He frowned as they walked and even made a disgruntled sound before he spoke. “I should not speak ill of your parents, but I find their choices baffling. You say they care for you, and I believe you.”
“Yes, of course they did.”
“But your life has been created such that you cannot escape your illegitimacy. It is thrust in your face every day. You train and supervise the servants as a housekeeper, and yet you are family. You are reminded of your lack of status among the peerage, and yet you are forbidden to socialize with the lower orders. No wonder you and my sister get along so well. She cares so little for all of that.”
“I enjoy her company more than I can say.”
“I should think any time you can laugh among friends would be cherished.”
She was startled to realize how clearly he saw her life. Indeed before he had put words to her situation, she had not realized how much her every waking moment was defined by being a bastard. It was a depressing thought.
“My family loves me. I know they do. But I never forgot that I wasn’t a full person.”
He snorted. “Of course, you’re a full person. You think, you breathe.” He winked at her. “You enchant.”
She grinned at him. He said such things to her that made her warm throughout. Especially when he returned her regard. She should have been more attentive. One should never walk about London without being very aware of who is around you. But he was looking at her so sweetly that she forgot everything but him.
Then she felt him stiffen. She saw his jaw set and he started them walking again at a smart clip. She knew why as soon as she heard the feet behind them.
Robbers!
Lord Kittrel rushed her to a shop doorway and pressed her into the protected place of the door.
“Stay behind me,” he whispered, then he spun around to face their attackers.
Three men approached, boxing them all in. They were rough men with a rank smell and bad teeth. Two held knives, the third had fists the size of hams, and all three were grinning.
“Give us yer purse, gov.”
Her breath caught, fearing the disaster that would come if he didn’t give in. She’d heard tales of men begin gutted for less.
“Very well,” Lord Kittrel said as he reached inside his coat. “You may have my purse, just leave us alone.”
He tossed his purse into the dirt in front of them. It landed with a heavy clink of coins. Not as much as she would have expected, but the point was made. The brute on the left swooped down and scooped it up.
“Now go,” ordered his lordship.
The one who had grabbed it poured the contents into his palm. As she’d guessed, there wasn’t a great deal of money in it. A few pounds, nothing more.
“It ain’t enough!” the man grumbled. “Ye got more.”
“I don’t have any more for you. Now leave before this turns dangerous.”
For all that Lilah was trembling in fear, Lord Kittrel’s voice was laced with authority. He didn’t sound remotely frightened. More like a tolerant prince who was growing impatient.
“’E’s got a watch. Get ’is watch.”
“You will not get my watch,” he said, his voice cool. “Go.”
As he said the last word, Lord Kittrel twisted his cane. Out whipped a sword which he held up in the dim streetlight. The two men carrying knives seemed taken aback, but the one with the huge fists was not deterred.
“Rush ’im!” he cried, and he shoved his nearest compatriot forward before following on the opposite side. It was a cruel thing to do. The one he pushed forward could have been gutted on Lord Kittrel’s sword. But instead of stabbing the man through, his lordship dropped the tip of his blade to the side as he punched the man in the face. That left him vulnerable to the big one, but he turned faster than Lilah thought possible, blocked the attack before following with a fast uppercut.
Lilah wasn’t idle. Backed as she was in the doorway, she couldn’t help that much. But she gathered some stones from the ground and threw them as best she could at the third attacker. Plus, she screamed with loud purpose calling for the watch.
“Help! Help!”
She needn’t have bothered. Lord Kittrel laid out the big one with another fast blow. She saw the man’s head snap back before he toppled onto his arse. His head landed on the ground with sickening thud, and everything seemed to stop as all of them stared. Was he dead?