“Damn it,” Della fumed as she watched the police escort the gentleman away. She didn’t doubt but that he could overcome the policemen—he was certainly muscular enough, and she’d sensed his confidence when he’d stood up for her at the pub. Not that he’d rescued her, she hastily amended; he had merely hastened the inevitable conclusion. She had been doing fine by herself. Reminded, she tucked her hat pin back into her pocket, but kept her hand on it in case she needed it.

As she watched the group recede from her view, a part of her wished he would do something to escape. It would certainly be exciting to watch.

The most aggravating part was that he was the person she was hunting for: Griffith Davies, Viscount Stanbury, the mysterious nobleman who had turned his back on his aristocratic family and gone to sea. It wasn’t his viscountcy she was after; no proper aristocrat would deign to speak to her anyway because of her scandal.

And she was grateful for that, she assured herself.

It was that he was the captain of record for the ship her friend Sarah’s husband had been aboard before going missing. He was the only lead they had on where to find Mr. Wattings. And unlike Della, Sarah actually loved her husband, the father of her child.

Della was just relieved that the father of her child had not married her despite his promises, and that he had run away when the couple had run out of money. She would never be swayed by a charming blackguard again. She’d long ago resolved never to get involved, much less married, to anyone again. There was too much risk.

Besides, she didn’t lack for family and companionship—Sarah and Della’s sisters, whom she’d been reunited with in London after running away to a tiny town called Haltwhistle. Her sister Ida had come to fetch her, and Della had agreed to return, even though Society was certain to blackball her on account of Nora, her illegitimate child.

Haltwhistle was also where she’d met Sarah and her daughter, Emily. Her family, even though they weren’t related by blood. Sarah also knew just what it felt like to be on her own with a small child.

Sarah had rescued Della when she’d been at her lowest—no money, no food, and holding Nora, who was six months old and crying constantly, in her arms.

Della had never doubted her ability to survive, but in Haltwhistle, abandoned by Mr. Baxter, she’d begun to feel hopeless.

Until Sarah had given her food and a warm place to sleep. Eventually, Della had shared her story, while Sarah had shared hers.

They’d forged a bond of motherhood, lost love, and a determination to thrive, despite their birth families. Della would do anything for Sarah, and her friend would do anything for her.