?”
“It was something like that.”
“But how could his title be taken away? Is that possible?”
He shrugged. “I don’t know. But I say, if he wants to stay, let him. Even when Archie comes back, we could use him.”
“Hmm.” She went back to scrubbing. “We’ll see.”
A couple hours later, Violet finished tucking Georgie into bed and came back down to find the Silver Unicorn so full that men spilled out into the streets. Joshua was furiously washing glasses, and when Violet stepped into the tavern, she found Peggy red-faced and sweating. “They’re thick as thieves tonight,” she panted.
Violet went right to work, sliding behind the bar and helping King. Despite the crush of men and women, he hadn’t brokena sweat. He had an air of authority about him that she envied. No one was jostling, and everyone seemed content to wait their turn. He’d hand out one drink, take the coin, and nod to the next person in line. Still, when he saw Violet, he gave her an appreciative smile that made her heart pound a bit harder. She told herself she was excited about the coin in the money chest. She’d caught a glimpse of the coins inside when King opened it. But she knew it was his smile. He was so handsome, and those green eyes were pretty enough to make any woman’s heart flutter.
“Yes, sir?” she asked, and began to draw ale. They worked in tandem for two hours, until the crowd thinned a bit.
“Might I step away for a moment?” King asked her as she wiped the bar.
“Of course. You haven’t had a moment all evening.”
“You’ll be all right?”
“I was fine before you came, and I’ll be fine when you’re gone,” she said. Her tone was harsher than she’d intended, but King winked at her.
“You’ll miss me when I’m gone,” he said, and walked away before she could think of a retort.
Violet scrubbed the bar harder, practicing retorts in her mind.
I’ll throw a party when you’re gone.No. Too weak.
You’re the last person I’d ever miss.No, that didn’t have much of a punch.
I’d miss a rat more than I’d ever miss you. That seemed promising, though a bit insulting to rats. She smiled.
“You’re about to scrub a hole in that wood,” said a voice on the other side of the bar. Violet looked up into the face of a man about ten years her senior. He was familiar. She didn’t know his name, but he’d been in here before.
She ceased scrubbing. “Good to see you, sir. What are you drinking this evening?”
“Oh, I’d say it’s well past evening,” he said, smiling at her. She smiled back, though he was right. Evening had faded into night, which was quickly turning into the wee hours of morning. She was weary and ready for her bed.
“Then something before you head home and to bed.”
“I’d like to go to bed,” he said. Violet took his meaning and ignored it.
“Ale? Or do you want something stronger?”
