the shop, his blond hair darkening in the shadows. He wasn’t a big man, but he was tall, and the sheer presence of him seemed to block the doorway.
Peter swallowed. Sweat pricked his forehead. How many times had he been trapped in his cell at Newhall with Lawford standing in the doorway, piercing him with that stare…
He rubbed his damp palms on his trousers. “Just…just leaving, sir.”
Christ. He was free now. And still just the sight of Lawford made him cringe like a scared rabbit.
“Your sister told me you don’t intend to enroll at Brick Street,” Lawford continued.
“I…I don’t reckon so,” Peter stammered. The fish he’d eaten tumbled greasily in his stomach.
“I’d suggest you stay away from Brick Street.” Lawford stepped toward him, reaching out to take the compass. “Lady Talia is hoping you will testify with her at the House of Commons meeting about the treatment of juvenile prisoners. Though I know you would never speak against Newhall, you would be well advised to avoid such…temptation.”
Peter shook his head. He couldn’t speak past the tightness in his throat.
He still didn’t understand what had happened during his time at Newhall. He’d struggled to prove to Lawford he couldn’t be broken, that he was too tough, but Lawford had won in the end. Months of enforced silence, hunger, confinement, and floggings had imprinted fear in every cell of Peter’s body.
And then, perhaps two months before his release, Lawford had changed. Given Peter extra food, stopped inflicting the harsher punishments, offered him extra time in the yard. Peter hadn’t wanted any of it, but he hadn’t understood Lawford’s change of heart either.
“I don’t want nothin’ to do with her ladyship,” he muttered, which was the unvarnished truth. In fact, he wished he’d never encountered the woman.
“Good,” Lawford said, tilting the compass as he watched the needle turn. “Because Lady Talia can be…persuasive. So I’d suggest you avoid her.”
Peter nodded, unable to stand the confines of the shop any longer. He ducked past Lawford and back out the door, inhaling a hard rush of air into his lungs.
He glanced behind him once to see if Lawford was following. Goddamn, he hated his fear of the man. Almost more than he hated the man himself.
Chapter Six
I ’m certain he’ll return soon.” William Lawford crossed one leg over the other as he settled into a chair in the Colstons’ front parlor, looking as if he were entirely comfortable in his surroundings.
Talia smothered a stab of discomfort. When Alice had come to her yesterday morning with concerns about Peter, she hadn’t mentioned she had also asked Mr. Lawford for help. Talia wondered how many times Lawford had called upon Alice Colston when her father was at work, as he was now. The idea of Lawford alone with Alice sent a shiver of repulsion down Talia’s spine, especially when she recalled the speculating way he had looked at Alice when they were at Newhall.
“You’ve been here often, Mr. Lawford?” she asked, glancing toward the parlor door to ensure Alice wasn’t approaching just yet.
“On occasion. Consider it my duty to ensure a boy is faring well upon his release from Newhall, but I can’t say I expected much from Peter, considering his…history.”
Guilt flared through Talia like a struck match. She managed to keep her voice steady as she said, “Did Alice ask your help in looking for him?”
Lawford nodded. “Couldn’t find him this morning, but I’m visiting the Wapping police station later today. I’ll speak with the constable about Peter. He’s rather well known to them. They’ll keep an eye out for him, if I ask them to.”
“I would appreciate that, Mr. Lawford.” Alice Colston entered with a tea tray. “My father will not allow Peter another chance. If he doesn’t attend Brick Street by the end of the week, he’ll be forced to leave the house.”
“Forgive me, Miss Colston, but perhaps
Peter swallowed. Sweat pricked his forehead. How many times had he been trapped in his cell at Newhall with Lawford standing in the doorway, piercing him with that stare…
He rubbed his damp palms on his trousers. “Just…just leaving, sir.”
Christ. He was free now. And still just the sight of Lawford made him cringe like a scared rabbit.
“Your sister told me you don’t intend to enroll at Brick Street,” Lawford continued.
“I…I don’t reckon so,” Peter stammered. The fish he’d eaten tumbled greasily in his stomach.
“I’d suggest you stay away from Brick Street.” Lawford stepped toward him, reaching out to take the compass. “Lady Talia is hoping you will testify with her at the House of Commons meeting about the treatment of juvenile prisoners. Though I know you would never speak against Newhall, you would be well advised to avoid such…temptation.”
Peter shook his head. He couldn’t speak past the tightness in his throat.
He still didn’t understand what had happened during his time at Newhall. He’d struggled to prove to Lawford he couldn’t be broken, that he was too tough, but Lawford had won in the end. Months of enforced silence, hunger, confinement, and floggings had imprinted fear in every cell of Peter’s body.
And then, perhaps two months before his release, Lawford had changed. Given Peter extra food, stopped inflicting the harsher punishments, offered him extra time in the yard. Peter hadn’t wanted any of it, but he hadn’t understood Lawford’s change of heart either.
“I don’t want nothin’ to do with her ladyship,” he muttered, which was the unvarnished truth. In fact, he wished he’d never encountered the woman.
“Good,” Lawford said, tilting the compass as he watched the needle turn. “Because Lady Talia can be…persuasive. So I’d suggest you avoid her.”
Peter nodded, unable to stand the confines of the shop any longer. He ducked past Lawford and back out the door, inhaling a hard rush of air into his lungs.
He glanced behind him once to see if Lawford was following. Goddamn, he hated his fear of the man. Almost more than he hated the man himself.
Chapter Six
I ’m certain he’ll return soon.” William Lawford crossed one leg over the other as he settled into a chair in the Colstons’ front parlor, looking as if he were entirely comfortable in his surroundings.
Talia smothered a stab of discomfort. When Alice had come to her yesterday morning with concerns about Peter, she hadn’t mentioned she had also asked Mr. Lawford for help. Talia wondered how many times Lawford had called upon Alice Colston when her father was at work, as he was now. The idea of Lawford alone with Alice sent a shiver of repulsion down Talia’s spine, especially when she recalled the speculating way he had looked at Alice when they were at Newhall.
“You’ve been here often, Mr. Lawford?” she asked, glancing toward the parlor door to ensure Alice wasn’t approaching just yet.
“On occasion. Consider it my duty to ensure a boy is faring well upon his release from Newhall, but I can’t say I expected much from Peter, considering his…history.”
Guilt flared through Talia like a struck match. She managed to keep her voice steady as she said, “Did Alice ask your help in looking for him?”
Lawford nodded. “Couldn’t find him this morning, but I’m visiting the Wapping police station later today. I’ll speak with the constable about Peter. He’s rather well known to them. They’ll keep an eye out for him, if I ask them to.”
“I would appreciate that, Mr. Lawford.” Alice Colston entered with a tea tray. “My father will not allow Peter another chance. If he doesn’t attend Brick Street by the end of the week, he’ll be forced to leave the house.”
“Forgive me, Miss Colston, but perhaps
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