Tristan pulled the bell cord and Milly arrived promptly.
“Fetch Miss Brandon.”
“She is still asleep, ma’am.”
“At this hour?”
Milly shrugged. “She sounded sleepy. Maybe she is ill?”
“Wake her. This is an urgent matter.”
“Does it have something to do with the priest waving his book around and calling for our salvation on the street?”
Mrs. Dove-Lyon sighed heavily. “Fetch her. Now.”
Milly darted off. Tristan went to grab his hat from his head and squeeze the rim until he felt some semblance of control but realized, when swiping at air, that he wore no hat. He’d forgotten his bloody hat. He cursed himself and started pacing.
“Calm yourself, Mr. Chase. She is still safe in our care. I can’t imaginehow they found her. This is concerning.”
“Someone from her village saw her the night Lucia burned her ear.”
“Why did no one inform me of this?”
“I looked for him afterward, but he was gone.”
Mrs. Dove-Lyon huffed. “What unfortunate timing. After Miss Brandon’s and Lord Hugstead’s meeting last night, I’d hoped an agreement would be forthcoming but not this quickly.”
Tristan bit his tongue before he said something stupid about Hugstead marrying Flick.
“You seem rather flustered, Chase. Stop pacing. You’re making me dizzy.”
“If you knew how terrified she’ll be . . .”
“I do know. She was brought straight to me.”
He paused. “I’m sorry. She’s my friend.”
She harumphed in answer to that.
Milly returned with a bleary-eyed Flick beside her, hastily dressed in a blue day dress.
“Is someone sick?” Flick asked.
The icy vice around Tristan’s heart melted at the sight of her. All his angst, rage, and worry fell away. She hesitantly met his gaze, and her cheeks bloomed with color.
“You’re dismissed, Milly. Close the door.”
“You have unwelcome visitors, Miss Brandon. What would you like me to do with them?” the widow said from her chair.
Flick blinked and then switched her focus to Mrs. Dove-Lyon. That beautiful rosy blush faded. “It couldn’t be.”
“I’m afraid so. Mr. Chase informed me there was someone who recognized you the other evening?”
“Yes, outside Lucia’s room.” She paled further. “He thought I was working...”
Tristan touched her shoulder and took her elbow. She lookedready to faint. “Why don’t you sit.”
She nodded, her eyes watering as she briefly glanced at him. He led her to the settee then moved away.
