“May I see that note?” Without waiting for her permission, Cal plucked it from her grasp and read it.
Dear coz,
Sorry to have to push off home without notice. As you know, my circumstances have been rather dire of late, but thanks to your little introduction tonight, I have a plan to bring the dibs back in tune. When I see you next, I’ll be a married man. Make my apologies to your husband.
Au revoir, Victor
Cal crushed the note in his hand, ignoring Sylvia’s squeak of dismay. “What ‘little introduction’?”
Sylvia made a petulant gesture. “How would I know? He’s been in London a week or more, and I’ve introduced him to dozens of people. He has no consideration at all, rushing off like that. My husband will blame me, of course, and—”
“He said ‘tonight.’ Did you introduce him to Lily tonight?”
“Of course. I introduced him to lots of peop—”
“Did you tell him Lily was an heiress?”
Sylvia gave him an irritated look. “I don’t recall. I might have. Everyone at school knew that both Rose and Lily would inherit a fortune on marriage—some people have all the luck.” She glanced up at his face and stepped back hurriedly. “What? Why are you looking at me like that? It’s not a secret, is it?”
“No, it’s not a damned secret! But it looks as though your damned cousin has gone off with my sister Lily.”
Sylvia gasped, then clapped her hands. “You don’t say! How romantic. Of course, Victor was always a charmer, but—”
“It’s not in the least romantic,” Cal snarled. “Lily wouldn’t elope on the strength on one night’s acquaintance. She has no need to elope at all. He must have abducted her.”
Sylvia stared, then shook her head. “I don’t believe it.”
“I don’t give a damn what you believe,” Cal said as he strode from the room. “But I’m going to find your precious cousin, and if he’s abducted my little sister, he’s a dead man!”
“Don’t slam the—” she shrieked.
Cal slammed the front door behind him. If it woke her husband, it would serve the fellow right for marrying such a silly and irritating woman. With a soon-to-be-dead cousin.
• • •
“How this Nixon fellow has convinced Lily to go with him is beyond me. I assume it has something to do with the supposed note from Rose,” Cal said to Emm. He’d told her and the girls what he’d learned from Sylvia earlier and was now upstairs, changing out of his evening clothes into breeches, boots and greatcoat while his horse was being saddled.
“If the note said Rose was off to Paris, Lily might decide to follow her,” Emm suggested. “She’s always been the moderating influence even though Rose is her elder. And if this Nixon fellow offered to escort her . . .”
“If that’s the case, we can put that down to her experience of Rose’s earlier harebrained exploits. But it doesn’t explain those blasted hints in the note Nixon left his cousin. Lily might think she’s off to rescue Rose, but that bastard is planning to marry her, mark my words.”
“It’s not Rose’s fault,” Emm reminded him. “She didn’t send that note, and she’s been very well behaved since we came to London.” Emm put her hand on her husband’s arm. “Rose is already blaming herself for whatever has happened to Lily, even though she’s innocent of any wrongdoing. She’s extremely protective of Lily, you know that.”
“I know.” Cal picked up his pistols, checked them and slipped them into the pockets of his greatcoat. “And I’m not blaming Rose. I’m just worried for Lily. But with any luck I’ll overtake them before they reach Dover.”
Emm eyed the pistols with misgiving. “And if you don’t?”
He shrugged. “I’ll follow them to Paris.”
“And if they’re not in Paris? Before you spoke to Sylvia, you thought Lily was being taken to Gretna, didn’t you?”
He nodded. “I know, but this cousin of the Gorrie woman has her, I’m sure. He was seen leaving with Lily, and the note he left for his cousin is utterly incriminating. It said he was going home—which is in Paris. In any case, I’ve made arrangements for a couple of men—Radcliffe’s men—to head up the Great North Road, just in case. They have orders to search for a young woman and a young man traveling in that direction. They’ll go all the way to Gretna and if Lily turns up there, they’ll find her.”
He took her hands in his. “Don’t worry, my love. I know France well and my French is excellent. I’ll find her and make sure nothing bad happens to her. Even if she has eloped for some reason, she won’t be forced into a marriage she doesn’t want—I know how you feel about that. You just take care of yourself and this little one.” He placed his hand briefly on her stomach and kissed her. “I’ll be back with Lily before you know it.”
As she followed him downstairs, the clock in the hall chimed one. Just over three hours since they’d first missed Lily. It seemed so much longer.
“How long does it take to get to Dover?” asked George from behind them. She’d changed out of her evening dress and was clad in breeches and boots. Her intention was obvious.
“You’re not going,” Cal told her.
“I am. I have to do something!”
“You can stay here and behave yourself,” Cal snapped. “That goes for you too, Rose,” he added, seeing Rose behind George on the stairs. “I’m not having any more of you going missing! Stay here and look after Emm.” His horse was waiting in the street. He took the reins from the groom, swung
