“Peggy.” Violet felt her throat close as she fought back tears. This was her fault. She’d known people would be hurt if she challenged Ferryman. She just didn’t realize it would be innocents like Peggy. “I’m so sorry,” she managed to say.
“What are you sorry for?” Peggy asked, showing a little spirit. “You aren’t the one who did this.”
“It’s my fault. If I had paid Ferryman—”
Peggy put her hand on Violet’s arm. “Then he would have come at you another way. I’ll be fine. This was just a warning.I worry what he has in mind for you and the boys.” She cut her eyes at Georgie, who sat close to her, patting her other arm.
Violet worried about that too. King and Joshua had been gone hours now, and it took all her strength not to give in to panic at the thoughts that crossed her mind. She pictured Joshua dead, King bruised and bloody, the two of them dumped into the river by Ferryman’s gang. Why had she ever let them leave? She should have never allowed Joshua to go. King could do as he liked. If he got himself killed, that was his fault.
But she was only lying to herself. She was as scared for King as she was for Joshua. This was why she should never have allowed him to stay. It was bad enough she worried for Georgie and Joshua. Now she had another male to worry about, care about, fear losing.
Violet didn’t think she could handle losing another person she loved.
Not that she loved King—not yet. But give him a few more days and he would wheedle himself into her heart. He’d inserted himself into every other part of her life.
“Vi, when will Joshua and Pa be back?” Georgie asked.
“I don’t know,” she answered for what felt like the thousandth time. “Soon, I hope.”
Never,she thought, but she couldn’t say that to Georgie. She had to be hopeful until she had a reason to despair.
Suddenly there was a crash at the back door, and she jumped. Peggy shrank into her bedding. “It’s Ferryman,” she said in a small voice.
“Violet! Open the door.”
“No, it’s King!” Violet said, and ran to the back door. She lifted the wooden bar and pushed the door open. Joshua, Lizzie, and then King spilled inside. Violet hugged Joshua hard. When he stepped back, King pulled her into his arms. Violet thought about hitting him. She was sorely tempted to punch him in thegut for making her worry so much, but his warmth and scent enveloped her, and her resolve weakened. He picked her up off her feet, hugging her hard.
“Is everything all right here?” he asked, setting her down.
“Fine. We’ve been worried sick about you.”
“Peggy!” Joshua cried.
“I’m fine,” Peggy said weakly. “Vi has me all fixed up.”
“We need to bring her back to her mother,” Violet said. “Mrs. Greene will have herbs and salves that will help her heal.”
“Now might not be the best time for that.” King released Violet, and she was appalled that she had the urge to go right back into his arms. What was wrong with her? “Ferryman and his goons are right behind us,” King said. “Georgie and Joshua, positions.”
Georgie jumped up, and Joshua saluted. “Yes, sir!” they said in unison.
Violet would have laughed if she hadn’t been terrified. She pushed past King and closed the back door, lowering the bar over it. Meanwhile, Georgie and Joshua, followed by King, raced up the stairs to the flat. Lizzie followed. After checking on Peggy one last time, Violet went after them.
The men were scrambling about the flat. Georgie moved buckets to the windows. Joshua put two pots on the stove as King stoked it and loaded the last of their coal inside.
“Are you planning to cook him a meal?” Violet asked.
“Something like that,” King said with a wink. “See anything yet, Lizzie?” he asked the girl, who was looking out the window.
“Not yet. But I know ’e’s coming for ye. I ’eard ’im talking about ’is plans last night.”
“What did he say?” Violet demanded.
“’E was goin’ to wait until ye were all abed tonight then set the place on fire. Once ’e smoked ye out, ’e’d kill the man”—she pointed at King—“and take ye three.”
“Might have worked if he’d tried it last night,” King said. “But now he’s angry and not thinking straight. He doesn’t have the patience to wait and strike when we’re not expecting it. Idiot plans to attack us in broad daylight.”
“You sound as though you’re happy about that,” Violet said, moving behind Lizzie to search the street below.
