Read Online Bedford Street Brigade 01 - Where the Lady Belongs by Laura Landon - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Laura Landon
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enough. And yet their kisses spoke two different messages.
The desperation in Mack’s kisses told her how relieved he was that she was out of danger. How glad he was that Frederick Blake wasn’t a threat any longer.
The purpose of her kisses was to memorize the emotions that raged through her when they kissed. To store away for a lifetime the perfection of being held by him, kissed by him. Loved by him.
Because she knew how close she was to never having these memories again.
She kissed him with greater desperation. What happened today was a stark reminder of why she wasn’t suited to this kind of life. Why she couldn’t share the life Mack led. She wasn’t brave enough to take the risks she might have to take. She wasn’t fearless enough to live every day knowing Mack was taking risks that might get him killed. And she couldn’t expect Mack to give up a life he loved. A job that gave his life purpose.
Cora kissed him with greater desperation. Now she knew what it was like when your heart broke yet kept on beating. What it was like when the emotions required for hope and happiness died, yet you continued to live.
Mack had given her a glimpse of a life that could be full and overflowing with love, but she wasn’t brave enough to grab it. She knew she wouldn’t survive if it was stolen from her by a madman’s bullet.
She kissed him again as tears ran down her cheeks. She was left with only one choice.
Cora would have kissed him once more, but Mack lifted his mouth from hers when he realized she was crying.
“It’s all right, sweetheart. Everything’s over.”
She nodded.
“Let me take you upstairs. You need to rest, and I need to leave for a little while. Will you be all right until I return?”
“Yes.”
Mack helped her to her feet, then led her up the stairs. When they reached her room, he gave Elsie strict orders to make sure Cora rested, then kissed her lightly on the forehead, and left.
“Would you like some tea brought up?” Elsie asked when Mack was gone.
“No, I think I’ll just lie down for a while.”
“Very good, miss.”
Cora didn’t lie down when Elsie left the room but went to the desk and took out a sheet of paper. She needed to write Mack a letter.
It would be the hardest letter she’d ever written.
Chapter Eight
T alking to the authorities took hours longer than he thought it would. Then, talking to Sir George Grey took even more time. It was late, and he was tired and frustrated, and his ribs ached. All he wanted to do was go home and hold Cora and tell her everything would be all right.
She was scared and needed him to convince her that his life wasn’t always like this. That if she married him, she would never have to go through anything as terrifying again.
He knew she had doubts. Who wouldn’t? But he needed her to get them out into the open so that they could talk about them. So he could minimize the dangers and tell her about all the days that would be normal. Peaceful. Wonderful.
And he needed to convince her that his love for her was enough. That the love they shared would make any danger seem insignificant by comparison.
The ride home seemed to take forever, but he used the time to make a mental note of everything he wanted to tell her. He listed every point he wanted to make to convince her that they were perfect for each other and their lives would be perfect. They just had to get this behind them so that they could face the future.
His hansom cab finally pulled up in front of his home. He paid the driver and raced up the steps. Harper opened the door before he reached for the knob.
Mack handed Harper his hat and gloves. “Good evening, Harper. Has Miss Lane eaten already?”
“I’m glad you’re home, sir.”
Mack stopped to look at the expression on Harper’s face. “Is there a problem?”
The first wave of unease washed over him. He looked to the top of the stairs, knowing that any trouble concerned Cora. He turned to the stairs, but
The desperation in Mack’s kisses told her how relieved he was that she was out of danger. How glad he was that Frederick Blake wasn’t a threat any longer.
The purpose of her kisses was to memorize the emotions that raged through her when they kissed. To store away for a lifetime the perfection of being held by him, kissed by him. Loved by him.
Because she knew how close she was to never having these memories again.
She kissed him with greater desperation. What happened today was a stark reminder of why she wasn’t suited to this kind of life. Why she couldn’t share the life Mack led. She wasn’t brave enough to take the risks she might have to take. She wasn’t fearless enough to live every day knowing Mack was taking risks that might get him killed. And she couldn’t expect Mack to give up a life he loved. A job that gave his life purpose.
Cora kissed him with greater desperation. Now she knew what it was like when your heart broke yet kept on beating. What it was like when the emotions required for hope and happiness died, yet you continued to live.
Mack had given her a glimpse of a life that could be full and overflowing with love, but she wasn’t brave enough to grab it. She knew she wouldn’t survive if it was stolen from her by a madman’s bullet.
She kissed him again as tears ran down her cheeks. She was left with only one choice.
Cora would have kissed him once more, but Mack lifted his mouth from hers when he realized she was crying.
“It’s all right, sweetheart. Everything’s over.”
She nodded.
“Let me take you upstairs. You need to rest, and I need to leave for a little while. Will you be all right until I return?”
“Yes.”
Mack helped her to her feet, then led her up the stairs. When they reached her room, he gave Elsie strict orders to make sure Cora rested, then kissed her lightly on the forehead, and left.
“Would you like some tea brought up?” Elsie asked when Mack was gone.
“No, I think I’ll just lie down for a while.”
“Very good, miss.”
Cora didn’t lie down when Elsie left the room but went to the desk and took out a sheet of paper. She needed to write Mack a letter.
It would be the hardest letter she’d ever written.
Chapter Eight
T alking to the authorities took hours longer than he thought it would. Then, talking to Sir George Grey took even more time. It was late, and he was tired and frustrated, and his ribs ached. All he wanted to do was go home and hold Cora and tell her everything would be all right.
She was scared and needed him to convince her that his life wasn’t always like this. That if she married him, she would never have to go through anything as terrifying again.
He knew she had doubts. Who wouldn’t? But he needed her to get them out into the open so that they could talk about them. So he could minimize the dangers and tell her about all the days that would be normal. Peaceful. Wonderful.
And he needed to convince her that his love for her was enough. That the love they shared would make any danger seem insignificant by comparison.
The ride home seemed to take forever, but he used the time to make a mental note of everything he wanted to tell her. He listed every point he wanted to make to convince her that they were perfect for each other and their lives would be perfect. They just had to get this behind them so that they could face the future.
His hansom cab finally pulled up in front of his home. He paid the driver and raced up the steps. Harper opened the door before he reached for the knob.
Mack handed Harper his hat and gloves. “Good evening, Harper. Has Miss Lane eaten already?”
“I’m glad you’re home, sir.”
Mack stopped to look at the expression on Harper’s face. “Is there a problem?”
The first wave of unease washed over him. He looked to the top of the stairs, knowing that any trouble concerned Cora. He turned to the stairs, but
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