“Richards.” Relieved that the fellow was still in Lord Wiltsham’s servants’ quarters, and had not yet returned to the East End, Gideon sat down quickly in a chair near the man. “You are to make your way back to the East End, I hear. Is that where you reside?”
“That is where my home is, yes.” Richards coughed, rubbing one side of his chest with his hand. His ribs had been badly bruised, if not broken, from the attack which he had endured, and it had taken some time for him to feel able to even rise from his bed. Now, however, it appeared that he was quite desperate to return home. “Why?”
To Gideon’s eyes, he appeared uneasy, shifting from foot to foot before folding his arms across his chest.
“I have something I must ask you. I swear to you, nothing untoward will occur.”
“You cannot make a promise like that, my Lord.” Richards spoke gruffly, his eyes darting towards the door, as though he wished to escape at that very moment. Gideon rose, and moved about the room for a moment, as Richards continued to speak. “I was a fool to speak like I did. I don’t want that to happen to me again although I’m grateful for what you’ve done in looking after me.”
“I understand that – but I believe I already know the name of the perpetrator. It is only that I wish you to confirm it, if you can.” Shrugging, he sat back in his chair, attempting to maintain an easy demeanor. “Mayhap you have heard the name mayhap you have not. All I wish to know is whether or not you have ever heard it spoken.”
Gideon knew all too well that Richards could easily tell him a lie. The man had endured enough of a fright to potentially push him away from ever telling the truth again, but this was a chance Gideon had to take. He could not approach Lord Coatbridge with only Lady Sara’s thought that it was he, and no other evidence.
“Tell me, my Lord, and I’ll answer in gratitude for what you’ve done for me.” Richards cleared his throat, lifted his chin, and fixed Gideon with a gaze that spoke of honesty.
Gideon did not waste a moment.
“Coatbridge.” Searching the man’s expression, Gideon repeated himself. “Have you ever heard of the name Lord Coatbridge?”
Richards blinked rapidly but did not immediately answer. Disappointment began to rise like a wave within his chest, threatening to douse all hope, only for Richards to then nod slowly.
A fire lit.
“Yes. Coatbridge. I think Ihaveheard the name.”
Gideon’s blood burned as if a bolt of lightning had struck him. The man might be mistaken, but it was something of an unusual name and surely not one that he would have been likely to hear anywhere else.
“You are sure that you have heard it?”
Richards paused, then nodded again, a good deal more firmly this time.
“I think I remember hearing it spoken by the owner - the man behind the counter. It was only once or twice, and I am sure that I wasn’t meant to overhear it, but yes, Coatbridge is a name I’ve heard before.” Gideon’s heart was pounding furiously and his mind buzzing with a noise that did not seem to diminish no matter what time passed, and he fought to know how to respond. He stared at Richards as the man merely looked back at him. “You promised I won’t get hurt again, telling you this.” Richards scowled and rubbed at his chin. “Not that I am afraid of them. It’s not a fair fight if there’s more of them and hardly any of me, though.”
Gideon blinked.
“You mean to say that more than one person attacked you?”
Thus far, Richards had not spoken of his attack, and it was only now that he nodded.
“Not that I like to admit it, but yes, there were at least three. No doubt servants of those men who come to our gambling den. They’ve got more than a few listening ears in that place, I’ll warrant. Probably wanted to make sure I won’t say anything again.”
And it looks like it’s worked. Gideon did not say this aloud, unwilling to injure the man further or dent his ego.
“I will be sure to make certain that this man doesn’t come back to your gambling den again - and that he takes his hired men with him.”
Gideon made the promise without a firm idea as yet as to how he was to go about it, but determined nonetheless to do it.
“Thank you.”
Richards cleared his throat again and turned his head away.
“You will have to stay quiet for the next few days, however,” Gideon added, as Richards scowled. “I cannot promise that it will be immediate, but within the next sennight, I am determined that the danger will certainly have passed for you.” I
Richards rubbed at his chin again.
“Could I…?”
“You may stay here for as long as you wish,” Gideon replied, aware of the man’s question before it had even been asked. “There is always a place for you here. I have employment for you also, if you wish it.”
