Read Online The Peacock Throne by Lisa Karon Richardson - Free Book Online

and Fenn’s figure filled the doorframe.
    â€œOi! Who’s there?” Menace charged Fenn’s voice.
    Adopting a frantic manner was fairly effortless under the circumstances.
    â€œFenn,” Lydia cried, running to him.
    â€œYou!” His tone held a mixture of surprise and suspicion.
    â€œOh, Fenn, it was awful.” She began to cry, her turbulent emotions easy to convey.
    â€œQuit yer blubberin’.” He came in and lit the lamp. “Where’ve you been all this time, runt? Come back to rob the place for real?”
    â€œThe man, the one who was here, he took me away.” Her voice faltered and she allowed another small sob to escape. “It was horrible.”
    â€œWhy’d he want t’ do that for?”
    She lowered her voice to a dramatic whisper, though the quake of fear it held was real enough. “He’s a swell. His friends—well, they’re depraved.”
    Flabbergasted, Fenn did not respond for a long moment. “That gent stole you away? I knew he weren’t no good the minute I clapped eyes on him.”
    â€œI escaped and came here straight away.”
    â€œHow’d you get in?” The edge of suspicion crept back into his voice.
    â€œFenn, you know you often forget to lock the door.” Lydia bit her lip. He might easily remember locking it when he left.
    She needn’t have feared. He grimaced and she could practically see the wheels of his mind grind into sluggish movement as he prepared to justify his lapse. She forestalled him by her next comment. “I don’t think they’ve figured out I’m gone yet. You needn’t worry that anyone followed me here.”
    Fenn blinked, the grim pronouncement obviously striking him with aspects of the case that had heretofore escaped his notice. The blood drained from his face. She could almost feel sorry for him. Almost.
    â€œYou’ll have the whole blinkin’ lot swarming about the place.What were you thinking to come back here, you little fool?” He cuffed her on the side of the head.
    â€œFenn, you’re not going to throw me out in the street, are you? Please, you don’t know what they’ll do to me if they find me.” She clasped her hands together in front of her in supplication, and took another small side step. She had slowly repositioned them so Fenn had his back to the cellar door.
    Fenn seemed intrigued by her remark. He scratched his head and a gleam of malicious interest flared deep in his eyes. “What’ll they do if they find you?”
    She covered her face with her hands and began to sniffle. “It’s too dreadful.” Through her fingers she saw Lord Danbury peek around the corner of the cellar door. With a furtive wave of her hand she motioned for him to sneak out the back. Pulling Fenn down, she whispered the rest in his ear, as if it were too terrible to speak out loud.
    Danbury had scarcely squeezed through the back door when Fenn, his eyes wide, felt behind him for a chair and sat down heavily.
    He seemed unable to do any more.
    â€œDon’t worry, Fenn. I’m sure they couldn’t do anything to you. Even if they do come here, you’re a tough one.”
    If possible, Fenn turned even paler. Grabbing her by the arm he hustled her out of the door. “I don’t know what you were thinking, but you ain’t stayin’ ’ere.”
    â€œFenn, you can’t do this. Please, I need your help.”
    Her pitiful cries had no effect.
    â€œDon’t want none of your kinda’ trouble, you hear? We don’t want nothin’ to do with none of those swells.” He shook her. “If I catches you hangin’ about, I’ll skin you and take you back to the devils meself.”
    He gave her a shove, sending her staggering into the street. A shadow detached itself from the deeper gloom of the alley and move towards her. Fenn slammed the door shut, latching it and ramming the bolt