Page 24

A s the carriage carried them back through the dark London streets, Sophie wondered what Patrick and Lord Sumner could do to find Timmy.

Surely they could never track down a man such as Jack Spode, who would know people here—and not nice people.

Criminals and villains. Men who preyed on others.

She stroked Doddy’s head as he leaned on her legs. He’d been such a brave boy tonight.

“You must go straight to Lady Carstairs, Sophie, and tell her of Timmy’s abduction. We will come to you as soon as we either have Timmy or have news of him,” Patrick said from beside her.

He’d not turned from her when she’d told him the truth, but she doubted after this was done that he’d want anything more to do with her, and she was all right with that as long as she had her brother back. I have to be.

Patrick made her believe everything would be all right, and that wasn’t a feeling anyone had really given her before. Letty, yes, but not completely. Sophie had always felt she was one step away from disaster, but with him, it was different now. She felt safe with him.

“But how will you find them?” she asked. “If it is Jack Spode, he will have many contacts and?—”

“As you have entrusted us with your secrets, perhaps it is time we shared one of ours,” Lord Sumner said.

“Patrick and I did not just fight for our country, Sophie. We infiltrated our enemies and often spent months behind enemy lines. We’re experienced in getting information from people, and finding Jack Spode should not prove too difficult with the contacts we know here in London. ”

Amelia had hinted at that.

“Have we shocked you silent, Sophie?” Patrick asked.

“No.” She shook her head. “I knew you had fought, just not to what degree. Thank you on behalf of our country.”

“Thank you,” they both said solemnly.

“Now, I think you should call me Stephen, Sophie,” he added, “as I’m sure we are now friends.” His smile came easily, unlike the man’s beside her. “We also share secrets. I suggest we have a pact of sorts.”

“A pact?” she asked.

“Patrick and I will carry your secret in here”—Stephen tapped his head—“if you promise to carry ours the same way.”

“I will, of course, carry your secret safely, my lords,” she said, looking first at Stephen, then Patrick. “But surely what I have told you is far worse, and once it is common knowledge that I was a servant, you will wish to distance yourself?—”

“Friends do not abandon friends, Sophie,” Stephen said firmly.

“Then thank you, Stephen,” Sophie said.

She looked out the window as the carriage slowed and was relieved to see the Monmouth town house was still in darkness. She made a decision as Patrick moved to open the door—a decision neither man would be happy with.

“I will come with you.”

“Absolutely not!” Stephen said.

Patrick just said, “No.”

“Timmy is my brother. He will need me to be there when you find him,” she said calmly, which wasn’t how she felt inside. But yelling or getting upset was not going to get her what she wanted.

“We are going into the most dangerous parts of London, Sophie. Areas frequented by those who would slit your throat before asking what you want.”

“I understand that, Patrick, but I will still be going with you. You can both be assured I will follow your lead, and I’ll stay in the carriage when you say I must—but I will accompany you.”

“Absolutely not,” Patrick gritted out. “It is far too dangerous.”

“Unlike the women of your acquaintance, I was not raised to this life,” Sophie said. “I was raised poor?—”

“In a village,” he interrupted her. “The answer is no. Now, we are wasting time, so get out of the carriage and let me escort you inside.” He threw open the door and waved for her to step down.

“Look, I understand that you think I can’t help you, but firstly, I know what Jack Spode looks like, and secondly, I want to be there when you find my brother.”

“You are not going near that man again.” Patrick’s words came out a growl.

“If you make me get out of this carriage, I will run until I find a hackney and look for you.” Sophie inched farther back in her seat as she spoke.

She was not backing down from this. “It is my right to come. In fact, had I not run to you, I would even now be walking the streets of London, searching for Timmy and Mary.”

Patrick hissed out an angry breath. “Be reasonable, Sophie. How am I to concentrate on Timmy’s safe return if I must worry about you?” Patrick said and was rewarded with a nod of encouragement from the now-silent Stephen when she looked his way.

“I was a servant, Patrick. I know about villains and thieves and the seedy side of life.”

“And again, I will add, you lived in a small village.”

“Where I worked in the local tavern at nights cleaning. Where I earned money going with my father to help him cheat in card games because I was far better at counting than him.” She hated that memory because she’d helped her father take money that he hadn’t earned.

“No.”

“I am, in fact, far better equipped to walk into seedy places than either of you,” Sophie added, raising her chin.

“That’s a ridiculous thing to say,” Patrick scoffed, which had her own anger rising.

“We are wasting time,” Sophie said, folding her arms.

“I could just pick you up and carry you inside,” he snapped back at her.

“Let her come, Colt. We have two drivers. We will station one outside the carriage door when we stop,” Stephen said. “But Sophie is right; we are wasting time.”

She watched as Patrick glared at his friend.

“Please close the door and let us be on our way,” Sophie said, moving across the seat to jam herself into the corner in case he followed through with the threat to lift her out.

“All right,” he said after a few tense seconds. “But first, you will go upstairs and change your clothes, and second, you will leave a note for Lady Carstairs in case she wakes and grows worried over your absence,” he said. “Leave Doddy inside, as we cannot take him where we are going.”

“You will leave without me,” Sophie said, unmoving. She was onto their tricks.

“You have my word we will not.” Patrick’s sigh could have felled a forest as he stepped out of the carriage.

“He does not give that lightly, Sophie, so hurry along and do what he asks of you,” Stephen said.

She climbed out, taking the hand Patrick held out. When she began to walk away, he held her still. She looked up at him.

“I need you to be safe,” he said slowly. “Do you understand that, Sophie?”

She nodded, not understanding at all. He released her, and she ran inside with Doddy.