“I believe you heard me. Do you wish me to repeat myself?”
“No, of course not, my lady. But I can assure you that—”
“You may not be aware of it, but Lord Evan is currently recovering from a gunshot wound.”
“I’m so sorry to hear that. What happened?”
“He was shot by a member of a group that crusades against obscene literature. Evidently, they believe Lord Evan is publishing it at one of his printing houses. I am here to find out who is behind this.”
“You should probably check with the night staff, my lady. I can assure you nothing like that is done during the day on my watch.”
Yes, the night staff. That did make sense. No one would be stupid enough to print erotica during the day, especially without Evan’s knowledge.
She would have to return after dark. But how could she? Her mother and the earl were due home any day now, and she needed to be at home. She breathed in and once again steeled herself for bravery.
“I will have a look around back myself.”
“My lady, I’m sorry but that is quite impossible.”
“This is my stepbrother’s establishment. You would be wise to do as I ask.” She walked behind the counter.
“My lady, please…”
Ally ignored him and headed toward the back. The sound of the presses whirred, the pungent scent of ink and newsprint wafted to her nose. The workers stared at her, their mouths open.
Osborne ran behind her. “My lady, please…” he said again.
And then, staring her in the face, at the end of one of the lines, sat a stack of papers.
The Ruby.
Ice formed in her veins. She turned to Osborne. “You lied to me. You did know that this was going on. Do you have any idea how much trouble Lord Evan could be in because of you?”
Osborne curved his thin lips into a nasty smile and moved his jacket aside to expose a handgun in his waistband. “You would do well to come with me.”
Alexandra shivered. The frigid fingers of fear lynched her. Not again. Hadn’t she endured enough?
Osborne took her arm and led her to the b
ack and up a narrow flight of stairs. A chair sat in the middle of a dark room.
“I will have to keep you here until I can figure out what to do with you,” Osborne said. “I’ll have to gag you, though any noise you make wouldn’t matter anyway. No one would hear you over the sound of the presses.”
“Why are you doing this?”
Osborne pushed her into the chair and bound her ankles to the wooden legs. “Why do you think? For the money, of course. Not everyone is born into finery like you are, my lady.”
Ally gulped and said nothing. This man had no way of knowing she had been far from born into finery. Her mother had only recently married into it.
Money. Always the money. She had been no better than this man only a short time ago. She grimaced at how shallow she’d allowed herself to be.
“You do understand that what you’re doing is against the law.”
“Yes, yes, it’s a lousy misdemeanor. I am not worried.”
Ally saw red. “No, you don’t have to be because it is Evan who will take the blame if you are exposed.”
“Yes, that is a bit of a benefit. But I honestly never thought he would be exposed. We are only printing the papers here and at the facility in Bath.”