“What’s going on?” the viscount said, scowling at the two of them.
William shrugged. “All right, so I overheard you a moment ago. Lil deserves a little fun before you leg-shackle her to that big oaf Wenford, and I’ve no objection to being her escort if our aunt has a previous engagement.”
“Oh. You’ve no objection,” Lord Hamble retorted caustically.
“What is your objection then, Papa?” Lilith asked carefully, trying to keep her anger and frustration in check. It was painful to realize how little he truly did care for her, after she’d spent every waking moment of the last six years trying to please him. “I have nothing else scheduled for this morning, and I did give my word.”
“You shouldn’t have done so without getting our approval first,” Aunt Eugenia pointed out unhelpfully.
Unexpectedly, her father waved a hand at his sister. “Let her go, Eugenia,” he said. “I don’t want her storming off in another selfish fit.” He lifted his paper again and resumed reading.
Lilith quickly stood, unwilling to give anyone time to change their minds. “Thank you, Papa,” she said, and quickly left with William.
Her brother caught hold of her arm as she shut the door behind them. “Where’s Jack this morning?” His expression and his tone were serious, and another jolt of worry ran through Lilith.
“He was going to find Wenford. I think he knows the only way he’ll be able to prove his innocence is if he gets a confession.”
He looked at her for a moment, then nodded. “Do you love him?” he asked quietly.
“With all my heart,” she answered.
“Then get your wrap, and I’ll take you to the Huttons’. I won’t be staying, though.”
“Where are you going?”
“To find Jack.”
Lilith hesitated. “Why, if you don’t mind my asking?”
“I owe him some assistance. Don’t ask, but I have my reasons.”
“All right. And thank you.”
“Don’t thank me yet. I happen to think we’re all doomed.”
Jack Faraday ducked behind an ice cart and swore. Tracking someone in Paris, where he had been unknown, had been difficult enough. The infamous Marquis of Dansbury following the Duke of Wenford through Mayfair without arousing suspicion, though, was a near impossibility.
He wasn’t certain confronting Dolph would work, anyway. As Richard had said, all the blasted duke needed to do was keep his silence, and he had won. And not only did Jack need him to confess, the marquis needed him to do it in front of witnesses. In private, it would be as useless as the near-confession Lil had heard. Dolph had known that, had known that Lilith wouldn’t be able to pass on anything she discovered, but Jack was encouraged by the fact that the duke hadn’t bothered disguising his animosities and motivations. Hopefully his confidence and arrogance would make him careless.
As plans went, he considered confronting Dolph a poor one, for it left him little room for subtlety or for error. And with Lilith’s reputation and well-being at stake, he had to tread more carefully than he was used to. Jack counted to ten, then stepped around the cart and up the street. Dolph had made his way into Stanton’s, and was no doubt exercising his newly substantial purse in the purchase of the most expensive cigars in London. Jack tilted his hat lower over his eyes and settled back against the bakery wall to wait. It was cold again today, and he was grateful for his heavy, dark greatcoat. In addition to the warmth, it provided a convenient hiding place for the brace of pistols resting in its deep pockets.
“Dansbury.”
Jack turned quickly. “Price,” he acknowledged, relaxing a fraction. “I thought you’d gone to visit your brother in Sussex. Or was it your sister in Devonshire?”
“Don’t expect me to apologize,” Price countered, stopping before him. “Your ship is sinking, my friend. I’m merely an insightful rat.”
“That saves me the trouble of calling you names, anyway,” Jack said, glancing toward the tobacco shop. “So what brings you here now?” Price was in his evening clothes, and obviously hadn’t been home since last night. That wasn’t unusual, except by this time of the morning he should have been looking for a bed, rather than traipsing about the shopping district of Mayfair.
“Actually, I was looking for you. I happened to breakfast with Landon this morning, at Boodle’s. A pair of Bow Street Runners came in, if you can believe their gall, and ended up at my table, asking me if I happened to know where you were.”
For a moment Jack was silent. “And you said?” he finally prompted.
