Wedded in Sin (19 page)

How could he have been expected to find anything? And now because of that, his entire plan for the day had been wrecked. It had been a simple plan. He knew Cordwain would try to catch Penny before she was fully awake. Indeed, Samuel had counted on just that possibility, waiting an interminable amount of time in the alleyway outside the former Shoemaker shop.

Once Cordwain and his thick-necked nephew went to terrorize the ladies, Samuel had picked the lock and entered the establishment looking for Penny’s family Bible. A quick search of the house would give him the proof he needed to establish the will false, and then he’d rush back to Penny’s side in time to see that Cordwain did not get out of hand.

Except, of course, he had
not
found the Bible. He had found a bloody mess. In fairness to the Shoemakers, it appeared that Cordwain had rampaged through the entire house looking for the likes, but still. A book ought to be on a shelf with other books. Except the shelves which still contained their items were filled with clothing and toys. And the ones that had been spilled about the floor had held crockery. As if Cordwain had expected the missing likes to be in the kitchen!

The illogic of it all gave him a pounding headache. He’d searched as long as he could, but in the end, he’d had to cry defeat. He might have pushed it a bit longer, but he’d had a nagging pressure in his thoughts regarding Penny’s safety.

What if the constable had been late? What if the man hadn’t been able to contain Cordwain and Jobby? What if Penny took it into her head to attack when she ought to allow the men to handle the potentially violent bastard? Or much more likely, what if her temper got the best of her? She’d strike out when she ought to stand back. And in the ensuing melee, who knew what could happen or who might get hurt?

It was the pressure of those questions that had him leaving the Shoemaker residence without the Bible. And when he would usually walk to the dress shop, pretending to merely be out on a morning’s stroll, he had increased his speed until he was running full tilt. He only eased up his pace for a half breath when he saw the constable speaking calmly to Penny and Mrs. Appleton. There was no crowd, nothing untoward at all unless he counted the broom leaning oddly against the outside of the building.

Penny was standing in the doorway, Mrs. Appleton and Tommy a step behind. They were safe. Everyone looked safe. He exhaled in relief until he noticed that the constable was taking a deuced long time talking to the women. A deuced long time.

Bloody hell. The constable was no fool and he had a way about him. He had a discerning eye and a surprisingly logical mind. Who knew what he could be saying to Penny and what she might be induced to say in return?

He’d barely eased up his pace when he leaned forward and ran again. He knew the very moment she saw him. She was looking up to call to the constable, who had just started to turn away. Then her eyes narrowed and her body jolted. At least that was what he thought happened. It was hard to tell given how much his vision was jumping around from his run.

Then she took a step forward, her mouth open on a soft cry. Their eyes locked and everything about her seemed to soften. Her shoulders eased down, her chest shifted as she inhaled, and best of all, her mouth curved into a soft smile. He would remember that look for the rest of his days. It was a smile of relief and of welcome. And he hadn’t seen its like since he was a boy and hours late coming home. But a smile from his mother was nothing compared to this from Penny. Without even realizing it, he closed the distance between them. She’d barely stepped a few feet outside of the doorway when he skidded to a stop before her.

Then they just looked at each other. He would usually have reached for his words. Wasn’t his mind sputtering a mile a minute? And yet nothing found its way to his lips. He just stood there staring at her as he struggled to calm his racing heart.

“You missed everything,” she breathed.

“I couldn’t find the Bible. I looked and looked. Whole place was a bloody mess.”

“It was awful. I was so afraid.”

“I’m so sorry.”

And then nothing. Just a long pause as they stared at each other and his heart thundered in his ears. Then she frowned.

“You went looking for the Bible?”

“Did he hurt you?”

“No.”

“Good. That’s good. I had it planned, but I couldn’t find it.”

“I was thinking about that this morning. I think I know where it is. And then there was the banging again. And you weren’t here this time.”

“I’m so sorry. Tell me where. I’ll go again.”

“The constable was here. Everything’s fine. Thank you for sending him.”

Again they both lapsed into silence. He was staring at her, cataloging the shadows under her eyes, the places where the sun caressed her skin and where her mouth had tightened in fear. Or anger. With her, it was usually anger.

