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Raeni lay awake most of the night, remembering dancing with Thomas at the ball and, even more exciting, the feel of his lips and hands on her after the ball. He wanted to marry her. Her! The girl who no one had ever paid attention to. The girl who had been too dark to be pretty. The girl whose father couldn’t wait to sell her and be rid of her.
Raeni’s mother had always told her to stand straight, to be proud of who she was—intelligent, kind, and beautiful. Raeni had never believed she was beautiful. Every mother thought their child was beautiful, but when Thomas looked at her and kissed her, Raeni could almost believe it.
She even allowed herself to imagine what it might be like to be his wife, to lie beside him in bed, to stand at his side at other Dark Balls, to be the mother of his children.
It was foolish, she knew, but she couldn’t seem to stop thinking about it. And perhaps that was why she didn’t hear Thomas and the butler until she was right outside the dining room door. The door was ajar, and she was about to enter when she heard the butler say, “Sir, might I speak to you about the matter I mentioned last night?”
“Of course. What is it, Evans?”
“About an hour after you left, the maid was walking through the house dousing the lamps and drawing the curtains. She happened to look out in the garden and see a man.”
Raeni heard the clatter of a cup against its saucer. “Go on.” Thomas’s voice was low and even.
“She screamed out of surprise and fright, and the men ran.”
“Men?” Thomas asked. “You said she saw a man.”
“At first, yes. But when she screamed, two men ran, she reported. One must have been hidden in the shrubbery. I investigated, of course. I went into the garden and followed them through the back gate into the mews. They were too far ahead, but I counted at least two men running away. When I returned, I spotted two sets of tracks in the dirt by the gate, which I am sorry to say, was damaged. The lock has been tampered with and the hinges broken.”
“Any idea what these men might have wanted?” Thomas asked.
“I assume they planned to rob the house, sir.”
“Then it is a good thing you and the rest of the staff were here to thwart them.”
Raeni pressed herself back against the wall as the men continued to discuss repairing the broken gate. She didn’t believe the men in the garden had been thieves—not the sort of thieves Thomas and the butler were thinking of, at any rate. She didn’t have any proof, but if she waited for proof it might be too late. She couldn’t put Thomas in danger—not to mention Alice and the baby and all the servants.
She waited until the butler left Thomas alone in the dining room, exiting through the servants’ door, and then she entered. Thomas stood immediately, smiling at her as though he had not a care in the world. That smile all but undid her. It certainly weakened her resolve. She wanted more of those smiles and more of the kisses he had given her the night before. The last thing she wanted to do was to leave him.
“Would you like some coffee?” he asked.
She shook her head. “It’s no good, Thomas.”
“I assure you it is good. I only serve the finest.”
“I don’t mean the coffee. I heard what you and Evans were discussing.”
He went very still. “I see. It needn’t worry you. I had planned to hire an additional footman at some point. I’ll do it now, and then we’ll all be much safer.”
She went to him, took his hands in hers. The warmth of his skin made her realize how cold her own was. “As long as I am here, you won’t be safe. They’ve found me, and it doesn’t matter what you do. You, Alice, little George—you won’t be safe until I’m gone.”
His hands tightened on hers. “Raeni, what are you talking about?”
“The men in the garden last night. They weren’t housebreakers. They were slavers my father sent to capture me and bring me back to Jamaica.”
“I’ve told you, that’s illegal in England.”
She let out a breath and pulled her hands from his. “Do you think my father cares? I’m nothing more than property to him. And he has sold me to another planter. His pride is at stake. He’ll have promised these men a small fortune. They won’t be deterred by an additional footman or even a dozen.”
“Then we’ll go to the country for a few weeks. Or to Wapping. Let me—”
“No.” Her voice was soft, so soft she wasn’t certain he had heard until he sank into his chair. “No. You have a new business on Bond Street. You have worked all your life for it, and I won’t stand in the way of your success.”
He rose and crossed to her, but she moved away before he could take her in his arms. If he touched her now, she would lose her resolve. “I know what you want to say, Thomas. I love you too. That’s why I have to go. I love you too much to put you in danger.”
“There must be another way. Raeni, give me time to find another way.”
“There is no other way. I have to go to another city and disappear. But I won’t leave you in your hour of need. The opening ceremony is in a few days. I’ll stay for that and no longer.”
