Page 69 of Juliet's Touch

“I’m one door down, should you need me.” Lucy gently closed the door behind her.

Juliet’s stomach growled—again. She peeked at her reflection in the mirror above the washstand. Her disheveled appearance would have to do since she was much too tired to care what she looked like. Since she’d been in her boots all day, they’d begun to pinch her weary toes, although not nearly as much as Emily’s shoes. The next time she ran away from home, she’d pack her dratted slippers.

The next time.Heaven’s above.Never again. She rolled her eyes at her reflection, then left her room.

Her heavy heels clunked down the stairs and past Hugh’s slightly ajar office door.

His deep baritone traveled through the open crack. “I need the two of you to follow Riley tonight,” he said. “He is going to be on the warpath after being publicly humiliated.”

True. He’d never allow the reporter, or anyone involved in the scandal to go unscathed. Including Juliet. She winced.

“Bloody hell, gov,” a voice she didn’t recognize said. “Why can’t we go to the brothel instead? We deserve some fun now and then.”

Juliet halted mid-step and tilted her ear so that she could better hear the conversation.

“You insufferable cod heads,” Hugh grumbled. “I’m not going there to enjoy myself.”

“Yer kingship, if ye are checking on that boxer again,” a different voice said, “we keep telling you, he ain’t returned to the city.”

“I suspect he may return tonight,” Hugh said.

Were they referencing Eric? In a brothel? Surely not. Eavesdropping often led to confusion, which is why ladies should refrain from listening to private conversations. And yet, despite her better judgment, Juliet crept closer.

“Does his return have something to do with the pretty chit Billy told us about?” one of the men asked.

“Stay away from her,” Hugh said. “Unless you want me to cut off your pasties, biscuits, bollocks, and blunt.”

Attempting to silence her gasp, Juliet covered her mouth with her palm. Mr. Fletcher seemed to be discussing her with the scalawags Curly and Stilts.

“Ah, bloody hell. This investigatin’ business is gettin’ in the way of me cunny.”

“You’re welcome to leave and find alternative employment at any time,” Hugh said.

“What would you do without us, Guv?”

“Oh, I don’t know,” Hugh said, sarcasm lacing his response. “Hire a couple of respectable blokes to replace you.”

One of the men snorted. “Good luck with that. Every man in London is afraid of Knight Roamer.”

“As any of them who are reprobates should be,” Hugh said. “I highly recommend that, with your past indiscretions, if you two run into Knight Roamer, you give him a wide berth and ask him to see me. Unless you want him to knock you out, strip you naked, tie you up, and leave you on Bow Street.”

“I like to be naked and tied up,” one of the men said.

“Head my warning, you won’t like this,” Hugh said. “Now, head to Riley’s. If he leaves his house, follow him, and don’t let him near The Pink Petal because that is where I will be.”

Hadn’t the men indicated that The Pink Petal was a brothel, and where the boxer who might be Eric was?

What was she thinking? Eric wasn’t in the city—unless he had followed her. If that was the case, what did Eric have todo with Lord Riley and Knight Roamer? Of course, both the Knight Roamer and Eric had brown eyes, large builds, and were fabulous kissers. Eric might have an eye injury and a bruised, swollen face, but the men also had similar jawlines.

The truth hit Juliet with the force of a thunderbolt, pelting her stomach. She hunched forward, gasping for breath. How could she have been so unbelievably daft?

“Aye, aye, Guv.”

“Yer wish is my command, yer kingship.”

“Take your sarcasm and shove it up your pox-ridden arses with a red, hot poker,” Hugh said. “But before you do that, go do your bloody job.”

Two very loud sighs followed.

The study door creaked.

Egad!Juliet was about to be caught eavesdropping. Panicking, she ducked behind a hallway table and squatted, attempting to conceal herself.

Two men exited Hugh’s study, mumbling under their breath. One was so tall his head almost hit the ceiling. Hugh followed a moment later.

No one noticed her—a miracle since she was concealed about as well as an elephant in a dollhouse.

Once the front door closed behind them, Juliet grabbed her coat from the hook that Billy had hung it on. She sneaked into the night, hiding in the shadows as she followed the investigator.