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S ophie had pretended to be sick for four days after the house party because she was not ready to talk to Letty or leave the house.

She’d coughed and wheezed, put her head under the covers so she came out looking flushed.

In short, she’d done everything she could to avoid reentering society and seeing him.

She spent the time wondering what her next move should be.

When would the blackmailer strike again?

Sophie worked through many scenarios that included going back to Monmouth and telling Letty the truth.

She wanted to run and hide from Lord Coulter because now that he knew Timmy wasn’t her son, he would want to know why she was living a lie.

On day five—today—Sophie had known if she didn’t get better, Letty would call in the doctor.

So she’d dragged herself out of her bed, washed and dressed, and spent the day in the garden with Timmy and Letty.

Thankfully, they’d not discussed anything too taxing.

However, tomorrow night was the Lupton ball, and Sophie knew she would have to attend, and he would be there.

After a quiet night reading, she’d gone to bed early on the pretense she was still tired. Sophie woke a few hours later to the sound of Doddy whimpering.

He wasn’t on her bed, and she got up when she heard voices in the street below her window.

Drawing the curtains, she pressed her forehead to the chilled glass and looked down.

A carriage had pulled up outside Letty’s house.

Using both hands to pull the sash hard, she lifted the window high enough to push her head outside.

Gasping as a blast of cold night air hit her in the face, Sophie studied the carriage.

She heard a faint cry, and then it was gone. Had that come from inside the carriage?

A shiver of unease crept up her spine as she closed the window.

Something felt off. Doddy whimpered again.

She ran barefoot down the hall. The noise was coming from the empty bedroom next to hers.

Opening the door, Doddy ran out and headed straight for Timmy’s room.

Sophie followed, reaching the bed where the dog now sat, still whimpering.

“Sssh, Doddy,” she whispered, patting his head.

The mound of blankets told her Timmy was lying on his stomach, sleeping with his knees up, as he often did.

Reaching out to stroke his head, she felt only bedding.

Frantically pulling the covers aside, she saw the bed was empty.

Her hands brushed the note. Gripping it, she rushed to the lamp on a small table.

Lighting it, Sophie lifted the note closer to the light, fear clawing at her throat as she recognized the blackmailer’s writing.

See how easy it is for me to take what is yours, Sophie Beams? Your brother and his nanny are now in my care. You will pay for what you did, and this is where I will start. Wait for my instructions and tell no one.

Gripping the note, Sophie hurried to the window and looked out again. The carriage was still there. Were Timmy and Mary inside? Or had they not got them out of the house yet?

Sprinting to her room with Doddy on her heels, Sophie grabbed her cloak and jammed her feet into boots. They then ran down the stairs to the front entrance. Grabbing a walking stick that had been in the coatrack, she opened the door and stepped into the night with the dog.

Pulling up the hood of her cloak, Sophie ran to the road where the carriage still stood. Creeping closer, she was just about to grab the door handle when it started rolling away. She ran after it but couldn’t keep up as it picked up speed. In seconds, it was gone from her sight.

“No,” Sophie whispered. “Dear God, Timmy.” Pressing a fist to her mouth, she looked around for help, anyone that could follow that carriage, but there was nothing in sight. No hackney or carriage. Not even a horse and rider.

Think, Sophie. Mary would keep Timmy safe until she got to him. She had to believe that. But who could she turn to now for help? And she knew then what had to be done.

He was powerful and strong. People called him ruthless, and she had no one else to turn to.

Letty, yes, but what could she do? It had been Amelia who told her that she’d heard a rumor about Lords Coulter and Sumner spying for their country.

If it was the truth, then surely he was someone who could help her get Timmy and Mary back.

Please let him help me.

Sophie bent to lace up her boots. Once that was done, she gripped the walking stick.

“Come on, Doddy, we need to get help, and I would be grateful if you stayed at my side.” The dog whimpered again.

Sophie started running, and he followed, much to her relief. She knew where Lord Coulter lived because Letty had pointed it out to her once, but would she find it in the dark?

It wasn’t far by carriage, but it was another matter on foot, in the dark, when you were terrified. Sophie touched Doddy’s head as she ran, glad he was with her.

“You never want to walk anywhere alone at night in London, Sophie,” Letty informed her when they first arrived.

Heart pounding hard in her chest, Sophie worked her way quickly and quietly toward the Earl of Coulter’s residence.

Occasionally, a carriage would clatter by, and she would merge into the shadows until it passed, her hand gripping the solid weight of the walking stick.

She would place the other one on Doddy’s head, and he’d wait with her.

She let the tears fall as she ran. Keep him safe, Mary… please. I’ll find you .

Her mother had begged her to watch over her boy, and Sophie had vowed to do so. Until now, she’d not failed.

Narrowly missing the back of a stationary coach, she moved deeper into the shadows as she heard the door swing open. Doddy let out a low, angry growl as someone stepped down.

“There is some kind of beast in the shadows. Get back into the carriage at once!” someone shouted.

“Good boy,” Sophie whispered as they ran on. She couldn’t afford to be seen or stopped; her brother’s and Mary’s lives depended on it. Letty would not wake until morning and was safe. She would need to be told, but first she had to reach Lord Coulter. He has to help me.

The truth would come out now, and that was terrifying, too, and yet she would do what must be done to bring Timmy and Mary home.

It felt as though she and Doddy had been out there alone in the dark for hours when they turned into a street. Is this his street? Sophie squinted; the gas lamps created eerie shadows but did not offer much light.

Stepping into the middle of the road, she looked up and down it.

“I think we’re close, Doddy.” Running to the end, Sophie saw the circle of grass behind an iron fence.

This is it. She remembered the street because it curved around a park.

She hurried to the town house that was Lord Coulter’s residence.

Looking up at the windows, there was no flicker of light. Is he home? She rapped the walking stick on the door. When no one appeared, she knocked again, and long minutes later, Sophie heard footsteps. Holding her breath and with a hand on Doddy’s head to calm him, she watched it open.

“Who are you?” The butler had thrown on his jacket and pants with some haste, as the former was buttoned in a haphazard fashion, and he held a lamp aloft to look at her and Doddy.

“I n-need Lord Coulter. Please wake him now!”

“He is asleep. I’m sorry, but you must leave.”

“No, please, I must speak to him.”

“Come back in the morning,” the butler said and began to close the door.

“No!” Placing both hands on the wood, she pushed with all her strength. “I’m sorry,” Sophie said as the butler stumbled back, and she and Doddy ran inside. “But I must speak with him. There is no time to lose!”

She ran for the stairs, yelling Lord Coulter’s name as loud as she could.

“Stop,” the butler said in a panic. “You must leave here at once, madam.”

Sophie kept yelling as she felt a hand clamp around her wrist. Then she heard a noise at the top of the stairs.

“What the hell is going on, Fletcher!”

“Lord Coulter, help me!” Sophie pulled from the butler’s grip and started running up the stairs, clutching the hem of her coat. She could hear the sobs rasping from her throat now that he was close. He’ll help me. He has to.