Ruby's Gamble: De Wolfe Pack Connected World

by Lana Williams

  But she had no idea what to do about Gideon.

  In truth, she’d been frightened when she’d finished work the first afternoon. The idea of someone accosting her and dragging her to the river had her glancing about in all directions in search of a possible threat.

  She’d been both surprised and relieved to see Gideon’s carriage waiting for her. And even more startled to find him inside it.

  The argument she’d prepared to explain why she’d decided to return to work hadn’t been necessary. He hadn’t asked, much to her disappointment. The relationship she’d come to enjoy with him had cooled. Chilled even. Frozen might be the most appropriate description.

  He was polite but distant, seeming concerned for her and her family’s safety and needs without the warmth he’d shown before.

  Though she told herself that was exactly what she wanted—needed—she missed how things had been between them.

  “Good evening,” she greeted the footman who hopped down to open the door for her.

  “And to you, miss,” he said with a smile then closed the door behind her.

  “Ruby.” Gideon was little more than a shadow in the corner until her eyes adjusted to the dim interior. “I trust your day was satisfactory.”

  She sucked in a breath, realizing she was wrong. She hated this. This icy distance was worse than not seeing him at all. Where did that leave her?

  “Yes,” she replied. “And you?”

  He didn’t answer but turned to look out the window as the carriage started forward.

  Anger rolled through her. How did he expect her to act when he was making plans to attend balls and parties to find a wife? How could he kiss her with no thought to a future with her? James had told her the Countess of Westering’s identity and explained that she was a family friend, but the information hadn’t reassured Ruby in the least.

  She closed her eyes tightly as she faced the opposite window. He acted no different than other men. Dear heavens, from what little she knew, half the nobility conducted affairs when they were married. Gideon wasn’t attached, hadn’t made any promises, and they’d only shared a few kisses.

  Then why did it hurt so much?

  GIDEON CLENCHED A fist, anything to keep from reaching across the carriage to drag Ruby onto his lap. He wanted to take her into his arms and kiss her—no, shake her—no, definitely kiss her, and so much more.

  The woman was maddening. She was slowly driving him insane by doing absolutely nothing.

  He forced himself to draw a deep breath, hoping to calm his emotions only to catch the now familiar scent of ink. Damn if that didn’t arouse him.

  He had yet to understand what happened to cause her to withdraw from him. He couldn’t bring himself to ask. Each day, he thought to find the information he needed to hand Mr. Pike over to the authorities and resolve the situation that stood between Ruby and him. But he also worried the danger was all that held them together.

  He shifted in his seat. His thoughts no longer made sense even to him. Heaven forbid he try to explain them to anyone else.

  So he held his silence until they arrived at home. He alighted to assist Ruby. Then they walked side by side up the steps but didn’t touch.

  “I’ll be out this evening,” he said. He had a meeting with Beaumont to see if he’d learned anything further.

  Ruby halted mid-stair then seemed to catch herself before continuing up the steps. “Of course.”

  He glanced at her, confused by her response, only to see her lips pursed into a thin line. Did she think it fine for her to go to work each day where the mysterious Mr. Pike could appear and harm her, but it wasn’t fine for him to meet with Beaumont?

  Clearly he didn’t know her thoughts or her, for that matter. Had he imagined a deeper connection between them as well?

  THE FOLLOWING MORNING at work, Ruby kept one eye on the door to the work room while she thumbed through work orders. There had to be records of where the completed orders were to be delivered. Unfortunately, she’d wasted time searching through those from six months ago near the time the first order had been placed without success. This morning, she’d shifted to more recent ones.

  Voices outside the door had panic clutching her throat. Before she could put away the papers, the door opened.

  “What are you doing in here?” Mr. Francis asked with a frown, his gaze sweeping over the papers before her. “Why aren’t you at your desk?”

  As calmly as she could manage, Ruby pointed toward the nearest stack. “I am tallying our ten largest customers for the past quarter. I thought perhaps we could find a way to encourage them to use our services more often.”

