AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Frankly, I don’t,” Baldwin replied. “I believe you were culpable in stealing that money from the workhouses.”
“Regardless, we need more workhouses in the rookeries,” Desmond pressed. “The Poor Laws are outdated, and we need a new way to fund building them.”
“I agree, but you won’t be contracted to run them,” Baldwin replied.
Desmond frowned. “You aren’t going to help me push this bill through Parliament, are you?”
“No,” Baldwin responded with a shake of his head, “but I will recommend that we update the Poor Laws to incorporate new laws on workhouse conditions.”
“That isn’t enough,” Desmond said, his voice rising.
Baldwin took a step closer to him and replied, “If you hadn’t profited off the poor, then your passionate argument may have worked on the other members of the House of Lords. But I am not fooled by you, no matter how loudly you speak.”
As Baldwin turned to leave, Desmond’s defeated voice met his ears. “It was such a trifling amount of money,” he said. “What if I returned it to the workhouses?”
“That would be a start,” Baldwin remarked, “but it won’t solve all of your problems. Nor should it.”
Not bothering to wait for Desmond’s response, Baldwin walked out of the room and Corbyn followed closely behind. They didn’t speak until they stepped back into the coach and it started rolling down the street.
“Do you suppose we did the right thing by informing him of the investigation?” Corbyn asked.
“I do,” Baldwin replied, “but it won’t matter now if they don’t press charges. Just the allegations will ruin his reputation.”
“He will never be Prime Minister now.”
Baldwin shook his head. “No, he most assuredly won’t.”
“Now on to things that are much more pleasant,” Corbyn said. “It is time for you to travel to Miss Dowding’s townhouse and woo the lovely young lady.”
“It is,” he replied. “I hope it isn’t too late for her to receive callers.”
Corbyn pounded on the top of the coach, and the coach started slowing down. “This is where I get out.”
“Why?”
Corbyn smirked as he opened the door. “I need to get back to work. We have a cell full of rebels that need to be interrogated before they are deported or hung for their treasonous acts, including their leader, Morton,” he said as he stepped out.
“Would you care for some assistance?”
Corbyn chuckled. “Need I remind you that you are retired?”
“You work too hard.”
“Someone needs to,” Corbyn replied before closing the door.
Baldwin watched as Corbyn headed down the pavement, disappearing into the first alleyway he came to.
As the coach continued down the street, Baldwin decided it was time to rehearse the speech he intended to say to Miss Dowding.
Dressed in awhite gown, Madalene stared out the darkened window as she waited for Lord Hawthorne to call on her.
“I wish you would step away from the window,” Mrs. Foster said from the settee behind her. “You wouldn’t want Lord Hawthorne to see you in the window if he comes to call.”
“He will come,” Madalene remarked firmly.
“How can you be so sure?”
Madalene turned away from the window and met her companion’s gaze. “He told me he would.”
