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“Does that mean Warwick…” The realization nearly bowled him over since Warwick had been the one to introduce both Mitchell and Jones, but Jones was already shaking his head.
“Only a useful connection, not one of us.” Jones smiled a bit bleakly. “Stuart has some information Warwick wants, and we wanted access to the Society.” He shrugged, and Rex scowled. Hell and damnation. Warwick was definitely out after this. Introducing damnspiesinto the Society, even if Jones ultimately belonged there. Catching the expression on Rex’s face, Jones gave him a look. “If you could allow Warwick to remain a while longer, we would be grateful.”
“If I must,” Rex replied begrudgingly. He sighed, turning his thoughts back to what he knew of Carlisle and Collins. While his impressions of Carlisle were easily shared, when it came to Collins, he stumbled. “He and Lucas, the Earl of Devon, do not get along because Lucas tried to seduce Carlisle away from Collins at one point, but… truthfully, I know almost nothing about the man. He allows Carlisle to speak for him and is almost always by his side.”
The bell rang, and Cormack begged their pardons, leaving the room to answer the door.
“Do you know if Collins stays with Carlisle when he returns to his estate?” Browne asked.
“Oh, yes. The two are never separated unless Carlisle has to attend a ball or some such. Obviously, Collins cannot follow him there.” He was notton, although Rex now realized he did not know much about the man’s antecedents. Carlisle had sponsored him to the Society, he had clearly belonged by his own behavior, and the two were together even more often than Carlisle and his wife were. While the Countess occasionally dabbled with other members, Collins never did.
A commotion in the hall had all three men on their feet, frantic feminine tones underscored and overriding Cormack’s baritone.
“Rex! Rex, we need you now!” Miss Pennyworth burst into the room, Miss Davies only a step behind her, and Cormack just behind them, his face flushed with worry. “We think Mary is in danger!”
Chapter 24
Mary
“What is wrong with him?” Mary asked, staring across the carriage at Lucas. His head lolled on his neck, eyes occasionally blinking, but he was clearly muddled. After attempting to warn her, he had settled back into a stupor, slumped and fairly useless. She felt guilty for her ungracious conclusion, but it was true.
Collins snorted. “I told you, he’s soused. ’Tis amazing he’s still conscious with the amount of gin I poured down his throat, the bloody lush.”
So, it was not Lucas’ fault he was so inebriated. That made Mary feel far more favorably toward him—and guiltier about her judgment.
“I take it Lucas doesnotneed my assistance?” she asked, doing her best to ignore the hard metal pressing into her side, the only thing that kept her from screaming. Not knowing anything of Collins, other than he was part of the Society, she did not know what might set him off or how likely he was to actually shoot her, so it seemed best to err on the side of caution.
Collins snorted. “Why do you care?”
“I am doing my best not to devolve into hysterics,” Mary answered through gritted teeth. “Perhaps you might indulge me?”
“You are far too sensible a person,” Collins said coolly, tilting his head as though listening for something. With the curtains drawn across the window, they could not see where they were. Was he expecting to hear something that would indicate their destination? Mary thought he was rather overestimating her nerve. She had never had a gun pointed at her. “Now, as much as I appreciate you finally venturing out without Rex by your side, this has advanced my plan a bit earlier than anticipated, and I need to think.”
Though Mary’s first inclination was to be quiet as long as he had her at gunpoint, giving him time to think did not seem like the best course of action if she was going to survive today. She did not have high hopes Collins’ intentions were anything other than deadly. While Lucas might be too drunk and disreputable to be a convincing witness against him, Mary was entirely sober and respectable.
“You wanted me in particular?” she asked, keeping her voice small, hoping one question did not incite him to violence.
“If I could… and look where fate has landed me.” Collins laughed cruelly. “I finally found Lucas the same afternoon I saw you out without your great protector. It was truly meant to be.”
“But why me?”
“Nothing personal.” She felt him shrug, the gun shifting slightly, which made her tense. “I needed someone to take the blame for some of my… activities. Lucas turned out to be the perfect stand-in. Excessively in debt, notoriously disreputable, estates on the coast, and quite put out about Rex’s search for a bride. Everything lined up very well.”
Estates on the coast!Whatever Collins was involved in, it must have to do with smuggling. Mary remembered noting Carlisle’s estates on a map. They were not far from Lucas’ and also on the southern coast of England. Rather than sharing her knowledge that he was a traitor, Mary pretended to pure confusion and asked the second most burning question in her mind.
“Why was he put out about Rex’s search for a bride?” Rex had mentioned no such thing, and Mary believed he would have if he had known. They had talked often enough about the earl and why he might be avoiding Rex.
“Because he’s in love with the man. Now, be quiet.”
Biting her tongue, Mary stared across the carriage in consternation at Rex’s best friend. Rex said Lucas had a preference for men, but he had never hinted Lucas’ feelings for him might be more than friendly. Did he know? Was Collins correct, or had he made that up from whole cloth? Unfortunately, the only person who could answer with any definitiveness was humming under his breath, evidently oblivious to the conversation happening across from him.
The carriage rolled to a stop, and Mary’s heart leapt in her chest. This might be her chance! She must have made some kind of movement because Collins’ grip on her tightened.
“Do not bother screaming,” he murmured in her ear. “There is no one about to help you.”
Indeed, when the carriage door opened, the coachman standing there was blankly indifferent to her plight. He did not meet her eyes, but neither did he appear too bothered by his employer’s actions.
“Is there anyone about?” Collins asked the driver, who shook his head. Mary’s heart sank. What kind of street were they on that no one would be around? Collins got out first, keeping his pistol pointed at her. “Come on, Mary, you first.”
