Perfect Bride by Samantha James Page A

up the pa per. “A man was found in St. Giles this morning. Just a short distance away from where I found you .”
    Her color was distinctly paler.
    “According to the story, a woman was seen wear ing a long, mud-colored cloak and a large bonnet.”
    Her gaze slid to her bedraggled bonnet, hanging on the post of the silk-striped damask chair across the room.
    He continued. “ ‘The woman,’ ” he quoted, “was given to a plump disposition.” He cast a pointed look at the pillow on the chair, then back to her face.
    She was chewing her lower lip. His gaze pinned hers, then hers slipped away. A guilty look, if ever there was one.
    “This man was struck down, Miss St. James. Stabbed in the chest.”
    “What?” she said faintly. “Are you saying that he’s dead?”
    “Indeed. There was a dagger by his side. The con stable is speculating it’s the murder weapon.”
    “Oh, God,” she whispered.
    “Thus my question. Was this man struck down by your hand?”
    Her lips parted. It was not the answer he sought; yet in truth, her stricken expression was the only an swer he needed.
    “Who struck first?”
    She avoided his gaze. “The dagger is mine,” she admitted, her tone very low. “But it wasn’t what you think. Truly it wasn’t.”
    “Were you trying to steal from him?”
    Her eyes slid back to his. “No!”
    “Was it a lovers’ tiff then?”
    “A lovers’...I have no lover,” she gasped. “I told you last night he was trying to steal from me! He stole my wages, and he tried to steal my necklace!”
    Sebastian ignored the tremulous quiver of those lush lips and pressed on. The time was ripe to pluck at the truth, and he knew it.
    “The paper claims he was a member of a gang,” Sebastian said. “Did you know him?”
    “No. I swear, I did not. I only knew of him.” She shuddered. “His name was Freddie.” Her gaze skipped to Justin, who had moved to the end of the bed.
    “All we ask is the truth,” Justin said quietly.
    “They blocked my way—Freddie and his brother Harry.” Her eyes flashed accusingly as she ad dressed Sebastian. “I told you there were two of them. Harry reached into my pocket and grabbed my purse. He ran down the alley with it. Freddie tried to take my necklace from the other. I didn’t care if they stole my wages, but I couldn’t let them take my necklace! I tried to stop Freddie, but he put his hands around my throat, and I couldn’t breathe! I re member, I reached for the dagger. It was in my boot.”
    Sebastian’s gaze now rested on the side of her neck. So that was how she’d come by those bruises, he thought. When Freddie tried to strangle her .
    Justin spoke his thoughts aloud. “It must have been Harry who returned and found Freddie’s body.”
    “Not necessarily,” said Sebastian. “It could have been someone else. But perhaps he’s the one who in formed the police—”
    Devon shook her head. “No. He wouldn’t dare, for fear of being caught himself. But it could have been one of his cronies planted a bug in the constable’s ear.” She blinked rapidly and looked down. Sebas tian frowned.
    “Either way,” she said, her voice scarcely above a whisper, “it doesn’t matter. He’s looking for me, and so is the constable.”
    “They’re looking for a woman with a large belly, a cloak, and a ridiculous bonnet,” Sebastian pointed out. “For a woman who claims she’s not a thief, you were certainly dressed like one.”
    That brought her head up in a flash. “Do not pre sume to call me that which I am not. It seems I am a murderer, but I am not a thief!”
    “How do you make your living then?”
    “I work at the Crow’s Nest, I daresay an establish ment two fine gentlemen like yourselves are scarcely wont to visit.”
    Such impertinence! Why, she sounded a veritable hoity-toity miss!
    He glanced at Justin. “It’s an alehouse not far from the docks,” Justin supplied.
    No wonder she’d smelled of fish and smoke and ale!
    He addressed her