“And so was Lord Uppington,” said Elizabeth. “His father would absolutely resort to any measures and expect to get away with it.”
“Now that we know,” began Marjorie.
Vivian’s eyes flashed. “Let’s go get Quentin.”
Jacob wanted to swing her into his arms and kiss her.
“We can’t just march in,” said Marjorie. “The marquess would never let all twelve adult Wynchesters through the door to start searching his house.”
All twelve.Jacob wondered what Vivian thought of being included as part of the family. She did not flinch at the insinuation, but merely looked around them expectantly, awaiting their next steps.
“We aren’t ready yet for the kidnapper to know we’ve unmasked him,” Jacob cautioned. “A cornered beast is likely to act rashly, and we cannot risk endangering Quentin.”
Especially since their enemy already felt comfortable slicing into his hostage’s skin, just to send a message. The sight of a mob of Wynchesters would not only prove they’d disobeyed his clear warning, but it could also spur the kidnapper to retaliate even more violently.
“So what, then?” asked Vivian. “We go to the authorities? They didn’t care before, and they’ll do even less now, if we point our fingers at a peer of the realm.”
“Chloe and Faircliffe could drop by for a chat, like we did with Olivebury,” Tommy suggested.
“We knew which room to search then,” Graham pointed out. “We don’t even know which floor to start with this time.”
“We don’t have to know,” said Jacob. “All we need are a few masks.”
Vivian looked at him as if he had hung the moon. “You have a plan?”
“Yes. I just need to grab something from the barn.”
“Is it the Highland Tiger?” Elizabeth asked. “Because if you won’t let me sever the villain’s neck with my sword, you should at least allowsomeoneto claw his face off.”
“I’ll be happy to do it,” Vivian murmured, flashing her fingernails. She turned to Jacob. “When do we leave?”
They arrived at the Leisterdales’ street in a trio of previously unmarked coaches to which Marjorie had affixed a largeROYAL EXTERMINATORSsign and crest. One team would head straight to the target’s residence, while the other two teams distracted the neighbors for verisimilitude.
In the first carriage, Jacob opened the basket Tommy had packed and handed out the four masks.
These weren’t ordinary masks. They were the large-beaked sort used by medieval doctors to ward against the Black Plague. The trio didn’t look like Wynchesters. They looked like giant black-leather crows, bursting up from Hell.
The Marquess of Leisterdale’s butler nearly suffered an apoplexy at the sight of them.
“Wh-what?” he stammered in lieu of a greeting.
“We’re the Royal Exterminators,” Graham announced smoothly, flashing a gold-embossed calling card Adrian had created for this purpose. “This entire crescent has been declared a public health hazard. You’re to remain indoors with every door and window latched until the bat outbreak is under control.”
“We don’t have any bats,” said the butler.
Jacob pointed over his shoulder. “Then what’s that behind you?”
Screams sounded throughout the house as Jacob’s trainedMyotis mystacinusstreamed in through the open windows. The whiskered bats with their long brown fur began swooping and diving from one room to the next.
The butler gasped and scurried backward until his back flattened against the nearest wall.
Jacob held up his basket—empty, save for an extra mask and leather cloak to hide Quentin’s identity as they smuggled him out. “We’ll handle the bats. You man the door.”
Before the butler could argue, Jacob and Vivian brushed past him into the house.
Graham remained at the entrance, to keep an eye out in case the Marquess of Leisterdale returned home earlier than expected.
“We have at least a few hours to search,” Vivian whispered. “Right?”