  Mr. Francis’ eyebrows lifted in surprise. “That’s an excellent idea. Let me know when you have the list prepared. I need the latest invoice for Mr. Pike. Can you bring it to my office?”

  “Of course. I’ll bring it right in.” Ruby breathed a sigh of relief as he closed the door. Not wanting to lose her place, she quickly thumbed through the remaining stack. There had to be an address noted somewhere for delivery.

  Suddenly, a scrap of paper fell from between the documents she searched. The words “Deptford Spec” along with an address were scribbled on it. Elated, she pulled it from the pile of papers and took it with her when she returned to her office.

  After delivering the invoice Mr. Francis had requested and advising him that she needed to run an errand for her father, she fetched her cloak from her office and headed out the door.

  Though tempted to locate the address herself, she knew that would be foolhardy. Her best hope was to give it to Gideon so they could take a closer look. Together. Her breath caught at the thought. She’d have to hurry though as she needed to return to work quickly or risk Mr. Francis’ anger.

  She rushed to the cab stand around the corner, relieved to find one waiting, and hired the driver to take her to the docks. The hope that the danger for Douglas could soon be over made her smile. Soon, they might be able to return to their normal lives.

  Then her smile faded. That also meant they’d lose contact with Gideon. Should she find a way to tell him how she felt before they left? Yet how could she when he hadn’t said anything? No scenario came to mind that would allow their worlds to merge. Gideon’s life was with his large family in Northumberland. She couldn’t leave London when her father was ill, nor would she leave Douglas alone to care for him.

  She shook her head as the cab reached the docks. Her thoughts raced too far ahead. First, she needed to see if this address helped them find Mr. Pike and end his gambling scheme.

  She alighted and paid the driver, then entered the de Wolfe offices to see if Gideon or Douglas was there.

  “They just left for one of the warehouses,” a clerk told her.

  She exited the building and hurried toward the only warehouse she knew the de Wolfes owned, which was directly across the street. To her surprise, Gideon and Douglas walked on the opposite side of the street in the near distance. She followed as quickly as possible, losing sight of them several times amid the colorful mix of clerks, sailors, and soldiers. Several carts laden with barrels blocked her view then she caught sight of the two as they wound their way through the crooked streets lined with warehouses, their destination unclear.

  Before she could draw close enough to call out, the pair disappeared again. She picked up her skirts and ran as quickly as possible, anxious not to lose them. Fewer people and traffic were in this area. No one paid her any mind as she rushed past.

  Ruby reached the curbstone that marked the end of the street, but Gideon and Douglas were nowhere in sight. She glanced all around, searching the doorways and alleys nearby for a sign of them. A dark coattail fluttered as someone entered a door not far ahead. Surely that had been Gideon.

  She approached the large three-story warehouse, hoping she had the right one. The door was heavy, and she used both hands to wrench it open, careful not to drop the paper she still grasped. As she stepped inside the dark interior, her nose twitched at
the musty scent of tea that greeted her.

  “Well, well, who do we have here?”

  A chill slid down Ruby’s spine at Will’s greeting and the knife he held.

  Chapter Nine

  THE SIGHT OF Ruby entering the warehouse struck Gideon square in the chest, nearly stopping his heart.

  Douglas lurched forward, but Gideon jerked him back into their hiding place behind a stack of barrels. Gideon refused to allow him to make the same mistake that had cost Thomas his life. How could he have allowed his goal of protecting employees to jeopardize the lives of Ruby and Douglas?

  “What is she doing here?” Douglas whispered. “We’ve got to do something.”

  “Not with Will and his friends holding her. We can’t save her if they have us, too.” He knew he spoke the truth, but it took his entire resolve to remain in place. Caution was needed, not brazen action that might result in all their deaths.

