Dear God. His forbidding tone and expression loosened her knees. Since he hadn't invited her to sit, she gripped the back of the chair in front of her.
'I've hired him to guard both you and the house until this matter is settled or you're safely married to Eastling and on your way to Cornwall, whichever comes first,' her father announced. He glanced up, and his icy blue gaze bored into her. 'Your activities will be severely curtailed. If it is necessary for you to go anywhere, Mayne will accompany you. You will continue to sleep in the blue room, and Mayne will take over your bedchamber-in the hopes that whoever tried to gain entrance last night will do so again and be captured. Hopefully tonight, so we can put a swift end to this nonsense.' His gaze took on another layer of frost. 'That is the way it is to be, and I'll not hear any arguments about it.'
It took several seconds for his words to sink in. When they finally did, her heart soared. She looked down at the carpet to hide the triumph and elation she feared glowed in her eyes. 'Yes, Father,' she murmured, hoping she sounded sufficiently abashed.
'I don't want you discussing this matter, nor do I want His Grace getting wind of it. If he even suspected some knife-wielding hooligan might be after you, he'd no doubt cry off, and I'll be damned if I'll allow that to happen.'
'Did you tell Mr. Mayne of my engagement?'
'Naturally. He had to be made aware of how imperative it is that nothing happen to you.'
A bit of her elation evaporated. How had Gideon taken the news? Was he angry she hadn't told him herself? Or did he simply not care? She considered appealing to her father to reconsider the marriage but knew it was useless. Any entreaty would only fall on deaf ears. Nothing would disrupt her father's business arrangement with the duke. Instead she asked, 'Will… will Mr. Mayne be dining with us?'
A look of pure distaste swam across her father's features. 'Certainly not. He doesn't have the proper clothes or manners for the dining room. You'll be perfectly safe with your mother and me during dinner. Mr. Mayne will eat in the kitchen with the rest of the hired help.'
Julianne's fingers knotted in her gown, and she pressed her lips together to hold back the flood of arguments she wished to present.
'Mr. Mayne is to accompany you everywhere,' her father continued, 'therefore don't get it into your foolish head to go haring off alone. Given the situation, it’s probably best you remain at home today and this evening.' He frowned. 'Eastling's soiree is tomorrow night, and you’ll need to attend. But for today, you're to remain here.'
'Yes, Father.' Keeping her expression carefully blank, she raised her head. 'But what about my usual round of calls with Mother?'
'She can do them on her own today, as she did yesterday. Mr. Mayne will arrive within the hour.' Her father's frown deepened. 'After he does, I'll be off to my club.' Without the slightest flicker of emotion, he returned his attention to his reading, and she knew herself dismissed.
Julianne turned and made her way across the room. It wasn't until she'd exited her father's study and closed the door behind her that she allowed the smile of triumph to curve her lips.
Gideon would be here, in her home, within the hour, hired to protect her. Her plan had worked.
But a shadow instantly clouded over her triumph. Yes, he would protect her, but instead of it being from an imaginary threat created by Johnny, it was from a real threat.
A real threat with a real knife.
Chapter 14
Before presenting himself at Julianne's home, Gideon had several stops to make. The first was conducted in a shadowed doorway on a narrow side street on the outskirts of Whitechapel lined by tall, soot-covered brick buildings. There he slipped a folded piece of vellum and a sovereign into the hand of Henry Locke, whose cunning ability at ferreting out information people wished to keep hidden made him a very useful asset to Gideon. The man would have made an excellent Runner but for his unfortunate habit of picking pockets.
'These are the people I want looked into,' Gideon said, giving Henry the list he'd comprised of everyone he knew who had been at Julianne's home yesterday. He would have preferred to conduct the investigating himself, but he couldn't do that and guard Julianne. 'There will be more names, but this will get you started.'
Henry glanced at the list, and although it contained the names of some powerful society peers, he showed no reaction. 'When do you want the information?'
'Yesterday. Until I tell you otherwise, you can contact me at the Gatesbourne mansion in Grosvenor Square.'
Something flickered in Henry's shrewd green eyes. 'What brings you there?'
'Why do you ask?'
Henry shrugged. 'No reason. I'll contact you as soon as I know something.' He pocketed the list then slipped out of the doorway. Gideon watched him move like a wraith through the myriad twists and turns of the narrow alleys and disappear from view.
Picking up his portmanteau and giving a soft whistle for Caesar, he made his way back to the main street, where he hailed a hack. After giving the driver Logan Jennsen's direction, he sat back and closed his eyes.
Damn, he was tired. His eyelids felt gritty and heavy, a consequence of his sleepless night. But at least by not going home when he left the Drunken Porcupine, he'd accomplished something: gaining some information about Lord Beechmore that Logan Jennsen would find interesting. The investigative work had kept him from lying in bed, staring at the ceiling, thinking about things he needed to forget. Things he couldn't have.
The hack jerked to a halt and, after instructing the driver to wait, Gideon stood before Jennsen's home and stared at the sheer size and grandeur of the mansion. Bloody hell, the man was rumored to have more money than the entire royal family combined, and he obviously didn't have any qualms about spending it on his home.
A very proper butler answered his knock and several minutes later escorted Gideon down a long corridor. Jennsen's home rivaled that of Julianne's father, except Gatesbourne's house was, in a word, soulless, while Jennsen's was, in spite of the opulence and objets d'art and paintings that lined the walls, welcoming.
When the butler announced him at the door to a well-appointed study, Jennsen immediately rose from behind the massive mahogany desk and walked toward him.
'Mayne,' he said, holding out his hand. 'You have news for me?'
Gideon shook the American's hand and nodded. 'I do.'
'That was fast.'
'I had some time and made good use of it.'
'Surprised you've had any time at all, what with another robbery and murder on your hands. Terrible news about Lady Daltry.' His gaze dropped to Caesar, who stood at attention next to Gideon, giving Jennsen a narrow-eyed look. 'He's not going to chew off my leg, is he?'
'Only if he needs to. It's best not to make any sudden moves.'
'Thanks for the warning. Would you like to sit down?'
'Thank you but no. I cannot stay. I just wanted to tell you what I learned about the matter you wished me to look into. According to my sources, Lord Beechmore recently suffered some serious financial losses.'
Jennsen's gaze sharpened. 'How recently and how serious?' 'Last month, and
