“Of course.” Bless her, she weren’t making it easier on herself. To both men, she said, “If a Kincaid marked this place permanently, it ain’t a place you ought to knock about.”

With that, she made good her escape, though she didn’t rejoin the CALL effort. She needed to keep her wits about her, else she’d find herself the reason the Kincaid mark appeared on the walls of Baz’s home.

“There’s jobs to be had closer to Finsbury,” Móirín said as she and Gemma made their way toward Marylebone. Gemma had been living with the Donnellys for nearly a week now. “Could be living with your husband if you wanted to be.”

“It ain’t that simple, as I’ve told you time and again.”

“You’re making it complicated, as I’ve told you time and again. You love Barnabus. Pining for him in that tiny cupboard of a room we have for you is a fine bit of nonsense when you could be with him.”

“Being with him is too dangerous, Móirín.”

“He’s lived all his life facing dangers of one kind or another,” Móirín said. “And he’s faced your family before. But I don’t suspect that’s the danger you’re most keen to avoid.”

“What else could it be?”

“It’d be a fair dangerous thing loving someone you don’t think will ever love you in return. But how is it you expect that to change if you’re not ever with him?” Móirín gave her a look usually saved for the dullest of dullards.

“I was with him for half a year, waiting on that to change.” Gemma stepped around a costermonger’s cart. “I can’t hold my breath that long again.”

“So use that breath to tell him what’s weighing on you.”

“I have, more often than you know.” Gemma tucked her hands in her pockets. “He’s already done things for me he wouldn’t’ve otherwise because he took pity on me.”

“You truly think that’s all there was to any of it?” Móirín shook her head. “Here I was thinking you were clever.”

“You know he’s a rescuer, going to any length to save anyone he can.”

“And of all those he’s rescued, you’re the only one he’s ever married. And the only one I’ve ever seen him hold in his arms. And the only one he’s begged time and again to make her home with him.” They’d reached the point where their paths divided. “This is more than a rescue to him, Gemma. Stop minimizing it.”

“Minimizing what?” Stone spoke from behind them, not having given away his presence in any way.

Móirín didn’t even jump. Gemma did.