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Alice caught Captain Lear’s eye. “Will Jane be safe with him?”
“I’d trust him with my sister.”
“Have you got a sister?” asked Nick with a startled expression.
“I’ve got five.”
Alice smiled. Obviously Nick didn’t know his friend as well as he thought he did.
“Does anyone else have an opinion about where I should go?” When no one else spoke, Jane stared into the fire for a moment.
When she turned back to face the group, Alice could see she’d made a decision by the fierce light in her eyes.
“While I know of the Duchess of Harland’s charity work and admire her for it,” Jane said, “if someone discovers that you harbored me, Lord Hatherly, they may think to find me there.”
“That’s out then,” Nick said.
“And Alice,” Jane continued, “while you’ve been kindness itself, and the idea of a long voyage to India with you is delightful, I don’t want to wait even one more day. I need to leave London tonight. Which leaves the Duke of Bayne.”
Lear nodded tersely. “You’ll be in a private coach this evening, Miss Jane.”
Alice caught Jane’s hands in hers. “Are you sure? It may be lonely in a moldering old castle in Scotland.”
“The wilds of Scotland and a surly duke and his ill-behaved children will suit me perfectly. I’m a ghost, am I not? I don’t exist. I’m no one except the person I will become. That person wants to do some good, and if I may use my education to help the Duke’s children, I will. And my husband won’t think to search for me in Scotland.”
“It’s decided then. I shall miss you, Jane,” Alice said.
“And I you,” Jane replied. “There’s another thing, gentlemen. I know the women’s wing at the Yellow House intimately.” She shuddered but forced herself to continue speaking. “I know where they are keeping Annie. I’ll draw you a diagram so that you may remove her more swiftly. I only wish...” Her eyes brimmed with tears. “I only wish you could save them all.”
Alice placed an arm around her shoulders and led her from the room. “Come, we’ll make sure you have everything you need in that valise of yours. It’s very small. I think you might require more clothing in your new post.”
When Alice returned, the men were talking over the options for their mission tomorrow, and Nick and Lear still seemed to be advocating for the use of violence to persuade Coleman to reform his ways.
Alice walked into the middle of the circle, to the spot Jane had vacated, and held up her hand. “Gentlemen, I believe I have a plan.”
They stopped talking and stared at her.
“Why am I not surprised?” Nick asked. “Let’s hear it, Dimples.”
Patrick smiled at his use of her pet name. “Dimples?”
Alice wasn’t going to let anyone distract her. She’d had an idea while she helped Jane pack a trunk with sensible governess dresses, since they were much of a size.
Jane had said again how she wished the men could rescue all of the inmates suffering from abuse at the hands of Coleman and his sadistic keepers.
And the answer had struck Alice. It was so simple, really.
“Nick, your friend the Duke of Harland is a respected member of Parliament. He could request a select committee be convened to investigate the deplorable conditions in private madhouses, could he not?”
“I see,” Nick said. “Very clever, my dear. We use the threat of such a report to bend Coleman to our will. Augment that threat with a few well-thrown jabs, am I right?” he asked Lear.
“Hear hear,” said Lear, and the two reprobates clinked glasses. “I’m thinking smash his nose and break his kneecaps.”
“Why make it only a threat?” Alice asked. “Nick, don’t you see? You should inspect the Yellow House and you should write a report for Parliament. Then Harland can present it as evidence when he convenes the select committee. It’s a way to not only seek your revenge and rescue Annie, but help hundreds of other patients in similar asylums as well.”
Patrick cocked his head. “Of course, Alice. Why didn’t we think of it before?”
Dr. Forster nodded emphatically. “There’s no incentive for Coleman to treat his patients well. He is paid by how many he keeps. A Parliamentary investigation would expose his cruelty and cause a public outcry. I will be happy to sign your report, Lord Hatherly.”
