he knew, for being so close to her made him want to kiss her all over again. Her lips hung open just a hair, and she barely breathed at all.
“I want to help you, Victoria. I’m here to help you in any way I can, consequences be damned.” Fin couldn’t believe he was saying this, but it was true. If Victoria were to hang for her crimes, how in the world would he be able to keep on living? A world without Victoria in it…
He stopped his thoughts there. Even entertaining the idea threatened to send him into a state of panic. Instead, he placed a single, lingering kiss to her forehead, and then released her. With one last look at her exquisitely troubled face, he took his leave.
***
Victoria collapsed onto the nearest chair as soon as Fin shut the door behind him. Her nerves were singed and they caused the pit in her stomach to grow until she was sure she would toss up her accounts. She put her hand to her mouth and forced herself to take a few steadying breaths . Getting sick would help nothing. She had to focus. She had to figure out what in hell she was going to do, first about Caroline and Sally, then about the hospital, and lastly, about Fin.
In her mind she had her priorities straight, but her heart was another matter entirely. It kept redirecting her thoughts to Fin. Only Fin. And not the predicament of whether or not to involve him in her activities, but rather to the kiss he’d bestowed upon her, just over there, near the settee.
Victoria shook her head. She couldn’t think about that now. There were much more important things to deal with. Fin would just have to wait.
Or perhaps everything would have to wait while she took a nap. Her body ached and her eyes burned, and if she had any hope of keeping up appearances tonight at the Randall soiree, she needed to sleep.
The physical and emotional toll made it feel as if she were slogging through quicksand to get up the stairs and to her room. But once she was there, she collapsed on the bed, and finally, after nearly thirty-six hours, found the rest she needed.
***
Sleep. Yes, that was all that she had needed. At least, that’s what Victoria told herself over and over as she prepared for the Randall ball that evening. In truth, her head hurt like the dickens and her body still felt weak, but perhaps it was simply that she needed to shake off the dregs of such a long afternoon nap.
“Are you sure you’re feeling all right, miss?” Lily asked after Victoria sneezed for the sixth time in a row.
“I’m fine, Lily,” Victoria replied rather shortly. “It’s that damned powder. It’s gotten up my nose is all. ”
“I can have Cook prepare you one of her tinctures, if you like.” Clearly, Lily wasn’t convinced.
“Lily, I am fine. ” Victoria stood and ignored the light-headedness that resulted. “I don’t need any tinctures and I certainly don’t need you fussing over me all evening. Now, where are my gloves?”
“Here, miss.” Lily handed them over reluctantly. Victoria snatched them from her with a huff of annoyance.
“Thank you, Lily. I shall see you in the morning.” With that, Victoria left her room and went to meet her brother in the foyer. Unfortunately, he wasn’t alone. He stood with Fin, deep in conversation. Victoria’s stomach flipped. It had never occurred to her that Fin might rat her out to her brother. Oh, dear. What would she do then?
No, it was unthinkable. She might not be on the best terms with Fin—although, that kiss said otherwise—but he would never do such a thing to her. This was between the two of them. Wasn’t it?
They stopped talking abruptly and turned to look at her. Fin’s brows came together in a frown, and Tom stepped forward to take her arm.
“Are you feeling all right, Vickie?” Tom asked. “You’re positively burning.”
Victoria rolled her eyes. “I wish everyone would stop treating me like a child. I feel fine, and I’m only warm because I just took a very long, very hot bath. Now,
“I want to help you, Victoria. I’m here to help you in any way I can, consequences be damned.” Fin couldn’t believe he was saying this, but it was true. If Victoria were to hang for her crimes, how in the world would he be able to keep on living? A world without Victoria in it…
He stopped his thoughts there. Even entertaining the idea threatened to send him into a state of panic. Instead, he placed a single, lingering kiss to her forehead, and then released her. With one last look at her exquisitely troubled face, he took his leave.
***
Victoria collapsed onto the nearest chair as soon as Fin shut the door behind him. Her nerves were singed and they caused the pit in her stomach to grow until she was sure she would toss up her accounts. She put her hand to her mouth and forced herself to take a few steadying breaths . Getting sick would help nothing. She had to focus. She had to figure out what in hell she was going to do, first about Caroline and Sally, then about the hospital, and lastly, about Fin.
In her mind she had her priorities straight, but her heart was another matter entirely. It kept redirecting her thoughts to Fin. Only Fin. And not the predicament of whether or not to involve him in her activities, but rather to the kiss he’d bestowed upon her, just over there, near the settee.
Victoria shook her head. She couldn’t think about that now. There were much more important things to deal with. Fin would just have to wait.
Or perhaps everything would have to wait while she took a nap. Her body ached and her eyes burned, and if she had any hope of keeping up appearances tonight at the Randall soiree, she needed to sleep.
The physical and emotional toll made it feel as if she were slogging through quicksand to get up the stairs and to her room. But once she was there, she collapsed on the bed, and finally, after nearly thirty-six hours, found the rest she needed.
***
Sleep. Yes, that was all that she had needed. At least, that’s what Victoria told herself over and over as she prepared for the Randall ball that evening. In truth, her head hurt like the dickens and her body still felt weak, but perhaps it was simply that she needed to shake off the dregs of such a long afternoon nap.
“Are you sure you’re feeling all right, miss?” Lily asked after Victoria sneezed for the sixth time in a row.
“I’m fine, Lily,” Victoria replied rather shortly. “It’s that damned powder. It’s gotten up my nose is all. ”
“I can have Cook prepare you one of her tinctures, if you like.” Clearly, Lily wasn’t convinced.
“Lily, I am fine. ” Victoria stood and ignored the light-headedness that resulted. “I don’t need any tinctures and I certainly don’t need you fussing over me all evening. Now, where are my gloves?”
“Here, miss.” Lily handed them over reluctantly. Victoria snatched them from her with a huff of annoyance.
“Thank you, Lily. I shall see you in the morning.” With that, Victoria left her room and went to meet her brother in the foyer. Unfortunately, he wasn’t alone. He stood with Fin, deep in conversation. Victoria’s stomach flipped. It had never occurred to her that Fin might rat her out to her brother. Oh, dear. What would she do then?
No, it was unthinkable. She might not be on the best terms with Fin—although, that kiss said otherwise—but he would never do such a thing to her. This was between the two of them. Wasn’t it?
They stopped talking abruptly and turned to look at her. Fin’s brows came together in a frown, and Tom stepped forward to take her arm.
“Are you feeling all right, Vickie?” Tom asked. “You’re positively burning.”
Victoria rolled her eyes. “I wish everyone would stop treating me like a child. I feel fine, and I’m only warm because I just took a very long, very hot bath. Now,
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