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She takes in orphans. She appears pleasant enough.”
    Anthony turned and stared at his mother for a long moment. There was an odd tone to her voice as if she wasn’t telling him everything. But what more could she know about Victoria? That was the impression Victoria gave to the world. The quiet mouse who brought orphans into her house to save them from a life of crime. He wondered if anyone, save him, knew she was really a thief.
    “My mind wonders what you know of her…and why.” His mother rose and crossed her arms over her chest. “Miss Seaton is not a woman for the likes of you.”
    Anthony blinked. “The likes of me? Your son.”
    “Exactly. A man who uses women for his pleasure—”
    “And their pleasure, too.”
    She continued as if she hadn’t heard him, “A man who has just decided that respectability is important. A man who has no real desire for marriage. A man who doesn’t seem to even respect women.”
    “Now, I really must protest that last statement. I fully respect women,” he said solemnly.
    “No, you do not. They are nothing but playthings to you. And I will not stand for you treating Miss Seaton poorly.” She sounded like a protective mother lioness. “Besides, Miss Seaton will not correct your position in Society. You need the daughter of a peer.”
    “You have nothing to worry about, Mother. I have no intention of treating Miss Seaton with anything but respect.” And with their history, he could never do more than give her a kiss. Touching her in any other manner was out of the question. She must hate him for what he’d done to her.
    “You had best not, Anthony. That young woman is a sweet, innocent lady.”
    Anthony smothered a laugh. He wondered how his mother would feel about the sweet, innocent lady if she knew Victoria had stolen her daughter’s necklace.
     

    “Victoria, she’s here,” Maggie said from the threshold of Victoria’s small office.
    “Are the children all upstairs?” Victoria asked as she placed her quill in its holder.
    “Yes.”
    “Very well, then.” Victoria straightened her hair. “Send her in.”
    She took a sip of her tepid tea and swallowed down her trepidation. Listening to the soft footfalls, her nerves tightened and her stomach clenched.
    “Good afternoon, Victoria.”
    “Good afternoon, Lady Whitely. Shall we sit at the sofa?” God, she hated the way her voice quivered whenever she talked to the woman.
    “Yes.” Lady Whitely moved gracefully toward the worn sofa. After sitting, she patted the cushion next to her. “Join me.”
    Victoria stood and slowly walked to the sofa. This woman could take everything away from her if she desired it. But not for long. Once she made it through next week, she would have enough money that Lady Whitely could do nothing to her. Somerton’s money would give her the safety and security she’d been searching for all her life.
    “Sit,” she ordered.
    Victoria promptly sat on the sofa. She folded her trembling hands together on her lap.
    “How do you know Lord Somerton?” Lady Whitely asked directly.
    Victoria frowned. Ten years ago, she had admitted to Lady Whitely that she had given her innocence to a man. But she had never told Lady Whitely the man’s name so why was she questioning her about him? Could she have seen them shopping?
    “I met him a few days ago at Lady Selby’s party. It was the first time I had met him, though he is friends with Lord Selby.”
    “Damn him.” Lady Whitely stared at Victoria. “You need to stay away from him.”
    “Why?” she asked in an innocent tone.
    “The man is a hardened rake. He will use you more so than any other man.” Lady Whitely looked away. “And do not think for a moment that he will ask for your hand in marriage. He wants nothing to do with that. He has no respect for women.”
    “Of course,” Victoria murmured demurely. Just the interactions she had with him the past two days had shown her how much he’d changed in ten years.
    Lady