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Edwina smoothed the dress over her stomach, admiring the way the neckline plunged over her chest. “Yes, even that,” she said. “I hope His Grace can see me in this dress. He has good taste.”
“Or at least a good modiste,” Lizbeth murmured with a smile.
Finally dressed, Edwina hugged Lizbeth and made her way downstairs, where she found Simon, Bertie, her father, the butler, the groom, the driver, and several footmen all waiting for her in the front parlor. Each had some sort of weapon beside them or laid across their laps. Butterflies flitted through her stomach, seeing the scene before her.
“Your Grace, we laid out a tray for you,” the butler said, standing to uncover the tray. “Please, have a bit to eat.”
“I am not sure I could stomach much,” she said, sitting down on the couch.
“We had the cook make your favorites,” he explained. “Some lemon biscuits, a fricassee, and some pudding.”
Staring down at the tray, Edwina’s mind and stomach battled for precedence. Finally, she picked up her fork and tried to take a few bites of the fricassee as the smell wafting up to her made her mouth water.
“Were you able to talk to the solicitor?” Edwina asked Simon.
“I was. He had the same concerns as we did regarding the validity of the witnesses. However, he said he would start by sending some messengers out to the inn to see if we could find anyone willing to speak on His Grace’s behalf.”
“How long did he think that would take?”
“He said it could take weeks,” Simon said, shaking his head. “Time that we do not have.”
“Agreed,” Edwina said, taking another fortifying bite of her supper. “Shall we go over the plan while I eat?”
“I believe many of us will go on ahead to Hyde Park,” Simon explained. “We shall hide ourselves down the Old King’s Road which is where Francis here will stop to say that there is something wrong with the horse’s shoe.”
“I think I should get out of the carriage at that point,” Edwina suggested, looking around the group of men. “Show off that I am alone by acting curious about the horse. We can argue about what to do, and I can act afraid for you to leave me alone to fetch help.”
“I will go down the road at that point, and the other men will lay in wait,” Francis, the driver, said.
“You know, there is a chance this monster will not come tonight,” Simon pointed out. “How long do you want to wait?”
“How long would it take for you to walk from Hyde Park back here?” Edwina asked. “Say, twenty minutes?”
“And twenty minutes back,” Francis said. “We can wait an hour at most, I think.”
“What if I did not wait alone?” Edwina asked. “What if I ended up walking back to the house, supposedly alone?”
“It would be harder for us to protect you that way,” Simon pointed out, shaking his head.
“Did you get the constable?” Edwina asked.
“He refused to come,” Bertie answered, shaking his head sadly. “He laughed at me but said, if we caught him, then we could bring the culprit to him.”
“If the monster does not come in that hour,” Edwina mused, “then I should walk back to the house alone. Can you all plan to follow me at a distance?”
The butler scoffed, Simon pressed his lips together, but Father spoke first. “It is too risky!”
“We have to catch him!” Edwina told them adamantly.
“Let us pray that it does not come to that,” Simon said in a low voice then pushed himself to his feet. “If we are going to do this, we best hurry on.” Edwina stood and followed the men out of the parlor, but Simon stopped her with a touch on her arm.
“Can you imagine what His Grace would say to all of this?” he asked. “He will be furious when he finds out.”
“He cannot very well do anything about it, can he?” Edwina asked, staring up into the older man’s face. She could not help but feel her hands shaking, even as she tried to look brave. “We do not have to tell him everything that happens tonight, do we?”
“He would find out eventually; I would think,” Simon grimaced. “It would be better to come from you.”
“I hope it is worth it,” she breathed, twisting her hands together. Swallowing hard, she whispered, “Please, Simon, I am trusting you tonight. I still think this is the best idea we have had, but…”
He put a hand on her shoulder. “I will do everything I can. We all will.”
“I know,” she breathed, looking around at the rag-tag group. She leaned over to Simon and said with a smile, “I just do not trust my father to shoot the monster instead of me.”
They both shared a laugh, and Edwina left Simon to take her father’s arm. Leading her out to the carriage, he put his hand on top of hers. “Please be safe tonight and use your head. I could not bear to have anything happen to you. And for all your fire and your bravery, you are a petite woman. It would not take much for any man to overpower you.”
“Let us hope that it does not come to that,” Edwina breathed. He helped her into the carriage and shut the door behind her. She leaned out of the window to peer at the group of men, her soon-to-be saviors.
“We shall go ahead now,” Simon said. “Francis will wait ten minutes or so then start slowly to Hyde Park. Let yourself be seen alone in the carriage.”
“Will do!” she cried and waved them off.
