It was mid-morning by the time Sam reached London. The night had been extra dark due to cloud cover, he had to walk Cole most of the way. He was exhausted, so bathed and climbed into bed. There was no rush. Tomorrow he would speak to a runner. Now he needed sleep. When he woke, he would inform Frederick of his discovery.

*

"Marvin." Samuel found Fred's butler in the kitchen speaking to the cook. "Is Lord Denyer in the house? I can't seem to find him."

"I'm sorry, sir." Marvin jumped to his feet. "I didn't hear you ring."

Samuel waved him down. "Sit man. I didn't ring. My brother? Do you know where he is?"

"He has gone to Lady Ashworth's house, My Lord, and expects to be back by eleven this evening." Marvin bowed his head but did not sit in the presence of the earl.

"Thank you." Samuel headed to the drawing room and wrote a quick note.

Fred.

I caught the pair in the act. Tomorrow I'll seek the services of a runner.

I'm off to spend some time at my club. I would like to talk to you on your return tonight.

Your faithful servant.

Sam.

*

Samuel bent down and kissed the top of Erin's head. His Ruby amongst the jewels in Mrs. McGilliget's Gem House. He knew he didn't love her as he should but, he did care for her deeply. She was clever, witty and somehow managed to tolerate his dark moods and sooth the raging sexual need he'd had since hitting puberty.

Maree had taught him how to fuck. Erin had taught him how to make love. She had slowed him down, schooled him in the art of gentle touch. A skill he had mastered because he wanted to please her. No longer did he go from one woman to the next.

Though he had never told her, one day he would set Erin up in a cottage of her own. Even if he married, he would keep her close.

"You're not staying?" Erin rolled onto her stomach, lifted her feet and crossed them at the ankles as she looked up at him pulling on his trousers. She ran her eyes over his body. He had become muscle hardened from boxing with Tim. Erin crawled to her knees and knelt on the bed in front of him. He was truly a man now. On his way to twenty. In the eleven months she had known him, she had noticed the change in his physique. No longer was he rangy. Weight had filled out his arms and legs. His chest had widened. Every muscle in his body was defined.

Erin ran her hand over his torso and down his stomach, as he pulled his white cotton shirt over his head. "You are so beautiful." She lifted her amber eyes to meet his dark ones. Every time she told him this his eyes glittered with humour. Tonight, they remained black.

"Why do you say that?"

Erin stood on the bed making her taller than he. She looked down at him, cupped his face, and then ran a finger over his brow, down his nose and on to touch his lips. "Because you are."

"Women are beautiful." Sam took hold of her wrist and sucked her finger into his mouth. "Men are handsome. Not beautiful."

"You can have a handsome woman, so why not a beautiful man?" Erin ran her hand through his thick dark hair pushing it away from his face. "I think you must be the son of a Greek god." She watched his eyes light up, and his mouth go slack.

He dropped her hand and ran his over her bare backside pulling her closer as he chuckled and looked up at her. "My father was no Greek god, Erin." Samuel sucked on her nipple.

"An angel then." She jerked back as he gave her a light nip.

"An angel now, is it?" Sam laughed. "I was told that once, by an imp of a girl."

"Did she pleasure you like I do?" Erin scowled at him and pinched his stomach.

"Ouch, that hurts." Samuel jolted away still laughing.

She flung her arms around his neck to keep him in place. "Did she?"

"No." He laughed some more. "She was a child. Maybe ten. Skinny little urchin covered with muck. Not a hair on her head, with large green eyes too big for her face." Sam's brow furrowed. "She was the strangest creature I'd ever seen, but there was something angelic about her."

"Was she a beggar?" Erin reached down and pushed her hand under the waistband of his pants.

"No. Maybe. I'm not sure. There was a story about her. I can't remember what it was. Nor can I remember her name." Sam grinned and put a stop to the movement of Erin's hand in his trousers. "What are you doing?"

"I'm begging." Erin jiggled her eyebrows. "Please stay."

"You're begging?" He beamed at her.

"Yes," she whispered.

Sam let go of her hand and kissed her. "I love it when you beg," he murmured against her mouth.

*

As Samuel stepped through the back door of Mrs. McGilliget's and into the dark alley, thoughts of the skinny child with large green eyes came to him. He wondered what had happened to her, and tried to remember the story of how she had come to be at Lytton House. Sam tucked his hands into his pockets and grinned. He'd been too busy thinking about Maree to have been interested in knowing the full story about the child. Next time he saw Edmond he'd ask what had become of her. Perhaps she was still there working as a housemaid or in the laundry.

He shrugged off the thoughts because he had more important matters on hand and needed to speak to his brother. Samuel turned into the lane which took him to the main street. Two men stepped in front of him. A sharp pain shot up the back of his skull. Sam staggered. He dropped to his knees and fought to keep his eyes opened. As blackness faded what little light there was, a child's large green eyes, and impish features, flashed through his mind, and then George Somersby's blurred face appeared in front of him. The words 'Goodbye Earl of Fucking Irvine' was the last thing Samuel heard.

Oh...No...!!!! Samuel....!!!!!

Please join me next week to see what fate awaits Samuel.

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