He was reaching out to touch the crease by her mouth, soft now but ready to pull deep at a moment’s notice. His hand was halfway to her face when he heard a snort from beside them. Both of them jolted, and then Samuel cursed himself for being so unobservant. How had he missed that the constable had sauntered up to stand right beside them?

“Yes, miss,” the man said with a chuckle in his voice. “I can see that he’s just helping you through this rough spot. Not a thing more to it, is there?”

Across from him, Penny blinked and flushed a dark red. Samuel reacted more to that than anything else as he stepped forward.

“What happened here, Constable? Are the ladies all right?”

“What happened is just what you said would happen, and I thank you for the tip.” Then he glanced significantly at Penny. “But Cordwain’s an angry bear of a man. I doubt the ladies will be safe until he gets what he wants.”

Behind him Penny drew breath to object, but both men raised their hands to stop her, each speaking over the other.

“I’ll see it gets set right. I swear it,” Samuel said.

“You think on what I said, Miss Shoemaker,” said the constable. “Most things ain’t worth a body’s life.”

Samuel eyed him sharply. “You think he’s that violent?”

The constable grimaced. “Not usually. Not in a thinking kind of way.”

Samuel nodded, agreeing completely. Cordwain was not the kind of man who thought through his passions. But catch him at a bad moment, and there would be lethal rage. “I’ll watch out for the ladies as well,” he said.

The constable grinned. “Thought you might.” Then with a tip of his hat, he sauntered on his way. Samuel and Penny watched the man walk on, his step not exactly jaunty, but not that heavy either.

“I believe I like that man,” Samuel said, surprised by his own words. There weren’t many people who impressed him. Fewer still that he actually liked. The constable met both categories, and that was quite the surprise.

Beside him, Penny murmured her agreement. Her words were almost too soft to catch, but he heard them. “He’s a kind man. I didn’t like lying to him.”

He processed immediately how she felt and exactly what she had lied about. He knew he should say something soothing. Perhaps promise again to fix everything, though he was beginning to fear that he couldn’t. But before he could speak, she lifted her chin.

“I will not tell you where the Bible is. First of all, you couldn’t find it, even if I were very precise.”

“If you were exactly precise, I wouldn’t fail to find it.”

“And you’re not leaving me again. Not with that bastard banging on my door two mornings in a row.”

What she said wasn’t logical, but the sentiment was plain as day on her face. She’d been frightened this morning, and when Penny got frightened, she usually responded with fury.

“Did you get him with the broom?”

She blinked, then flashed him a quick grin. “Square right on his sewing arm. He’ll remember that whack with every stitch he pulls for the next three weeks.”

He nodded slowly, enjoying her satisfaction at the blow but not liking that Cordwain would be thinking of her at all.

“He didn’t bother Tommy, did he?”

“You’re not distracting me, Samuel. I’ll go with you tonight after the shop’s closed. I was born in that house. I know where all the hiding spaces are and all the noisy boards.”

“Absolutely not!”

“Then I’ll be going without you. That’s my Bible and my home. I’m getting it tonight.” She paused. “Though it would be a damned sight easier with you picking the lock.”

Samuel grimaced, his belly tightening with an unwelcome and unaccustomed fear. But in the end, he had to surrender to the inevitable. He knew her words were no idle threat. It would be illogical to argue with her when he knew she would do it no matter what he said.

“Very well,” he said. “But you will do exactly as I say, when I say it.”

She snorted. “I’ll do nothing of the sort and you know it.”

He sighed. That, too, was exactly logical.

She was ready the moment Tommy fell asleep, but she
knew Samuel wouldn’t arrive for another hour yet. He had tried for a good ten minutes to convince her to wait another day. Probably so he could sneak in and try to find the Bible on his own again. She had adamantly refused. So with a huff, he’d said he’d come by at eleven o’clock precisely. Late enough, he hoped, for Cordwain to have given up work for the night. Cobblers as a rule tended to work when they were able, night or day, but daylight helped enormously.