“I told them you’d sailed to China on Tuesday. I don’t believe, however, that they were convinced.”
“Thank you.” If Bow Street was after him, it was either for questioning, or there was a warrant out for his arrest. In either case, he had more individuals to hide from than Dolph Remdale, and if he couldn’t end this today, he would end up jailed in Old Bailey.
“If you’ve any sense, you will make for the Orient, Jack, posthaste. Face it, my friend, you lost this one. And playing as deep as you do, you lost everything.”
Amused despite the fact that Price was likely correct, Jack grinned and clapped his friend on the shoulder. “Your degree of faith in me is truly astounding, my dear. But don’t try to collect your wager yet. I’m not finished.”
Price looked at him. “You don’t need to put on a front for me, Jack. Just get out of London, before you get arrested.”
“I can’t do that.” Jack hesitated, trying to decide how much he could tell Price. Thus far his friend had shown himself to be loyal—more loyal than he’d expected, in fact—but it wasn’t just his own freedom, or his own reputation, at stake here. “Perhaps you’d best make yourself scarce for a day or so. Not as far as China, but Sussex might be wise.”
“What do you think to accomplish?” Price persisted, searching his gaze.
Jack could see in his companion’s face the speculation about whether he had actually killed old Wenford or not. At least he still wasn’t certain, which set him apart from most of the rest of their fellows. He shrugged, trying to make as little of it as he could. “Justice, I suppose. Or at least retribution.”
“You’re mad, Jack—but then, I’ve always said so.” Price gave him a jaunty salute. “Best of luck, and I’ll be skulking about. Wouldn’t want to miss this.” He sauntered back down the street in the direction of his townhouse.
Jack shifted impatiently. He enjoyed a challenge, but this was becoming ridiculous. He looked up the street, sudden suspicion tugging at his insides. His Grace had been in that shop for a very long time. With a wary glance around him, Jack pushed away from the wall and strolled toward Stanton’s. He paused in the doorway, peering into the relative darkness, then with an aggravated sigh stepped inside. It was a small shop—and Dolph was not there.
“Wenford?” he barked at the flustered-looking attendant.
“Ex—excuse me, my lord?”
“Where the bloody hell is Wenford?” Jack repeated, ducking around the far side of the counter and making his way toward the clerk.
“Haven’t seen him, my lord.”
Jack shoved him aside and continued on into the back of the shop. He’d kept his eye on the front door while he’d been speaking to Price; Dolph had not left that way. In the back room, Jack stopped, staring at the door leading out into the alley. Either Dolph had managed to turn himself into the rat he was and scuttled away, or he’d known he was being followed and had gone out the back door. With a curse, Dansbury pushed through the doorway into the narrow, dirty alley. China was beginning to sound better with every passing moment. He wondered if Lil would like it there.
“I don’t think this is what Jack had in mind when he asked you to stay with me,” Alison Hutton whispered.
“You said you wanted to get out of doors,” Lilith reminded her, taking Beatrice by the hand as the three of them crossed the street toward her favorite dress shop. “And here we are.”
“He wanted you somewhe
re safe, Lilith. This is not safe.”
“Of course it is, Alison. Besides, London’s a big place. He may not even be able to find Dolph on his own. This way, there’re three sets of eyes looking for him.” She sighed, irritated at the useless role she’d been relegated to play. “I can’t sit about and do nothing. I would go mad from worrying.”
“About my brother?”
“Of course about your brother.”
Alison smiled. “Good.”
“I hope so.”
“You know, I think there may be four sets of eyes about,” Alison said thoughtfully. “Someone came pounding on the door this morning, and Richard vanished just after breakfast.” Her eyes narrowed. “He didn’t look very happy about whatever it was.”
Lilith looked at her, far more alarmed than relieved. “William said Richard would be the one to arrest Jack if a warrant was signed.”
Alison shook her head, her expression worried. “He wouldn’t. They may not get along, but he would never do that.”
“Are you certain?”
