Page 79 of The Lady's Last Mistake
“Yes, I did. Not to worry, though.” She reached out to pat Cassie’s arm. “The young woman is safe again.”
At her coy wink, the small hairs on Cassie’s arms raised. “Do you mean you know where she is?”
Sister Nan nodded. “She got away from those ruffians after they snatched her from the doc’s. Said they didn’t lock her into the carriage properly and went to get a pint. Bloomin’ idiots.”
Of course!Mr. Youngdale had followed Cassie from the boxing club in Limehouse not to terrorize her, but because he hadn’t had Isabel in his possession after all. He’d thought Cassie would be able to lead him to her.
“She’s been at the church?” At the sister’s confirming nod, she leaned against the wall, lightheaded with wonder.
“Just for a few days. She was hiding in some abandoned house but then she started feeling ill and decided to risk coming to the church,” Sister Nan said with a grimace, popping Cassie’s bubble of elation.
“Fever?”
The sister nodded, and Cassie worried her bottom lip. Grant had expressed concern for a fever going around the slums.
“Mr. Youngdale isn’t going to stop looking for her,” she said, “and if she is ill, she should have a doctor.”
Isabel could not come back here, to Hope House. Neither could she go to Church Street again. As Mr. Youngdale had followed Cassie home, she could not take her to the safety of Grosvenor Square either. Hugh had suggested getting her out of London altogether. Michael had Fournier Downs in Hertfordshire and Greenbriar in Kent, but each of those estates were fully staffed. She could never sneak in a pregnant, unmarried woman.
But she was getting ahead of herself.
Cassie checked the clock. Grant would still be at the clinic, though not for much longer.
“Sister Nan, did you bring your rig?” The older woman nodded. “Excellent. I’ll come with you and the baby to the parish church.”
While the nun went to collect the baby from Mrs. Powers, Cassie opened the back door and flagged down Tris. He had relieved Patrick just that morning, the bruising on his face still evident but explained away to the other servants as the result of a neighborhood brawl while he was caring for his sick mother.
“Drive to Lord Thornton’s clinic,” she told him, “and tell him to meet me at St. Paul’s Church in Shadwell. Isabel is there, and she needs our help.”
His expression brightened, but with some reserve. “Is she hurt?”
She shook her head. “Feverish. Inform Lord Thornton. And tell him she needs a new safe place, preferably out of London.”
Grant reachedinside the lantern in the surgery and raised the wick. The resulting light over the patient bed was nowhere near enough by which to see properly. Swearing under his breath, he fiddled with a few of the reflective lenses.
“Did you move the lenses, Hannah? I’ve told you before, leave them where they are.” He jostled one glass lens set on a pin hinge. It had most assuredly not been angled like this the last time he’d been at the clinic.
Last week. Before the snowstorm. Before spending thenight with Cassie at Lindstrom House. Before everything had started to unravel.
“I was attempting to give you more light with which to look up Mr. Brinkley’s nostril,” his assistant explained. It was the third time she’d done so, but it didn’t erase his irritation.
Damn Mr. Brinkley and damn the rock he’d somehow gotten lodged in his nasal cavity. Grant had spent nearly an hour digging it free and the man had complained and howled the entire time.
Suddenly, the pin hinge snapped, and the squared beveled lens broke free into his hand. A groan scraped up his throat as Grant dashed it toward the floor. Hannah watched him warily, a hint of reproval on her raised brow and pursed lips.
“You’ve been doing that all day,” she said, continuing to calmly roll a ball of cotton linen.
He stomped to where the broken lens had landed, scooped it up, and brought it to his desk. He’d repair the damn thing another time. “Doing what?”
“Grunting.”
He frowned at her. “I have not.”
“Yes, you have. You were even grunting while you were pulling that stone from Mr. Brinkley’s nasal cavity.”
He tossed up his arms. “Of course I was grunting, I couldn’t get the bloody thing out!”
Hannah set down the roll of gauze. “Does this have to do with the rumors?”
