To have the undivided attention of all the room's occupants was both daunting and thrilling. Per her discussion with William the previous evening, Rose divulged all she had learned and discovered since that fateful day when she'd interviewed to be James Gallagher's secretary. A day that resided in the very recent past, yet felt like a lifetime ago.

William had given Rose his blessing for her absolute uncensored recount of events, therefore she kept her explanations short and to the point, but withheld nothing from the sordid list of discovery. Gallagher's behaviors and objectives, in so far as she had witnessed. Jimmy's colorful report of his father's relocation and seizure of properties venture. The corresponding deeds and documents Rose had found in the safe, along with how she'd ascertained the combination. And at last, Gallagher's long standing affair with Geneviève.

With each passing sentence, the charge of incredulity in the air seemed to crackle and intensify, and the eyes of her collective audience grew wider. A few imaginative obscenities burst from Ransom's lips, but otherwise, all the attendees were entombed in a dumb silence.

“...Gallagher murdered her,” Rose concluded. She looked down to find that her hands were shaking, and she clasped them together to keep them still. “He ended Geneviève's life in order to bury the secret of his illegitimate son. I was able to rescue her letter, which he attempted to burn. But a photograph of Geneviève and the baby also exists; unless it, like Geneviève, met with an untimely end.”

A lengthy pause ensued, in which the members of her audience exchanged glances and whispered exclamations. Tension hummed throughout the room, from floor to ceiling.

“D'ya think that's what happened?” Audrey asked at last. “To the photograph? It was destroyed, or disposed of?”

“In all honesty? No,” Rose replied. It was nothing but an inkling, yet for reasons she couldn't articulate, she knew she was right. “I believe, had he chosen to destroy it, the photograph would have been in the rubbish bin along with the letter. Half-burnt and discarded. It wasn't. Were I a gambler, I'd wager Mr. Gallagher kept it. Something by which to remember his lover. Not to mention, the only image of his son he'll ever see.”

Audrey's lips curved in half a smile. “So, it could very well be in his safe, then. Along with all those lovely contracts and documents of ownership.”

“It wouldn't surprise me,” Rose agreed. “He would want to keep its location controlled. Away from prying eyes. And he wouldn't dare take it home, where his wife might stumble upon it. No. If that photograph still exists, it's in his office. Of that, I'm certain.”

“And how's about the son? Your...beau?” Ransom said, waging a teasing finger in Rose's direction.

Rose pulled a face. “Jimmy. And he's not really my beau, thank you.”

“The peanut-shell-wanker,” Archie snickered, and Crispin and Elijah joined in.

“Right, yeah. Right. Jimmy,” Ransom chuckled. “He knew about his dad's affair. But not the baby. I got that right?”

“Correct,” Rose said. “Per his verbal outpourings, I gather he makes it his priority to know every potentially damaging thing about his father. Therefore, yes, he has always known about Geneviève. Likewise, he knows the combination to his father's safe, and the fact that he's listed as a second on all of his father's assets and businesses.”

William stepped up beside her, his chin bobbing in a nod. “And all o' this is instrumental to our plan. Come Friday night, everything changes, lads. Better for us. Worse for Gallagher. Rose has an outing planned with Jimmy at the Kensington Theater. He'll be with her. Which means he won't be under the watchful eye of his father. Rose will act as the distraction in public while we do the dirty work in private.”

“Meanin', we're not gonna confront James Gallagher himself?” Audrey surmised.

“That's right,” William confirmed. “No need. Fact is, we don't hafta fuck with Gallagher at all to raze his empire to the ground. Instead, we're gonna attack his weak link: Jimmy.”

“That's the plan, then? Eh, Liam?” Mickey asked. “The Deansgate Streeters are goin' after Jimmy Gallagher?”

Rose turned to William, taking in the slight but knowing smile he now aimed at his comrade. She and William had discussed all of this at great length in his study the previous night, and her newly acquired knowledge helped allay her apprehension.

“We won't hafta ‘go after’ him. He's gonna come to us. Inadvertently,” William informed the group. “I promise every one of you, Friday night will see some of the finest work the Deansgate Streeters have ever accomplished. And the beauty of it is: apart from Jimmy, not a soul will ever know we were involved. After all, as far as the public's concerned, the Streeters are ‘retired,’ and we wanna keep it that way. Thieves in the night, that's what we'll be. Takin' back what's rightfully ours, without sullying our names.”

At William's declaration, Jackson's face sported the widest grin Rose had ever seen. “Aaaand?” he prompted, bouncing on his chair like an excited child on his birthday. “How we gonna do that, Liam?”

“Oh, all the old favorites,” William began with a swift tilt of his head. As he spoke, he pivoted slowly to engage the entire room. “Stage a burglary. Do a tidy little frame job. Spot o' extortion. Spot o' blackmail. A bait and switch. Use information to cause a rift between family members. Snag a couple o' autographs. And to end the night with a bang, a bit o' kidnapping.”

