Fredrick shifted in his seat to face Emilia “Tell us more about the boarding school.”
“My father drafted all the plans before his death, but the building is secured. Furthermore, the headmistress and a few teachers have been hired,” Emilia shared. “My father had already selected the girls who will be attending.”
“And this is what you want to do?” Fredrick asked.
“It is,” Emilia confirmed. “What is the point of having all this money if I can’t use it to help other people?”
“Well, I would caution you to take at least four footmen whenever you travel to your boarding school,” Fredrick said. “How deep in the rookeries are you going?”
“I was told that the school was just a few blocks in,” Emilia responded. “It is a nice two-level red brick building that has been spruced up for our tenancy.”
Anette interjected, “May I teach at your boarding school?”
Lord Roswell looked bemused by his wife’s request. “You can’t be serious?” he asked.
“I could teach them how to shoot a pistol,” Anette replied. “It is a skill that every young woman should possess.”
Emilia thought it might be best to proceed cautiously, considering Lord Roswell’s reaction. “The girls would be lucky to learn from you, but perhaps you are more of a guest teacher.”
“That sounds reasonable,” Anette said.
The butler stepped into the room with a tray in his hands and approached Lord Roswell. “My lord, a missive just arrived for you.”
Lord Roswell accepted the note and unfolded the paper. He read it and then crinkled it in his hand. “Ladies, I’m afraid we are going to have to cut this dinner short. Fredrick and I have important business that we must see to.”
Fredrick pushed back his seat and rose. “Good evening, Miss Sutherland,” he said before he followed Lord Roswell out of the room.
Anette smiled, not appearing the least bit concerned by her husband’s abrupt departure. “Shall we eat before our food grows cold?”
Emilia’s eyes shifted towards the door and she couldn’t help but wonder where Fredrick had gone to so suddenly. Whatever it was, it must have been important.
Fredrick gave his brother an expectant look as they sat in the darkened coach. “Where are we heading?” he asked.
“One of Lord Drycott’s factories in the rookeries,” Roswell replied. “One of my informants claims that he saw Caleb.”
“Can this informant be trusted?”
Roswell nodded. “He can, considering I pay him enough for his loyalty.”
“Let’s hope this is not a fool’s errand.”
“It won’t be,” Roswell asserted.
Fredrick knew that his brother was anxious by the way he was tapping his right foot. Roswell had been searching the rookeries for Caleb but he had found no sign of him. He hoped for Roswell’s sake that this informant hadn’t led them astray.
“Dare I ask what is transpiring between you and Miss Sutherland?” Roswell asked.
Fredrick gave him a blank look, having no idea what his brother was talking about. “Pardon?”
“You and Miss Sutherland seem to be getting rather close,” Roswell pressed.
“That is because we are friends.”
Roswell smiled. “Ah, friends. I was just ‘friends’ with Anette as well.”
With a frown, Fredrick replied, “No, Emilia and I are just friends, nothing more.”
“You are calling her by her given name?”
