“I care about you!” Byron matched her intensity, then said softly. “You may not think that, but I do.”
Mary shook her head. “Of all the times to have family loyalty.” She rubbed at her wrists, hands shaking. “You have to get those papers back.”
Byron looked heavenward, reached into his jacket with his other hand, and pulled another packet of papers from his pocket. “I never lost them.”
Mira’s mouth dropped open. “What?” She took the stack and scanned them. It was the documents. “What did you give Dennis?”
“Last night when I was working on the cipher, I decided we needed a backup plan. I didn’t think Hoddle would know what was in the documents, so I made it all up. Three pages of political rigmarole.”
“A bluff?” Walker said, looking over Mira’s shoulder.
“I’m only grateful it worked. I thought it worth the risk when we believed we were only dealing with Hoddle. I didn’t have a choice but to try it with Dennis.” He pulled his sister into a hug. “Are you hurt anywhere?”
“I’m fine,” Mary said, pulling away from him. “A little rattled, but I’m fine.”
“You were abducted.” He stood and offered her a hand, pulling her up.
“I came of my own free will, thinking you’d gotten yourself in another mess. It wasn’t until we got here that I realized my mistake.”
“I’m afraid that still counts as abduction,” Byron said.
The baby started crying and Mira realized they had completely forgotten about Sibyl. The former thief moved to the back of the room and picked up her fussing child, shushing him softly.
“Is Dennis why you were so afraid to leave Circe?” Mira asked.
Sibyl froze in place before giving a hesitant nod.
“You know him well, then?” Byron asked.
“Well enough to want to stay clear of ‘im. He’s a harsh one, and I was grateful when he was conscripted into the army. But in December he came to Bath, as I told you. Enoch had a habit of boasting about his current job in the pub and one night Dennis was there. Dennis recognized him and knew enough from whathe was saying to realize Enoch had taken up with Circe. He cornered him and forced him to tell him about the whole plot. Once he heard what we were to be paid, he insisted on being brought on. He transported the goods in that carriage of his. It was his idea to kill Mrs. Callan and bring Hoddle into it too.”
“You mean, Hoddle isn’t part of Circe?” Mira asked.
“He wasn’t. Though after their conversation last night, he might just join.”
“What happened?” Byron asked.
“Hoddle barged in yesterday afternoon in an awful state. Said he’d just killed a man. When Dennis got him to talk, he said some Sherard fellow was asking him questions about being an admiral and hinting that he knew his secret. So, he put laudanum in his drink.”
Mary gasped, paling as she looked at Byron. “Castel?”
“Has a headache. Otherwise, fine.” He waved her off and turned back to Sibyl. “What did Dennis say?”
“He told him that Circe would make it right as soon as they got the documents, and they made the plan to abduct Mary.” The baby’s cries died down and Sibyl looked down at him. “I hate to think what they’ll do when they realize the documents are fake.”
“I doubt that either of them will be back any time soon,” Byron said.
“But they left by horse,” Walker said. “The police are at the docks and train station.”
Byron shook his head. “Be that as it may, they’ll be bringing those documents to the Serpent. I think Circe will impose a far worse punishment for their failure than the law will for theft and impersonation.”
The implication hung between them. Sibyl sat down. “I’m free of him, then. Dennis and Enoch. Free of them both.”
“My offer still stands,” Byron said. “You can have a new life.”
Sibyl smiled. “I may just take it.”
February 22, 1889
