Page 64 of The King and Vi


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“Garden parties,” he said, squeezing her. “Go back to sleep. It’s still early.”

“How can I sleep with you crowding me out of the bed?” She elbowed him. “You’re taking up all the space.”

“You were sleeping just fine until now. You seemed quite comfortable.”

“I was holding on to avoid falling off the edge.” She sat. “I had better go sleep in the other room. I don’t want Joshua or Georgie to find us together.” She stood and began to feel around for her shift.

“Why not?”

“I don’t want them to think you might stay.”

King didn’t think the idea of his staying was so far-fetched, but Violet certainly seemed against it. “Certainly, they don’t form that opinion every time you take a man to bed.” He couldn’t see her, but somehow, he could sense that he’d said the wrong thing. “I don’t mean to imply—”

“I’ve never brought a man to our flat. Not that there have been many men, but none has ever been inside my home or met the boys.”

“I’m the exception, then.”

“You’re the mistake. I don’t want the boys to become attached to you.” She opened the door to the flat, and King could see the light outside was gray, verging on morning.

He rose. “Would that be so awful? I haven’t run off yet, and I haven’t any plans to.”

“You’re telling me if your friend arrives with a hundred pounds and an offer to stay at his country estate, you will refuse?”

King considered. As slim as he thought the chances for regaining his title and property were, he would try if given the opportunity. A hundred pounds would go a long way to paying legal fees.

“That’s what I thought,” she said. Her gaze dropped, and he realized he was still naked.

“I’d take you and the boys with me. What better way to keep you safe from Ferryman?”

She snorted. “I’d come back to find my tavern burned to the ground and Ferryman waiting to abduct us all. I can’t run from my problems. Get dressed before Joshua finds us like this.”

King raised his brows. “I thought you might want to take advantage of me. Again.”

She gave him the ghost of a smile. He’d take it, considering her foul mood this morning.

“Maybe later,” she said, and disappeared behind the screen with the washbasin.

King closed the door to the closet and dressed, trying not to think about what Violet had said. With each passing day, he was less and less inclined to believe Henry would come to his rescue, but surely his friend wouldn’t abandon him altogether. There was also Rory. The letter King had written would reach him eventually. One of his friends would aid him, and when they did offer King an escape, would he really choose to stay?

He didn’t like to think of leaving Violet, but neither did he like to think of himself mopping floors the rest of his life.

Nights with Violet might make up for the drudgery of the daily cleaning, though. And he didn’t mind acting as publican. He rather liked bantering with the tavern’s patrons, who seemed unimpressed by his breeding after the first night of gawking at him.

But escaping Seven Dials wouldn’t help him escape from his problems. They’d just follow him wherever he went. He’d learned that lesson in school. It seemed no matter what he did to force his father’s attention, no matter how many schools expelled him, the Duke of Avebury didn’t love him. King had never made a formal decision to cease trying to force his father to notice him. He supposed, as he’d grown older, he’d just realized the effort wasn’t worth the trouble.

But Violet was worth the trouble, and if he were to be a disgraced marquess without property and exiled from Society, wouldn’t he rather be so with the lovely Violet Baker?

He heard the door open and Joshua call, “Hello.” Violet answered him and asked if he’d seen any signs Ferryman had been about. Ferryman was King’s immediate problem. His lost legacy would have to wait.

So he opened the door and told Joshua to fetch Georgie. The men had a task to complete.

*

Violet had noidea what King was up to with her brothers. He’d shooed her out of the flat and the tavern’s back room, and though she’d protested, she had enough to do in the front that she didn’t argue too strenuously. Truth be told, she was rather glad he was keeping the boys occupied. It meant she didn’t have to constantly think of jobs to keep them busy and out of trouble.

With the relative quiet in the tavern, she sat and studied her ledgers. Not paying Ferryman meant she had enough to replenish her supplies of beer and spirits. She might even be able to afford another table, and could send more money to Archie and his wife. She should go visit them, but she didn’t want to be out and about alone, with Ferryman presumably unhappy with her.

What was she to do about the arch rogue? King said to trust him and that he had a plan. She couldn’t think of a reason he wouldn’t tell her that plan unless he didn’t think she’d like it, but she’d deal with that when the time came. Right now she had him here to protect her, and she trusted that he wouldn’t leave until she and the boys were safe.