Alison thought over her answer for a moment. “I don’t know,” she said finally. “Lately, over the past few days, Richard and Jack have actually conversed with one another. They haven’t done that in five years. But I don’t know. I don’t know.”
“I need to warn him.” Lilith reversed her direction, and Beatrice looked up at her.
“Are we helping Uncle Jack?” she asked.
Lilith shook her head. “No. I am helping Uncle Jack.”
“Lilith—”
She looked up to meet Alison’s gaze. “You are going home.”
Alison sighed. “Jack will kill me for this. Please be careful.”
“I will. Don’t worry.” It sounded brave and determined. As Lilith turned and made her way down the street, though, she began to realize just how large London was, and just how small the odds were of her finding Jack before Lord Hutton did.
She rounded the corner and froze. The Duke of Wenford stood looking in a shop window only a few feet away from her. With a strangled curse, Lilith ducked back around the corner, nearly colliding with the Earl of Manderly. “Beg pardon,” she said in a rush, stepping back against the wall.
“Miss Benton,” he returned, lifting both his eyebrows and his hat, and continued on his way.
Lilith took a quick breath, her heart beating fast and hard. She frowned, trying to calm herself and think clearly. Abandoning the duke to try to find Jack could be disastrous for both of them. But following Dolph would leave Jack unaware that Lord Hutton was likely after him.
“Oh, damnation,” she whispered. Then she mentally shook herself. Jack was rarely unaware of events. He would be cautious—or at least as cautious as he was about anything.
And if it was too late, and if they couldn’t stop Dolph or Richard Hutton, then she would go away with him. She shut her eyes for a moment, missing him with a physical ache, missing his voice, his touch, his warmth and passion. Her family would hate her, but she couldn’t imagine living without him. And though she didn’t know whether he felt the same or not, she thought that perhaps he did. He had twice asked her to flee with him, and she had seen the look in his dark eyes when he held her. She would go.
Determined to do everything she could, Lilith leaned back around the corner. Dolph was still in sight, several shops farther down the street. He paused in the crowd, looking into another window, and then slowly wandered away in the opposite direction. She looked up and down the street. As the duke turned up the next street and vanished, Lilith stepped out onto the walk and hurried forward.
She stayed half a block behind Wenford for nearly an hour, ducking into doorways when it seemed he would turn around, and trying not to be too obvious. Several of her fellows gave her odd looks as she passed by, but she pretended not to notice and kept her attention on her quarry. Jack was obviously much better at this sneaking about than she was, but she thought she was doing a very adequate job of it. Twice she caught herself grinning as she evaded detection with particular skill. No wonder Jack had agreed to become Wellington’s spy: this was rather exhilarating, really.
They traveled well south of Mayfair, apparently heading for the Thames, and Lilith wondered what in the world would bring the Duke of Wenford into this part of London. She looked about uneasily. There were no peers around to wonder what she was doing alone on the streets, but then again, there was no one to help her in case something should happen. And there was no sign of Jack at all.
Dolph stopped again, and she ducked into the doorway of a cobbler’s shop. Flexing her tired toes in her thin shoes, she counted to ten and then leaned out again. The duke had vanished. “Blast.” Lilith scowled, leaving her shelter and hurrying forward. She glanced into the shop windows as she passed, making certain he hadn’t stopped to make a purchase somewhere.
She passed a narrow alley between two shops and immediately sensed someone there. Before she could do more than turn her head, the duke had wrapped one arm about her waist and arms, and the other across her mouth.
“Good day, my dear. And what are you doing here alone, so far from home?” he whispered in her ear, and dragged her backward into the alley.
Lilith tried to shriek, but only a strangled whimper came from her muffled mouth. She kicked as hard as she could, and was rewarded by the sound of Dolph’s grunt. He tightened his grip and jerked her roughly sideways, making her flail about to keep her balance. She wrenched one of her hands free, and frantically reached back and yanked at his hair.
The hand across her mouth let go. Before she could scream, he slapped her hard across the face. “Stop fighting, or I’ll break your neck,” he growled, replacing his hand.
