The Heiress Effect (Brothers Sinister #2)

Oliver shook his head and turned away. “I’m not sure that you should admire a woman whose main recommendation is that she’s managed to garner a baker’s dozen of arrests.”


“Who else am I supposed to admire?” Free asked. “You? You’re here lecturing me on how my behavior was unsafe, but I took greater pains to secure my safety than you did. You’re a duke’s son in the midst of a potentially hostile mob. For God’s sake, they’re playing the Marseillaise over there. Who knows what could happen to you?”

“That’s ridiculous!” Oliver said hotly. “I only came to find you. Don’t turn this around to be about me. I don’t care what safeguards you took; it’s still dangerous. This is risky. Even if it turns out that nothing goes amiss, this could have been a violent mob.”

Free refused to be ruffled. “You appear to believe it’s acceptable to risk that danger to come and, uh…rescue me.” She rolled her eyes. “I believe it’s acceptable to risk that danger to come and say that women deserve the vote. Why is your risk gallant and mine foolish?”

“Damn it, Free. This isn’t the time to chop logic. We need to get you out of here.”

Free only smiled. “Oh, that’s so lovely. When I induce you to swear, it’s because I’ve argued you to a standstill. Cut line, Oliver. You know I’m right even if you refuse to admit it. And stop being ridiculous; I’m not leaving. If the crowd turns to violence, I’m safer surrounded by a hundred women who have discussed the finer points of safety than I would be all alone with you. What would you do if we were attacked by a mob?”

“I would—” He paused.

“You would be ripped limb from limb.” She gave him a beatific smile, completely at odds with her words. “Don’t worry, big brother. I’ll keep you safe.”

“Damn it, Free,” he repeated.

She laughed and looked back to her friends. “This is my brother,” she said. “His name is Mr. Oliver Marshall. He likely won’t leave until everything is over. Where should he stay and glower?”

“You can’t cross the perimeter,” one of the women said to him. “Only women inside the circle, and I hope you can understand the reason for that. But my brother is standing against that tree there, watching out for us in case anything goes wrong. If you’d like to go join him, you’d be welcome.”

Oliver shook his head at his sister, and she grinned at him. “Enjoy yourself, Oliver. The Reform League has promised Miss Higgins the chance to speak, and I’m sure you’ll love what she has to say.”

There wasn’t much to say after the rally. The constables intervened only so far as to suggest that people vacate the park before dusk fell, and by then, nobody seemed to object to this suggestion.

The mood was jubilant. The government had promised to quash the demonstration with all its might; the people had promised to quash the government’s quashing of their demonstration.

The people, it was generally agreed, had won. Decisively.

Free’s friends relinquished her to Oliver’s care with reluctance. The cabs were overrun; the streets crowded with foot traffic. There was no chance of taking a carriage.

Instead, they walked. For the first fifteen minutes, Free was cheerful, burbling about the crowd, the mood, how much fun she’d had and how she couldn’t wait to do it again. All her energy made him feel old and weary.

“Where are you taking me?” Free finally asked after they’d traipsed through a handful of dingy streets. “It looks like we’re going to Freddy’s.”

Oliver blinked and turned to his sister. “I thought you liked Aunt Freddy. You write to her every week. You’re her namesake.”

Free rolled her eyes. “For the last four years, Oliver, I have only been writing her angry letters, and she has been answering them with just as much vituperation. You never pay attention to anything. We are arguing.”

Had it been four years since he’d last spent any significant time at home? Oliver totted up the time…and then swallowed.

“You argue with everyone,” he finally said. “I didn’t pay that any mind.”

“She’s going to lecture me. Do you know what Freddy will say when you tell her what I was doing?” Free’s eyes narrowed. “Is that why you’re bringing me to her? Because you want her to say—”

“Honestly, Free.” Oliver looked skyward. “I was bringing you to Freddy’s because I thought you would like to see her. I can take you back to Clermont House, if you’d prefer, but the last time you were there you complained that you didn’t know anyone and there was nothing to do. I hadn’t thought about Freddy’s lectures, and if I had, I wouldn’t have brought you. I don’t know what it is about Aunt Freddy, but the instant she tells me not to do something, I find myself most wishing to do it.”

Free’s lips twitched up reluctantly.

“And she never used to lecture you, in any event. Not like she did the rest of us.”