  Douglas had searched for Will the past several days to no avail. Gideon made certain another clerk, preferably a sizable one, always accompanied Douglas. Both Douglas and Gideon questioned everyone they came across along the docks about the lottery and Charles Pike. Gideon had been certain that if they stirred the hornet’s nest, something would emerge.

  Sure enough, Gideon had received a message from Will this morning, advising he had information Gideon wanted. He requested Gideon meet him at this location.

  Gideon knew this would be a trap. He and Douglas had entered through a broken window in the rear of the warehouse thirty minutes early, hoping to discover what Will had planned. Finding a broken window near the rear door that allowed them entrance had been pure luck.

  But Ruby had come through the front door, obviously not expecting danger. Having her here changed everything.

  Gideon couldn’t think of what to do, his thoughts sluggish with fear. All for her. She must’ve followed Douglas and him from the docks. He should’ve warned her not to come anywhere near the office or the docks. If they were on better terms, she might’ve told him she was coming. Why had he permitted the ridiculous distance between them?

  “Who is this?” a deep voice asked.

  Gideon eased around the side of a barrel to see an older man addressing Will. “Do you know him?”

  “Mr. Pike, according to Ruby,” Douglas answered, his voice barely audible.

  As Gideon watched, Will drew closer to Ruby with a scowl. “The woman who kept me from tossing de Wolfe into the river to begin with. We’ve had nothing but problems since.”

  “I don’t know what you’re up to, Will, but—” Ruby began.

  Mr. Pike tugged the piece of paper she held. “What is this? Why do you have my address?”

  Damn. Gideon could only shake his head as his gaze met Douglas’. Of all times for her to have found Pike’s address, why did it have to be now? Pike would realize something was amiss.

  “I found it on the ground outside this building,” Ruby insisted.

  Gideon risked another glance around the barrels to determine how many men were with Will. He spotted two plus Will and Pike from his narrow view.

  “How many do you see?” he asked Douglas.

  Douglas held up five fingers.

  Those odds would never do. A distraction was in order, something that would remove a couple of the men, but what?

  “Sneak out the window, go to the front of the building, and shout that there’s a fire,” Gideon said. “Tell everyone on the street who will listen that you smell smoke coming from this building.”

  “I’m not leaving you alone to face all those men,” Douglas argued.

  “At least two will leave to investigate the shouts, but you have to be convincing.” He glanced around the barrels again, trying to hear what Ruby was saying.

  “Those are still terrible odds.”

  “You forget that Ruby is on our side. Don’t discount her abilities.” Somewhere along the line, Gideon realized he had. Rather, he’d discounted his feelings for her. He should’ve embraced their connection instead of questioning it. He might not have known her long, but he knew her well. He’d seen firsthand how she reacted in stressful situations, how she loved her family, and how she was willing to help a stranger. What more did he need to know?

  He wanted Ruby in his life. At his side. Forever.

  First, he needed to save her. Then he’d convince her they were perfect for each other.

  “Go. Now,” he ordered Douglas as he listened to Ruby continue to insist on her innocence. The woman was resourceful. Brilliant even.

  Douglas crept away, the stacks of barrels and crates hiding his exit.

  Gideon waited, nerves stretched taut, to hear the alarm. Ruby continued to insist on her innocence. Unfortunately, Will didn’t seem to believe her.

  “We know you’re staying with de Wolfe,” Will said. “You’re up to something. Don’t bother to deny it.”

  Gideon chanced another look around the barrel to see Will threatening Ruby with the knife. Fear curdled deep inside him. He couldn’t wait for Douglas any longer. He stood and strode forward. “Put the knife down.”

  Ruby’s eyes widened as she saw him, fear and relief warring in her expression.

  “Let the lady go,” Gideon ordered. “She has nothing to do with this.”

  Pike smiled unpleasantly. “How kind of you to grace us with your presence, de Wolfe. I’ve been wanting a word with you.”

  “The feeling is mutual. Your lottery scheme has come to an end.” Gideon watched with relief as Will leveled his knife at him instead of Ruby.

