“Stafford.”
“You haveit, whateveritis, and you have not told Stafford? How dangerous is this thing?”
“It has the potential to be very deadly indeed. In the wrong hands it could be a catastrophe.”
The duke sat heavily in the nearest chair. “Good Lord, what is it?”
“I cannot tell you, not yet.”
“Are mother and Marianne really safe at this place where you are staying?”
“As safe as anywhere. We have bow street runners acting as footmen, watching the house.”
“That infernal dog of Marianne’s will alert you of any strangers.” The duke rubbed at his eyes.
“True. If you need to contact me for any reason, leave a message at the Sow’s Ear. Address it to Cornelias.”
“Cornelias?”
“Don’t ask,” Tony said.
His brother raised his hands in surrender. “What should I do if Dunstan comes sniffing around again?”
“Tell him nothing. The less he knows the better. I feel that this is some kind of warning. But why now?”
Chapter Twenty-Eight
Marianne Ashton reallywas a source of common sense. Lucinda did not want anyone to have the formula. Even if she gave it to Stafford, would he destroy it or keep it to use against a future enemy? It would give England a decisive advantage, an unfair advantage, but the number of innocent men who might die from it on both sides was too much to bear.
But what then to do with it? She wished they had never found it. How dare her father do this to her? She thought it had been a symbol of his love for her. An unending circle of parental adoration, but no. She had simply been the vessel in which he kept his deadly secret. She hated him. It was hard to be angry at a dead man, but she was.
It was the last thing he had given to her. Her only true memory was of when he had placed it on her finger and told her never to take it off. For as long as she had it on her, he would be with her. As a child, she had taken the vow seriously, until she had to move it to other fingers as she grew. He most likely never thought about that. Perhaps he truly believed he was coming back for her. He had not outsmarted his enemies, and, in the end, no symbol of fatherly love had saved him. Or her.
Her heart ached from the betrayal, and her tears had dried up hours ago. Her father had lied to her, abandoned her, and left her with nothing in which to strive for, or even dream for herself. If not for Captain Markham and his missing finger, she could still be at Miss Covington’s. A burden to carry and care for whoknew how long. As kind as Miss Covington was, it was surely the money which she received each month that kept Lucinda there and nothing more.
It was nearly dark, and Tony had not come back. Sick of putting on a brave face for Marianne and her mother, she volunteered to take Sasha out to the back garden to do her business. Marianne offered to come with her, but she simply said she wished to be alone for a few minutes.
She let the dog out and followed her. It was strange, but the footman who was always wandering the garden was not there. Perhaps he was running an errand or having his dinner. She wandered around the garden, deep in thought. What would she say to Tony when he returned? It was not like she had decided about the fate of the ring. If anything, she was more confused.
Sasha kept up her sniffing and went to the gate. It was open. “Sasha, come back here,” she called, but the dog went out the gate. She followed, looking down the small shadowy alleyway. Sasha came running back towards her and the sense of relief filled her body. The thought of losing Marianne’s dog was unthinkable. Well, she could not have lived with herself if something had happened to Marianne’s prized pet.
One moment she was bending down to pat the dog and then the next, everything went black.
Tony went togather his horse from the mews out the back of Warrington House, no more at ease than when he had entered. To his surprise, he found someone waiting. “Dunstan? What are you doing here?”
“I have been waiting for you. I need to tell you something very important.”
“Lucinda is away with my mother at a house party. I am sure she will let you know when she is back.”
“Have you seen my painting?”
Tony nodded and took the reins of his horse, dismissing the groom. “I have.”
“And?”
“Are you here looking for praise, Lord Dunstan?”
Dunstan stood firm. “Did you look at it? Did you notice anything… unusual?”
