Wedded in Sin by Jade Lee Read Free Book Online

get it into her head that I’m not part of her circle of management.”
    Penny nodded, unsure how to take that comment. After all, the baroness did indeed seem to be a managing sort of woman. But on the other hand, she suspected that, as men went, Mr. Morrison could do with a little direction. He seemed to be a little—or perhaps a lot—out of step with the rest of the world. She could only be grateful that his current step was alongside hers. Assuming, of course, that he was able to help her. To that end, she turned to him.
    “Do you really think you can expose the solicitor as a fraud?”
    “Hmm? Oh, yes. That shall be easy. Proving that he had your parents murdered, now that will be a challenge!”
    Penny stumbled, the bluntness of his words cutting straight to her heart. They had been talking about this, of course, before his sister-in-law appeared. He had asked her about their murder, but her mind had been so preoccupied with losing the shop, with who exactly he was, with everything that had happened this day, that she had not comprehended his thoughts. The solicitor had her parents murdered? But…but…They had been killed by footpads or so the constable had told her. Could all of this be one piece? The idea was monstrous and it was more than she could handle at that moment.
    So she stumbled, jostling Tommy and stubbing her toe at the same time. Samuel caught her quickly. A hand beneath her elbow to steady her. And then when he looked at her face, he released a soft but heartfelt curse.
    “I wasn’t thinking,” he said by way of apology. “My mind, you know, it runs on. But you needn’t worry about any of it. We have a wager, you know, and I shall take care of it all. I swear.”
    “But how,” she whispered. How did one go about finding justice in this world? It simply wasn’t something she’d had any reason to expect.
    He flashed her a smile that was half shrug, half apology. “By being me, of course. I know I’m odd, Miss Shoemaker. But when I set my mind to something, I am rather excellent at it. I shall see things set to rights.”
    “Will you?” she asked, wondering not about his promise but his mouth, of all things. His lips were nicely formed and his teeth marvelously straight. In his whole face, his mouth was most appealing, though his eyes took a very close second. They were warm and honest as they looked at her. And she had the strangest desire to do more than look at him. He sensed it, too, for she saw his eyes darken and his nostrils flare. She was used to noticing when men found something attractive. It was usually the sign for her to disappear. But for the first time in years, she didn’t want to run. She wanted to learn more. And she wanted to touch and be touched in return.
    But that was a ridiculous thing to do with this odd gent. He wasn’t even all that physically attractive, though he did make her smile. He was too gangly, his clothing too shabby, and his hair really did need a comb. And most important, she needed him to help her, not be distracted into other thoughts.
    And yet, his mouth was right there and he was looking at her with a surprised kind of interest. As if he, too, had no intention of being attracted to her, and yet found himself suddenly interested.
    Then, thank heaven, they were saved. Tommy woke up and began to cry. The mood was broken and she had to readjust her hold on the child to comfort him. That meant that Mr. Morrison let go of her elbow and took a step back.
    All over. No more unwanted attraction. Everything sorted itself back to where it ought to be. Or so she told herself.
    Except that when she looked over Tommy’s shoulder at Mr. Morrison, she saw that indeed everything had changed. He was looking at her with alarm that he quickly tried to cover by staring blandly at a storefront window. Tommy had settled again, having found his thumb to soothe himself. While Penny was holding her breath, wondering if things were about to become very awkward indeed,