“We haven’t much time.” Lottie consulted her pocket watch. “The opening ceremony is in five hours. We’ll have to head directly there and meet up with the rest of the team.”
At Jack’s questioning look, she said, “I’ll explain everything on the ride over.”
He nodded, turning to Delaney, Laurent, and Calderone.
“I need to talk to Primus,” he said. “It’s urgent.”
“Lancaster will be at the Crystal Palace.”
To his surprise, the clipped words came from Lottie. He looked at his colleagues, who shrugged as if to say,She knows everything.
“You met with him?” he asked with care.
“Yes, he and I exchanged a few words.” Her tone indicated that the discussion hadn’t been pleasant. “He and the others are making preparations at the exhibition, and we will meet them there.”
“Since there are no secrets.” Jack exhaled, realizing that his duty to his team and to the greater good outweighed his personal allegiance to Primus. “Isadora Rigby told me she is Lancaster’s daughter.”
“What?” Delaney gasped.
“Apparently, in his younger days, he seduced a French revolutionary to infiltrate her group. He abandoned her after the mission, but Isadora was the result,” he explained. “I’m uncertain if he knows of her existence or that she is behind this. I thought you should know because in addition to Isadora’s desire to cause destruction, she is also hell-bent on personal vengeance.”
“If he knew and did not tell us…” Delaney said with a growl.
Her anger was reflected in the faces of his other colleagues.
“That would be the end of the road for me,” Laurent said.
“Have we not reached that point already,mi querido?” Calderone murmured.
The men exchanged a look that Jack understood. He felt the same way. He was done with espionage—with the deception and darkness and filth. He wanted to spend the rest of his days in the light…with his love. If only it were possible.
He gazed at her, and by some miracle, what he saw in her eyes gave him hope.
She slipped her hand into his, and he held on tightly.
“All right, lovebirds. Can we save the billing and cooing for after we defeat the villains and save the world?” Delaney inquired.
She was right. They had work to do.
“Let’s get to it,” Jack said.
He went with Lottie in her carriage. She fussed over his injuries despite his assurances that he was fine. They didn’t have much time before they reached Hyde Park, and she filled him in on everything he’d missed. Since she did so whilst tucked against him, he couldn’t say he minded.
Lottie summarized the findings concerning Wilmer Upholsteries.
“After Bernadette told me about Wilmer supplying the drapery and banners, I rushed to the exhibition. Hawksmoor has, ahem, contacts with the police and authorities involved in national security, and he convinced them to listen to me. We tested one of the banners. The result was terrifying.” She shivered. “The fabric had obviously been treated to enhance its flammability. The white phosphorus and carbon disulfide solution ignites when exposed to air; if the mixture had been thrown on the banners, the entire building would have been on fire within seconds.”
“But it won’t be. Because of you,” Jack said admiringly.
She shook her head. “I am not deserving of your praise, Jack. Not after what I’ve done.”
Shame crept over him. “If you are referring to our last encounter, your reaction to the diary was completely understandable?—”
“No, it wasn’t.” She turned to face him. “I should have given you the chance to explain what happened with Judith. To listen to your side of the story before I attacked you. Above all, I should have known that you would never force her or any woman.”
He was grateful and humbled by her belief in him, yet he had to tell her everything.
His chest tight, he said, “Judith lied about the assault. In fact, most of that journal is a fabrication. She created it to use as leverage. She wanted me to…to continue having relations with her.”
