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Trying to keep her racing heart from panicking her, she gathered her courage and stepped outside. To her surprise, she was on a rather respectable street, with neat rows of houses and… oh, dear. It was Jermyn street. Collins grinned maniacally at her, grabbing her arm again and pressing the pistol against her side.
“Welcome to Lucas’ house. He would escort you in properly if he could, I am sure.” He glanced at the driver and jerked his head toward the carriage, indicating Lucas. “Keep an eye on him. I will be back after I set her up.”
“I don’ have long,” the driver muttered, seemingly nervous for the first time. Mary’s hopes rose, but the man still would not look up so she could catch his eye. He was more nervous about being caught than concerned over hers and Lucas’ fates.
“Just wait here,” Collins snapped.
Using his body to cover the gleaming metal of the pistol in case anyonedidcome down the street, though there was not a soul in sight to Mary’s consternation, Collins dragged her to the front door and quickly entered. If Lucas had any servants around the house, they were either occupied or out running errands, the same as all the other houses on the street.
As the well-known bachelor street, most of these houses would be maintained with minimal staff, unlike the usual Mayfair abodes. Some of the gentlemen might have someone only employed for part of the day or even a few days a week.
Someonemighthave heard her scream, but there was no guarantee, and such a tactic was more likely to get her shot. Though Collins did not seem to want to shoot heryet, she had no doubt it was coming. What she had to do was look for a more feasible way to escape before it happened—knowing he was going to return to the coach to fetch Lucas, she hoped she would have a chance then.
More of one than with him right beside her, able to pull the trigger at the slightest bit of resistance.
Rex
The ladies’ words and general state of panic, sending fear shooting through Rex’s body, he jumped to his feet.
“What do you mean?” he barked out over Browne and Jones’ more general exclamations over the intrusion. If it had been just Miss Pennyworth, Rex might have suspected she was being dramatic, but a second glance at her face showed her to be pale and frightened. Miss Davis was similarly discomposed, clutching her skirts, fretting. And Mary was not with them.
“We think she has been abducted…”
“She received this note…” Miss Davis thrust a small scrap of paper at him.
“Wetoldher it was too dangerous…”
“She insisted it was fine…”
“But he had a gun!”
“Who had a gun?” The icy fingers of fear tightened around his chest, squeezing and nearly choking him.
“The man!” Miss Pennyworth’s voice was becoming increasingly shrill. “You have to help her!”
“Sit down, please,” Browne said, surprisingly soothingly, though firm, turning on a charm he had certainly not displayed with Rex. Taking each young lady by the hand, he pulled them toward the chairs. “You need to tell us all the details, or else we will not be able to help.”
“Who are you?” Miss Davis asked, frowning as she took the chair Captain Jones had vacated. Despite the situation, Jones gave the quiet beauty a look Rex recognized all too well.
“Captain Jones and Captain Browne, here to speak with the Marquess about…” Jones’ voice trailed off as he groped for a suitable explanation.
“They are Stuart’s men, and they are also investigating the traitor,” Rex cut in. They did not have time to dance around the topic, not if Mary was in danger. When both men started to protest, Josie waved irritably at them, dismissing their concerns with a sweep of her hand.
“Oh, we already know about the attempted assassination of the Duke. Do be quiet and let Rex speak. Blasted men, thinking they are the only ones who know things.”
Under other circumstances, the utter shock and horror on both men’s faces would have been amusing. Ignoring them, Rex opened the note Miss Davis had passed him and frowned.
“But Lucas is not part of this,” he said, thrusting the note toward Browne. “You said he was not.”
“He is not, though we think he might know something. He has been spending an awful lot of time with the Russians,” Jones said. “Mitchell finally ran him to ground and approached him the other day, but Devon brushed him off. Did not want anything to do with him or anything he had to say.”
“Cannot blame him,” Browne muttered, then sighed. “But Mitchell was the only one who had been able to find him. The man is remarkably good at hiding.”
“The earl was not the man with the gun, anyway,” Miss Davis said irritably, interrupting them. She leaned forward, addressing Rex, and ignoring the other two. Jones frowned down at her, unhappy with being so roundly dismissed. “Mary recognized him, enough to go with him, but we did not think to ask for his name.”
“What did he look like?” Jones asked before Rex could. Miss Davis was not the one to answer, and she did not look up at him, focusing on Miss Pennyworth as her friend spoke.
“Tallish, slender, blond hair,” Miss Pennyworth said, waving her hand, her voice as tense and tight as Miss Davis’ had been. “I do not think he waston.”
