Why did that matter?
He didn’t need a single woman’s approval. He was working toward acceptance from the crème de la crème of society. He wanted…
She shyly looked down as she brushed some dirt from her dress. Penny’s cheeks were flushed with color and her lips soft and so inviting.
Why did his goals suddenly seem less important? Money…who cared?
Society…let them all go to the devil.
A good match for marriage…bloody boring.
This woman. Her approval suddenly meant more than any of it and he took a half step back.
Natty frowned at him. “Was the cheese not good?” She lowered her voice, her little brow drawing together. “I ate bad cheese once. It was awful.”
And just like that, something in him shifted. Well, something else. This little girl was darling and working so hard to have a good life. His sink or swim attitude suddenly held less grit.
His stomach flipped as he thought about the cold cruel things a world like this could do to a child.
“The cheese was excellent. I was astounded by the deliciousness.”
Natty gave him a glowing smile, bouncing on her heels. Penny stood and crossed over to them, the gate creaking as she opened it. “Well done, my sweet,” she whispered as she leaned down close to Natty’s ear. “It’s time for your rest now.”
Natty nodded and leaned up on tiptoe to kiss Penny’s cheek. “I love you,” she whispered before turning back to head toward the house.
“I love you too.” Penny answered, watching the child leave.
“How old is Natty?” he asked, more to break the silence that suddenly seemed awkward. Or perhaps it was just him who felt uncertain. Watching the little girl toddle up the stairs made him shake inside. She was so small.
“I’m not certain,” Penny said. “She looks about four or five, but she might just be short from malnutrition. Her intellect makes her seem more like six.”
Those words rumbled in his chest. He wanted to ask a hundred questions. Who would starve such a baby? How could no one even know when she was born? But the questions stuck in his throat. “How long has Natty been under your care?”
“A year,” Penny answered, turning back to him. “She’s come a long way already. But she still suffers from terrors at night.”
That made him wince. And suddenly, the six thousand pounds didn’t seem nearly enough. He had more money than he could spend in a lifetime. And another endeavor he was about to embark on. But he never got the chance to say the words as a male voice rumbled behind him.
“You’re back, are you?”
The voice grated behind him and he didn’t need to turn to know it was one of the men from last night. That altercation had ended in a stalemate, he doubted this one would. Luckily his jacket was already off. “I’m back.” He swiveled, placing himself in front of Penny once again. “Inside with you, sweetheart.”
“Sweetheart, is it?” The man sneered. “Who are you to be calling her that?”
Logan recognized him from last night. In the light of the day, he looked even more unkept. Missing teeth, dirty clothes, untrimmed hair jutting out from under his hat.
“Who are you to be asking?” he snarled, standing straighter.
“My lo—” Penny started.
“Just Logan,” he said, interrupting her. This wasn’t about titles, this was about men. And a woman and how these ruffians were going to leave her be.
“Logan,” she said, stepping closer to his back. “There’s no need to respond to this man. He’s just trying to goad you into a fight.”
“I am.” The other man spit on the ground. “This isn’t a place for you. You reek of the West End and you don’t belong here.”
Two other men stepped out from the alley across the street and began crossing over to them.
Logan knew it would be tough to fight three men. Best to eliminate one quickly. With that in mind, he didn’t hesitate, just threw a punch, popping the guy in front of him straight into his nose before the other men had even reached their side of the road.
The guy fell like a pile of bricks as the other two broke into a run barreling toward them. “Inside,” he barked at Penny as he widened his stance.
Then he raised his fists. Let them come. He was ready.
Penny blinked as she watched the two other men jump on Logan, engulfing him under their weight. She had to do something.
She could hear them pummeling his body with their fists.
Reaching down, she grabbed one of the broken pickets laying on the ground.
Logan pushed one of the men off him, bringing a hard fist into the other man’s stomach. The ruffian doubled over with a groan. Penny didn’t hesitate. Raising the picket over her head, she brought down the jagged wood on his back, sending him crashing to the ground.
She gasped as the blow jarred through her body. How did men fight like this? Logan spun and delivered an uppercut to the third man. He went careening back into the street. Then, without a word, Logan grabbed her hand and began pulling her up the stairs.
Wrenching open the door, he was met by Clarissa, once again holding a poker in her hands. “Need this?” she asked, peering over Logan’s shoulder.
He didn’t answer as he moved into the room, still pulling Penny behind him. Once they were both inside, he slammed and bolted the door behind him.
Logan turned to look at her then and that’s when she realized just how many punches he’d taken.
His lip was swollen and split, his cheek red, and there was a gash just over his eye.
“Oh Logan,” she said, reaching up a hand but dropping it again. He’d gotten these wounds defending her and the children.
It made her ache inside to see how he’d put himself in harm’s way and for the first time, she allowed herself to think about what it would be like to have him as her partner.
A man who helped her carry the burden and share in the love of her adopted family. A man who defended them and repaired fences and…her breath caught.
A man who would provide her with a family of her very own in addition to the one she’d already built. But surely, he wouldn’t want her. She wasn’t a lady, she was poor, and she came with an entire cast of little girls to support.
He grimaced. “This place isn’t safe.”
She nodded. “I know. That’s why I accepted your offer tonight.” She didn’t add, despite any hidden consequences. Because she trusted him. She’d worried about his motives at first, but he truly seemed to want to help. She couldn’t deny that after the hits he’d taken.
“Let’s get you cleaned up,” she said, then pulled off her gardening gloves and slid her bare hand into his.
The feel of his rougher palm against her softer one, made tendrils of pleasure dance through her arm, but she ignored them as she led him down the stairs to the kitchen below.
Working quickly, she put water on the stove to heat and got out fresh rags. Once the water heated, she began cleaning the wounds. The cut above his eye still bled, and she gently dabbed at the wound. Rinsing the cloth, she worked down his face, then his neck. “Take off your shirt,” she demanded. She needed to see what had happened to his body.
He complied without a word, gingerly pulling the fabric over his head, wincing as his arm stretched up.