  “Nonsense,” Pike said. “We have another drawing scheduled. Our business is quite lucrative these days.”

  Shouts sounded from outside. Will frowned at the commotion. “Now what?”

  One of the other men glanced around with alarm. “I think I heard something about a fire, didn’t you?”

  Pike sniffed the air. “I don’t smell anything.”

  “Peterson, you’d better go see,” Will said. “A fire is the last thing we need.”

  Gideon nearly groaned with frustration when only one man left the building. While he didn’t care for the odds of success, talking would get him nowhere. It certainly wouldn’t free Ruby, and that was what mattered.

  He leaped forward and grabbed Will’s wrist, intent on disarming him. Will lashed out with his free hand with little effect. They struggled, Gideon squeezing Will’s wrist to force him to drop the knife. The other man joined in the fray, but Gideon blocked him with his body and prevented him from aiding Will.

  “Stop!” Pike yelled. “Peterson, get in here.”

  Gideon squeezed harder, rewarded when the blade clattered to the floor. He released Will and punched him. The blow struck him square on the chin, and he toppled to the floor, unmoving.

  Ruby’s cry had Gideon turning toward her, only to see Pike held her, his arm around her throat. Already she gasped for breath as she clutched at the man’s arm and tried desperately to pull free.

  Before Gideon could reach for her, Will’s cohort ran head first into Gideon’s stomach, forcing him back several steps. Gideon caught his balance, lifted both elbows, and drove them into the man’s back. The man dropped to the floor only to scramble up and attack again.

  “Stop!” Pike demanded. “Or the woman dies.”

  Gideon hesitated, the situation far too close to what happened with Thomas—when Gideon had listened to the thieves’ promises to release his friend. He’d stopped fighting, just like they’d demanded. Thomas had paid for Gideon’s mistake with his life, for the thieves had killed him anyway. Not this time. He was trusting his instincts not the word of a criminal.

  With renewed effort, Gideon struck the cohort’s jaw, his entire weight behind the move. The man sank to the floor, his head bobbing from the blow.

  Gideon spun toward Pike. “Release her.”

  Pike’s grim smile tore something in Gideon. Was he going to lose Ruby when he’d just realized how much he cared for her?

  Panicked,
Gideon glanced at her, terrified by the sight of her reddening face. Then she went completely limp, her gaze holding Gideon’s. Had she done it purposefully?

  Pike glanced at her in disbelief, loosening his grip as if uncertain what to do next. That was the moment Gideon needed. He lunged, hands reaching for Pike’s neck. The man fell back, unbalanced by Ruby, unable to escape Gideon.

  The next few moments were a blur as Gideon unleashed his anger and grief to pummel the man.

  “Gideon.” Ruby’s hand on his shoulder brought him back to his senses.

  Pike lay on the ground, unmoving. Blood covered his nose and mouth. The cohort dashed for the door and fled as fast as his feet could carry him.

  “Ruby?” Gideon rose to take her gently in his arms. “Did he hurt you?”

  She drew a shuddering breath. “Not really, but he certainly frightened me.”

  The door opened again to reveal a policeman holding the man who’d attempted escape, followed by Douglas and two more policemen.

  “What took you so long?” Gideon asked.

  Douglas scowled as he took in the sight of the unconscious men. “This policeman heard me and accused me of sounding a false alarm,” he explained as he gestured toward one of them. “I was trying to explain the situation when this fellow scrambled out the door and ran into the policeman. Then he decided to believe me, after all.”

  “Who are these men?” a policeman asked Douglas.

  Gideon stepped aside, a protective arm around Ruby, happy to let Douglas explain the situation. He needed a moment to reassure himself that Ruby was safe and all was well.

  His heart settled as he drew her back into his arms. “You’re certain you’re not hurt?”

  “No, and you?” She leaned back to look him over as if expecting to find an injury.