A gleeful ruckus of whoops, whistles, and shouts rang out from all the attendees. Jackson and Elijah bumped shoulders. Audrey began to applaud.

“Fuck, I've missed this!” Ransom exclaimed, grabbing Crispin by the collar and capturing him in a headlock. “It's Christmas, lads!”

“Hang on,” Archie said, holding up a hand. “Who we kidnappin', then? Jimmy?”

“Not Jimmy, no,” William said. He turned and looked at Rose, his eyes dancing with mischief in the dim lamp light. “We'll be kidnapping Rose Appelbaum.”

【♖】

The meeting went on for another hour. Each detail, cue, and objective was gone over until William was satisfied that even Ransom could recite every particular of the plan back to him without hesitation.

It was gone nine by the time Rose and William arrived back at Warwick Hall. Despite her exhaustion, Rose was giddy with anticipation. The most dangerous adventure of her life was about to begin. William and his family were counting on her. If she didn't remain diligent, the entire plan would dissolve like ashes in the rain and her cover would be blown. This was their one and only opportunity for success.

The amount of pressure sent Rose into a bout of dizziness. She couldn't let them down. She couldn't let William down. William, with his brilliant, reckless, bonkers, perfect plan.

Once inside, she and William made their way through the foyer together in companionable silence. At the door to the parlor, William paused, likely planning to retire to his study.

“Lookin' forward to your date?” he asked. He presented the question casually enough, but Rose could hear a subtle teasing quality in his voice.

Rose grimaced. “I am not,” she stated. “I can only imagine Jimmy's tawdry expectations for the evening. But as it will be our last, I shall don my bravest face and endure it. Only for the sake of our plan, of course.”

William sniffed a little chuckle. “Magnanimous of ya.”

“Jimmy bought me a dress, William,” Rose said, her words coated in exasperation. “A dress. And it's absolutely horrid. He has as little taste as he has tact.”

“That bad, eh?”

“Worse. You'll see. Here,” she said, retrieving from her reticule the card Jimmy had sent along with the dress. “Read this. He thinks he is the very height of debonair.”

“O'course he does.” William took the card and skimmed the hand-written note. “This his penmanship?”

“If you can call it that,” Rose scoffed. “Yes. That's Jimmy's writing. Nearly illegible, isn't it?”

“Looks a lot like Ransom's,” William remarked. “Might come in handy. Mind if I hang on to this?”

“Please. Take it,” Rose insisted. “I don't want the dreadful thing.”

William nodded and tucked the card into the pocket of his suit jacket. “Off to bed?” he asked.

“Soon,” Rose replied. “After a small detour. I did promise Teddy I'd finish reading ‘Red Riding Hood’ tonight. I'd hate to renege on my word.”

“Important to keep your promises,” William conceded. “Aye. Go on, then.”

“You could...join us. If you like,” Rose offered. It sounded foolish to her ears to extend such an invitation to William in his own house, but she wasn't sure he understood that he was welcome. “Teddy would certainly like that.”

William gave her an amused little smirk. “If I sit in, ya mean?” he clarified. “For the story?”

“Yes,” she said. “And why not? You may learn something.”

“Cautionary tales, are they?” he asked, laughter in his voice. “This your nice way o' sayin' I remind ya of the wolf?”

Rose smiled. That was oddly astute. “Not at all,” she told him. “If anything, the wolf reminds me of Gallagher.”

“He is the type to go after a little girl and an old woman, isn't he?” William remarked. “I can see it.”

“As can I. At this point,” Rose agreed. Her mind conjured an image of Geneviève's soaked dress and discolored visage, and she shivered.

William took a step closer to her and tilted his head down toward her face. “It's nearly over, Rose. Come Saturday morning, you'll be free.”

“Free of James and Jimmy Gallagher, you mean?” she specified.

“Not only them,” William said with a small shake of his head. “Free of all of it. We pull off this plan, and you're done. I mean it, love. I won't ask anythin' else of you. Period. You can move back in with your cousin and wash your hands of me, if ya so choose. I won't try to stop ya.”

Rose was stunned. Her mouth fell open of its own accord, and she gawked at William, wide-eyed and speechless. Did he mean it? Truly? Was this to be her last and final assignment as an honorary Deansgate Streeter?

He reached out and gently tapped the bottom of her chin, guiding her dropped jaw back into place. “You alright?” he asked, his eyes shining with both amusement and concern. “Didn't break ya, did I?”

“Humph,” Rose huffed. She cast him with a wry smile. “I don't break so easily. I'm made of tougher stuff than that.”

“Don't I know it,” William chuckled. “Steel and granite, I'd wager.”

