There was a long pause while he struggled to control his temper, and when he spoke, his voice didn’t sound like his own. “I must say I doubted my sister’s ability from the first. She is far too wrapped up in her own pursuits to be the right chaperone for a spirited girl like you. But I did trust Fortescue to take good care of you in my absence. I can see I asked too much of him. It seems it was too much for any man. But I never expected you to be so rash in your judgment, or to lie to me.”
“I’m sorry, Papa,” she said in a small voice.
“And I must say, I am disappointed in the baron for encouraging such behavior.”
“But he didn’t. Guy is a brave man. He endangered his life working for the government.” Might he have a wife? Tears filled her eyes. “I hope he’s not hurt. I’m not sure what happened. I heard a shot.”
Her father jerked forward on his chair. “There were shots fired?Dear God. I quake at the idea of you in such danger.”
She sniffed and wiped her nose with the back of her grimy hand. “We’ll learn more tomorrow.”
His nostrils quivered. “Go to bed, Horatia. I shall tell you what I’ve decided in the morning, when I’ve had time to think on it.”
“I’m sorry, Papa,” Hetty said again. There was nothing more she could say. She rose and picked up the handkerchief, offering it to him. He shook his head with distaste. Blinded by tears, she hurried to her bedchamber. She had never been so alone. It seemed her life in London had come crashing down around her ears. Digswell, with its church fetes and afternoon teas, lurked dismally in her future.
*
Guy watched withrelief as John and his cronies rounded up the conspirators. Delaney spat at Guy and cursed him as the men were dragged outside. Guy kept his pistol aimed on the hunched figure of Smith, who groaned and clutched his wounded shoulder as he joined the rest of the conspirators in the wagon on their way to the cells in Bow Street.
John appeared at Guy’s side. “Forney’s gone missing–out through a back door. My men are searching for him, but it appears he had a boat waiting. I’ll get the Thames River police onto it.”
Guy grabbed John’s arm. “Did Hetty get away safely?”
“Yes, you need not worry on that score.”
“Damn it! How did she come to be here?” Guy would never forget the shock of seeing Hetty dangling from the thug’s brawny arms.
“She and the duchess were shadowing you,” John said.
“My sister, too!Mon dieu!Where is she now?”
“We had a difficult time convincing Her Grace to go home. In the end, one of my men took her to Portland Square in a hackney.” A reluctant grin stretched John’s mouth. “She was dressed like a solicitor’s clerk from Lincoln’s Inn.”
“Couldn’t you have stopped Hetty from getting mixed up in this? They almost threw her in the river,” Guy said angrily. “You lot cut it as fine as the hairs on a gnat’s bollock.”
“I’m very sorry, my friend.” John shook his head. “Some of these men have influence. We needed enough proof against them to put them away permanently, and things got out of control very fast. Don’t blame Miss Cavendish or your sister too much. They acted without delay, to alert us to your exit by the back lane.”
“Did they indeed?”
John nodded. “And Miss Cavendish kept on your tail. She’d make a damn good spy.”
Guy scowled as he climbed into the carriage beside Strathairn. “So, you and your cronies lost sight of me, John?”
“There’d be the devil to pay if we did, Guy. We had no intention of it. Several of our men followed you. You could not have escaped us.”
Guy huffed out a tired laugh. “No sense in telling Hetty that.”
“Might be wise not to reveal all of it. I fear it might encourage her, should you wish to continue to work for us?”
“No chance of that.” Guy grimaced. “Hetty will be in a terrible fix though when she arrives home in that state. Her aunt will be livid.”
“You’ll have to put things right.”
Guy frowned. “Can you drop me off in King Street?”
“I’ll be pleased to. We’ll discuss this evening’s events later.”
When they arrived outside her aunt’s townhouse, it was in darkness apart from one lighted window upstairs. “She may have been able to sneak in unobserved. I won’t be thanked for knocking on the door. I’ll go first thing in the morning. I’m for a bath, a Cognac, and a few hours’ rest.”