***
THOMAS STOOD IN THE kitchen of the coffee room and stared at Alice’s hands, which were immersed in soapy water. Nearby, her little boy sat in a child’s chair and banged a spoon on the feeding tray.
“I tried to reason with her,” Alice said, lifting a plate and wiping it with a cloth. “But she’s determined to go. She says these men are ruthless, and she can’t bear the thought of you or me being hurt.”
“I agree there is some danger, but it’s nothing I’m not willing to face. If we can catch these men, we’ll turn them in and they’ll be punished.”
Alice set the plate on a drying rack. “I told her that, but she says it’s too dangerous.”
Thomas wanted to drop his head in his hands. He was losing her, and there was nothing he could do about it. He couldn’t force Raeni to stay. Even if he could, he would never have taken away anyone’s right to choose his or her own path. Nothing he said seemed to convince Raeni that he could keep her safe. She’d barely spoken to him the past few days, though they’d worked side by side on the opening ceremony. Everything was ready. The staff would be here early tomorrow to make sure all went smoothly. And then when it was over, Raeni would say good-bye.
“Sir?”
He looked at Alice who was washing a cup.
“I’ve been thinking that if Raeni is leaving, it’s time for me to move on too. You offered me a position in Wapping. It includes room and board?”
“It does.”
“If you don’t mind, sir, I’d like to start as soon as possible.”
Thomas nodded. “I’ll make the arrangements.”
He left the kitchen and went to his office. It was empty. Raeni was probably in the coffee room or in back tending to some last detail. He sat in the chair at his desk. The one she’d occupied so often. His desk was clear now. All of the documents had been seen to and filed away. Everything was in order.
Except his life. His life was in shambles. He hadn’t realized how alone he was until Raeni came into his life. Yes, she’d brought a squalling child into his home, and his sleep had been anything but peaceful since, but he would miss hearing Alice and Raeni’s laughter when he came home. He would miss having someone at the table in the morning when he broke his fast. He would even miss little George crying at night.
Well, perhaps that was overstating things a bit.
Raeni loved him. And he loved her. How could it be that he’d waited his whole life to find a woman he could love and build a home with, and now she was forced to leave him?
And he’d thought slavery was behind him. It seemed he would never escape it.
With a sigh, he rose, ready to escort Raeni and Alice to his home. They passed a quiet night, Raeni answering him with as few words as possible. He knew she was saying good-bye, and that it hurt her to look at him and know what she was losing as much as it hurt him.
The next morning, she looked lovely in a new white dress with a green spencer that matched the trim on the skirt of the dress. But as she descended the stairs, he could see the hollowness in her eyes. He wondered if she’d slept any more than he.
His gaze lowered to the valise she carried with her. She looked down. “I won’t be coming back after the opening. I’ll take a mail coach to—well, to somewhere else.” At the base of the stairs, she looked him in the eye for the first time since she had told him she was leaving. “I packed all the dresses you had made for me. I know I didn’t come with them. I can leave them if you prefer.”
“Take them.” His voice was hoarse. “I want you to have them. I’d give you more if I could.”
“Thomas—”
A baby squealed, and they both turned to see Alice descending with George in her arms. “I hope I didn’t interrupt,” she said, her cheeks pink.
“Not at all.” Thomas noticed she also carried a valise. “Will you be leaving for Wapping after the opening then?”
“I thought it best.” Her gaze trailed to Raeni. “It’s not proper for me to be here alone with you.”
Thomas gave a curt nod and offered Raeni his arm. “Off we go then.” He’d wanted his voice to sound exuberant and cheerful. This was the day he would celebrate the opening of Bond Street Coffee & Tobacco. He’d worked for years to make this day a reality. It should have been the best day of his life.
Instead, he wished it had never come.
***
RAENI WAS SO BUSY SHE didn’t have time to breathe, much less think. The opening ceremony had been an unmitigated success. Not only had all the local shop owners come to show their support for the new establishment, but when Thomas had ceremoniously pulled the cover off the new sign, revealing it to the public, the Londoners had been so numerous they’d spilled out into the street waiting to go inside. The coffee room had been steadily busy for the past three hours, and she was even more thankful she did not have to serve anyone. She was much better at overseeing everything.