Lilith blinked, dazed by the blow. Suddenly it made sense. Dolph hadn’t been wandering about aimlessly while she followed him. He’d known she was there and had been leading her away from assistance. Which meant he had to know that Jack was after him, as well.
His tight grip was cutting off her air, and she stopped struggling to conserve what little breath she had. At the far end of the alley he yanked open the back door of what looked like two stories of clerk’s offices. Dolph shoved her against the foot of the stairs, then turned and locked the door behind him. Lilith scrambled to her feet and ran toward the front of the building. Immediately the duke was after her, grabbing her shoulder before she could dodge out of the way. He pushed her into the wall, and she stumbled and fell.
“Leave me alone!” she shrieked, kicking him again.
Dolph hauled her back to her feet and yanked her toward the stairs. “You were the one following me,” he said calmly, half-dragging her up the stairs behind him. “What sort of gentleman would I be if I let you wander these dangerous streets alone?”
“You’re no gentleman,” she gasped, grabbing for the bannister. “You’re a monster!”
They reached the top of the stairs, and Dolph pushed Lilith through one of the two doorways there. She stumbled into a large loft, half-filled with old desks and chairs and cabinets, faded from weather and covered in dust. Pale sunlight glinted through both of the dirty windows on either side of the near corner. With a shudder she watched him lock the door behind them and pocket the key.
Dolph crossed his arms over his chest and leaned back against the door. “I’m a monster? Do you mean to tell me that it was merely a coincidence that I noticed Dansbury following me earlier, and that ten minutes after I evaded him, you began trailing me? Not very subtle, my dear. And not very wise. You don’t want to make me angry, you know. I have a rather black temper.”
Lilith looked at him, another shiver running through her. The risks she had taken that morning had been unwise in the extreme, but for perhaps the first time in her life, she hadn’t thought about the consequences of her actions. Jack had needed assistance, and she’d done her best to render it.
“Where are we?” she asked, swallowing her distress and her anger. At the moment, she needed all of her wits.
He pursed his lips, then
shoved away from the door and came forward a few steps. “The office of my late uncle’s solicitor. I didn’t like him, so I turned him away. In a happy circumstance, the Duke of Wenford owns the building. And I am the Duke of Wenford.”
Lilith did not like the predatory look in his eyes. She pressed herself closer into the corner between the windows. “Was the solicitor cheating you?” she asked, to keep him distracted. She glanced sideways. Both windows were latched tight.
Dolph shrugged and advanced another step. “I didn’t like him,” he repeated. “You are lovely, stupid or not.” He reached out and touched her cheek with his fingers.
Lilith flinched at the caress and edged away toward the door. “Don’t.”
The duke turned to keep her in sight, a slight smile on his face, reminding Lilith of a cat stalking a mouse. “Why not? We are to be married, after all.”
“You can’t be serious,” she protested. “You still think to marry me?”
He shrugged, following her again. “Why not? Dansbury is certainly in no position to wed you. And if a scandal breaks over your attachment to him, which will happen if you refuse me, no one else will have you.”
The duke strode forward and grabbed her by the shoulders. Before Lilith could do more than gasp, he lowered his head to force a hard, wet kiss on her. He held them together, shoving her arms down to her sides when she began to struggle, and mauled her for a long, dreadful moment. Finally he lifted his mouth away from hers and thrust out his tongue to slickly lick her cheek.
Revolted, Lilith shoved herself backward away from him. She grabbed for the door handle, but it didn’t budge under her frantic flailing. Desperate, she looked around, and for a heartbeat, froze. Jack looked at her through the dirty window, then ducked sideways out of sight again. For a fleeting moment Lilith wondered if she’d gone mad, and then Jack leaned into view again. A pistol in his hand, his lips stretched in a thin, angry line, he motioned her to move away from Dolph.
If she moved, he would kill Wenford. And then Jack would hang for certain. There had to be another way. “If you insist that we must marry,” she said to Dolph, stopping her retreat so suddenly he nearly ran into her, “then why do you make it so impossible for me to care for you?”
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