“Not sure yet. Keep your weapon at hand.” He stepped down with his own pistol drawn and strode toward the hired carriage.
The driver let out a shrill whistle and then took off as soon as he noticed Gideon approaching. There did not appear to be anyone inside.
An empty carriage? A warning whistle?
Berry.
“Brent, summon Mr. Bonham and have him meet me at Lady Berry’s!”
“Yes, Mr. Knight.”
Gideon was about to pound on Berry’s front door, but Melton must have been watching, and the door opened quickly. “Mr. Knight?”
Gideon strode into the entry hall. “I won’t stay, but I need to make certain Lady Berry is all right. I saw that carriage lurking just outside the square again.”
Melton nodded and hurriedly fetched Mrs. Bolton, but Gideon dared not wait politely when Berry might be in trouble. “Berry! Berry!” he cried out, rushing up the stairs.
He realized then that he did not know which door was hers.
One to his right suddenly opened and Berry hurried through it, her golden hair tumbling over her shoulders and down her back in a magnificently wild cascade. She was clutching her robe closed, since she hadn’t the time to properly button it up. “What’s wrong? Has something happened to your house?”
He breathed a sigh of relief. “No, I was afraid something had happened toyou.” He quickly explained about the hired carriage at the entrance to Duchess Square. “The driver whistled as a warning to someone and then raced away.”
“Oh, I see.”
“Are you all right?”
She nodded.
He marched into her bedchamber and strode to the window to peer down into the garden below.
She followed his movements. “Do you think someone was trying to break in here?”
“Yes, it is quite possible. I’m going to check outside your window. That driver was definitely acting as lookout for someone. And when I say someone, I mean Hawthorne. There’s a trellis along the back wall of your house, and it leads straight up to your room. I’m going to climb it. Do not be alarmed if I peer into your bedchamber.”
Mrs. Bolton rushed in and her eyes widened upon her catching sight of him. “Mr. Knight! You cannot be in here!”
“It is all right, Mrs. Bolton,” Berry said. “He is not trying to peep at me, but he was worried Lord Hawthorne might have been attempting something improper.”
“Such as breaking into your bedchamber? Or abducting you?” Mrs. Bolton asked, noticing Gideon’s attention on the window frame.
“Have you found something?” Berry asked.
“No…maybe. I just want to make certain the latch isn’t damaged.”
Berry drew her robe a little tighter around her body. “Which would indicate someone was trying to break in?”
He nodded. “I’ll have a closer look outside.”
Bonham ran over just as Gideon came out of the house. “What happened?”
“I think Hawthorne was here. Did you notice anyone hopping over the wall or darting toward the mews?”
“No, sorry. I was talking to the painters as they set up for the day.”
“Check out Lady Miranda’s rear garden, and Lady Gwendolyn’s, too. It cannot hurt to be thorough, although I’m sure Hawthorne has run off already. He must have had a prearranged pick-up location in the event he or his carriage were spotted here.”
“Got it.”
