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Sabrina glanced over her shoulder and saw she was within his grasp. She spun around to avoid running into a group of sailors, slipped down the alleyway, and ran to where the path split off into two different directions. If she fled along either path, he would spot her and continue chasing her. Sabrina slipped behind a stack of crates, catching her breath.
Soon Graham Worthington sprinted down the alley and came to a halt. He turned slowly, pondering which direction to go. She hid because she assumed he would choose a path to chase her down. Sabrina held her breath, hoping he wouldn’t find her when she remained close. The sound of her erratic breathing was deafening in her ears, and she wondered if he heard her. Then her panic subsided once she realized she imagined the volume of her breathing.
When he remained in the alley without searching for her, Sabrina grew confused. He acted peculiar, considering his bag of coins had been stolen, and he had lost his chance to gain Lady L’s whereabouts. After swearing his frustration, he chuckled as if he found the thrill of chasing her amusing.
Sabrina slid along the building, clutching the coin purse in her lap as she watched him. The smile on his face grew, and he whistled a merry tune as he strolled back to the storefronts. She didn’t dare peek her head around the crates for one last look at him, even though she desperately wanted to.
She waited for an hour before she ventured out of her hiding spot. However, she should have waited a while longer.
Crispin Dracott leaned against the opposite building. Once she emerged, he held out his hand. She stalked over to him and dropped the bag of coins onto his palm. Then she turned and started along a path. Sabrina was mistaken to believe handing over the money was the end of their meeting. When Dracott caught up with her and walked along silently, she knew it was only a matter of time before she must endure his lecture.
However, he never spoke a word. Instead, he walked along with her as he used to when they had attempted these ploys in the past. They used to work as a team, until Dracott had abandoned her for his brother. Not that stealing Worth’s coins was a ploy. She had done so to stop the barmaid from giving him information about Lady Langdale. Sabrina needed to protect the lady a while longer until she gained what she needed. If Worth learned of Lady L, then he would discover her too. Her heart might cry out with longing for that chance, but she was realistic enough to understand the disastrous repercussion that would occur.
Sabrina broke the silence first. “I am not leading you to her.”
Dracott kept his stride alongside hers. “I know. Perhaps I wish to take a walk with my friend.”
“Friend?” Sabrina scoffed. “Aren’t ye a bit too high and mighty for the likes of me?”
Dracott stopped walking and grabbed her arm to stop her. When she stared at his grip, he dropped his hand. “Why do you insist on keeping with this charade? Allow us to help you.”
Sabrina stepped forward, glaring at him. “I should not have to explain myself to you. You know why I continue to stay.” She shook her head. “How can you possibly help me? She has proven how devious and manipulative she is. No. I am better off sticking with my agenda.”
Dracott stuffed his hands into his pockets. “Why did you mark him today?”
“Because he is damn vulnerable out in the open like he is. Not to mention naïve about how the underbelly of London works. He was a sitting target, and I needed to teach him a lesson.” Sabrina shook her head at Worth’s actions. “If not, then he would’ve met a more unfortunate accident if he climbed those steps.”
“I am sure Worth could’ve taken care of himself.”
Sabrina harrumphed. “Not against three of Lady L’s guards who sat waiting for him.”
Dracott raked his hands through his hair. “Damn! We hadn’t seen them.”
Sabrina smirked. “You can thank me later. For now, we must part ways, my friend.”
“Ren, please reconsider,” Dracott pleaded.
Ren swept her hat off and bowed. “Until another day, my lord.”
Dracott scowled at her sarcasm and threw out his own taunt after she took a few steps. “Oh, and be careful on your next visit to gaze upon him throughout the night. The guards noticed your footprints near the tree. I pondered what your motive might be. However, after you protected him today, I realize you care for him.” Dracott paused. “While a dangerous emotion to have during this unstable time, it can offer you the happiness you deserve.”
Sabrina stopped walking when Dracott mentioned how careless she was in destroying the evidence of her obsession. His next words bothered her with how close he was to the truth of her infatuation with his brother-in-law. However, when she turned to deny his accusations, she stood alone. Dracott had disappeared as easily as he appeared. What bothered Sabrina was how oblivious she was to Dracott while she watched over Worth.
Her only focus was keeping him safe. This morning, Sabrina had overheard Lady L sending her guards to the tavern after learning Worth snooped around. Sabrina had snuck out and followed after the guards, then she set up a position inside the tavern, sitting behind two sailors. She had blended into the woodwork and waited for Worth to ask questions.
