He wasnt really lying to her, he told himself. He was Mr. Moreland, even if not the one she sought. Now, please tell me how I may help you, Miss?
II came here because...well, I asked the driver at the station where I should go. He said the Moreland Agency was the best in the city at finding someone, she said, twisting her cap in her hands and ignoring his implied question about her name.
We will certainly do our utmost to help you. He opened the top drawer of the desk and was relieved to spot pencils and even a pad of paper. He set them on the desk and prepared to take notes, hoping that he looked like he knew what he was doing. Now, who is it that you wish to find?
She gazed back at him gravely and said, Me.
Chapter Two
I BEG YOUR PARDON? Surely he could not have heard her correctly.
Its me I need you to findnot the location because obviously Im here, but who I am. She sighed. I dont know who I am.
Alex blinked. It occurred to him that perhaps this was an elaborate joke. This lovely girl was an actress, perhaps, and Con had... No, not Con. If Con had played a prank on him, he wouldnt have left. Hed still be here, laughing his head off. Alex glanced out the door. He had no feeling of Cons nearness. But who else would arrange a mad jest like this?
I see, he said carefully and cleared his throat.
The girl jumped up. I know. I know I sound as if Ive escaped from Bedlam, but I promise you, I havent. I mean, well, I dont feel insane...though I suppose I cannot really know, can I?
She paused, looking so lost that Alex instinctively went around the desk to her, taking her arm and steering her back to the chair. He propped himself on the edge of the desk. No, no, Im sure youre not insane. Its just... I, um... Perhaps you could explain the situation further.
She drew a breath and folded her hands in her lap, looking every inch a proper English gentlewomanexcept, of course, that she was wearing an ill-fitting mans suit. I dont know who I am. I cannot tell you my name because I have no idea what it is. I think... Her fingers went up to her throat, touching something beneath her shirt. I think it may be Sabrina because that is what is engraved on the locket Im wearing.
Sabrina it is, then. He liked the sound of it, the intimacy of calling her by her given name, as if he had known her for years. If you will excuse the, um, the informality.
Of course. Her cheeks colored again in that delightful way. Its only reasonable, since I have no idea what my last name is. She added with a sigh, Or where Im from. Or why Im dressed in this mad fashion.
You know nothing about yourself?
No, nothing at all. Its the most awful sensation. Sabrina reached up a hand to push her luxuriant hair out of the way, and for the first time he saw a purple bruise on the side of her face. Two of them, in fact, one on her forehead and one on the cheekbone below, both at the edge of her hairline. He noted, too, that the hand she lifted was scraped.
Youve been hurt! Anger rose in him so fiercely that he jumped to his feet again. Who did this to you?
He bent down to examine her bruises, gently lifting the curls aside. The soft hairs clung to his skin, sending a frisson of pleasure straight up his nerves. His gesture was far too intimate to be appropriate, he realized, and he pulled his hand back, forcing himself to return to his seat against the desk.
I dont know who did it, she told him. If anyone. Perhaps I fell. Theres more.
More?
Yes. There are bruises on my arm. She shrugged out of her coat and pushed up one sleeve almost to her elbow to expose her arm to him. There on the pale skin were small faint smudges of blue.
Fingertips. Something clenched, cold and hard, in his chest. Someone squeezed your arm tightly.
I rather thought so. And look. She undid the top button of her shirt and pushed it down, revealing another long red scratch low on her throat. And I think... She frowned, reaching up toward the back of her head. I think maybe I hit my head. Theres a spot thats tender.
Quickly he rounded her chair and bent down to look where she pointed. Carefully he parted her hair, trying to ignore the way it felt beneath his fingers, the ribbons of excitement that stirred deep within him. He drew in a quick, hissing breath. Youre bleeding. I should have seen...
He crossed the room to the washstand in the corner and wet a rag, returning to dab carefully at the wound. When she drew in a sharp breath, he said, Im sorry. I know this hurts, but I must clean it.
I know. It was just that one spot that hurt. Youre quite good at this.
Alex chuckled. If theres one thing I know, its cleaning cuts and scrapes.
Your business is dangerous?
My childhood was. He smiled to show he didnt mean it. My brother and I were constantly falling out of trees or rolling down the hillside or running into things. He paused, considering. Come to think of it, we must have been clumsy little brutes.
When he finished cleaning the wound, he set the rag aside and took up his former seat on the edge of the desk. Now, you remember nothing of your past?
No. Not who I am or what happened to cause these bruises or where I live. Nothing! Tears glittered in her eyes.
Very well. Alex pushed aside the thought of how much he would like to take the woman in his arms and hold her, comfort her. Crossing his arms across his chest, he said, What is the first thing you do remember?
Waking up on a train. The conductor shook my shoulder and woke me up, said we had reached Paddington Station. I was quite groggy. I got off the train and started walking through the station. There were so many people, and it was terribly noisy. I was so confused and...and scared. My head ached. I was trying to remember where I was and why I was dressed this way. And I thought whoever was meeting me wouldnt recognize me. Then I realized that not only did I not know who I was meeting, I didnt even know who I was. It scared me, so I sat down on a bench for a while and tried to think. She shrugged. It was useless.
What did you do then?
II was hungry. She smiled faintly. How very mundane at a time like that, but I was. So I bought some roasted chestnuts from a man with a cart. Thats when I realized that I had some moneya good bit of money, or at least it seemed so to me. Her gaze sharpened. So clearly I do remember some thingsI know a five-pound note from a shilling, and I knew that there would be hacks outside the station. I knew I was peculiarly dressed. I knew I was going to see...someone. Its just me that I know nothing about.
Did you recognize Paddington?
She looked thoughtful. No. I just saw its name on the signs. I... Really, I dont remember much about the station. I was in a fog. But nothing looked familiar, and when I went outside, I didnt recognize anyplacenone of the streets or buildings. Perhaps Ive never been here before. Or perhaps thats just something else Ive forgotten.
You said you had a locket. Lets start with that.
Yes. Sabrina reached behind her neck and unfastened a clasp, pulling a chain from beneath her shirt.