“She’s gone to London?”
“Yes, she left early to catch the express. The girl barely took time to eat or rest.”
The news landed like a blow, and James struggled to make sense of Lucy’s reasoning. Then self-recriminations rang in his head. If he’d only spoken to her and explained his intentions, she’d be here, and he’d be delivering happy news.
“I’ve been a goddamned fool.”
“Yes, it seems you have been.” Lady Cassandra had no reason to empathize with him.
At the moment, he didn’t know if he’d be able to forgive himself if any harm came to Lucy.
“Can one of the staff take me to the station?”
“You cannae go now, man. Come in and warm yourself. You’ve missed the morning express today, but you can catch it first thing tomorrow.”
“Then I’ll take a later train and arrive in the evening.” James shook his head. “I’m going now.”
A half dozen gut-twisting scenarios played out in his mind. What if Lucy encountered another man like Nichols on her train ride back to London? What if she somehow found out where he lived and visited his house in Cavendish Square? If Beck’s thugs were watching his movements in Edinburgh, the man had certainly kept watchers on his home in London.
And what better way to induce him to pay up than by threatening harm to Lucy? If the man inEdinburgh had seen them together and wired back that information, they’d know who she was.
“I have to go. Either one of your staff takes me to the station or I’m stealing Blackwood’s carriage. You choose.”
Lucy didn’t regret anything she’d done in Scotland, but sneaking out of the back garden and creeping down the mews behind Hallston House had her nervous about every step she took.
Her parents had been surprised but pleased by her abrupt return. Mama had been happy to see her, and Papa had embraced her the way he had when she was young, nearly swinging her off her feet. Even Charlie seemed pleased, though he’d nearly had an apoplectic fit when she told him she wished to marry a man she’d met on the train to Scotland.
He’d become convinced she was planning to elope, which made it particularly challenging to sneak away without him noticing. After one heated conversation in her chamber, she’d let him believe he’d dissuaded her. But stubbornness ran in her family. Her brother had kept a watchful eye on her for hours, so she was departing much later than she’d planned.
Thank goodness the sky was clear, and the moon was bright. She wasn’t used to venturing out into the city near midnight. But there had been a passel of firsts in life of late. She couldn’t lose her nerve now.
“Are you mad? Or just determined to seek out chaos so you can fix it?”
“Blast!” Lucy spun to see her brother marching toward her down the mews. That same moonlight that lit her way highlighted the angry frown on his face. “This isn’t your concern, Charlie.”
“You’re my sister. Father charged me with protecting you years ago.” Once he reached her, some of the anger melted into a pleading expression. “Don’t do this, Lu. Eloping may seem romantic—”
“I’m not eloping.”
“Then what the hell are you doing out here in the middle of the night?”
Lucy bit her lip. Nothing she said was going to put him at ease. Yet she’d never lied to him and didn’t wish to start now.
“I have a meeting with someone who I must speak to.”
Charlie rolled his eyes. “Hmm, let me guess. Is he tall and handsome and a penniless earl who you met on the train to Scotland?”
“No, actually.” Lucy felt a momentary flare of victory, but it was short-lived because there was no chance he wasn’t going to ask more questions.
“Then who?”
Lucy pressed her gloved fingers to the center of her forehead. She hadn’t slept, had a headache, and just wanted this whole thing over with.
“A businessman.”
Charlie’s brows dipped. “What respectable businessman meets with unmarried ladies at midnight?”
“I didn’t say he was respectable.”