However, she had been unprepared to see him shamelessly flirt with the barmaid. He appeared to fall for the innocent act she played. When he pulled the wench onto his lap, her stomach had dropped and an unknown emotion coursed through her. When the barmaid wrapped her hand against his cheek, Sabrina had wanted to leap to her feet and rip the girl off his lap, then scratch the wench’s face for even soiling him with her touch.
Each second had crawled by, and her irritation had clawed at her to make a scene. Instead, she had waited to make her move. When the wench had held out her hand for Worth to follow her and he accepted it by wrapping his arm around her waist, Sabrina knew she must cause a distraction to lure him away. She had thought of the perfect scene to cause after she remembered Worth had flashed his coin, bragging about beating some toffs at cards.
Sabrina stole the purse of coins and ran away. If she was honest, she would admit how exhilarating the chase was. She came alive with each twist and turn she eluded him with. A thrill coursed through her veins that she wished to experience more of. It carried the same euphoria of each occasion when he almost held her within his grasp.
Only he was clueless about her multiple identities.
~~~~~
DRACOTT DROPPED A BAG of coins in front of him on his desk. Worth had returned to the office to inform Ralston how he planned to rest for a few days before resuming his search. After they discussed their next step, Ralston had left, and he had waited for Dracott’s return. They had agreed to meet there after their venture this morning ended. However, he never expected the return of his bag of coins.
He looked up at Dracott. “Ye didn’t have to wrestle the wee lass for the bit of coin, did ye, mate?”
Dracott shook his head. “Please stop with your awful accent. It was probably what gave you away.”
Worth leaned back in his chair and folded his hands atop his stomach. “Aye. And because I’ve gotten sloppy. I am preoccupied and plagued with sleepless nights.”
Dracott sat down across from him. “What troubles you?”
Worth scoffed. “Really?”
Dracott frowned. “Besides the obvious. Lady Langdale’s underground hiding has become a common occurrence that is normal for the investigation. You should hold relief at how we’ve hindered her efforts since capturing more than half of her organization. She works with a skeletal crew that can do no harm. Unless you continue to proceed without caution.”
Worth nodded. “I plan to enjoy a rest before I refocus the search again.”
Dracott sat forward. “An excellent idea. In the meantime, I will see what I can uncover. You were close today. I could feel it.”
Worth shook his head. “No. The results of today happened because we both need a break. You need time alone with Maggie since you’ve yet to enjoy a honeymoon. I talked with Ralston and we’ve decided to lie low, hoping it might make Lady L feel comfortable to make her connections again.”
“Clever and it might work,” Dracott said.
“I hope so. Now, back to how you recovered my coin from the lass.”
Dracott cleared his throat. “Why do you assume it was a girl? I thought it was a lad.”
Worth barked out a laugh. “You, of all people, should have noticed the girl wore a disguise.”
Dracott smiled. “What can I say? I only have eyes for Maggie. Either way, when you walked out of the alley, I figured the thief found a hiding spot.”
Worth frowned. “I thought she ran along a path.”
“She banked on that. It is an old ploy, one where you confuse the con. They are unsure which path to take, while you hide in plain sight. I waited for the thief, tripped him, and took back your bag of coin. The lad was too frightened, and he fled away,” Dracott explained.
“She,” Worth emphasized.
“Right, she. Anyway, you lost your chance to learn more but not your coin.”
“Did you recognize anything familiar about her?” Worth asked.
Dracott stilled. He hated betraying Worth. The gentleman had accepted his past without judgement and they were now family. However, Ren had been his family for more years than he could count. It didn’t matter that they didn’t share the same blood. He considered Sabrina his family, too. Only he couldn’t admit to knowing her until she decided so. For now, he would keep her secret, but the day for her to reveal herself was upon them. He only hoped it wasn’t too late for her. However, he feared it might be.
“No. She seemed like your usual street urchin stealing the coin of an innocent man,” Dracott lied. “Why? Did she appear familiar to you?”
Worth stood up. “I must be mistaken. ‘Tis all. Shall we join the ladies for luncheon?”
Dracott followed Worth outside to the carriage. Before he entered, he saw that Sabrina had chosen not to follow his advice because she stood across the street, taunting him. Worth wasn’t the only foolish one who acted sloppily. He sent her a signal that he noticed her, but she refused to acknowledge it. Instead, she stepped out in front of the crowd, flaunting how his warnings meant nothing to her. There was no more he could do. He climbed inside and kept Worth distracted by telling him of Maggie’s latest hijinks. He breathed a sigh of relief when Worth didn’t see Ren across the street. Because if he had, Dracott held no clue how he would react.
And for that, Sabrina should thank her lucky stars. Because then she would never achieve the success of her plan she so desperately craved.