“What if someone recognizes you?” she countered.
A muscle in his jaw ticked. “I’ll wear a disguise,” he said.
If he was half as stubborn as he’d been ten years ago, he’d not give this up.
Which meant she wouldn’t be making any soap today.
“In that case…” She dusted her hands off on her apron and lifted her chin. “As soon as Gilbert leaves for school, you and I will venture across town.”
He blinked at her. “You want to come with me?”
She nodded, sending him a look that dared him to argue with her.
He might be stubborn, but so was she. And Daisy was not about to allow him to go out on his own.
“I saw those men who left you for dead, Alastair. I may not have gotten a clear look, but I remember enough that if I see them again, I’ll know.” Her voice firmed, the protectiveness in her flaring despite herself. “And besides, you’re not the only one who wants answers.”
They faced off for a moment before he nodded.
FINDING THE FAMILIAR
The decision made, the morning rituals passed in a flurry of activity.
While Alastair ate breakfast with Gilbert, Daisy hurried upstairs to gather what they would need. As soon as she heard the door close behind her brother, she set to work disguising them both.
Alastair’s beard had already begun to grow back, and it made for an effective mask. She tugged a cap low over his brow and dressed him in several layers of her father’s old clothing—worn and shapeless, meant to downplay the height and power of the man beneath. By the time she stepped back to assess her work, he was nearly as unrecognizable as he’d been the day she’d found him.
To disguise herself, she stuffed most of her hair into a large bonnet and dressed in a thick, matronly gown that had belonged to her aunt. To complete her ensemble, she opened an old lace parasol that might come in handy if they ran into trouble.
They would blend in—at least, she hoped so.
Although it was likely that his uncle hadlong forgotten the young woman with whom he’d discovered his nephew that sunny afternoon, Daisy couldn’t discount the possibility that she’d be recognized.
Taking a steadying breath, because she wasn’t at all sure this was a good idea, she turned to Alastair, nonetheless. “Are you ready?”
His lips quirked into something almost like a smile. “As I’ll ever be.”
But when they stepped onto the street together and Daisy locked the door behind her, Alastair glanced up and down the road and then, blinking, he froze.
“What is it?”
“I don’t…I don’t know where it is.”
“Mayfair?”
“My home.”
“I do.”
His brows shot up and his eyes met hers.
Daisy shifted her stare away from him, cursing the heat flooding her cheeks. “I have clients in Mayfair,” she explained.
The truth was that of course she’d wanted to know where he was—how he lived. “This way.” She began walking in the direction that would lead them toward the upscale neighborhood. Although it might as well be situated in a completely different world than hers, the lordly dwellings of Mayfair existed a surprisingly short distance away. “Lovington House is situated across the street from the park.”
Tucking her hand in the crook of his arm, Alastair leaned close. “And you know this because…”
She lifted her chin. “Common knowledge.” Well, not exactly common. But common to her… after a little investigation. “It is a ducal townhouse.”
