Page 40 of Code Name Duchess
He furiously rubbed his eyebrow and shook his head as if he had never seen such incompetence in all of his life.
Seth had buried his hands in his pockets as he stared into the distance. He pressed lips together with such fury it looked as if he did not have any at all.
“So, I take it the gang members took the sack, were spooked by the attempt to move on them before the exchange was made, and now they are gone?”
“I am afraid, Your Grace, that is exactly what has happened. My former colleagues are presently searching the Gardens for any sign of your siblings, but I am afraid it is too late. If Elton brought your siblings here at all, which I doubt, they would have taken them away again. Most likely, they never brought them here, there are too many people. They probably had them on a boat nearby or hidden elsewhere to release them later. None of the members will be here anymore, and they will have noticed that the bag was empty by now.”
“This is a disaster—a complete catastrophe. Not only do they know that the authorities were here, but they will also have received none of their money. What are we going to do, Mr. Markham? And why did you think I was involved? You seemed rather distressed upon my arrival.”
The man tucked in his cravat. Some of the redness has gone from his face, but now he could not directly face Winnifred, who stared at him.
“I was able to speak to one of my colleagues for a brief moment, Mr. Weston. He was one of the more reasonable members of the brigade. I asked him who summoned them, and he said it was Miss Keating. I assumed it was you.”
Seth glared at Markham. “Well, your colleague must be mistaken, for Winnifred did no such thing. I will gladly vouch for her.”
Winnifred said nothing. Instead, she stared out past the Chinese Pavilion towards the other side, where the exchange would’ve taken place had everything gone to plan.
“Winnie?”
Not even the fact that Seth was using her childhood nickname, a definitive show that he had experienced a change of feelings towards her just as she had, could draw out of her thoughts.
I was supposed to be reunited with Leo. And Seth with Rose. We are supposed to be standing here with our siblings by our side, rejoicing at our reunion. Not to debate over what to do next with our investigator. It all seemed too simple yesterday. Drop the sack of money, watch them take it, and then wait for them to release Rose and Leo. Now it is all in tatters, ruined. And I think I know just who I have to thank for this disaster.
“It was Victoria. My sister. I am sure of it. And if it was Victoria, then she is here somewhere. Somewhere in Vauxhall Gardens. She would not have allowed anyone to talk her out of it. In that, she is much like me.” She scanned the area but could not make out the figure of her sister.
“Victoria? Do you think she would be capable of this?” Seth asked, but when she looked in his eyes, it was clear that he already understood. With a deep sigh, he shook his head and retrieved his hands from his pockets. “Mr. Markham, exactly where was the sack the Runners brought dropped?”
The man pointed to the arch at the far right of the Chinese Pavilion, and without a word, the three set off in that direction.
Once they made their way across the middle of the Pavilion, past a crowd of revelers, it did not take long for Winnifred to spot her sister.
Victoria sat with her back to them, near a tall hedge. Her petite frame was hunched over, and her elbows propped up on her legs as her head rested in her hands. She was a picture of misery, but Winnifred felt no sympathy. Slowly she turned to Mr. Markham and Seth.
“I see her over yonder. Please wait for me here. I wish to speak to my sister alone.”
She did not await their reply and instead strode toward her sister while the anger in her chest rose higher and higher. Victoria had managed to ruin it all. As she always did. Victoria was so irrational, so impertinent, that she had destroyed their brother’s safe return. With her blood boiling, Winnifred stormed toward her sister, determined to let her know just how terrible a decision she’d made—and how dire the consequences would be for them all.
Chapter 20
“Victoria!”
Winnifred called out, drawing the attention of a few passers-by. Since it was afternoon, they were not too many regulars in the Gardens, although as the hour drew closer to dusk, more and more people filed in to see the magnificent lights Vauxhall Gardens was so famous for. Not that Winnie cared at present.
Her sister looked over her shoulder, her tear-stained face spoke of the agony she had to be experiencing right now. Still, Winnie didn’t feel any softening of her rage. Usually, no matter how much Victoria vexed her, seeing her in tears caused her to let go of her anger and remind herself that Victoria was a very young woman. Not today. She was too angry, too terrified at what might befall their beloved brother now because of Victoria’s actions.
“How could you? I asked you not to do anything. I asked you to wait. I had a plan.”
Her sister jumped up and spun around. Immediately, Winnifred was struck by her sister’s attire. She wore a white pelisse with yellow swirls painted upon it, over a canary yellow gown, and stark white half-boots. It was the kind of attire one would wear if one were to spend a pleasant afternoon in the Gardens. It was not the kind of gown someone would wear when attempting to keep a low profile as was prudent during such an operation.
But, of course, her sister was foolish and did not realize this. Winnie herself was dressed in her plainest gown, a simple pelisse borrowed from Mary, and a straw bonnet. She intended to disappear into the crowd, not to stand out like her sister.
“I did what I thought I had to.” Victoria defended herself. Winnifred shook her head, exasperated.
“The letter was particular. It said no authorities or Leo is dead. What were you thinking? Why did you have to get involved? Why could you not just stay at home as I asked you?”
“I am not a child. Please do not treat me like one. Everybody knows that if something happens, authorities must be called. You should never attempt to operate on your own.”
Winnifred exhaled sharply. “Have you learned this from your novels? For this is the real world. Our brother is gone. Our brother has been taken by a gang and will be murdered because of your actions.”