They’d run out of pastries about an hour ago, and she’d sent some of the men from the back to the streets to purchase what foodstuffs they could from the carts. The owner of The Greedy Vicar had also come by with an offering of a fruit pie, and though the gift was probably intended for Raeni and Thomas to eat in celebration at the end of the day, she’d promptly sliced and plated it.
Thomas was in the middle of everything and had been since he’d opened the door. He had a word or a greeting for everyone. As he moved through the coffee room, he was all smiles and solicitousness. In the shop, he had a ready story about why he’d chosen this coffee or that tobacco over others. Raeni didn’t have to wonder if his shop would be a success. There was no question.
And quite suddenly she had tears in her eyes. The thought of leaving the office where she’d spent so many hours the past few weeks pained her. She’d felt at home there, and she had rarely ever felt at home. She’d felt at home in Thomas’s arms as well, and now he would never hold her again.
She withdrew, not wanting anyone to see her tears and ask what the matter might be. She would have to pass through the back room with all the men who worked there to go to the office, so instead she went out the side door behind the kitchen. In the narrow alley, she leaned against the wall of the building and wiped tears from her eyes. She was strong. She had left everything and everyone she had known in Jamaica for an uncertain future in a place called England. She could do it again. She’d start over, and this time she would be smarter. This time she wouldn’t allow any man to claim her heart because the risk of having to say good-bye again was too great.
She took a shuddering breath, feeling a little stronger. Perhaps now was the best time to tell Thomas farewell. Now, before she lost her nerve and while he was still so busy that it would be a quick ending. Better to do it quickly as they’d drawn the pain out long enough.
“Look at this, Elias. She’s come straight to us.”
Raeni’s head jerked up. She’d been so lost in thought that she hadn’t noticed the two men blocking the exit to the alley. They were large white men, dressed in the loose trousers, white linen shirts, and open coats sailors wore. One carried a burlap sack and one carried a pistol. She’d never seen them before, but she knew who they were—slavers. They’d been hired by her father to bring her back to Jamaica.
The slavers blocked her exit to Bond Street, and when she glanced in the other direction, she saw the alley had been walled off.
“There’s no way out,” the slaver with the burlap sack said. Presumably he would put that over her head to stifle any cries she might make before he could shove her in a closed coach and have her driven to his ship. “If you don’t fight us, we won’t hurt you.”
She reached back, feeling for the door latch. “You wouldn’t dare hurt me. My father is paying you to bring me back in good condition.”
“Put your hands where we can see them,” the slaver with the pistol said, moving closer. Raeni held her hands up. “And the trip to Jamaica will take weeks. That’s plenty of time for any bruises to heal.”
Raeni’s mind raced. The men were too close for her to open the door to the back room of the shop. Once she turned her back, they’d race forward and grab her while she struggled with the latch. She had no choice but to fight her way past them and into the street. Then she could run. Raeni slid along the wall, closer to the street as the men closed in. “You know what you’re doing is abduction, and it’s illegal. I’m free in this country.”
The man with the burlap sack lifted it. “Your father said to bring you back, and he’s paying. Now stand still.” He lunged toward her, and she cut under his arm and ran toward the street. But she wasn’t fast enough. The man with the pistol grabbed her arm and hauled her painfully back. She twisted, saw his white hand on her arm, and bit him.
With a howl he released her and stumbled back into his compatriot. Raeni lifted her skirts and ran. She emerged onto Bond Street with the men right behind her. She didn’t pause but ran away from the crowds gathering before Bond Street Coffee & Tobacco. The crowds might slow her and give the men a chance to catch her. Londoners might not like the idea of a slaver abducting a runaway slave, but that didn’t mean they would step in and interfere.
She ran along Bond Street, the slavers right behind her. She toppled a costermonger’s cart, spilling fruit in the slavers’ path, and pushed men and women in her way aside. Finally, she crossed the street and glanced behind her to judge how much of a lead she had. The slavers were attempting to extricate themselves from the angry costermonger and hadn’t spotted her yet. Ahead of her was The Greedy Vicar. She headed straight for it and ducked inside.
“Oh, you look all out of breath,” said the woman who greeted her.
Raeni was out of breath. She could barely speak. “I need the...the...” She gasped for air.
“Are you the lady from the tobacco shop? The one that works with Mr. Gaines?”
