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“It is nothing,” he snapped impatiently.
Marguerite hesitated. This man before her, the cold and callous one, was someone she did not recognise. She had seen hints of it last night in the Carmichaels’ study, but it had never been turned on her before. Well, not this severely. To begin with, she wondered what she had done to cause it, but was then forced to remind herself of what had just happened and the dangers it put them in.
“I will drive,” Ben murmured. “I can get myself to the doctor. I can go straight to the War Office, and go and see Sir Hugo or Simon, if he is in. You two need to get out of here. If I take the carriage, I can leave it at one of the safe houses and make my way on foot. It is the only way we can shake them off. There are at least eight of them, Joe. We are outnumbered if they catch up with us.”
Joe knew he was right. “Are you sure you are fit enough to drive?”
“Yes, just get us over to Tragmire Street, we can then split up and give them more to chase. By the time they find out what has happened, they won’t know which way we have gone,” he reasoned.
Joe suspected they had already lost them but didn’t say as much to Ben.
“If you are sure?”
“Yes,” Ben nodded. “Now get us to Tragmire,
I will do the rest.”
Joe nodded and got the carriage rolling again. Tragmire Street was half way between the Star Elite’s surgeon and the War Office. There was also a safe house nearby Ben could go to for help.
“I can’t see anything in this fog, Ben,” Joe called.
He could hear the clatter of hooves behind them growing steadily closer and knew it wouldn’t be too long before Sayers’ men caught up. He had no doubt it was them because up until now he hadn’t seen hide or hare of anybody else. Most people, unless they absolutely had to go out, were safely tucked up at home. Only vagabonds, vagrants, and those desperately in need of a penny or two bothered to venture out on a day like today. Joe just wished that Sayers’ men worked the same way.
Determined to keep them behind him, he turned to the left, then the right, and then doubled back when he got the senses that the men giving chase were trying to cut them off.
“See if you can find a landmark,” Ben called.
Joe didn’t bother to reply. He grunted as he guided the swaying carriage around a tight corner. As instructed, he squinted as he peered through the cloying fog in search of anything to help him find his way.
Finally, several minutes later, he caught a brief glimpse of a church spire in the road up ahead. He had no idea which church it was but the name would tell him which parish he was in. It was enough.
“I have found somewhere. Just wait a minute,” he grunted. “I will stop in a minute.”
The hoof beats behind them were alarming but didn’t distract him from what he needed to do. His face was a cold mask of implacability as he guided the carriage to a stop. They knew they had precious moments to make the switch so the carriage had barely stopped when Ben climbed out. He winced when his feet touched the ground, and struggled to clamber aboard the driver’s seat. When he was settled, he turned to Joe.
“Stay safe,” he murmured.
Marguerite stood beside Joe. “Are you sure you are going to be alright?”
Joe wanted to tell Marguerite to go with Ben, but if they were accosted on their journey Ben would have more to worry about than he was capable of handling right now. She had to stay with him.
“Do you think he will be alright?” Marguerite asked as she watched the smog swallow Ben.
“Come on,” Joe ordered rather than answer her. Now wasn’t the time for small talk. “We need to get moving.”
He glanced at the sign in front of the church as they passed it.
“We are in Kensal Green. The cemetery will be around here,” Joe murmured.
When the sound of horses drew achingly near, he hustled Marguerite into the darkest shadows he could find and stood protectively before her until the men on horseback passed them.
“God help him,” she whispered, aware now that they were after Ben.
Joe placed a finger over her lips and dropped his lips to her ear.
She shivered when his warm breath swept over her. It was very reassuring at the same time that it left her achingly wanting more.
“There will be more on foot.” He looked at her meaningfully for a moment and remained motionless while they waited.
