Page 28

“Miss Crawford?”

She had hesitated a fraction too long, and Lord Bancroft was watching her a little too closely.

“Is there something?”

“Yes.”

He released a tense breath. “You realize that as members of the House of Lords, Maidstone and I are in the country only because the opening of Parliament has been delayed due to the plague resurgence. All those who have the ability to leave the city have done so. If you were meant to influence current events in London, it stands to reason that you may also have had your arrival there postponed.”

“But the event . . . the crisis that lies ahead . . . it will be averted.”

“You are sure of that?”

She nodded. Her presence in London during the weeks preceding November 5, 1605, could not possibly have any impact on the outcome of the gunpowder plot. The players in that conspiracy were all in place years before the event.

Lord Bancroft had yet to look away. “And yet the very thought of it has the power to rob you of words and cause you to clench your fists.”

“It will go down as one of the most infamous events in British history,” Isla said softly.

His eyes widened. “When will it occur?”

She forced her fingers apart. “Soon.”

Rising to his feet, Lord Bancroft extended his arm to her. Hesitantly, she gave him her hand. He took it and drew her upright. “If you are willing, I think we should continue this conversation at the house in the presence of Maidstone and Martha. The timing of your arrival may have nothing whatsoever to do with the event you know is coming, but given that you have yet to come up with a sound alternative, I think it would behoove us to at least consider it.”

“You believe me?”

“It is becoming harder not to, and I am unwilling to allow my own reservations or stubbornness to cause you to dismiss something that may be of great import.”

He was right. As much as Isla didn’t want any involvement in Guy Fawkes’s treasonous activity, she’d be a fool to ignore it. “If Lord and Lady Maidstone are available when we get back to the house, I’ll share as much of it as I can remember.”

A light squeeze of her hand accompanied his encouraging smile. “Perhaps your exceptional attention to detail is exactly what is needed after all.”

Chapter 8

Simon waited for Maidstone to take a seat beside Martha before claiming a chair near the fireplace for himself. “Thank you for interrupting your morning activities to meet with Miss Crawford and me,” he said.

“Is everything all right?” Martha’s concerned gaze moved from Simon to Miss Crawford and back.

“Yes,” Simon said. “At least, that is our hope.”

He did not need to look at Miss Crawford to sense her discomfort. But was she fully aware of how much the atmosphere in the parlor had changed in twenty-four hours? Gone was the aura of polite skepticism that had been clearly visible on every face. Everyone’s focus had subtly shifted from what to do about Miss Crawford to what to do for her.

“I assume you have gathered us because you have an update on Miss Crawford’s situation,” Maidstone said.

“In a manner of speaking,” Simon said. “Although it is not so much an update as a possible clue to her reason for being here.”

“Oh, do tell!” Martha said enthusiastically.

At his sister’s instant and eager response, Simon experienced a pang of unease. Had he jumped to a conclusion without truly thinking it through? “I would have you bear in mind that we are still simply exploring possibilities at present.”

“Yes, yes,” Martha said. “But a possibility—no matter how tenuous—is more than we had yesterday.”

He could not argue with that. He glanced at Miss Crawford. She was perched on the edge of her seat, her back taut and her hands clasped together on her knee, but she met his look without flinching. She was ready.

“It occurred to me this morning that just because Miss Crawford arrived at Copfield Hall, we should not assume that her area of influence is to be limited to this family or this area of the country.”

Maidstone stroked his beard thoughtfully. “You are operating under the premise that if the plague had not caused the evacuation of so many from London, she may have found herself there instead.”