Read Online Damon Snow and the Nocturnal Lessons by Olivia Helling - Free Book Online
Authors: Olivia Helling
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and…”
“Shut it,” I said. Before he started crying. I knew crying was supposed to be considered manful among the nobility, with the Prince of Wales bursting out at the least provocation, but I wasn’t noble. “I have a plan.” I needed to formulate one quickly. “We’ll pool our coin together and rent a room for the night, where you and Price can—”
“Can what?” Kendall demanded. “Why would he even go?”
“Because.” My lips still refused to form the words, because he loves you too. “Do not worry over yourself about quibbling details like that. It’s my plan. It will work.”
“Quibbling?” Kendall said. “Tell me one good reason why I — I shouldn’t throw me fist at ye!”
“Because I could break your nose faster,” I said. “But never mind that. You should be thanking me for this opportunity—”
“This opportunity for me to say it again, to watch him stare at me in amusement… again? Is that what I should thank you for?”
“He won’t stare,” I said.
“No, he’ll burst out laughing this time for sure,” Kendall said. “You and Rogers were right. It’s not possible for a gentleman to love a molly!”
Where usually cruel words just bubbled out of my mouth, I suddenly had nothing. If I had been in his shoes, I would have known he was right. Blast, I still thought he was right, but we spoke of Kendall, not I. If it were possible for anyone…
“I didn’t know you could be so cruel,” Kendall said. “I thought — I thought you were nicer, at least nicer than my pimp who left me bloody and bruised in the gutter. And then — then do ye know what happened? Price drove by me in a hansom, on his way here, and unlike every other bloody flat that drove by, he actually saw me. Really saw me, laying in the gutter. And you know what he did?”
I kept my mouth closed. What I thought he did wouldn’t help matters.
“He ordered the hansom to stop. I heard him offer the driver extra coin just to stop so close to the rookery. He sent the driver to fetch a surgeon,” he said. “He gave me a taste of his brandy. And then he paid for the surgeon.”
Price sounded like a real hero. Except he could have easily been the one to put Kendall in the gutter. That’s what all men were capable of.
“So I followed him all that I could. I saw that he visited Mother Dover’s, so I came here, I came here to be closer to him. And then do you know what happened?”
“You said… You said that you loved him.”
“And he just stood there!” Kendall said. “As if he was deciding whether I had said something mildly amusing or something that he should beat me for to just to make sure I didn’t develop airs.”
“So of course you would avoid him,” I said.
“I didn’t avoid him,” Kendall protested.
“Then why did you turn him away before?” I asked. His quivering had made it seem as if Price really had been the one who had beaten him to a bloody pulp.
“So he didn’t have to put up with me,” Kendall said. “What bloke wants some little whore hanging onto him thinking he’s in love? What bloke? I’m only a bloody embarrassment to him.”
That’s not how Price thought of it. From our encounter earlier, Price was likely to feel embarrassed no matter what. “What is the worst thing that will happen?” I asked.
Kendall stopped, and gaped at me.
“You’re rejected now,” I said. “Supposedly. What worse can he do?”
“Haven’t I driven it through your thick head by now?”
Before I could give him a proper response with my fist, the servant’s door cracked against the wall, flooding the courtyard with light. Benjamin leaned out, hotter than a poker that’s just been in the fire. “You had better not be thinking you’ll get to sleep inside tonight,” Benjamin said.
Kendall ran to him. “I’m ready to work.”
“Not with those eyes,” Benjamin said. “Go fix them.”
“Yes, sir,” Kendall said before disappearing inside.
Benjamin glared at me now.
“Shut it,” I said. Before he started crying. I knew crying was supposed to be considered manful among the nobility, with the Prince of Wales bursting out at the least provocation, but I wasn’t noble. “I have a plan.” I needed to formulate one quickly. “We’ll pool our coin together and rent a room for the night, where you and Price can—”
“Can what?” Kendall demanded. “Why would he even go?”
“Because.” My lips still refused to form the words, because he loves you too. “Do not worry over yourself about quibbling details like that. It’s my plan. It will work.”
“Quibbling?” Kendall said. “Tell me one good reason why I — I shouldn’t throw me fist at ye!”
“Because I could break your nose faster,” I said. “But never mind that. You should be thanking me for this opportunity—”
“This opportunity for me to say it again, to watch him stare at me in amusement… again? Is that what I should thank you for?”
“He won’t stare,” I said.
“No, he’ll burst out laughing this time for sure,” Kendall said. “You and Rogers were right. It’s not possible for a gentleman to love a molly!”
Where usually cruel words just bubbled out of my mouth, I suddenly had nothing. If I had been in his shoes, I would have known he was right. Blast, I still thought he was right, but we spoke of Kendall, not I. If it were possible for anyone…
“I didn’t know you could be so cruel,” Kendall said. “I thought — I thought you were nicer, at least nicer than my pimp who left me bloody and bruised in the gutter. And then — then do ye know what happened? Price drove by me in a hansom, on his way here, and unlike every other bloody flat that drove by, he actually saw me. Really saw me, laying in the gutter. And you know what he did?”
I kept my mouth closed. What I thought he did wouldn’t help matters.
“He ordered the hansom to stop. I heard him offer the driver extra coin just to stop so close to the rookery. He sent the driver to fetch a surgeon,” he said. “He gave me a taste of his brandy. And then he paid for the surgeon.”
Price sounded like a real hero. Except he could have easily been the one to put Kendall in the gutter. That’s what all men were capable of.
“So I followed him all that I could. I saw that he visited Mother Dover’s, so I came here, I came here to be closer to him. And then do you know what happened?”
“You said… You said that you loved him.”
“And he just stood there!” Kendall said. “As if he was deciding whether I had said something mildly amusing or something that he should beat me for to just to make sure I didn’t develop airs.”
“So of course you would avoid him,” I said.
“I didn’t avoid him,” Kendall protested.
“Then why did you turn him away before?” I asked. His quivering had made it seem as if Price really had been the one who had beaten him to a bloody pulp.
“So he didn’t have to put up with me,” Kendall said. “What bloke wants some little whore hanging onto him thinking he’s in love? What bloke? I’m only a bloody embarrassment to him.”
That’s not how Price thought of it. From our encounter earlier, Price was likely to feel embarrassed no matter what. “What is the worst thing that will happen?” I asked.
Kendall stopped, and gaped at me.
“You’re rejected now,” I said. “Supposedly. What worse can he do?”
“Haven’t I driven it through your thick head by now?”
Before I could give him a proper response with my fist, the servant’s door cracked against the wall, flooding the courtyard with light. Benjamin leaned out, hotter than a poker that’s just been in the fire. “You had better not be thinking you’ll get to sleep inside tonight,” Benjamin said.
Kendall ran to him. “I’m ready to work.”
“Not with those eyes,” Benjamin said. “Go fix them.”
“Yes, sir,” Kendall said before disappearing inside.
Benjamin glared at me now.
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