“Rose!” Perkins cast a sharp look of reprimand at the maid, but the maid appeared too distracted to notice.
“George, the stable boy, heard Mr. Jason’s valet tell the coachman and he told Roberts, the underfootman, and he told—”
“Idle kitchen gossip,” Perkins interrupted. “I instructed Rose not to disturb you with such drivel. I apologize for interrupting your sleep, my lady.”
Meredith barely heard the butler’s apology. Could this possibly be true? Her brothers were not known for their level heads, but even they would not be so foolish as to engage in an illegal and possibly deadly ritual. Meredith looked sharply at her maid. Rose was in most instances a levelheaded woman, yet she was on occasion prone to exaggeration. And she did have a real love of gossip.
Still, there was no doubt the maid’s agitation and fear were very real. Meredith’s stomach tingled with the rush of sudden fear. “Is it true that my brothers have left the house, Perkins?”
The butler nodded solemnly.
“Where have they gone?”
“I do not know.”
There was a crack in the butler’s rigid countenance, and Meredith’s fear heightened. “Well, someone in the household must know their whereabouts. I want every servant questioned. Immediately.” She turned to her maid. “Rose, you must help me dress. Assemble the entire staff in the drawing room. By the time I appear below stairs, I want to know exactly what is going on.”
Fighting her rising panic, Meredith allowed Rose to dress her, but the haste in completing her toilet made no difference. All that could be confirmed after questioning the entire staff was that the duel was to take place at dawn. None of the servants had any idea where.
“I am sorry, Lady Meredith,” Perkins said regretfully. “Perhaps Lord Fairhurst or Mr. Jason’s valets could have been of some assistance, but they are well and truly gone. I checked their sleeping quarters myself.”
Raw emotion filled Meredith’s heart as a feeling of total helplessness swept over her. But she tamped down the emotion. She must think! Lives depended on her acting quickly and rationally. “I must do whatever I can to stop this lunacy. Where, in your opinion, is the most likely location for this ... this event?”
Perkins looked miserable. “Since the activity is not looked upon with great favor, these incidents often occur on private estates. Considering the hour of the morning the gentlemen left the house, they could not have been traveling too far out of London. There might be time to catch them, if you knew where to look.”
“Then I must discover where to look,” Meredith declared grimly. “And quickly.”
She summoned the coach and waited impatiently for it to be brought out, all the while trying to decide who she could call upon for help. Her mouth curved in an ironic frown when she realized her first instinct was to call upon the Marquess of Dardington.
A chill went through her as she stepped onto the deserted street. Meredith’s eyes hastily scanned the quiet, sleepy mansions that lined the square and came to rest on an impressive stone structure three doors down.
It belonged to the Duke of Shrewsbury, but Meredith distinctly remembered that Julian Wingate had told her he was residing with the duke, who was his maternal grandfather, while in town. Did she dare call upon him at this uncivilized hour?
Meredith’s coachman’s knock upon the front door of the duke’s home was answered by a hastily garbed butler who looked most annoyed at the interruption. Peeking behind the drawn shade of the carriage, Meredith held her breath as the two servants exchanged words.
“Mr. Wingate is not at home, but his valet has agreed to speak with you,” the coachman reported when he returned to the coach. Meredith let out a sigh of relief.
After what felt like an eternity, the valet at last appeared, with a mulish expression and a scornful attitude. Meredith’s hopes plummeted, but she refused to be defeated. Opening the carriage door wide, she graciously invited the valet inside the coach.
“You are so kind to see me,” Meredith said softly. “I’m afraid I must beg your indulgence in a most delicate matter, Mr.—”
“Hawkins, my lady,” came the stiff reply.
Meredith folded her hands in her lap and looked steadily at him. “Do you have any siblings, Mr. Hawkins?”
“A sister,” the valet answered in a surprised tone.
Meredith let forth a small grin of relief. “Ah, then you understand the obligations of family. I love my twin brothers dearly and fear they have put their lives in grave danger. I’ve heard rumors of a duel that is to take place sometime this morning, involving my brothers. I was hoping Mr. Wingate might be able to tell me where this will occur.”
Hawkins’ eyes narrowed. “My employer does not engage in illegal activities.”
“I apologize if you misunderstood,” Meredith added hastily. “I never meant to imply Mr. Wingate was involved in any way. Yet I would suspect a gentleman of Mr. Wingate’s stature certainly knows about such things. And you, as his valet, would naturally be privileged to the same information.”
“I might.” The servant’s chest puffed out slightly.
Meredith nearly screamed with worry. She was well aware the servant was under no obligation to tell her anything. Her fingers clutched the small leather pouch of coins she held in the palm of her hand, but for some reason she resisted offering him the money.
While she knew from experience that many of her own servants would easily respond to a monetary inducement, she suspected Wingate’s valet would not. He seemed a man more interested in his importance. Fearful that if she insulted him he would stalk away without revealing anything, Meredith took a deep, calming breath and forced herself to proceed slowly.
