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He swung around to see Vale staring bemusedly at O’Hare the footman. “Who the hell are you?”
O’Hare gave a bow, sketchy enough to almost be insolent. “Both Miss Hartley and Lady Emeline got into Mr. Thornton’s carriage.” He looked past Vale to catch Sam’s eye. “I didn’t like the way he stood so close to Miss Hartley, sir. I think something was wrong.”
Sam didn’t bother asking why O’Hare hadn’t stopped Thornton. In this country, a servant could be turned off without reference—or worse—for such an act. “Do you have any idea where they were headed?”
“Aye, sir. Princess Wharf in Wapping. I heard Mr. Thornton give the direction to the coachman.”
Vale looked bewildered. “Wapping? Why would Thornton take them to a wharf?”
“Wharves mean ships.”
Vale’s eyebrows shot up. “You think he means to kidnap them?”
“God only knows,” Sam replied. “But we haven’t time to stand about debating the point. Come on, we’ll take your carriage.”
“Hold on, there.” Vale grabbed his arm. “What’s the hurry? How do I know that you’re not hiding Emmie here? Or—”
Sam twisted his arm downward, breaking away from the other man. “Because Thornton is the traitor, and he must somehow know that I’ve found him out.”
Vale’s shaggy eyebrows snapped together. “But—”
“I’ve told you, we haven’t the time,” Sam growled. “O’Hare, do you want to help with this?”
The boy didn’t even hesitate. “Yes, sir!”
“Come on.” Sam was out the door and running down the steps without stopping for Vale’s consent. He’d take the waiting carriage even if the other man insisted on staying behind and debating all the possibilities.
But as he made the carriage, he found Vale beside him. “Princess Wharf, Wapping,” the viscount called to his coachman. “Fast as you can.”
All three men piled into the carriage.
“Now,” Vale said as he settled across from Sam and O’Hare. “Tell me.”
Sam had his eyes on the window. Thornton’s carriage had left long ago, but foolishly he still strained to catch sight of it. “MacDonald took Thornton’s place during or shortly after Spinner’s Falls.”
“You have proof?”
“That a soldier we knew six years ago across the ocean is impersonating a different, dead soldier? No, I don’t. He’s probably killed any proof there was.”
O’Hare shifted beside Sam. The young man hadn’t spoken since they entered the carriage, but his face was worried. The carriage slowed to a roll. Shouts came from the street ahead.
Sam barely kept himself from pounding on the carriage’s roof. He turned to O’Hare. “There were two redheaded soldiers, you see. One was Thornton; one was MacDonald. No one paid attention to them until MacDonald was put in chains and brought back for trial.”
“What had he done, then?” the footman asked.
Sam looked at Vale.
Who pursed his lips and nodded once. “Raped and murdered a woman.”
O’Hare’s face whitened.
“I can understand how MacDonald could’ve switched identities with Thornton in the chaos after Spinner’s Falls, but what of when he came home to England? Surely Thornton had family?”
“A wife.” Sam shook his head. “And she died soon after he came home.”
“Ah.” Vale nodded thoughtfully.
“But what does he want with the ladies now?” O’Hare burst out.
