“He will make a full recovery as long as we keep infection at bay,” Essex said when she’d finished rebandaging Walter. “I’ve treated many patients, human and animal, and Walter’s heart is strong. He just needs rest to recover, and my medicines to set him to rights.”
The duchess sagged into the mattress, clearly relieved. She then shot Nathan a look that would have felled a lesser man.
“You will tell no one about this?”
“This?”
“My moment of weakness,” she snapped, now clearly back in control.
“Oh, but where would the fun be in that?”
“I’ll make you read at every opportunity. I will follow you about London and—”
“Your secret is safe with me,” Nathan said quickly. “Now, if you’ll excuse me, I can see he is in capable hands.” He left the room at a run.
He found Maxwell Huntington in the study with Michael, Gabe, and Zach.
The man was huge, not quite of Ace Dillinger’s stature, but it was a close-run thing. He had tawny hair and the eyes of a lion, and apparently could be as ruthless when required.
“I do not like my wife to visit houses she has never entered before alone. I’m sure you understand, Raine,” Huntington was saying as he entered.
“And our reputation precedes us?”
He laughed but nodded. “He who sups with the Devil should have a long spoon.”
“We haven’t heard that one in a while,” Michael said. He was upright now and seated in a chair.
“Actually, Dev asked me to bring you some papers, Mr. Deville.” He pulled some out of the inside pocket of his jacket and handed them to Nathan.
“Thank you, and my name is Nathan. Gabe, Michael, and the baby of our family, Zach.”
“And I am Max.” He took the brandy Gabe offered him. “I believe you had some trouble this morning?”
“Nothing we can’t handle,” Gabe said stiffly.
“Raine, I live with Sinclairs. Trust me when I tell you I am not easy to insult.”
Nathan exhaled slowly. “Someone shot our dog. My fear is that he was not the intended target. Miss Carlow and Miss Mary Blake were also there.”
“May I enquire if Miss Carlow is Lord Carlow’s daughter?”
“Yes. Why do you ask?” Nathan kept his voice even.
“He and I had many business dealings, and over time became friends. Three years ago, that stopped. I have never been able to find out what happened to him. He seemed to disappear. I heard he’d been back to London a few times, briefly, but I did not see him.”
“His wife and daughter have returned without him,” Zach said. “We believe he is unwell.”
“That would explain it, but it’s odd they have returned without him, considering how close I knew that family to be,” Max said. “Sir John Radcliff told me he had seen Lord Carlow a year ago. Radcliff’s wife was away, so he welcomed the company, even if Carlow’s visit was unexpected. They drank brandy for the evening and talked. In the morning, Carlow was gone without a word.”
Nathan knew that Sir John Radcliff was the current Admiral of the Fleet. The highest-ranking officer in the British Navy. He caught Gabe’s look. It seemed Maxwell Huntingdon did indeed know men in high places.
“Lord Carlow’s father once held the position, I believe, so they clearly knew each other,” Max continued.
“Was anything missing?”
Max gave Zach a steady look, not surprised by the question, which made the hair on the back of Nathan’s neck rise.
“It appeared not. But someone had broken several of his quills that night and used paper. They were scattered around his desk the next morning. Radcliff said it looked as if someone had been writing furiously for quite some time.”
