and started in the direction of Bond Street. “Good day. I shall see myself to the coffee house.”
“Come back here.” His voice growing angrier, he alighted to follow her. “You cannot walk unaccompanied.”
Irritated, but also well aware that he had the right of it, Willa slowed to allow the earl to catch up. It was folly to walk alone on the street. His footman followed at a discreet distance.
“You have never had any sense when it comes to guarding your virtue,” he said as he approached.
Anger burned in her stomach. “Yes, one never knows when a cad will take liberties with an innocent girl.” High handed lummox. She had to escape his company. Weaving through the mass of people, she hurried along, anxious to lose her determined escort.
“Willa,” he called, gaining on her.
She rushed to beat a costermonger who slowly pushed his cart along. Augustus got trapped behind the man. She made her way through the masses, sidestepping the throng of people to avoid being jostled. Her heart thumping, she ignored Augustus’ calls and forced herself not to look back. She didn’t slow her gait even after she lost the earl somewhere far back behind her.
She had never walked alone in Town. If Mother learned of this, she’d never hear the end of it. But she was as good as ruined and never intended to marry anyway, so she may as well enjoy experiencing the world on her own terms. Exhaling, she slowed to take in the scene around her. Fruit sellers called out, advertising their wares. The carts and drays jostled for a lane. People hurried along with their purchases.
A small boy stepped in front of Willa, startling her. “Flowers, my lady?” He pushed a bouquet up to her. Smiling and without breaking her stride, Willa reached into her reticule and tossed him a coin. A huge grin lit the unwashed boy’s face as she moved on, leaving him with both the blunt and his flowers. Turning away from the child, she halted when a dray with a heavy load stopped in front of her. She stepped around it just as the cart lurched forward.
Willa’s pulse hammered at the thought of being out alone among this human traffic. Yet it felt freeing, exhilarating even, to be on her own in this way, seizing control of this small sliver of her life. Even the malodorous smell of sewage, unwashed people, and rotting fruit did little to hamper her quiet joy.
Forcing herself to breathe evenly, Willa ducked into an alley which provided a shortcut to the backside of the coffee house so she would not be seen entering alone. Hugging the tea to her chest, she maintained a determined stride. Just a little ways more and she would be there.
Something rustled behind her. Willa’s breath hitched and she quickened her pace. It was probably just a rat. Another swish sounded even closer behind her. Trying to convince herself it must be a very large rodent, Willa did not turn around. She had the rear of the coffee house in her sights now. A few more steps and she would be there. Footsteps pounded close behind, gaining on her. It was no rat. At least not the four-legged kind. Willa sprinted toward the coffee house.
Someone grabbed her arm. She screamed and tried to snatch it away. Her assailant’s grasp firmed as he slammed her front-first up against the rough wall of the building next to the coffee house, knocking the breath out of her. Heart pumping, she struggled in vain as his unyielding body pressed hers firmly against the wall. He made a sound of appreciation and something much more primal. Fear clawed her insides. He wrenched her wrists high above her head while his other hand reached around to fondle her breast before ripping her bodice, tearing away the delicate fabric of her chemise.
She choked out a cry when he jerked her wrists higher over her head, the jolting pain tearing at her armpits. She struggled against his superior strength, desperate to wrest her arms loose, her panic growing when she registered his arousal firming against the small of
“Come back here.” His voice growing angrier, he alighted to follow her. “You cannot walk unaccompanied.”
Irritated, but also well aware that he had the right of it, Willa slowed to allow the earl to catch up. It was folly to walk alone on the street. His footman followed at a discreet distance.
“You have never had any sense when it comes to guarding your virtue,” he said as he approached.
Anger burned in her stomach. “Yes, one never knows when a cad will take liberties with an innocent girl.” High handed lummox. She had to escape his company. Weaving through the mass of people, she hurried along, anxious to lose her determined escort.
“Willa,” he called, gaining on her.
She rushed to beat a costermonger who slowly pushed his cart along. Augustus got trapped behind the man. She made her way through the masses, sidestepping the throng of people to avoid being jostled. Her heart thumping, she ignored Augustus’ calls and forced herself not to look back. She didn’t slow her gait even after she lost the earl somewhere far back behind her.
She had never walked alone in Town. If Mother learned of this, she’d never hear the end of it. But she was as good as ruined and never intended to marry anyway, so she may as well enjoy experiencing the world on her own terms. Exhaling, she slowed to take in the scene around her. Fruit sellers called out, advertising their wares. The carts and drays jostled for a lane. People hurried along with their purchases.
A small boy stepped in front of Willa, startling her. “Flowers, my lady?” He pushed a bouquet up to her. Smiling and without breaking her stride, Willa reached into her reticule and tossed him a coin. A huge grin lit the unwashed boy’s face as she moved on, leaving him with both the blunt and his flowers. Turning away from the child, she halted when a dray with a heavy load stopped in front of her. She stepped around it just as the cart lurched forward.
Willa’s pulse hammered at the thought of being out alone among this human traffic. Yet it felt freeing, exhilarating even, to be on her own in this way, seizing control of this small sliver of her life. Even the malodorous smell of sewage, unwashed people, and rotting fruit did little to hamper her quiet joy.
Forcing herself to breathe evenly, Willa ducked into an alley which provided a shortcut to the backside of the coffee house so she would not be seen entering alone. Hugging the tea to her chest, she maintained a determined stride. Just a little ways more and she would be there.
Something rustled behind her. Willa’s breath hitched and she quickened her pace. It was probably just a rat. Another swish sounded even closer behind her. Trying to convince herself it must be a very large rodent, Willa did not turn around. She had the rear of the coffee house in her sights now. A few more steps and she would be there. Footsteps pounded close behind, gaining on her. It was no rat. At least not the four-legged kind. Willa sprinted toward the coffee house.
Someone grabbed her arm. She screamed and tried to snatch it away. Her assailant’s grasp firmed as he slammed her front-first up against the rough wall of the building next to the coffee house, knocking the breath out of her. Heart pumping, she struggled in vain as his unyielding body pressed hers firmly against the wall. He made a sound of appreciation and something much more primal. Fear clawed her insides. He wrenched her wrists high above her head while his other hand reached around to fondle her breast before ripping her bodice, tearing away the delicate fabric of her chemise.
She choked out a cry when he jerked her wrists higher over her head, the jolting pain tearing at her armpits. She struggled against his superior strength, desperate to wrest her arms loose, her panic growing when she registered his arousal firming against the small of
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