He hooked Priscilla’s arm around his elbow again, but this time they couldn’t appear as though they were taking a leisurely stroll through the park, especially when Georgina’s steps were hurried. It was difficult not to draw attention to themselves, but he wasn’t about to let his illegitimate sister—or her greedy mother—get away with this.
As soon as the mother and daughter exited the park, they headed toward Madame Dupont’s shop. Gavin didn’t know what he would do if they entered, but he wasn’t about to let her spend his money.
Georgina slowed down, which made her mother’s steps falter. Then the young woman glanced over her shoulder. When her gaze landed on Gavin, her eyes widened.
He cursed under his breath.She knows!
The thief lifted the hem of her day dress and sprinted away from her mother, startling the older woman.
Gavin grumbled.Oh, no you don’t!“Stay here,” he told Priscilla before running after his father’s other child.
He couldn’t believe how fast she was as she darted around people on the street, and even ran across the road, nearly getting hit by a passing carriage. That didn’t slow him down. After all, her dress would slow her steps, whereas he had nothing to keep him from moving quickly.
She turned down a side street and, once again, ran across without looking. He wondered why she hadn’t gotten hit yet. But he followed, making sure he didn’t get run over by a horse or carriage.
Once he was away from the congestion, he searched for her bright yellow dress. She was gone.
Panic flowed through him with every breath he took. He couldn’t have lost her now. But she wasn’t out in plain sight. That meant she had ducked in one of the nearest shops. However, he didn’t have time to check all of them. He needed her found. Now!
The piercing shrill of a whistle could be heard in the distance. He glanced over his shoulder to see the constable and two bobbies running toward him. Finally, he would get some help.
Gavin waved to the lawmen. “I lost her somewhere around here,” he shouted.
While they went into the shops to look, Gavin moved slowly up the street. She had disappeared so fast that he was certain she was close by. When he came to the first alley, instinct told him to head in that direction.
With each step, he listened closely, hoping to hear something that indicated her whereabouts. As he made it to the end of the alley, he stopped. His breathing came rushed, but he couldn’t allow that to cease his search.
A woman’s angered scream shook the air around him, and he hurried from around the building. Not far from him stood Priscilla blocking a woman wearing a bright yellow dress.
“I demand you move aside,” Georgina snapped as she glared at Priscilla.
His lovely bride-to-be stood not far in front of Georgina, holding a broom in her hand. Although it wasn’t much of a weapon, he was certain his Cilla wouldn’t have a qualm about knocking it against Georgina’s head.
“You can demand all you want for all the good it will do.” Priscilla lifted her chin stubbornly.
“Who do you think you are, treating me like that? Why, you’re just a lady’s companion.”
Gavin gritted his teeth. How dare she treat areallady like that? “And you,” he said loudly, getting her attention as she swung toward him, “are nothing but the daughter of a duke’s mistress. The way I see it, Miss Priscilla has every right to talk to you in such a manner. You, however, have no right to talk to my future wife that way.”
Georgina’s mouth dropped open in shock. “You are going to marry her?”
Gavin chuckled as he walked closer. “You’re not the imbecile I first thought you to be.” He rolled his eyes. “Miss Priscilla and I are engaged. But that is not your concern now.” He pointed to her wrist purse. “You, your awful mother, and myformersecretary, Mr. McGuire, have been stealing my money. It will stop now.”
She turned up her nose at him. “I haven’t any idea what you are referring to, Your Grace.”
“I beg to differ.” He motioned toward her purse again. “The proof of your crime is in there.”
“Your Grace, really. This needs to stop. You are accusing an innocent woman.”
“Are you telling me you don’t threaten Mr. McGuire to get money from me so that you can have new gowns?” He arched an eyebrow. “Miss Priscilla will attest to overhearing you and my former secretary discussing that very subject yesterday in front of the milliner’s shop. We have already talked to the constable, and if necessary, we shall get the Birmingham police involved as well.”
Her innocent expression quickly turned to hatred as she glared at him. “This was your father’s fault. He was the one who turned away and wouldn’t do anything to help my mother once she was with child. Thenyou.” She flipped her hand toward him. “You told me in your own words that you would never welcome an illegitimate child into the family.”
“And if you believe otherwise, then you were the one who was mistaken. It’s just not done. If so, there would be many royal children who were not mothered by the queen.”
Suddenly, the constable and two bobbies rushed around the corner of the building, but they stopped when they saw Gavin. He pointed to Georgina. “Check her wrist purse. You will locate the marked banknote there.”
The bobbies apprehended Georgina, and although she struggled, the constable was able to get into her wrist purse and find the marked note.
