He pressed his lips together before musing, “What if we circulated news that Lady Hungerton is still alive, and it will force Lord Hungerton to retrieve her.”
“Or he could just have her killed,” Kendrick said. “Patients die all the time at Bedlam and no one asks any questions. Quite frankly, no one cares what happens to them.”
Caleb balled his hands into tight fists. “That doesn’t make it right.”
“I never said that it does, but the hospital has been understaffed, underfunded and overcrowded for years,” Kendrick remarked. “It would be easy to slip someone like Lady Hungerton into the hospital, especially if Lord Hungerton was lining their pockets.”
Caleb refused to accept that there was nothing that they could do to help Lady Hungerton. He would find a way to help her. He had to. He couldn’t let her continue to suffer horrific conditions through no fault of her own.
“I know that look,” Kendrick said. “You intend to go half-cocked on me. Don’t you?”
He took a step closer to the desk. “I am going to free Lady Hungerton one way or another, and no one is going to stop me.”
Kendrick studied him for a moment. “Good,” he said. “Once you have retrieved her, I have a cottage just outside of London that could be used to house her for the time being.”
“You aren’t going to stop me?”
“Stop you?” Kendrick asked. “No, I am going to help you. But I want you to understand that there are risks associated with rescuing Lady Hungerton.”
Caleb bobbed his head. “I understand.”
Kendrick leaned back in his seat. “Do you intend to tell Miss Delacourt?”
“I think she has a right to know about her mother,” Caleb replied.
“Yes, but she might do something drastic. We both know that Miss Delacourt doesn’t always think through the repercussions of her actions,” Kendrick remarked.
Caleb had to acknowledge that Kendrick had a point, but he also knew that Simone would never forgive him if he kept something like this from her. He had just gotten her to trust him and he didn’t want to do anything that would jeopardize that.
Kendrick grinned. “You are going to tell her straightaway, aren’t you?”
“I see no other way,” Caleb replied. “Besides, we are partners, and Simone would do the same for me.”
“Speaking of which, when you two are married, do you want to continue working cases together?” Kendrick asked.
“I do.”
Kendrick leaned forward in his seat. “It is quite unusual for spies to marry one another, but I suppose it will be for the best.”
“You have no objections?”
With a huff, Kendrick replied, “I have many, but I shall keep them to myself. I just want to ensure that your intentions are honorable when it comes to Miss Delacourt.”
“They are,” Caleb assured him. “This marriage will be in name only, giving Simone the freedom to do as she pleases.”
“Very good, but before you go, we must discuss the French spies that are residing at Miss Delacourt’s townhouse.” Kendrick grew somber. “Has any progress been made on discovering their intentions?”
“Not yet.”
Kendrick reached for a stack of papers on his desk and brought them in front of him. “My agents scoured Lord Hungerton’s office but found nothing that would indicate he was working with the French. But how could he not know hismistress is a French spy?” he asked. “I’m going to give you two more days to investigate and then I’m going to arrest them, including Lord Hungerton.”
“What if Lord Hungerton is not involved?” Caleb asked. “Do you truly want to risk arresting a baron, especially one as influential as him?”
“I don’t, but unless you can convince me otherwise, I am going to assume he is guilty by association,” Kendrick replied. “Inform Miss Delacourt of my decision.”
“She won’t be happy.”
“Perhaps not, but she will understand,” Kendrick said. “I am just left to wonder if a man is capable of hiding his wife away in Bedlam, and faking her death, where do his loyalties lie? Does he even have any?”
