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Drew paced the length of the cell, sat for a while, then paced again. He would hear nothing today. The magistrate would ride out to John’s and speak with Caro.

At midday, he heard the sound of keys jangling and footsteps walking along the hall.

He went to the small square of bars in the door and strained to look through them.

The guard was followed by Peter.

Drew’s hands wrapped around the cold metal bars and he smiled as Peter came close.

The guard lifted the key to the lock and Drew stepped back, to let the door open.

Peter walked in and threw a newspaper and a small tin of cigars onto Drew’s narrow mattress, as the guard shut and locked the door behind him.

Drew sat down. ‘Feel free to claim a seat…’ he told Peter.

Hands in his pockets, Peter looked down. ‘If it has fleas I will decline.’

A humorous sound broke from the back of Drew’s throat. ‘If it has fleas then so do I.’

‘Mark and Harry are with me, but they would only let one of us up here.’

Drew met Peter’s gaze. ‘It is a sorry ending, is it not?’

‘I doubt it is the end.’ Peter moved the newspaper aside and sat among the fleas. ‘You are a part of the Pembrokes’ clan now, my friend. They are like a damned army, sweeping through every ballroom and salon dispelling the rumours. Someone mentions your name and one of them is there, putting them straight. Uncles, aunts, cousins, cousins of cousins… Marrying Mary was the best thing you could have done.’

‘It was.’ But not for that reason.

Peter slapped a hand on his shoulder. ‘When you get out of here, now you have such powerful friends, you will no longer want to know us.’

‘You will always be my friend.’

‘Mary may not like that.’

‘Mary will not mind. Things are good between us again.’

‘I am glad for you then.’

‘I am to be a father.’

‘I’ll be damned. Though I suppose it was inevitable. Poor child,’ Peter joked.

Amusement choked from Drew’s throat. ‘If I get out of here, just for your humour, and because I could not have you as my groom’s man, I shall make you godfather, and if I do not get out of here, you must tell Mary it is what I wished. The child will be in the cradle of her family, but my child ought to have some memory of me.’

‘Should I share tales of you in your cups?’

Drew did not laugh this time.

Peter’s hand settled on Drew’s shoulder. ‘You have Pembroke’s and Wiltshire’s influence, you will get out.’

‘I am not certain. Kilbride has influence too.’

‘Enough!’ The guard shouted through the square opening in the door, announcing that Peter’s allotted time was up.