Raeni nodded.
“What’s the matter then? You look as if you’re being chased.”
Raeni nodded. “Yes. The constable. I need a constable.”
The woman’s eyes bulged. “The constable? Oh, dear.” She pushed Raeni onto a bench just inside the pub. “Now you wait right here. I’ll go fetch him.”
Raeni nodded, her lungs burning and her eyes stinging with unshed tears. Why hadn’t she left last night? Why had she waited? She’d put everyone in danger by staying. She should have been far away from London. Instead, she was hiding in a tavern, praying the serving wench would hurry back with the constable.
The door banged open, and Raeni jumped. She looked up, hoping to see the constable. Her hope died when the slavers stepped inside. The one with the pistol pointed the weapon at her chest. “I’m tired of games. Come with me now or I use this.”
She knew her father had told the men to bring her back alive, but they looked angry enough not to care.
“The constable is on his way,” she panted. “You should run now.”
“Not without you.” The slaver with the burlap sack grabbed her arm and shoved the sack over her head. The world went dark and smelled of her own fear and barley, which must have been the contents of the sack before it had been emptied. She tried to fight, but she couldn’t see, and the men easily caught her. She screamed and pain bloomed in her head. She’d been hit. She reeled back just as a fist landed in her belly. She crumpled to the floor, breathless.
Limp with pain, she was lifted and tossed over one of the slaver’s shoulders as though she were a sack of flour. They began to move, taking her out of the tavern. Once they were out on the street, they could quickly disappear. The constable would never find her. She heard the bell above the tavern door tinkle and then a voice she knew well.
“Going somewhere, gentlemen?”
Thomas! Relief at knowing he’d found her was quickly replaced by fear. They would kill him. She tried to call out to him, to tell him no, but she couldn’t seem to find the breath.
“Move out of the way or we’ll bring you back with us too.”
“Give me Miss Sawyer, and I’ll gladly step aside.”
“Why don’t I give you a pistol ball to the forehead instead?”
Raeni screamed and struggled, and in the next instant she was falling, landing hard on the floor. She could hear grunts and a scuffle and tore at the sack, finally pulling it off her head. The pistol had fallen to the floor and the two men were taking turns throwing punches at Thomas, who was ducking and throwing his own punches as well. Raeni lunged for the pistol, her hand closing on it just as the slavers noticed she was free and turned to her. Raeni lifted the pistol and trained it on the men.
“Give me that,” ordered the slaver who had put the sack over her head.
“Get out or I’ll shoot.” She looked both men dead in the eye, showing them that she would kill them if it came to that. She’d seen her father use a pistol. She knew how they worked, and she cocked the hammer to prove her point. The men raised their hands and backed toward the door to The Greedy Vicar. Raeni pointed the pistol at them until they were out on the street again.
Then she collapsed into tears, dropping the pistol. Thomas took her into his arms, cradling her head. “Are you hurt? Raeni, did they hurt you?”
“Not really,” she said. “I’ll be fine. But I have to go. I have to run before they find me again.” She cupped his face, feeling the scratch of stubble under her palms. “You could have been killed. I can’t let that happen.” She pulled away from him and stood on shaky legs. He rose too.
“I can’t let you deal with those two alone. Raeni, I’ll hire Bow Street Runners to find them. I’ll take you to the Continent. Let me help you.”
How could she say no to that? And how could she say yes?
The door to The Greedy Vicar slammed open, and Raeni reached for the pistol again. But it wasn’t the slavers who stood in the doorway but a constable. “Miss, this lady here tells me these men were giving you trouble. Is that so?”
She looked past him and saw three other constables had the slavers restrained, clubs at the ready in case the men in custody put up a resistance.
“Yes. They were trying to abduct me,” she said.
The constable looked at Thomas. “You said there might be trouble, Mr. Gaines. Looks like you were right.” The constable nodded at Raeni. “Are you willing to come to headquarters and give a statement?”
“Yes,” she said, her head spinning.
Thomas stepped between her and the constable. “Give her a few minutes to recover. It’s been quite an ordeal. We’ll follow you in a quarter hour.”
“Very good, sir.” The constable looked at Raeni. “These men won’t bother you again, miss. We have them now.”
And for the first time in what felt like years, Raeni could breathe again.