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“Oh no,” she said, paling slightly at my tone. “She is of age, I assure you.”

Her words did little to ease my anger, but I followed the woman upstairs without a word. Fairfax and Rexford were to remain downstairs and question the women discreetly. Most importantly, they were to discover if underage girls were being pressed into service. If such atrocities were taking place here, we’d ensure everyone connected to this establishment was hanged for their crimes.

“Do you care to tell us who your source of information was?” Mrs. Beauchamp asked, a coy tilt to her lips.

“The Legends never share their sources.”

She sighed. “I suppose that is to be expected, but just so you know, my house is always open to you.” She leaned forward. “And if any of the married gentlemen among you wish more discreet liaisons, that can also be arranged.”

I nodded. That would never happen, but she didn’t need to know that.

After two flights of stairs, I followed her down a long hallway. I was happy to discover no lewd sounds were coming from any of the bedrooms on this floor. This was probably where the madam had her private quarters and apparently where she also kept reluctant young women prisoner.

At the end of the hall, she pulled out a set of keys. “I trust you won’t hurt her.”

Reluctantly, I called upon every ounce of charm I possessed. I’d made it this far, and it wouldn’t do to reveal my hand too early. “I have never needed to force a woman. I can assure you, I will have no need to do so now.”

She chuckled, her gaze roaming up and down my form suggestively. “No, I wouldn’t believe that you would.”

I was itching to grab the keys and open the door myself, but I forced myself not to reveal my impatience.

When she opened the door, I stepped into the room, my gaze scanning the interior. The bed was empty, but there was a woman sitting in a darkened corner. Claire. Relief flooded through me and I raised a finger to my lips when I saw the way her eyes widened.

I turned back to the madam. “You won’t need to lock the door behind us. She won’t wish to leave.”

At the madam’s nod, I closed the door behind her and remained still for several long moments. Finally, when I heard the woman’s footsteps retreating down the hall, I turned to look at Claire again. She stood and raced into my arms, where I gathered her against me. I was never going to let her go again.

Overwhelming relief warred with the urge to shake her for rushing here on her own. But I wasn’t surprised she’d behaved so impetuously. She’d done the same thing that day she’d rushed into King’s to warn me about the marital trap set for me.

I held her close, enjoying the way she felt in my arms. Safe. Secure. Mine.

Chapter 37

CLAIRE

Greyson lifted me into his arms and moved to the chair, where I settled onto his lap. He didn’t press me for details yet, waiting for my shaking to stop. Cradled in his arms, the bone-deep terror slowly began to subside. I hadn’t been able to stop imagining all manner of horrible scenarios as I’d waited, but now all I cared about was that he was here and that he would save me. Again.

He rubbed a hand up and down my spine, murmuring reassurances into my hair as I clung to him. “Everything is fine now, and no one will hurt you.”

Finally, when my tumult of emotion was more bearable, I pulled back and stared up at him. There was anger in his eyes, but I could tell it wasn’t directed at me.

His brows drew together. “You could have come to me.”

I winced. “No one could have ever expected I would walk into… this.” I waved my hand around, unable to put into words what exactly I’d stumbled into. “The placement happened so quickly, and I didn’t have a chance to see Hope and Grace before they left.” I frowned, wondering if he knew about them.

His eyes were steady on mine. “The girls are here, but I haven’t seen them yet. Please tell me they haven’t been pressed into service.”

I gasped when I realized what he was suggesting. “No, I mean yes, I did speak to them briefly. Mrs. Beauchamp plans to have them work in the kitchen, but when they’re older…” I couldn’t say the words. “Mrs. Atkinson did this. She handed the girls over to Mrs. Beauchamp without checking to make sure it was a proper household. Do you think she knew?”

A muscle twitched in his jaw. “She knew. We found evidence in her office.”

“We?”

“Fairfax and Rexford are downstairs. Clarence, who you met that first day at King’s, is at the school, looking through the account ledgers. Before joining Rexford, he was the Duke of Sherbourne’s steward and oversaw his vast holdings. He will get to the bottom of what’s happening at the school.”

“Do you think she’s done the same with others?” I asked, afraid to know the answer.

He shook his head. “He’d only given the books a cursory overview by the time we left, but it appears that this was a new enterprise started by Mrs. Atkinson. But if there’s evidence of other wrongdoings, Clarence will find it.” He massaged his temples with one hand. “This is a nightmare. I failed my father, who entrusted oversight of the school to me.” His mouth twisted to one side. “My mother was in a charity school when she was younger, before she was taken in by a noble family.”