return.”
William rose and began to pace. “I’m going with you to Bath while Aislin, Abby, and Westcliff work on figuring out the identity of that agent.”
“No, you’re not.” Gideon scowled at him. “There could be shooting. I will not have my brother put at risk.”
“You won’t,” Aislin said. “Because I’m going along with both of you. William has been promising me a trip to Bath for ages now. What better time to do it?”
“Than in the middle of taking down a rebel plot?” Gideon shook his head in exasperation. “No, you’ll be of more help to me here.”
Abby nodded in agreement. “You and William would not be effective because everyone will know he is Gideon’s brother. Tynan and I will go to Bath with Gideon.”
“You? Over my dead body, Abby. I’m not allowing my little sister anywhere near those murdering rebels. Put it out of your head at once.” He sighed. “I’m going alone. No brothers, sisters, or assorted family members.”
They all looked ridiculously disappointed.
Blessed saints! Did they think he was embarking on a picnic? “There’s something else I need to take care of while I’m here. The special license. William, can you help me with this? I don’t have much time here and I’ve already wasted half the day sleeping. In the meanwhile, I hope you, Westcliff, can arrange for access to the agent records.”
Tynan chuckled. “Clever deflection. Very well, have it your way. I’ll get started on it right now.”
Abby and Aislin hopped out of their seats. “We’ll come with you.”
“Our female intuition will help ferret out this rat,” Aislin added when Tynan seemed about to dismiss them.
“Thank you, Aislin,” Gideon said. “Your input will be vital.”
She smiled at him. “We won’t fail you.”
Gideon was surprised by how much they’d accomplished in the span of a day. By the time he led the royal guardsmen out of London the following morning, he had the special license safely tucked away in his breast pocket, and had obtained clearance for his family to access all the agent files. In truth, Westcliff and his cousins, the earls of Exmoor and Kinross, had arranged it. Having three earls in the family did not hurt.
Good weather favored them. Gideon made good time out of London. The regiment accompanying him would split up when they reached Bath. Half would move on to Clovelly while the rest remained with him in Bath to capture Genalynn’s uncle and his cohorts. Hopefully, Lord Leinster would be among those present because he really did not wish to chase this powerful nobleman back to Ireland where he would be almost untouchable.
If luck was on his side, he might even spot the double agent in their midst. But he didn’t hold out much hope for this. No experienced agent would ever be seen in the company of those who were paying him to commit treason.
Luck was not fully on his side when he reached Bath. Lord Leinster was still there, but Viscount Winthrop, he quickly learned, had already returned to his home. “Damn,” Gideon muttered, determined to get Genalynn away from there before any fighting broke out.
He turned to the captain in charge of the regiment, greatly relieved to learn he was Tynan’s brother, Joshua Brayden. “Take Lord Leinster and everyone in his retinue back to London. Send a rider on ahead to inform the prime minister and the Prince Regent of their arrest.”
“And you, Mr. Croft? Will you ride on to Clovelly?”
“Yes. Viscount Winthrop now has the stash of weapons and the men to guard them. I had hoped to find him here, but it seems his plans are no longer delayed and he is moving ahead apace. I want his niece safely out of his reach before we attempt to arrest him.”
He started to walk away, but then shook his head and turned back to the captain. “If anyone approaches you claiming to be an agent of the Crown and demanding to take Leinster into his custody, arrest that man as well. I don’t care how many official seals he produces. I don’t care if he produces a seal of the king’s arse. You are not to release Lord Leinster to anyone but Lord Ponsonby or the Prince Regent.”
The captain grinned. “I’ll do just that, Mr. Croft.”
Gideon was about twelve hours behind the soldiers who’d ridden on ahead. He wasn’t certain he could make up most of that time to Clovelly, but he might if he rode through the night, changing horses at the coaching inns along the