The Girl in the Steel Corset

Finley was hanging upside down on a rope, supporting her body weight by twining the fibers around one booted ankle and leg, when Griffin entered the training room. She wore the short pants she so favored, a black leather corset, sleeveless shirt and fingerless gloves.

Did she know that her stockings were mismatched? Probably, he thought with a smile.

“I say,” he began as he walked toward her, arms folded across his chest. “Did you know that your face is almost the same color as a tomato? Perhaps it’s time to return to an upright position?”

She curled her body upward and took hold of the rope—much like he’d seen the Pick-a-Dilly Circus trapeze artists do—and pulled herself upright.

“I like tomatoes,” she quipped as she descended the rope with the agility of a monkey. Then she said, “You know, you’re in very high spirits considering all that’s happened.”

He shrugged. He couldn’t explain it, either. “I know it’s odd, but just knowing the identity of my parents’ murderer has lifted a great weight off my shoulders. Knowing that we’re also so close to catching him pleases me.”

“I imagine it would.” She gave him an assessing look. When he arched a brow, she said, “What are you going to do to him when we catch him? Kill him or turn him over to the Peelers?”

It shamed him that he had to think about it. His honor demanded revenge, but knew the right thing was to let the authorities take care of it. “I don’t know,” he told her. “I suppose I will need my friends to help me decide.”

She smiled. “Indeed, but I don’t think Garibaldi’s what you came in here to discuss with me.”

“It is not.” His good mood evaporated. “Jack Dandy telephoned a few moments ago.”

She was surprised, perhaps a little more pleasantly so than Griff liked, but it was obvious she hadn’t thought to hear from the criminal again.

“What did he say?”

He offered her a slip of paper where he’d jotted down Dandy’s words. “That he would like you to return his call.”

Finley stared at the paper for a few seconds before taking it from between his fingers. “I wonder what he wants.”

“We both know what he wants,” Griff replied curtly. Surely she couldn’t be that naive? Not after all she’d been through. “He wants you.”

Her head jerked up. It was probably lucky that her cheeks were flushed from her earlier exertions so he couldn’t tell if she was embarrassed or not.

“I should ring him at once. It might be important.”

There seemed to be a strange bitterness on Griffin’s tongue, like bile. “Of course. Use my study, you’ll have more privacy there.”

She was at least worldly enough to look uncomfortable. “Griffin, there’s nothing…romantic between Jack Dandy and me.”

Was he that pathetically transparent? “It’s none of my business, regardless.”

She tilted her head—the perfect mockery of his gesture. “Isn’t it? I am a guest in your house, and you are something of a protector of the kingdom. I would think one of your associates having ties with a notorious under lord would present certain…conflicts of interest.”

Griffin’s eyes narrowed. He’d not heard her speak in quite that tone before. This was part of the amalgamation of her two personalities. Challenging him was only the beginning. Oddly enough, he liked it. Frank speaking was not something he was accustomed to where young ladies were concerned.

“You have a point,” he conceded. “Shall I put my foot down? How about I issue an ultimatum? It’s Dandy or me. What would you say to that, Miss Jayne?”

Her honey-brown eyebrows lifted. “I would probably choose Dandy just to spite you.”

“So I will keep my mouth shut and allow you to make your own choices—and mistakes.”

Finley smiled at the pleasantly delivered barb. “That is very kind of you. I propose an agreement. I will tell you if I feel my association with Dandy becomes a threat to my place in this house, and you feel free to tell me if I am not seeing clearly along the way.”

“Agreed, but if I think you’re not taking my concerns to heart, I will toss you out on your arse. Trusting you is one thing, but I can’t let you endanger my friends.”

She folded her arms over her chest. “Like Sam did?”

That was a dig he hadn’t expected. “Sam didn’t know who he was dealing with. You do.”

She gazed at him a moment, her gaze intense. “You make being a tyrant very attractive at times, Your Grace.” She held up the paper. “Now, I’d best contact Mr. Dandy before he thinks I’ve forgotten him completely.” She flashed a smile at him before practically skipping from the room.

Griffin watched her go, a reluctant smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. He wasn’t really worried about Finley and Dandy—not where trust was concerned. Although, Dandy could be very charming, and girls seemed to like dangerous fellows—some foolish rot about reformed rakes making the best husbands. The idea of Finley becoming romantically involved with the criminal did bother him—more than he wanted to admit.

She’d called him a tyrant. She also called him attractive. Griffin’s grin grew. One thing was for certain, since Finley Jayne appeared in it, his life had been anything but boring.

Finley took Griffin up on his offer and used his study to return Jack’s telephone call. She was still agitated— in a good way, were that possible—from her conversation with Griffin and needed a few moments to collect herself first.

Griffin was jealous of Jack Dandy. She’d entertained the notion before, but not until now had she realized the truth to it. Griffin was jealous—over her. At that moment it didn’t matter that they could never have any kind of relationship other than being friends. Right then, his overbearing attitude made her happy enough.

Still smiling, she picked up the heavily ornate silver receiver from its cradle and then requested the number Jack had left for her. A ringing sound crackled in her ear. It rang three times, then there was a click.

“’ello, Treasure.”

The smile that had started at the sound of his awful Cockney froze at the sound of her name. “How did you know it was me?”

“You’re the only one who has this number. I ’ope your friend the duke don’t go sharin’ it wiv all his Peeler friends. That would be very inconvenient for me.”

Finley tightened her fingers around the paper. “He won’t.” Griffin was a good person, but not so pious that he’d forget how helpful Jack had been to them.

“Got ’im wrapped around your little finger, ’ave ya?” Dandy chuckled—a faintly mocking sound echoing in her ear. “Good gel.” He said gel with a hard G.

His tone annoyed Finley. “I don’t have Griffin wrapped around my anything.”

“Griffin, eh?”

Silence hung between them. She’d given herself away, revealed that Griffin meant something to her. For some reason she thought this was a very wrong thing to do in front of Jack Dandy.

“Why did you call me, Jack?”

“I’m not sure I like your tone, Treasure. Maybe I’ll just forget what I wanted to tell you. I’m rather absentminded, you know.”

She closed her eyes. Part of her wanted to apologize—beg if she had to—because she knew he wouldn’t have contacted her if it weren’t important. Another part wanted to hang up on him.

“Don’t play games, Jack,” she said in a low voice. “It doesn’t become you. You didn’t give Griffin your number just so we could waste time dancing around one another.”

He chuckled again. “There you are. For a moment I thought you lost your backbone. I’ve information, Treasure. Information regarding a certain gent’lman who calls ’imself The Machinist.”

Finley’s heart jumped. “What is it?”

“Wot’s it worth?”

She almost asked what he wanted, but then thought better of it. “My undying gratitude,” she replied with