His valet returned with his much-needed coffee.
* * *
“Mama, you’re walking too fast!”complained Alex.
Cassandra closed her eyes briefly as she slowed her pace. She looked down at Alex. “I’m sorry, my darling.” She smiled down apologetically at her son, chagrined at the pace she’d set. He was huffing a little. “I’ll slow down. We are almost there,” she said.
She looked back at Agnes and Dulcie. Both women were breathing heavily. Her eyes widened. Half-way down the block was the same man who followed them from the park. Fear flooded her.
“We must hurry!” she told the women. She swooped down to pick up Alex and increased her pace again, nearly running. Being so early in the day, the streets were light of all traffic, making it easy to go faster—and easier to be followed.
She turned the corner. Ahead lay Malmsby House, a white stone mansion that shone in the morning sunlight, their goal, their sanctuary.
At the top step, she put Alex down and rang the bell, then pounded on the door. She almost fell into the house when the door suddenly opened. Coming down the grand staircase was Lady Guinevere, dressed to go outside. And then, there in the entrance hall stood her protection. She ran toward him.
* * *
Lakehurst scarcely hadtime to register who was at the door before Lady Darkford ran to him. He reflexively closed his arms around her as she landed against his chest. She smelled of lilies.
“That man. He followed us,” she gasped out.
Lakehurst immediately set her aside and ran past the two maids entering and down the steps. He ran down the block toward the way Lady Darkford must have come. He turned the corner. In the distance, he spied the man they had seen in Hyde Park, but he was too far away to catch. He walked back to the house. Inside, Gwinnie had her arm around Lady Darkford who had dissolved into tears.
“Mama, Mama, don’t cry,” said Alex, pulling at his mother’s skirts. The nursemaid ran forward to pick up the child.
“Sh-sh, it’s all right, my little lord,” she cooed at him. “Your Mama will be fine in a moment,” she said.
Rose pulled a small vial of camphor from her reticule. “This should help, my lady,” she said, waving it under her nose.
Gwinnie jerked her head away. “Oh, that is strong!” she declared.
Cassandra waved her hand toward Rose. “That’s enough, thank you. I am all right now. Just give me a moment.”
Lakehurst frowned. Every servant on the ground floor seemed to have gathered in the hall. He picked up Alex. “Come, let’s go into the Lady Margaret parlor,” he said.
One of the footmen leaped forward to get ahead of him to throw open the door.
Lakehurst set Alex down near the terrace doors while Gwinnie steered Lady Darkford to the couch and sat down with her. He walked over to them.
“Cat! Cat!” Alex excitedly called out. Alex tried to open the terrace door, but he couldn’t get it open.
Lakehurst looked out onto the terrace. Oscar lay out on the warm terrace stones sunning himself.
“Can I see the cat?” Alex asked.
“Is the cat friendly,” the nursemaid asked. “It won’t bite or scratch him, will it?”
“No. Oscar is very friendly,” Lakehurst said.
“Oscar, his name is Oscar?” Alex repeated.
“Yes. I’ll let you out with him if you promise not to chase him and your nursemaid promises to go with you.”
“I’ll go with him,” Dulcie said.
Lakehurst helped to get the door open to let them out. He watched Alex for a moment. The boy crouched down next to the cat and tentatively held his hand out. Oscar lifted his head and bunted his hand. Lakehurst smiled. They’d be all right. He turned back toward Lady Darkford.
He sat down in the chair at angled to the couch. “We understand you got a letter today,” he said, gently.
