“I have come from there because I discovered something.”
“What have ye discovered?” Richard barked.
“’Tis not good news, I fear.”
Richard grumbled and stepped closer. “Tell me.”
“I kept an eye on the estate just as you’d asked, and I crept closer to the stables to hear anything noteworthy.” The scraggly boy shook his head. “’Tis not good, I tell ye.”
“Out with it before I whip ye.”
“Louisa… she has left the manor.” David took in a ragged breath, still wheezing. “From what I’ve gathered, the duke let her go.”
“Let her go?” Richard shouted as he grabbed the scrawny boy’s shoulders. “What do ye mean? The duke was in love with her. Why did he let her go?”
“I don’t know, sir. That’s just what I heard.”
“Then ye heard wrong.”
David shook his head. “No, I didn’t, because I also heard the duke talking to one of his friends.”
“What did they say?”
“The duke said he didn’t want to see Louisa’s face ever again—or he’d summon the police and have her arrested. Apparently, he caught her stealin’ his mother’s jewels. He was pretty upset, I tell ye.”
Richard grinned. His plan was working better than he thought. “Splendid.”
“I also heard…” David said softer with a touch of confusion in his throat.
“What?”
“I heard something about Mr. Featherspoon. I heard he’d kidnapped us from our families and told them we were dead.” He took a hesitant step forward, blinking back tears as his lips quivered as if he would cry at any moment. “Is this true? Is my family really alive?”
“Of course it’s not true.”
“But I heard the duke tell his friend about two boys he’d helped. Norman was one of them.”
“I have no way of knowin’ if Featherspoon lied to ye or not. But it doesn’t matter because now ye work for me,” Richard snapped and pushed David toward the door. “Now get out there and find Louisa. If ye see the others, tell them this is urgent. I need her found and brought to me tonight or ye’ll all go without food for a week.”
“Yes, sir.” David sniffed and ran out the door into the street.
Richard shrugged on his coat, then plopped a hat on his head as he walked outside. He had a meeting with a pretty lady he wasn’t about to miss. Now with Louisa missing, it would be easier for him to convince Eliza her friend wastaken care of.
He whistled and walked with a bounce in his step. Louisa would not stay away for long, he was certain. He didn’t know what exactly happened between her and the duke, but the girl was in love with Kenbridge, and because she wanted him and his children safe, she would bring Richard the jewels she’d taken.
Come to think of it, he’d brainwashed all of his children quite well. Of course, he only did what came natural to him. He’d been orphaned at a young age and learned the art of picking pockets and lying his way through life. The older he grew, the more he learned about how to manipulate people. Now he was very good at it. The best, in fact.
The wind became stronger the closer he came to the hospital. A spring storm was definitely brewing, and there weren’t as many large buildings around this area to block the wind. He bundled his coat around his neck a little tighter and hurried. He always tried to walk in the shadows, especially at night, to keep hidden. If spotted by a policeman, they’d recognize Richard right away. Being this close to Town made it harder to earn a living because the police knew Macgregor well. Yet this was the perfect time to be around London because of the season and all of Society’s functions happening around them. Once the season was over, Macgregor would pack up his miscreants and leave for a little while.
Across the street, two policemen trolled the area. Macgregor lowered his hat on his forehead and cast his gaze to the ground, hurrying his footsteps even more. The other two men laughed, and their voices echoed through the street. Thankfully, they hadn’t looked Richard’s way. And with any luck, they would keep on walking and not even notice Richard.
But although they didn’t glance at him, Richard still felt like someone watched him. Closely. Slowing, he searched the nearly empty street to find the source of the eerie feeling running amok through him. Too many shadows. Too many noises from the wind beating on the windows and walls.
He turned a corner, only one block away from the hospital. It was nearly seven. Miss Watson would probably be waiting for him by now.
From a nearby alleyway, a cat screeched. Richard jumped, and then chuckled at being so skittish tonight. Even if the police were after him—and several enemies wanted Richard dead—he would never get caught. His children feared him too much to go against him. And the police… Well, Richard could slip from them easy enough just as he’d done for several years.
Quick footsteps pounded behind him. He reached for the knife he always kept in his coat pocket for protection.Gone.Grumbling, he walked faster, his mind twirling as he tried to remember where he’d put the weapon. He never took his out of his pocket unless it was to use it on someone. But he hadn’t had to threaten anyone with it for weeks.
