He smiled. “Yes. We will plan carefully. There may still be a way.”
He let himself lean slightly into her care, drawing courage from her presence. The physical pain, the shock of the attack, the anger and frustration at the stolen statement … all of it was still there, but somehow, in her calm, he found focus.
Side by side, they could face this. They had to.
Chapter 34
“This is … quite extraordinary,” Thomas spoke with his brow furrowed and his eyes wide. “I had no idea matters had reached such … extremity.”
Clara clutched Aurelia’s hand, pale and trembling. “But … there is still something we can do, isn’t there?” she asked.
Owen nodded. “I will go to Greenwich immediately. If I move quickly, I may intercept Carter as he leaves the cottage. Every moment counts. Meanwhile, Harrow, you must round up everyone we have spoken to, encourage them to provide a statement of their own. And Aurelia …” His gaze settled on her, fierce with concern, “you must keep your father’s notebook well hidden.”
“I will,” she agreed, though her hands fidgeted slightly at the edge of the table.
He reached out, his hand brushing hers lightly. “Aurelia, you and Clara must remain here. It is far too dangerous for you to go out again.”
She shook her head. “No, Owen. Clara and I will visit Charlotte. We know the risks, but we will be perfectly safe.”
He startled, and there was disbelief clear in his expression. “You will visit her? Aurelia, you cannot be serious.”
“We must,” she told him. “I know how to speak to her, trust me.”
“It is not you I distrust,” he confessed. “What if her father is there?”
“He isn’t,” she reminded him. “He isn’t staying with her, claiming a need of privacy. That is what I overheard Lord Livingston say.”
“I still think it’s a dangerous idea,” he said sternly. “I can’t have you risking your safety.”
“I’ve been hiding my entire life,” she retorted. “Now, I can finally do something. Please, believe me when I say that we will be fine.”
Owen pressed his lips together, evidently torn between concern and the need to accept her decision. Finally, he gave a reluctant nod. “Very well, but be careful. If anything happens, you must retreat before Charlotte suspects anything.”
Clara leaned closer. “We can do this.”
Aurelia glanced at him, then touched his arm lightly. “We cannot hesitate. Charlotte knows where her father is, and if we provoke her, she might reveal his whereabouts to us.”
“Fine,” Owen sighed. “But … be—”
“I know,” she smiled again. “We’ll be very careful.”
As the group began to gather their things, Aurelia stopped him with a gentle tug at his sleeve. “Owen … a moment, please.”
He turned. “Of course.”
She waited for Clara and Thomas to move slightly away. And then, she spoke. “You remember what the physician said, you have to rest, not go out riding like a madman to catch another madman.”
Owen shook his head, lifting his gaze to hers, which was intense and unwavering. “I cannot rest. This is too important … and so are you.”
Her heart caught. A heat rose to her cheeks, rapid and insistent.
He thinks of me … he truly thinks of me, she realized, and a thrill shot through her chest. She could scarcely breathe, but herlips curved into a small, bright smile, letting the emotion remain unspoken.
He leaned closer, brushing a hand over hers, holding it gently. She felt the pulse of his energy, the concern, the quiet intensity of his care. Then, carefully, reverently, he lifted her hand and pressed a brief, tender kiss to its back. A flutter ran through her fingers, up her arm, and straight to her heart. Her pulse raced, and she had to swallow hard against a sudden, delicious tightness in her throat.
Owen straightened, giving her one last measured look, and then moved to the door. Aurelia remained kneeling for a heartbeat, watching him go. Her chest felt tight, her heart hammering in a way that made each breath seem both long and short.
The hall was silent except for the soft murmur of their preparations, but Aurelia’s thoughts spun faster than any sound could reach. She could not help but picture him in the streets outside, bruised and weary yet unbroken, moving with purpose.
