Page 38 of The Swindler’s Daughter

“Knowing of someone’s plight is never easy,” he said, stepping back and setting my bow down before sitting on a large rock. “Feeling helpless to do anything about it is even worse.”

I nodded, keeping my eyes from him so that I wouldn’t stare.

He was a widower. He still mourned his wife. He could not possibly think of me in the same way I thought of him. He was a thief.

He was a thief.

A noble thief and a kind one, but did that matter?

Yes! My mind shouted. Yes, it mattered a great deal.

I cleared my throat, trying to focus my mind on less complicated matters. “What shall we work on today?”

“If you need to talk—”

I cut him off with a sharp shake of my head. “I want to practice. This is something I can control and improve.” I held out my hand so that he could return my bow to me.

My hand hung there, empty and waiting while he studied me. I tried to look him in the eye, but I couldn’t hold his gaze. I couldn’t stare into the cool blue of his eyes without the want growing inside me.

He finally stood and came near enough to put the bow in my hand. I closed my fist around it and tried to pull it toward me, but he wouldn’t let it go. And when I looked up at him with frustration, he stepped a little closer.

My lungs convulsed.

“If you ever do want to talk…” He reached out, pulling on one of my curls, stretching it out to its full length before letting it spring back into place. My ribs tightened. Then he returned his gaze to mine. “I’m here.”

It was so simple, those two words. Such a simple phrase, but what he was offering didn’t feel simple or trite. It was an offer of friendship. And maybe more. Possibly more, but certainly friendship at the least.

I managed a nod, ready to burst into flames where I stood, but then he took a step back and my mind cleared. I did admire Rowan, and the ache I felt to be near him was undeniable, but that did not mean that I should act on it. If I did and then ended up regretting it…whatever happened between us, I did not want to regret Rowan.

9

I saw the theft. The constable wasn’t even trying to hide it. He simply picked up the pocket watch, gave the watchmaker a cruel smile, put it in his pocket and walked away.

“Sir,” the watchmaker called after him. “Sir, you haven’t paid for that!” The distress and helplessness in the old man’s voice lit a fire in me and propelled me into motion. Nostrils flared and jaw tight, I moved through the crowd, positioning myself in line with where the constable would walk. I pulled up my hood and stared at the ground, partially to hide my face and partially to justify my planned clumsiness.

Then I “accidentally” bumped into him.

“Oh, I’m so sorry,” I said, dipping my head and backing away in deference.

He just snorted and continued on his way. I moved back toward the watchmaker but was distracted by the sight of Rowan doing his best to hold Johnny in check, whispering fiercely into his ear, but Johnny shrugged out of his grasp and stalked toward me. Or, more accurately, toward the constable. It was clear he was going to do something rash and dangerous in retribution.

I stepped into Johnny’s path and put a hand to his chest. “Don’t bother,” I said, opening my hand just enough that he could see the watch lying on my palm.

“What?” He looked past my shoulder at the constable retreating through the crowd before turning his eyes back to me. “How did you—”

The reality of what I’d just done slammed into me, and I shook my head as shame rolled down my back. I shoved the watch at Johnny before turning to walk away, leaving him standing stunned in my wake.

My heart thrummed in my throat and I put a hand to my mouth, unable to believe what had happened. The grab had been instinctual, and it had also been flawless. Hunter would be mortified. I was mortified—wasn’t I?

On the one hand, I’d retrieved a stolen item. No one was worse off for what I’d done. Still, I hadn’t utilized those particular skills in so many years that it was a little bit frightening just how naturally it had come back to me.

***

Rowan didn’t catch up with me until I was stepping onto Sutton land. I heard the crunch of his hurried footsteps behind me and braced myself for what was to come.

“Do you want to tell me what that was about?” he asked as he came up alongside me.

“What?” I asked, looking over at him.