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“You have not led me.” She laid her palm on his cheek and kissed him once more. “You have been beside me all the way, but I couldn’t say either one of us led the other astray.”

His eyes closed. “I bloody well hope not.”

“All will end well.” She stepped out of his embrace. “But first I must bathe, and you have things to do as well. Out with you.”

“A bath!” His eyes gleamed. “I can help you…”

She laughed. “Tomorrow. And the day after, and all the days to come after that.”

He grimaced, but kissed her again and left.

* * *

Nate went downstairs to the dining room. Lisette jumped to her feet with a guilty look. Prince rose more deliberately. A plate heaped with food sat in front of him, a cup of tea in front of Lisette. “Good morning,” he said.

“Good morning, Nathaniel,” said Prince.

“I shall bring you breakfast, monsieur,” Lisette murmured, hurrying out.

Nate looked at Prince. “Finally friends, I see.”

“You are not the only one who can charm a lady out of her prickly mood,” Prince replied with a grin. “Although I believe her opinion of me improved greatly after we removed the laboratory and its smells.” He paused. “She reminds me of your mother.”

“Well, that may come in handy today.” He prowled about the room, and Prince sat down and resumed eating. “You brought the trunk?”

His friend nodded. “It’s in the parlor.”

Nate nodded. It was a bright clear day, but clouds gathered on the horizon. “Is everything else ready?”

“Only your belongings are still here. Once we remove them and Mr. Dixon, we will be ready to sail.” Prince pushed back his plate and watched Nate with a steady gaze. “You agreed to this plan. You authored parts of it. Have you changed your mind?”

“No.” Nate stared out the window. Those clouds drew his eye. A gentle rain to wash away the grime, or a storm to drown them all? “But there’s a last-minute change to the plan.”

“What?” Prince lowered his voice, too.

Nate looked over his shoulder. Lisette could return at any moment. “I’ll tell you later. It doesn’t involve Lisette or Angelique, just a minor adjustment on my part, to allow for more possibilities.”

The door swung open to admit Lisette with another plate of food. Nate made himself eat, though he didn’t taste a bite. Then he and Prince carried the empty trunk, the largest they’d brought with them, up to the attic.

Jacob Dixon eyed the trunk in distaste. “Surely there’s an easier way.”

“Absolutely. We could get a coffin.” Nate unlocked the manacles. “And send it directly to Lord Selwyn with my compliments.”

Dixon glowered at him, but climbed into the trunk, rubbing his wrists. “Am I not to be fed first? After I was up so late creating that journal for you…”

“You can eat later.” Nate closed the lid on the man’s scowling face, and locked the trunk. He gave the key to Prince, and they carted their load down the stairs. As they passed Angelique’s door, Nate heard a splash and knew she was in her bath. She was going about her day as usual: her strengthening exercises, her bath… He knew when he returned, he would find her as beautiful and as calm as always, ready to defy the man she had worked under for ten years, the man who might want her dead once he realized what she was doing. Nate gripped the trunk handle more tightly, and tried to push his fears aside.

They loaded the trunk with Dixon onto the cart Prince had brought. Nate bounded back up the stairs and finished packing his own trunk, dumping everything inside without care. He could sort it later. He set it at the top of the stairs for Prince to take down, and tapped on Angelique’s door.

She sat at her mirror, wrapped in a dressing gown. Lisette was combing out her hair. At his entrance, she put up a hand to the maid. “What is it?”

“Prince and I are taking our things to the ship, then Dixon and I will collect whatever’s left of the stolen funds. I’ll be back in a few hours.”

She nodded, her dark eyes steady. “I will wait for you.”

Nate nodded once. “Right.” He hesitated. “Don’t do anything until I return.”

She arched her brow. “You think now I will strike out on my own? I will be right here, regretting I cannot be with you to help chain him like a goat belowdecks.”