Robert pulled back, taking away the temptation of his lips. “Very good.” He ran a hand over his face. “We should wait another minute just to be safe.”
Louisa gripped the lapel of the worn jacket he had paid a hefty price for. Best to keep up appearances in case the men were still within seeing distance. “What are we going to do now? Return and attempt to find Gulliver?”
Robert leaned his head against his hand on the wall. “I don’t know, honestly. What if the men went back that way and happen to see us?”
“But what if Gulliver and Norman worry and send out a search party?”
“Then we would be found.”
She let out a nervous laugh. “Ah, yes. I suppose that would be the point, wouldn’t it?”
“You still seem uneasy.” His eyes narrowed slightly. “Any particular reason why?”
“I find that being chased through the seedier parts of London on foot by a pack of hoodlums seems to have that effect on me. Who would have thought?”
Robert reached a hand out, taking hers in his grasp. “I would never have forgiven myself if they had gotten their hands on you.” His grip tightened around her fingers.
“I do not believe it was me they were after. The first man seems to have held a grudge against you. Which, technically speaking, could be construed as my fault.”
A soft smile teased his lips. “Only you, Louisa. Only you would follow me here out of sheer, insatiable curiosity.”
“Can you believe you married such a woman?”
With this, he laughed. “I believe I am a very lucky man indeed.”
Louisa cleared her throat. Time to change subjects. “Well, shall we attempt to find our conveyance? Or shall we find other means?”
Robert sighed, pushing off the wall. “Perhaps we should rent a cab and send someone else out to alert Gulliver and Norman—assuming they haven’t already returned to Stonemoore.”
“Very well. It cannot be much worse than what we arrived in.” Louisa accepted the arm Robert held out for her, following him down the street. They hailed a cab, but when it stopped, Robert reached into his pocket, hissing another curse.
“Goodness, I had no idea you had such a colorful vocabulary,” Louisa drolled.
He put a hand to his brow. “I gave that man all my money.”
So he had.
“We can just tell the coachman who you are, and we can pay him when he delivers us home.”
They rushed over to the stopped hackney cab. Louisa went to speak, but Robert cleared his throat and spoke first.
“Excuse me, sir. I am the Duke of Boroux and need a ride back to my residence. Unfortunately, I do not have any money on my person and will have to pay you once we arrive.”
The stare the coachman gave them stretched on in silence until he barked a laugh, bending over in his seat. “In this neighborhood? I wouldn’t be more surprised if the Prince Regent himself showed up at my cab!”
“Sir,” Louisa began, placing a hand on Robert’s chest as he put one foot toward the carriage. “Why would we lie about such a thing?”
“To get a free ride, o’course. You think a duke would be caught wearing that jacket?” He jerked a thumb toward the drab brown thing pulled across Robert’s shoulders.
“Under normal circumstances, no,” she began, but Robert stopped her short.
“Leave it, Louisa,” he whispered into her ear. “He has no reason to believe us, and now I’m not sure this was a good idea after all.”
“What do you mean?”
“What if word gets out and questions are asked?”
And then realization dawned on her. “And people find out you own the building,” she said under her breath.
