Page 75 of Black Widow

“Funny that,” he commented before sharing his observation with theothers.

“It doesn’t surprise me,” Amelia murmured next to him in thecarriage.

She didn’t need to explain why. His brilliant wife was of a mind Mrs. Spencer had lost control of her creation.And she may be right.The current circumstances certainly suggested asmuch.

So did that make Amelia safer at this moment or less? Gideon was almost certain she was carrying his child. Intent on protecting them both he had initially insisted she remain in their apartments, but she had argued with him, playing on his insecurities regarding the footmen and Manning’s ability to defend against a creature such as agolem.

“And really, it’s not likely Mrs. Spencer has the golem secreted in her closet,” she pointed out. “Not in the middle ofBath.”

Gideon reminded her the Golem of Prague was rumored to be stored in an attic, but eventually, he relented. Letting Amelia out of his sight would cause him more distress than taking her with him, especially since he didn’t go anywhere without a cache of loadedpistols.

Gideon was carrying two on his person, same as Clarke. Given that Lord Worthing was still lame in one leg, requiring the use of a cane, he only carried one. But the footmen and outriders they traveled with everywhere were also heavilyarmed.

Manning approached the carriage window. “She’s there,” his manservantsaid.

“Are the other men inposition?”

“Yes, my lord. They’re all around the house and the corners of the neighboringstreets.”

He nodded approvingly. “Good. Remember, if she gets past us, don’t let her escape. Do whatever you need to do to prevent it. We can’t let her slip through ournet.”

They wasted no moretime.

As tempting as it was to kick the door down, Gideon settled for the more socially expedient knock. For a long minute, no one answered, but the curtains on the upper storytwitched.

He signaled his men, telling them to get ready. He was about to rap again when to his shock, Mrs. Spencer answered the doorherself.

“Oh, thank the Lord,” she exclaimed, appearing genuinely relieved to seehim.

“I was worried you were dead,” she told them, a wild look in her eye as she turned her head right and left, searching thestreet.

Mrs. Spencer backed away from the threshold, waving them inside with a hasty “Come”.

Amelia threw him a triumphant glance as she took his arm to cross the threshold. They entered the darkenedsuite.

It was much smaller than he had originally supposed. And darker. Was Mrs. Spencer in such desperate need of funds she couldn’t afford lamp oil or tapers? Or had she picked up Sir Clarence’s miserlyways?

Suspicious, Gideon pulled Amelia to his left, putting himself between her and thewitch.

Mrs. Spencer perched at the edge of a chair. Now that they were all safely inside, her eyes flitted from his face to the others in a manicfashion.

Her behavior was far different from the socially assured woman he’d seen moving through London on Sir Clarence’sarm.

“We know you’re a witch and that you control the golem,” Ameliaannounced.

Gideon and Clarke looked at each other. They had agreed beforehand to let Amelia start the questioning, assuming Mrs. Spencer would feel less threatened that way. If she refused to speak, then he would step in and takeover.

Mrs. Spencer sucked in a breath. “Yes, and no. In a way, no one is controlling itnow.”

“So you admit you raised a golem.” Gideon’s voice cold, but far less harsh than the tone he wanted to use with her. “Is it here inBath?”

“No, I don’t believe so, although…” Her eyes flicked to Amelia. “It is unpredictablenow.”

Amelia was about to ask another question when he touched her arm surreptitiously. She looked at him and he shook his head a tiny fraction. It was interrogation technique Phineus had taught him. Establish the facts and let the silence stretch. The person being questioned usually filled in theblanks.

An unseen clock ticked away somewhere behind them.Usually.

“I met Sir Clarence here in Bath,” Ellie Spencer said, smoothing her hands over her skirts. “He knew witchcraft existed and had been in search of a practitioner to hire for some time. I was making my living telling fortunes and conducting séances, but the baronet had grander plans forme.”

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