Their poor butler had seemed very nervous over these ideas and had paced the hall and peered out the windows.
Finally, the carriage arrived. Shrimps had really done it. There it was, a hired carriage. The coachman was lanky with dark hair and very pale skin. His groom was rather heavy-set, had a very unfortunate birthmark on his cheek, and was squeezed into near-bursting livery. Neither of them had the bearing of a real coachman and groom, but who was to notice that? The carriage itself was very good-looking. Aside from no coat of arms on the door, nobody would guess it was not Lady Hightower’s coach.
They’d raced out of the house and into the carriage.
As the carriage turned itself round and barreled out of Portland Place, leaving a disgruntled looking Tattleton at the door, Rosalind was rather surprised to find who else was in the carriage.
“Shrimps!” she said, “what do you do here? And who are you?” she asked the young man sitting next to him.
“Well, I was told I ought to come,” Shrimps said, “so I did.”
“And you?” Rosalind asked the young man.
“Mason.”
“Why are you here, though?” Miss Mayton asked.
“To make sure it all goes smoothly.”
Rosalind looked at her aunt and they both shrugged. It must be admitted by them both that they did not know the ins and outs of a false kidnapping. Apparently, these people did, though.
“Very well, Mason. Shrimps. Now, what is most important about all this is the moment Conbatten catches up to the carriage. You must be well away by then. I would not wish him to be distracted and wondering if he should try to catch you. As well, if things go as I hope, I am to be told things that would be for my ears only.”
Shrimps’ brow wrinkled. “Is Miss Mayton to run out of the carriage too, then?”
“Oh dear,” Miss Mayton said, “I am not much of a runner.”
“My aunt will delicately step away. She need not go far, after all, Conbatten will not think to chase afterher, will he?”
“That lady,” Mason said, pointing at Miss Mayton, “will get out at the door. We got spies everywhere. That duke is already inside the house so she’ll have to go get ’im.”
“Already in Lady Bloomington’s house?” Rosalind said. “We come so early, how is he already there?”
Shrimps shook his head sadly. “There’s no accounting for rich people,” he said softly.
“It don’t matter,” Mason said. “She goes in and gets ’im.”
Rosalind nodded. Of course, in this sort of an operation, she must be willing to adjust and change course as necessary. She should have anticipated that it would be so.
“Very well,” she said. She squeezed her aunt’s hand. “We are so close,” she said. “Just a few more steps to take.”
“Never fear, my dear. I shall march into Lady Bloomington’s house and find him in a trice. He is so very easy to spot, towering over everybody as he does.”
That was true. It would not take her aunt but a moment to locate Conbatten and apprise him of the circumstances. Then he would rush out to save her.
“I await your rescue, my dear, darling Conbatten,” she whispered.
The young man who sat across from her snorted.
Rosalind ignored it, she could not expect that person to be struck with the finer feelings that just now permeated her thoughts.
*
Berkeley Square beingso nearby, Balthazar had reached Lady Bloomington’s house in under five minutes. He’d almost thought to walk, so easy was the distance. However, Hades seemed to always know when he’d been left behind and would be impossibly rude the following day. Whether he went near or far, Hades wished to go. Balthazar had often thought that Hades’ inclinations were less about the exercise and more about what other strange horses he might encounter at the destination.
Later, he would return Hades home and Hamill would take them both into the Rats’ Castle for their foray into it to collar a few of Mondrian’s boys and find out what they knew. They would take his carriage to their destination in case they wished to remove the boys to another location.
Hamill’s carriage had been specially built. It was larger than most and a veritable fortress. Underneath the polished paneling, it was lined in iron sheets to stop any bullet wishing to make its way through. There were two large foot irons on either side of the coach and four heavily armed men to ride upon them.
