Tiger's Eye by Karen Robards

does it all—runs the hells, like the Carousel, and the bawds, like me and my girls, and the sneaks and cracks and cheats, and the hoisters—”
    “That’s enough out of you, my girl,” Alec interrupted suddenly. Isabella looked up to see him standing in the doorway between the rooms. This time, though he was barefoot, he was clad in black breeches and a half-open white shirt. His tawny hair had been neatly secured at the nape with a ribbon, and he had shaved. His golden eyes gleamed as he looked the women over. Isabella felt oddly embarrassed at having been caught talking about him, and lowered her eyes back to her tray.
    At the sound of his voice, Pearl jumped off the bed and looked guilty. Then she gave a little gurgling laugh and tripped toward him.
    “Oh, Alec, what’s the harm in a little gossip? Darlin’, should you be out of bed? You know what the sawbones said.”
    “Don’t you start, too,” he said, suffering her to plant a kiss on his mouth and then stand pressed against his side, her arms wrapped around his waist. “You’re starting to sound like Paddy, and Paddy might as well put in to be my ma.”
    “I can’t help it if I worry about you.” Pearl pouted. It made her red lips look deliciously small and curved, Isabella noted, and guessed Pearl was well aware of the effect. Just as she was aware of the shimmery allure of her lovely pink dress, and the temptation of her exposed white bosom pressed against Alec’s muscled arm. Though it was early in their acquaintance, Isabella was sure that Pearl did very little without being aware of its effect on her audience.
    “I know, and I appreciate it. I guess I’m just cross because I’m hungry. Where’s my breakfast, wench?” He slid an arm around her waist and gave her an affectionate squeeze. Isabella had to look away, assailed by a sudden pang of discomfort as she watched Alec smile down into Pearl’s eyes.
    “I’ll get it. I’d’ve brought it with me, but I thought you’d still be sleeping.”
    “Now, when have you ever known me to sleep in?”
    “Never—but then, I’ve never known you to be hurt or sick before, either.”
    “True enough, but I’m almost up to full strength again. If you feed me, who knows what I might be capable of?”
    “Really?” Pearl said, brightening. She rubbed herself against his side with blatant provocation, and smiled widely up at him. “I’ll get your breakfast.”
    “And tell Paddy I need to see him,” Alec called after her as she let herself out. Pearl nodded, and closed the door behind her. Isabella noted that she was careful to lock it as she left, and wondered that they were still so bent on keeping her locked in. Of course, Pearl would not know about the events of the night. Until she knew the truth about Bernard, Isabella couldn’t go home.… Then it occurred to her that they were not locking her in so much as they were locking Alec’s enemies out. Such elaborate precautions were not on her behalf at all.
    “Pearl’s a wonderful woman, but she has a tendency to jabber when she should be silent. I hope you’ll strive to forget what she told you about me.”
    “I couldn’t understand half of it, anyway,” Isabella admitted. “When she started talking about sneaks and cracks and cheats, I was lost.”
    Alec shook his head, and came to stand at the foot of the bed, his hands casually curled around the gilded foot-rail. Isabella realized that this was the first time she had ever seen him by daylight. Unlike Pearl, he was even handsomer by the frosty light of the sun than he had been by candlelight. The pale sunlight gleamed off the smooth, firm textures of his bronzed skin, and picked up golden highlights in his tawny hair. His eyes gleamed too, bright and predatory as they moved over her. Isabella could quite see how he came to be known as the Tiger.
    “That’s as well. What are you eating? It smells good.”
    “Rolls with orange conserve. And tea. There’s plenty, if you’d like