Page 72 of Love with a Notorious Rake

Aidan had no sooner arrived at the mill when he caught sight of Mr. Meeker, his face flushed with anger and annoyance.

“Mr. McRae is beside himself. Taking one of the delivery wagons when it was needed to pick up bales of cotton? You’ve put us behind schedule with your foolhardy rescue mission.” The man followed the wagon until Aidan brought it to a complete stop. “He wants to see you. He is livid. Leaving the mill floor in complete pandemonium…you should have reported to Mr. McRae first!”

Aidan jumped down from the wagon and strode toward Meeker, grabbing a fistful of the man’s cravat. He squeaked in protest like the rat he was. “Shut your mouth, you miserable cretin. Or I will shut it for you.”

“How dare you threaten me—”

Aidan slapped the man across the cheek, effectively silencing him. “Next time, there will be more. Now, I will go and see the master, and you will stay well clear.” Aidan needed to contain his fury—at least until he knew the dark, undisclosed narrative of this blasted place.

“You struck me!” Meeker sniveled.

“I barely tapped you, don’t go on. But I will do it again if you interfere with me.” Exhaling a cleansing breath, he headed upstairs to McRae’s office. His coat was gone and his waistcoat and shirt were soaked with blood. Let the bastard see it. He knocked and entered. “You wish to see me, sir?”

“Close the door. Sit.” The words were curt, angry, as if he were speaking to a disobedient dog. “You dare show yourself in my office in this state?” McRae thundered.

A child had nearly died on the mill floor, and this was the man’s main concern? “I thought it best to return here immediately.” Aidan sat and crossed his legs, struggling to keep his voice and expression neutral.

“You’ve made a muddle of today’s delivery schedule. Caused chaos in the spinning room, leaving it unsupervised. The machines didn’t run for over an hour. So we are behind that schedule as well.”

“I’m assuming Miller had to clean and recalibrate the machine. That takes time. Also, you cannot expect workers to carry on as if nothing happened. The blood had to be scrubbed away.”

“You brought this mill to a complete standstill over some squalling little monster,” McRae snapped.

“What would you have me do, stand by and watch the child expire? Her hair was caught, part of her scalp torn away. She needed immediate medical attention.”

“I refuse to pay for her care. It would have been more prudent to have her replaced.”

Aidan narrowed his gaze. “What are you saying, exactly?”

“That in the future, if one of the imbecile orphans is caught up in the machinery, then that is their fate. I can procure any number of poor law brats anytime. Where is the boy who drove the wagon?”

“He was injured trying to rescue the girl.”

McRae frowned. “Now I’m deprived of two workers, and have gained nothing but inconvenience and extra cost.”

Aidan’s blood boiled hot. McRae would have let the child die. “I will take responsibility for both of them. And for their expense. You need not think on them again.” Aidan stood, pulled out pound notes from his pocket, and tossed them on the desk. “In fact, buy more slave workers, on me,” Aidan growled.

“There is no need to take that tone. You are under obvious duress, so I will allow it to pass…this once.” Nevertheless, McRae gathered up the pound notes like an edacious cardsharp. “Change your clothes and return to work. Tell those on the floor they will be staying an extra hour tonight, to make up the time lost. You may go.”

Aidan gave a mocking bow and left the room, before he said something he would regret.

As soon as his shift ended, he returned to the inn to pick up the food he had ordered. Luckily, he was able to secure a room for Samuel on the first floor. As he waited for the victuals, Samuel strode into the tavern room.

“Good evening, Mr. Black.”

“Good evening to you, Mr. Jenkins.”

He pulled Samuel aside. “You’re settled in?”

“Aye, sir. I sent word to the earl and viscount that I’ve moved to Earl Shilton, same inn as you. I also can report that there are a couple of constables in Hinckley. But more importantly, there is currently a small army regiment in Leicester if we need them.”

“Good man. Lay low until I have the information we require.” Aidan pulled out pound notes and thrust them into Samuel’s hand. “For your accommodations and meals.”

Samuel took the notes and nodded.

Once Aidan collected the food, he headed toward Church Street. Walking along the cobbled streets, he admonished himself for revealing too much to Meeker and McRae. In the past, he never would have shown such volatile emotion. And what had possessed him, in the middle of a crisis, to kiss Cristyn and have her touch him? Yes, his control as far as she was concerned had been completely shattered. Yet he refused to mention or even think on that most elusive and earth-shattering of emotions—love.

But what he felt for Cristyn had to be love, for it went far beyond lust or temporary passion. He hadn’t thought this would happen. He had already decided he would remain unmarried, for who needed such tangled turmoil in one’s life? A small part of him used the curse as a motive, but he now wondered if he used it to avoid examining what lay in his heart? Damn his vulnerabilities. Damn his cowardice.