“Indeed,” she concurred. “It's only that...well, I'm surprised, I suppose. That you would agree to release me from our arrangement, I mean.”

“You've earned early release. And my silence. Ten fold.”

Rose considered this and found she couldn't argue. “So, should the plan be successful, I would no longer work for you?”

“And your secrets will never be repeated. To anyone. Aye, on my word.”

Biting her lip, she glanced over her shoulder toward the main hall and grand staircase. Why was she so conflicted? Wasn't this precisely what she wanted? It was, yes. Still her heart pounded in her chest the way it did whenever she knew she was making a dire mistake.

“And what of Teddy?” she asked, turning back to William. “Would I still be able to see him?”

“Aye. Anytime ya like,” he replied without hesitation. “Wouldn't try to keep ya away from me son, Rose. Wouldn't want to.”

A wave of content swept through Rose, and she smiled in earnest. She was tempted to take William's hand, but refrained. “For that, you have my gratitude,” she said. “I'd be ever so sad if I lost him.”

“And he you,” William reciprocated. “Told me last night that he loves ya. Never heard him say that about anyone.”

Rose felt a sting in her eyes that had nothing to do with the fear, apprehension, or uncertainty of the plan. She was touched in a way she had never been before. Little Teddy not only loved her, he loved her enough to say as much to his father. Could there be anything in this world more pure and beautiful than that? Rose thought not. She bit her lip again in an effort to prevent tears from forming in her eyes.

“Stop that, eh?” William said. He took her chin softly between his thumb and the knuckle of his forefinger and coaxed her bottom lip away from her teeth. “Such nice lips shouldn't be abused.”

The action was so tender and sweet, Rose jolted in surprise. “You think I have nice lips?” she blurted, confounded.

“Aye,” William said. He held her gaze in a way that made her knees feel like goose pudding. “Very nice. Find me'self wonderin' if you're a good kisser.”

Heat spread across Rose's cheeks, but she forced herself to maintain eye contact and presented him with a demure smile. “Wouldn't you like to know?”

William chuckled, the sound more air than vox. “Not wonderin' for my sake, love. Ya might hafta bait Jimmy with a kiss or two, should he need a little tug in the right direction.”

“Ah,” Rose said. She bobbed her eyebrows in an impish manner while inwardly shoving aside her disappointment. “I see. Well, I can say with no arrogance whatsoever that I have never had a single complaint, and August said mine were the best kisses of his life.”

Eyes twinkling with mirth, William nodded once. “Glad to hear it. And...let's say... What if Jimmy wants a bit more than you're willin' to give?” In one fluid motion, William took Rose by the waist, pivoted, and pinned her against the wall. “Before you reach the final destination of the evening?” He inclined his face toward hers, their lips nearly touching, and lowered his voice to a murmur. “What then?”

Rose sucked in a sharp breath. They hadn't been this close since the night of their heated argument in his study. His touch was light, without force or a firm hand. Physically, she could escape if she chose to. But something about his expression and close proximity caused her to freeze in place. Perhaps she didn't want to escape. Perhaps she wanted the forbidden kiss of a racketeer.

She blinked, clearing her mind. This was a test. And a good one. This exact situation could very well arise with Jimmy. William needed to know she could handle it and guide the plan forward.

Resolute with a touch of coy, Rose met his gaze and placed a hand against his chest. “I would say, ‘If we're to do this, I want you away from the prying eyes of strangers’.” She employed a bit of playful force, and pushed him back just enough to sidestep his body. Then she allowed her palm to meander slowly down his chest, to his forearm, and finally to his hand, where she entwined her fingers with his. “Let's go somewhere private.”

William stared at her in silence for several beats. He kept a hold of her hand and seemed to be studying her face. At last, he released a breath and said, “That's good, Rose. He won't be able to resist that.”

“You think not?” she asked.

“I wouldn't,” William stated.

The flutter of countless butterfly wings danced through Rose's stomach. “Well...I'm glad you approve.”

With a reluctant glance down at their clasped hands, William finally let go. “Oh, I didn't say I approve,” he murmured. “Jimmy doesn't deserve that kind o' attention from ya.”

The flutter intensified. “No?” Rose prompted. She looked up at him, trying in vain to keep her expression neutral. “Then who does, I wonder?”

William cast a smirk at the floor and shook his head. “Remains to be seen, I s'pose,” he said. Motioning toward the main hall, he indicated that she should precede him. “But let that go. For now. Tonight, don't you owe Teddy and me a bedtime story?”

“Quite,” she relented, pushing her disappointment to the back of her mind. It was clear she would get no more out of him tonight, and that was fine. There would be time later, after the plan succeeded. “I could do with a happy ending. Even if only in fiction.”

【♜】【♞】【♟】

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