“I’ll go with you.”
“No, you and Jason are my eyes and ears here in England.”
“Mother won’t be pleased.”
“I’ve a mind to take her with me,” Douglas said. “It’s sure to be safer in France. When I think of how she wanted to come riding with us this morning, it makes my innards cramp. We’ll leave discreetly, before dawn tomorrow morning. I don’t want our enemy to know that we’re no longer here in England. Let the bugger continue to make his plans.” He smiled as he stared toward the south gate. “The bastard will have to tend his arm. That will keep him away for several days, at least. Then he’ll believe he scared me so badly I’m hiding in the house.” Douglas walked to Garth, who was eating some grass beside the path, and said over his shoulder, “Come along, James. We have a lot to do.”
Unfortunately it took them a good while to get home since Bad Boy had run from the park home to his stable.
Two hours later, Alexandra was staring at her husband, her cup of tea forgotten. She cleared her throat, adjusted her brain, set her cup carefully back into its saucer, and said, “I think it’s an excellent plan, Douglas. We will leave very early, slip out through the back gate. James can arrange to have a hackney meet us over on Willowby Street.”
“From there we will meet Captain Finch down at the docks. We’ll be off to France with the morning tide.”
“You’ve already arranged a packet?”
“Of course. One valise, Alex. Pack lightly.”
She rose and shook out her skirts. She walked to her husband, wanting desperately to hold him close and protect him, but knew it wasn’t possible. She smiled down at him, sitting there with his long legs stretched out, ankles crossed, a grin on his face. “You’re enjoying this,” she said slowly. “You wretch-you’re enjoying this.”
“It’s been a long time, and no, I wouldn’t really call it enjoyment. The danger does add some zest to the blood though, I’ll admit. We’ll have a time of it in France, Alex, and I won’t have to worry about you so much as I do here. Let the villains scrabble about, wondering and looking for me, even believing I’m hiding here. Everything will be all right.”
“Yes,” she said, and sat on his lap. She buried her face against his neck. “Yes, everything will be all right.”
“Remie will continue making his rounds. Also I’ve enlisted a good dozen of our friends to keep their eyes open and watch out for James and Jason. I want the boys kept safe.”
“Yes,” she said, and wanted to weep she was so frightened. “But you know they’ll both be out leading the search.”
“They won’t get knives in their guts, Alex. They’re smart and strong and fast. Ryder and I taught them to fight dirty. Don’t worry.”
She looked at him as if he were utterly mad.
THE FOLLOWING MORNING, three hours after their parents had left on a packet to Calais, James and Jason were in the breakfast room drinking tea. James said, “We’re to go about our business, and if asked, simply say that Mother and Father are at home, resting.”
Jason said, looking appalled, “Father would never admit that he needed rest. Can you imagine?”
“No, you’re right.” James frowned. “Actually, it was mother who said that.”
“His friends won’t believe that either. He didn’t tell me if he took any of them into his confidence, but knowing our father, knowing he’ll want us protected while he’s not here, I wager he has. What then?”
“How about that he and Mother have traveled to the Cotswolds to visit Uncle Ryder and Aunt Sophie?”
“That could put them in danger, at least until the bastards realized they’d been duped and head back to London.”
“All right. We could say they’ve gone to Scotland to see Aunt Sinjun and Uncle Colin.”
The twins were still worrying over the problem when Willicombe shimmered into the breakfast room, making no more noise than a snake. There was tightness about his mouth, a bit of disapproval in his voice. “My lord, a young lady is here to see you. You were not included in her request, Master Jason. She is without an escort. Shall I send her on her way?”
“No, no, Willicombe, send her in. Jason, what will we say?”
“Let’s say that Mother is feeling poorly and so Father took her to the seashore to rest. To Brighton. That’ll keep the bastards busy trying to track them down there. Now, I’m off to see Miss Judith McCrae.”
His brother gave him a thoughtful look, then said, “This evening, you and I are meeting with all our friends. We’ll set the lazy sods to work, give them something better to do than roaming the brothels.”
“I thought you had a meeting at the Royal Astronomical Society this evening?”
“The stars can wait,” James said, then smacked his forehead with his palm. “Well, damn, I’m supposed to present a paper.”
“The one on the silver cascade phenomenon you witnessed while you were studying one of Saturn’s rings?”
James nodded, and began pacing the breakfast room. “Huygens was wrong about the rings being solid, Jason. They’re not, which is why I saw that silver curtain pouring through-”
“James? Are you going to leave me in the hall all morning? You’re worrying about Saturn?”
Both men turned to see Corrie standing in the doorway, Willicombe behind her, waving his hands, looking ready to call Remie. She’d rolled right over him. James could tell him that Hollis wouldn’t consider trying to keep Corrie waiting, no man in his right mind would. “It’s all right, Willicombe. This is Miss Corrie Tybourne-Barrett. She’s a friend.”
James took a step toward her, his hand outstretched. “Corrie, is everything all right? Where is your maid? Surely you didn’t come here alone, did you? It’s not done, you know, you shouldn’t-”
“I must talk to you.” She looked pointedly at Jason, who was staring at her, bemused.
“You make a mighty fine female.” Jason gave her a blazing flash of white teeth that would fell any sentient female between the age of ten and eighty. “I’m off, James. I’ll see you this evening.” Jason flicked a finger over Corrie’s chin as he went by. “Be careful, little one, big brother here is a bit on edge.”
They stood there listening to Jason whistle, his boots sharp on the black and white Italian marble in the entrance hall.
“What’s going on, Corrie? Oh, do sit down. Would you like tea?”
“No, no tea, thank you. I heard a very strange rumor, James.”
James grew instantly still. Damn, she’d heard about the attempts on his father’s life? “What rumor?” he asked very carefully.
“Juliette Lorimer.”
“Juliette Lorimer? Who-oh yes, she’s the girl who dances quite well and-What about her?”
“What do you mean she dances quite well? Is she so very special then? Don’t I dance quite well?”
“Not yet, but you will. What’s this rumor about Miss Lorimer?”
“I heard that she’s decided she wants you, James. She intends to marry you. It’s possible that she prefers Jason, but it has to be you because you’re the heir.”
James, fascinated, said, “Wherever did you hear that?”
Corrie stepped closer, went up on her tiptoes, and whispered, “Daisy Winbourne told me she’d heard more than a score of mothers and daughters alike wailing about it in the ladies’ withdrawing room. Daisy’s brother even mentioned there was going to be a bet soon at White’s.”
He paled. He shook his head, his eyes never leaving her face. “In White’s Betting Book?”
“Evidently so. Soon now. Everyone wants to see you with her one more time before a wager is set. You know, see how besotted you look. Do you intend to marry her, James?”
“Damnation, of course not. I don’t even know the damned girl.”
Corrie smiled hugely.
“What is this? You don’t like her?”
“Certainly not,” Corrie said, and drew on her gloves. “Why ever would I like her?” She began whistling as she turned and walked out of the breakfast room.
He called out, the devil prodding and poking at him, “However, I will dance with her tomorrow evening at the
