and we sat thusly, each of us thinking of Gabriella.
I loved Louisa, my dearest friend, who'd helped me through every heartache. I knew now that we never would have been happy as husband and wife, or even as lovers, but I thanked God for her friendship.
She kissed the top of my head and sat back down, drawing out her handkerchief and wiping her eyes. 'We are a pair of boobies,' she said, sniffling. 'Nancy told me you'd said you knew Gabriella was safe, but I thought you referred to the information Mr. Denis had given you this spring.'
'Gabriella is well and safe, and a father could not be more proud of a child.' I retrieved my own handkerchief, mopped up the damage, and stuffed the cloth back into my pocket. 'My task now is to decide what to do about Carlotta.'
I outlined everything Denis had told me. 'I dislike his hand in this. His solutions to problems are to cut ruthlessly to the quick, no matter who he harms in the process.'
By the firm lines around Louisa's mouth, I knew she shared Denis's opinion. 'Why be gentle with Carlotta?' she asked. 'She certainly was not to you. Divorce her and be done.'
'The scandal will taint me as well as her.'
Louisa waved this away. 'She will return to France and be Colette Auberge. No one in her French village will worry about the divorce of Captain and Mrs. Lacey in faraway London. You are protected by the reputation of Grenville-if he says you are in, you are in. You could stand on Piccadilly in your shirtsleeves and chuck bricks at passersby, and still society would fawn on you because you are Grenville's favorite. Likewise, Lady Breckenridge and her family are quite powerful. No one will dare shun her for favoring you.'
'Possibly not,' I said.
'Take Carlotta to court, Lacey. She deserves it.'
'You have become vindictive.'
'Well, when my innocent husband can be accused of murder, why should a woman guilty of adultery be let free?'
I thought I understood. This spring, a woman with whom Colonel Brandon had confessed to having an affair had dragged him firmly into the murder in Berkeley Square. Louisa had not forgiven the woman for that or for the affair, and she likely had not yet forgiven Brandon. Louisa was extending this anger to Carlotta, another woman who'd broken a marriage.
'I wish I were as vindictive,' I said. 'It would give me a plain path. As it is, I do not know which direction to take. I came here for your clearheaded thinking.'
'About this, I cannot be clearheaded. I do not know what you will think of me, but I am afraid I wish Carlotta to suffer a little.' Louisa paused, softening. 'Might I see Gabriella?'
'Of course you may. I have an appointment this afternoon to interview a sailor from Wapping, but after that, I will be free. Come to Grimpen Lane this evening, and I will take you to Gabriella.'
'Carlotta will not permit it,' she predicted darkly.
'As I reminded Carlotta not an hour ago, I am Gabriella's legal guardian. She will permit what I say she will permit.'
Louisa sent me an odd look. She opened her mouth then shook her head, as though she'd been prepared to say something and thought better of it. 'I am sorry I cannot help you on the matter of Carlotta.'
'There are no simple answers. That is not your fault.' I squeezed her hand, then got to my feet. 'Is Black Nancy here? She wants to meet the sailor and quiz him about his lost ladybird.'
'She is downstairs.' Louisa rose and rang a bell. 'I quite enjoy having her here. She is an excellent conversationalist. Very diverting.'
'She said the same about you. I do apologize for bursting in and burdening you with my problems. I seem to always be doing so.'
'We are friends, Gabriel,' she answered. 'Naturally, we seek one another when we are troubled. I hope that it may always be so.'
She smiled a little, and I was pleased that she'd decided to put her embarrassment over our encounters during the Berkeley Square matter behind us. Perhaps anger at Carlotta and joy at Gabriella's return would unite us again.
Louisa sent the footman who responded to the bell to fetch Nancy then accompanied me down the stairs, her hand tucked through my arm. We reached the ground floor to see Matthews pull open the front door as a carriage rolled to a stop before it. A footman sprang to open the coach, and Colonel Brandon descended and strode into the house.
Colonel Aloysius Brandon had black hair, graying at the temples, keen blue eyes, a trim physique, and a brusque manner. He had been a competent commander, earning respect as well as rank. He had gotten me my first commission, which I hadn't been able to afford to purchase, by knowing the right men and pulling in favors and possibly using outright bribery. He'd helped me up the ladder in the army, although I'd moved no further than captain. Beyond that I truly did need influence and wealth, and generals did not always appreciate my forthright manner and frank opinions. My own fault, but I'd never learned to scrape and bow.
Brandon stopped as Louisa and I came off the last stair, and he directed his words at me. 'What are you doing here?'
I inclined my head. 'I am well, thank you.'
He transferred his blue glare to his wife. 'I thought you said you were not allowing him the house.'
'I pummeled my way past your butler,' I said, not really in the mood to spar with Brandon. 'But I am leaving.'
I took my hat and gloves from the footman, noting that Matthews had made himself scarce. Black Nancy came from the back of the house just then.
'Ee, Captain, don't you look fine, all in your blue and silver.' She took my arm. 'Me pals will be pea green when they see me with you.'
Brandon scowled at her. Despite his own indiscretions, he did not approve of Louisa's strays, especially not game girls. He said nothing, only turned his back on us all and ascended the stairs.
Louisa insisted that her own coach take us back to Covent Garden. Nancy rode in it like a queen, staring regally out the window, pretending to be a lady of fashion. She looked down her snub nose at me and drawled nonsense in a ridiculous parody of an upper-class accent. At least her antics made me laugh, and I felt a little better.
I decided to think over my choices concerning Carlotta and come to a decision about what best to do. I would consult Grenville-a true neutral party. He could put his fingertips together and narrow his eyes and examine the problem objectively. He also had solicitors at his beck and call who might find another solution than a public divorce. I did not necessarily have to use James Denis entirely in this matter.
I bade the coachman put us down in Maiden Lane, in front of the Rearing Pony. We'd arrived a little before time, and I saw no sailing man awaiting us. I recognized the regulars, who nodded at me. The rest of the room was filled with reedy clerks or drovers stopping for a nourishing pint of ale.
They all rather stared when I led Nancy to an inglenook and slid into its more private benches. The landlord's wife, Anne Tolliver, brought us overflowing glasses of ale, cast a curious look at Nancy, flashed a smile at me, and departed.
'She fancies yer,' Nancy said. She took a deep, satisfying pull of ale and licked the foam from her lips.
'She fancies every gentleman who gives her a an extra coin.'
'Naw. She don't give a smile like that to the others.' Nancy grinned at my discomfiture and took another drink of ale. 'What's your lady like?'
'Very posh,' I said. 'She's a viscountess.'
'Oo-er,' Nancy said, exaggerating the exclamation. 'I know that. Mrs. Brandon told me. A widow, very handsome, very la-di-da, and quite taken with you. But I mean, what is she like? Is she all smiles and laughs and a good heart, or is she cold and snobby?'
'Neither. She speaks her mind, but she is kind, in her way.'
Nancy looked doubtful. 'Sounds peachy. What will she think of you sitting here slurping ale with a game girl?'
'Oh, I am certain she will have plenty to say about it. But she knows that you are helping me with an
