“Kusottare!”Li swore in a language Elizabeth did not recognize.
Murdoch intervened. “I ought t’ run Ginny a bath an’ feed her a bite, ma’am.”
“Of course.” Elizabeth forced herself to smile at her maid. “We’ve kept you long enough, Ginny, forgive us. Your description of events has been invaluable. We are very relieved you have returned.”
The girl bobbed a curtsy. “Be right as rain soon, ma’am. Happy to?—”
A commotion in the foyer stopped Ginny midsentence, however, as unintelligible shouting punctuated the silence. Before Elizabeth could blink, a bearded man burst inside, dragging Annabelle behind him.
Harris.
Elizabeth rushed to crush her sister to her while Mr. Harris insisted, “Jasper. Now.”
Without letting go of Bella, Elizabeth told him to take a seat, though the man refused her order and remained standing, scowling. She sent Gerald for sandwiches and tea, Murdoch having already left with Ginny, and then Elizabeth sat as close as humanly possible to Annabelle on the settee.
Miss Li proceeded to bluntly summarize the situation for Mr. Harris, who looked bewildered by the news. He also looked older than Elizabeth remembered, or perhaps it was the beard. The man began to mutter expletives as he paced the parlor floor, grumbling, “What a bloody goddamned disaster…”
Annabelle sent him furtive looks, twisting her skirts. Perhaps her sister had succumbed to Mr. Harris’s charms, though that was the least of Elizabeth’s concerns.
“Arty.” Li checked his nervous pacing. “You know as much as we do now, and you also know Finch. We are certain Jasper’s being held in the cellars ofThe Canary’s Lair, where Finch kept me. It matches the maid’s description too well. The question remains, how do we get him out?”
Elizabeth looked from Li to Harris. Both cared deeply for her husband, but they were also known to Finch, and likely known to Finch’s associates too. Li, especially, stood out.
“I’ll go.” Annabelle stunned them all.
“Are you mad?” Elizabeth blurted.
“Out of ’er mind, more like.” Harris’s face blazed. “You’ll do no such thing, wife.”
Which was the wrong thing to say to Annabelle; Elizabeth could have told him that.
Bella held firm. “I shall go as Bartholomew Brown, my alter ego.He is unknown to Finch and skilled with cards. In fact, he is adept enough he shall easily infiltrateThe Canary’stables to determine where the Baron is being?—”
“No.” Harris yanked Bella from her seat. “I forbid it.”
“You cannot.” Annabelle tried, but failed, to free herself from his grip while Elizabeth, incensed, grabbed Bella’s other arm.
“Lady Milton,” Harris started, “yer sister’s under the mistaken premise that?—”
“You will release her at once,” Elizabeth demanded. “You will release my sister into my custody forthwith.” She attempted to pry Annabelle from his grasp. “She shall remain with me now until?—”
“Hell no,” Harris growled, holding fast. “As me wife, I’ve more claim t’ Bella than you, Lady Milton.”
Elizabeth’s own grip tightened, until Bella kicked Harris’s shin and promptly freed herself.
***
“I will not be treated like a child.” Annabelle extricated herself from Lizzie’s grasp. “Nor will I be treated like property, sir.” She glared at Arthur. “I will make my own decision in this and future matters.”
Both stared at her like she’d grown horns.
“Neither of you see my plan for what it is: sound. I have passed before as Bart Brown, at Mr. Harris’s own gaming house, where none but he guessed my sex and onlybecause he’d been tipped off.” Her eyes flicked to Arthur, who was still scowling. “I am the perfect foil, because I am the person Finch least expects to rescue Milton.”
One could have heard a mouse sneeze, the room was so quiet.
“She has a point, you know.” Miss Li came to Annabelle’s defense. “Miss Winthrop as Mr. Brown will be the last person Finch suspects foolhardy enough to steal Jasper from him. But Bart will need help. Finch keeps the key to all shackles on his person, so even if you gain entry to his dungeon, miss—Mrs.Harris,” she corrected, “you will be unable to release Jasper without?—”
“Dungeon? Shackles?” Lizzie’s voice cracked with pain. “Do not tell me that man has Jasper chained like an animal.”