Meanwhile, he went off to try and track down the other “witnesses.” He expected it would be a fruitless waste of time, but he felt certain aspects needed to be investigated simply for thoroughness. In the meantime, Penny went about her day as usual, stopping now only to put Tommy to bed and then…

Then pace about the shop wondering what to do for the next hour. She tried to work but her mind wouldn’t focus on the task. So when there was a discreet tap on the back door, she opened it without thinking. Samuel stood there looking anxious, his hair curling every which way and his eyes darting left and right. Except for when they riveted on her.

“Good God, Penny. Don’t just open the door to anyone! At least ask who it is first.”

She grimaced, knowing he was right. “Um, who is it?”

He glared at her. “Not now! It’s to be sure—” He cut off his words at her nervous giggle. “Ah. You were teasing me.”

She smiled, her hands twisting in her skirt. “I’m sorry. I seem to be a bit nervous.”

His expression relaxed as he exhaled in obvious relief. “No, no, that is an excellent thing,” he said as he shut the door behind him. “Breaking in is a dangerous business, even if you are breaking into your own home. I am glad that you are thinking better of—”

She pressed her hand to his mouth. “I am going.”

He grimaced and spoke beneath her fingertips. “Truly, I can accomplish this on my own.”

She shivered. Not because of his words, but because the feel of his mouth moving beneath her fingers was unexpectedly erotic. A tingle centered in her palm, but she felt an answering tremble throughout her body. Without her willing it, she let her hand slide across his face to smooth the nearest wild coil of his hair.

“I am sure you could, but I am going nevertheless. I have decided that there are a few more things I wish to get other than my Bible.”

He frowned down at her, then released his breath in a huff. “Do you know I used to believe that knowing a smart woman would be a godsend?” He stepped forward, neatly pressing her backward until her bottom hit the worktable. “Turns out intelligence only makes her more stubborn and prone to taking ridiculous chances.”

Penny bit her lip, her heartbeat thumping faster. “So you think I am intelligent?”

“And stubborn and taking a ridiculous risk.” He pushed himself closer, his legs trapping hers, his torso close enough to touch. Which she did. She pressed her hands to his chest and held him still. Or rather he stilled. As strong as she was, he could still overpower her if he chose.

Meanwhile, she lifted her chin. “It is my home, my risk to take. If I knew how to pick a lock, I would have gone already without you.”

His hands hit the table on either side of her, caging her between his arms while his upper body pushed forward, forcing her to arch backward. Soon he was all but lying on top of her.

“You will
not
go alone,” he stated loudly.

“I already did. I walked by this afternoon. I have a key to my own home,” she said. “But Cordwain has already changed the lock. Probably did it the very first day.” She grimaced as a surge of anger heated her blood. “But I don’t think he is living there. Just working at the shop. If you can pick the lock, then we should be very safe.”

He pressed his head against her forehead. The gesture was unexpectedly defeated and his next words confirmed it. “I do not understand this, Penny. I am a man who sees the truth in everything. But this”—he closed his eyes—“this I do not understand.”

“What?” she whispered.

He pulled back just enough to look into her eyes. He opened his mouth to speak, but no words came out. Then his expression flickered to desperation, almost despair. Still there were no words.

She was about to say something. His name if nothing else. But she got no further than to draw breath because, at that moment, his mouth was on hers. His tongue was pressing inside. And his groin was thick and hot against her pelvis.

Oh!
She didn’t speak the word aloud. It was more a word felt through her entire body.
Oh, yes. Oh, please. Oh, more.

His kiss was deep and heady. He thrust inside as if to stake a claim there. She felt his hands leave the table to grip her hips, steadying her as he ground against her. She had no thought to what he meant by that. Only that she enjoyed the pressure, and she raised her right leg to wrap it around him as much as her skirt would allow. He groaned as she did that, and his kiss deepened in frenzy. In and out he thrust into her mouth.

She played back as best she could, but this was not a game to him. That was what that flash of despair had been before his kiss. The knowledge came as a kind of whisper into her body as she stroked his arms and soothed his back. This was not a game—
she
was not a game to him—and that frightened him as much as it startled her.