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“…still has a fever,” Doctor Watts explained. “Lucky the knife missed his lung, but if his fever doesn’tgodown…”
Luke nodded. “He’s too stubborn to let a fevergethim.”
The old doctor smiled sadly. “I hope you’reright.”
And then Luke noticed a footman hovering in the threshold. “Mr. Blackaby hasstoppedby.”
Marc’s favorite jackass. Though he might benow, since Blackaby had shot the fiend who’dstabbedMarc.
“I suppose you can send him up.” Besides, Marc was unconscious, what would he care if Blackaby was in his chambersornot?
A moment later, the Bow Street Runner strode into Marc’s sickroom with the footman lagging behind him. Blackaby frowned when his eyes landed on the fallen marquess. “No change?” heasked.
“He still has a fever,” Doctor Watts said. “He did mutter Lady Staveley’ name, but otherthanthat…”
“Should we send for her ladyship?” the footmanasked.
Over Luke’s dead body. “I hardly think we’re going to subject my sister to this spectacle, especially after the way he treated her.” Marc was Luke’s friend and he always would be, but Caroline was Luke’s sister and her needs would always supersede those of the disreputable Marquess ofHaversham.
“Yes, yes, I quite agree.” Blackaby nodded. “Terrible the stuff they said in thepapers.”
The footman cleared his throat in a fairly meaningful way. “Mr. Beckford, might I have a wordwithyou?”
Odd request coming from a footman, but as Marc didn’t know if Luke was sitting by his bedside or not, he heaved a sigh and then pushed out of his seat. He followed the footman into the corridor and frowned at theman. “Yes?”
The servant cringed slightly as he said, “The papers are filledwithlies.”
Often, Luke agreed. But still… “What are you tryingtosay?”
“His lordship has not been with Laura Hale all this time. He’s been—” he cringed again “—with Lady Staveley. In Yorkshire.” Then he shook his head. “If he knew I was telling you this, I’m sure he’d sackme,but—”
“Then whyareyou telling me this?” Luke shook his head. Marc was withCarolinein Yorkshire? That didn’t make any sense at all. He’d received a letter from his sister and she didn’t mention anything ofthelike.
“If he doesn’t make it. If it’s possible for her to arrive beforehedies…”
Luke’s heart twisted. Had Caroline really been with Marc this whole time? She never got to say goodbye to Staveley. What if she never got to say goodbye to Marc? Still… “It’s not possible to get to and from Yorkshireintime.”
“It is via the mail coach,” the footman said. “Or it could be. That’s what his lordship does,anyway.”
Was it really? Luke glanced back toward Marc’s chambers. He’d known him since Eton. But did he really know him at all? Why would he make it seem like he’d gone to Bath with some actress when he was holed up in Yorkshire with Caroline and… “My nieces aretheretoo?”
“Aye,sir.”
A snort escaped Luke. “Yes, well, then I think we should send for them. In fact, I’ll go myself. Saddleworth Hall?” he guessed aloud. He’d been there once with Marc manyyearsago.
“Aye,sir.”
* * *
Caroline had just finished goingover the weekly menu with Mrs. Dawson, and left the parlor, headed for her chambers. It was early in the day, but she was rather tired and a nap might bejustthe—
“—then bloody well shoot me!” bellowed a familiar voice from outside the front door, followed by quite a commotion. “But I’m going inthere.”
What in the world? Caroline instinctively started toward the door, but the butler stood in her path. “Don’t worry, milady, we’ll get rid of thefellow.”
And while that might be welcome any other time, that voicewasfamiliar. “That sounds like my brother,Robson.”
The butler’s eyes rounded in surprise. “Indeed?”
