not blame you if you want to break my neck, or anything else come to that, but there’s no time now. I need your help. Phoebe’s run off somewhere and I… I can’t find her,” he admitted, the words lodging in his throat, a weight in his heart so heavy he wanted to sink to the ground, but he would not.
There would be time enough to regret his actions once he’d found Phoebe, for he had no doubt she would tell him to go to the devil now.
God he was such a fool.
“You can’t find her?” Jack replied, frowning at him.
“That’s what I said!” Max said, throwing up his hands. Jack seemed far too calm. “We went to the booking office for the diligence, seeking word of Alvanly. I told her to wait for me and—”
“You told her to sit and wait while you sorted things out?” Jack echoed, giving Max a penetrating look that made his ears feel hot.
Fred, who sat at Jack’s side, gave a muffled snort.
“Worse than that,” Max admitted. “I told her she’d have no part in recovering the painting from Alvanly. That she could help me find him but—”
“But that she had to sit quietly like a good girl while you dealt with the big bad villain?” Jack guessed.
Max nodded.
“And she ran off after that?”
Max nodded again, too wretched to speak.
“You’re right,” Jack said with a sad shake of his head. “You are a blithering idiot.”
“I know it.” Max watched him. “I must find her, Jack. She’s all alone, and if… if anything happens to her—”
“You stop that!”
The words were hard and angry, and Max snapped his mouth shut as Jack glared at him.
“You might be a blithering idiot, but Phoebe ain’t. She’s got a brain in her head and she knows a thing or two about the world. More than you realise, I’d wager.”
Max swallowed hard. “I have never wanted to be proven wrong more in my life, Jack, but we must find her.”
“Aye, reckon we’d best, though likely she’ll not thank us for it. We’d best head back to this booking office and go from there.”
Max climbed up with Jack and Fred, in no mood to be a passenger. “She left me a note saying she’d found the woman who has been posing as Viscount Kline’s wife.”
“Right, then,” Jack said. “We’ll see if we can’t find the woman ourselves, and hope our lass is still with her.”
Chapter 15
Cassius,
I did not ask you your opinion.
The knight was going to face the dragon alone. So she is no madder than he is and a sight more intelligent. She will use her brains to outwit the dragon, not go in poking at the poor beast with a stupid sword, and she would have gone with the knight if he had asked her, but men never ask women to do things with them! Instead, they tell us we are silly widgeons and ought to stay out of the way. Well, I won’t, and neither will my princess.
The dragon is quite magnificent though, Cassius, thank you very much. You really are most terrifically good at drawing. My attempt looked more like a large rat.
―Excerpt of a letter from Lady Elizabeth Adolphus (Aged 11) to The Right Hon’ble Cassius Cadogan, Viscount Oakley (Aged 11).
10th April 1827. Abbeville, Sommes, France.
Max exited the theatre, fuming with frustration.
“Well?” Jack demanded.
“I have no idea. No one speaks a word of English and, as Phoebe so eloquently said, my French is horrible. She could be there this minute and I’d be none the bloody wiser.”
“Max?”
Max looked around to see Viscount Kline strolling up the street towards them.
“Charlie? Thank God. You speak French, don’t you? I need your help. Now, if you please?”
“Of course,” the viscount said, his blond brows drawing together. “But what’s all the alarm about, and where is your charming wife?”
Max forced down the panic building in his chest. “Charlie, can I rely on your discretion?”
The viscount stood a little taller and looked Max square in the eyes. “Word of honour, Ellisborough. Whatever it is, none shall hear a word of it from me. I’d be happy to help if I can, especially if it involves the young lady.”
“It’s Phoebe… Miss Barrington. We’re… we’re not married… yet. Not ever, if I’ve bungled this as badly as I fear. Oh, God, Charlie, she’s disappeared. She was supposed to be waiting for me, and when I returned there was a note saying she’d found the woman who’s been masquerading as your wife. That was