She pocketed it and followed him out the back door.
“I—I could come with you,” she stammered, catching him in a fierce hug.
“You need to stay here with Alison,” he replied. “And I think you know in your heart that this is something I must do on my own.”
“Be careful,” Charlotte whispered.
“Have no fear, my love.” He brushed a kiss to her brow before turning for the river. “Lucifer and all his legions couldn’t stop me from catching Jarvis and seeing that he’s finally made to answer for all his crimes.”
CHAPTER 31
“Oiy!” called Raven as the earl edged out the doorway. “I should come with you—in case you need me to run messages.”
Wrexford halted. With luck, Horatio’s band of sailors had already apprehended Jarvis, and it would simply be a matter of escorting the prisoner back to the King’s Dockyard and turning him over to the proper authorities. However, he didn’t underestimate the colonel. Jarvis had proved himself to be awfully cunning in the past, and a predator was always at its most dangerous when cornered.
“Very well,” he said, deciding there was some merit to the suggestion.
Raven raced past him and had reached the reeds before the earl could have any second thoughts.
Once they were on the footpath leading to the river, Wrexford quickened his steps to catch up with the boy.
“Not so fast, Weasel. We need to make a few things clear between us.”
Raven released a harried sigh. “I know what you’re going to tell me, sir.”
“You’re right, it should go without saying. Nonetheless, I shall do so anyway.”
Up ahead, a glint of sunlight reflected off the dark water, the rush of incoming tide stirring a swirling pattern of whitecaps and currents.
“You must do exactly as I say, without hesitation,” he continued. “Give me your promise on that, or else turn around and return to the others.”
A flicker of rebellion in the boy’s eyes gave way to a grudging nod. “I understand, Wrex.” He made a face. “Though I damn well don’t like it.”
The earl repressed a smile. “I don’t expect you to like it. But I do expect you to obey my orders.”
“Oiy.”
“Thank you.” Catching sight of a blue naval coat among the reeds, Wrexford veered off the path and called a soft hail to the sailor.
“Lord Wrexford!” The sailor snapped a salute. “The prototype steamboat wasn’t in the boathouse when we arrived. It must have been moved to a different mooring place. Bosun White has us guarding the perimeter while he has gone to signal Midshipman Porter that it is missing.”
As he feared, Jarvis had been clever enough to take precautions so the Royal Navy would not be able to interfere with his escape.
“We thought we heard an engine firing up in the next cove,” added the sailor. “But we didn’t dare make a move without orders from Midshipman Porter.”
“You did the right thing,” replied the earl. “Now, take me to Bosun White.”
“Aye, sir.” The sailor slung his musket over his shoulder and set off at fast clip.
As he followed, Wrexford began to calculate how big a head start Jarvis had. It was a complex equation of factors.The river currents, the competing engines, navigational skills. . . it would all come down to which boat possessed the right combination of power and an experienced hand on the helm.
The path broke free of the reeds and brought them to the river’s edge. Raven let out a shrill whistle on seeing Horatio standing in the stern of a low-slung boat with a smokestack in its middle belching clouds of pale vapor.
The thump of pistons floated across the water, as the engine idled and a set of hemp ropes held by sailors on the shore kept the vessel moored close to shore.
Horatio waved for Wrexford and Raven to approach. “Jarvis has perhaps a ten-minute head start,” he called. “I saw with my spyglass that he didn’t have Auntie Peake as his prisoner, so I decided to wait for you and your orders. Is she—”
“The dowager is safe and unharmed,” replied Wrexford as he shaded his eyes, and surveyed the river. “Have we any hope of catching him?”
