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Marc smiled. Thatwasthe question he was waiting for. “I want you to tell Felix you’re leavingLondon,and—”
“I’m in the middle of RichardIII,Marc.”
“Yes, well, Richard shall have to do without his Lady Anne for a while.” When she scowled at him, he continued, “Or I’m certain your understudy will be thrilled for theopportunity.”
“Little harpy’s been waiting on me totakeill.”
“Think how relieved they’ll be when you return,” Marc suggested. “In the morning, you’ll spin some wonderful tale of our reconciliation to anyone and everyone who will listen, especially any gossip columnists youmayknow.”
She simply looked at him like hewasmad.
“Then tomorrow afternoon, you’ll take my carriage to Brighton to enjoy the beach or head to Bath and take the waters, I don’t really care where you go. Just so long as everyone thinks I’mwithyou.”
“You’re running off with Lady Staveley,” she said, narrowing her eyesonhim.
“Well, I’d never leave her behind with Galloway breathing downherneck.”
Laura shook her head. “They only want Staveley’s deciphered code, Marc. Help them find it. She has nothing to fear fromWhitehall.”
He scoffed at the suggestion. “I know you’re not thatnaïve.”
The actress released a beleaguered sigh. “Just naïve enough to leave Town in the middle of a play and sacrifice my career for you?” She shook her head. “Not achance,Marc.”
“Oh, come now,” he said. “You’re a pretty girl, Laura, but looks won’t last forever. Eventually, those roles will start to dwindle and those fellows lining up to take a turn in your bed will become fewer and fewer with each passing year.” He shrugged. “But I’ll fund Felix’s next play on the condition you have the lead. Then when those less fruitful years find you, I’ll see you happily settled in a nice cottage in…Norfolk?”
“Suffolk,” she countered. “Near Oliver.” Her brother who’d returned home from the war a hero and who, if Marc wasn’t mistaken, had taken in Laura’s bastarddaughter.
“Done,” Marc said. “Just make sure you’re believable as you spin your tale tomorrow. I don’t want anyone lookingforme.”
“Wherewillyou be?” she asked. “In case I need toreachyou.”
Certainly, she didn’t think he’d tell her the truth. He didn’t trust her that much even if he had saved her sister’s life. “I’m headed to France,” he lied. “A small village in thesouth.”
“Grasse?” she guessed aloud, confirming Marc’s suspicion that she truly had studied up on him before their chancemeeting.
Marc shrugged his response. “Seems poetic, I think. The last place St. George would think to look for me,I’msure.”
“So I do this for you,” Laurabegan.
Oh, she was going to do it. His expression must have said as much because she did scowlathim.
“Alice doesn’t owe you anythingafterthis.”
That was the deal he was making. So Marc nodded. “So long as you uphold your end of the deal. And no telling Whitehall where I’ve gone either. I’d just as soon disappear from all the bastards who may be lookingforme.”
She traced an X over her heart with her finger. “I won’t breathe a word toGalloway.”
Which he knew was a lie, but Marc truly didn’t care. She could tell Galloway he was headed to Grasse if she was foolish enough to believe that was his actual destination for all he cared. They could look for him and exhaust all resources until they were blue in the face. But if they came for him at Saddleworth Hall, he’d beready.
“In that case—” Marc started for the doorway “—best of luck with your performance tomorrow. I’ll have my carriage and any funds you may be needing awaiting you in themorning.”
* * *
Pistol in hand,Sebastian stood just inside Laura’s small kitchen, listening to that entire exchange. She didn’t seem to be in any trouble, so he waited for Haversham to leave, and then he limped his way into the corridor, his thigh pulsing with pain the whole while. He stopped and rested his shoulder against the doorjamb to her parlor, and spotted her looking out her front window after theblackguard.
Laura glanced over her shoulder at him and sighed. “I’m sure you heard allofthat.”
Every last word. “Any reason you’re helping thebastard?”
