The Return of the Duke - Grace Callaway Page 0,118

don’t you?”

“I do now,” she whispered.

Because she finally did.

On the day of departure, Fancy hugged her brothers and father goodbye. It wasn’t too sad of a farewell since they had promised to spend winter in London with her and Knight.

“You take good care of me girl,” Da said to Knight. “Keep an eye on ’er even if that business with the madwoman be over.”

She’d told her family about Anna Smith. Knight had also spoken with Da, assuring the other that the woman was secure and would pose no further threat.

“I will, sir,” Knight said gravely.

“You, me Fancy, be a good wife and ’elpmate, you ’ear?”

“Yes, Da.” She kissed his cheek above his beard.

Da patted Bertrand on the neck. “And you, me sweet donkey, you were a good friend, bringing me Fancy’s ’usband back to ’er. I can count on you to keep looking after the two o’ them, can’t I?”

Swishing his tail, Bertrand nodded and pulled his lips back in a toothy grin.

38

“Go to work,” Fancy told her husband the morning after they returned to London.

“I would rather stay with you,” he murmured into her ear. “I want to keep you in bed all day and pleasure you until you’re hoarse from crying my name. Then I would start all over again.”

Something, she knew from experience, that he was perfectly capable of doing.

“You’re supposed to meet with Mr. Bodin today. And Jonas is chomping at the bit to see the new Jacquard device.” She shivered when he licked her ear. “Stop that, or you’ll be late.”

“If I must.” His exaggerated sigh made her giggle. “I’ll save my wicked plans for you until tonight.”

He gave her one last lingering kiss before heading out.

She spent the morning with Toby and Eleanor, catching up on Toby’s breed choices for his puppy and discussing the latest cause Eleanor had adopted. At lunch, she chatted with Cecily and Aunt Esther about the gentlemen who’d come to call upon Cecily since Maggie’s ball, all of whom Esther declared to be eligible parti. Afterward, while Esther and Cecily went to Madame Rousseau’s, Fancy decided to stay home to write a long overdue letter to Bea.

Writing was still a laborious effort. Fancy was working out a crick in her neck, when Gemma came in with a pot of tea.

“Pardon, Your Grace, but you look like you could use a break,” the maid said with a cheery smile. “Perhaps a quick stroll around the square? It’s a lovely day.”

“What a marvelous idea,” Fancy agreed.

Gemma fetched her pelisse and parasol, and they headed out. The sunshine and crisp autumn air was a welcome change. They turned a corner onto a quiet street, Fancy so engrossed in chatting that she almost didn’t notice the door of a parked carriage swinging open into their path. She yanked Gemma out of harm’s way in the nick of time. Whirling to tell the offender to pay better mind to pedestrians, she found herself staring into sinister eyes, an instant before a handkerchief was shoved into her face.

A sweet scent filled her nostrils and lungs, choking off her shocked cry. She was pushed forward and landed with a hard thud on the carriage floor. The door slammed behind her. The world swayed, dissolving into darkness.

Severin, Bodin, and Jonas were examining the new Jacquard loom that had been set up in a separate room of the manufactory. Severin was showing the other two how the punched cards suspended above the machine controlled the pattern of the weave when his secretary interrupted them.

“There are two gentlemen to see you, Your Grace,” Potts said. “Misters Harry and Ambrose Kent.”

Ambrose Kent, the investigator Severin had hired, must have information about Dr. Erlenmeyer.

With stirring unease, Severin wiped his hands on a cloth, saying to Bodin and Jonas, “You’ll have to carry on without me.”

“Take your time.” Bodin’s fascinated gaze was glued to the machine. “Plenty to keep us occupied ’ere.”

Severin went to his office, greeting both his visitors. He’d had a previous meeting with Ambrose Kent to discuss his case, and seeing the Kent brothers together made the family resemblance obvious. Ambrose Kent was a tall, lanky man with silver at the temples and a distinguished air. His superbly tailored clothing proclaimed him a gentleman of means, yet the keenness of his amber gaze conveyed that he was no man of leisure.

“I presume you have news concerning Dr. Erlenmeyer?” Severin said after they were seated.

“Indeed. Compiling information on Dr. Erlenmeyer took longer than I expected.” Ambrose Kent took out a