Page 61 of Love Is A Draw
She barely felt it when Lady Hermy entered the room and reached for her hand. “You were extraordinary, my dear.”
Rachel Pearler moved forward, eyes glinting wet. “That was—he would have been proud.”
Gail’s heart nearly cracked in two.
“Dmitry,” Rachel whispered. “And Victor. Both would be proud of you.”
Gail’s throat tightened. “Where is he?”
No one answered at first.
Then Fave’s voice broke through the hush. “Greg’s carriage is waiting. He and Hermy are heading to Customs House. Victor’s being held with List.”
“Held?” Gail turned sharply.
“For questioning,” Fave said. “List is using the ledgers as evidence against him. Claimed they’re codes. Treason against the Crown. You know how that sounds in the wrong ears.”
Panic surged. “But they’re not. They’re chess—Victor’s ideas, not sabotage?—”
“Greg knows. He’s handling it.” Fave’s mouth was grim. “But there’s something else.”
Rachel approached slowly. “Your grandfather’s ship. It’s docking within the hour.”
Gail’s heart stilled.
“If List finds him first?—”
“No.” She recoiled, shaking her head. “We’ll get him.”
Rachel nodded. “You, me, and Fave. We’ll go now. Before List sends anyone.”
“But Victor?—”
“Greg will bring him back,” Fave said. “If anyone can, it’s him.”
Gail looked to the doorway. Beyond it, the city throbbed with carriages and gaslight. She had just become the Black Knight, but titles meant nothing when the people she loved were in danger.
“Let’s go.” Gail headed for the door. “Before it’s too late.”
Fave grabbed their cloaks. Rachel gathered the dispatch papers. No one waited to see if List would try again.
The tournament was over.
Now came the real game.
Victor sat stifflyat the wooden table, fingers curling into fists beneath the polished edge. The room stank of ink and dampwool, and the two men seated across from him wore the weary expressions of civil servants forced to play constables.
One of them tapped the ledgers, splayed open like evidence. “You wrote this yourself?”
Victor didn’t flinch. “Yes.”
“In code?”
“No. In chess notation.”
“In Russian.”
He nodded once. “Because I am Russian.”
