Page 76 of A Night of Forever
“But you are not totally sure.” Maitland leaned forward in his chair. “A part of you cannot bring yourself to trust her fully.”
When Arend remained silent, Maitland relaxed back into his seat. “Good, you’ll watch her properly. I don’t want Marisa getting hurt when she comes with us to Deal.”
“You’re serious about taking Marisa?” He’d thought Maitland had been joking.
Maitland gave a bark of laughter. “I haven’t a hope in hell of stopping her. She will go with or without me. And most likely drag Isobel along with her.”
It was probably fortunate that their conversation was cut short at that point by the arrival of Philip, Sebastian, and Hadley.
After greetings and a brief summary of events, the men were soon sprawled round the fire, drinks in hand, discussing tactics.
Philip had already sent a note to a friend who owned a house in the center of Deal. “I think,” he said, “it would be an ideal location in which to base ourselves. We can have lookouts watching the main street at all times.”
Sebastian nodded. “And as the house has no connection to any of us, it’s unlikely she’ll think of keeping a watch on it herself.”
Arend wouldn’t put anything beyond Victoria. “Let’s not underestimate her. She seems to have been one step ahead of us the whole time.”
“I’m worried,” Hadley said, “that she’ll leave Deal before we get there. Time is of the essence. When the money doesn’t turn up, she’ll grow suspicious as to why it’s taking so long.”
“It was a large sum,” Maitland said. “It will require some organization and correspondence among the branches. We have a few days.”
Arend didn’t intend to sit on his arse doing nothing for a few days. “Maybe. But we still have to find her when we reach Deal. I say we leave tonight. Drink up, gentlemen.” When his comment was met with wide eyes and stunned silence, he glared at them. “What? We can’t wait and let her slip away again.” And then he realized they weren’t all staring at him. They were staring over his head.
“We don’t all have to go at once,” Isobel said from behind him. “We don’t even know for certain she is in Kent.”
Isobel? Arend—all of them—scrambled to their feet like naughty boys discovered indulging in some nameless sin by a goddess. And, standing straight and self-possessed in the doorway, she looked like a goddess—albeit one with retribution on her mind.
“Isobel is right.” Marisa swept past her and into the room to press a kiss to Maitland’s cheek. “I think Arend should take some men to Deal tonight, as he suggested. The rest of us will follow tomorrow.”
As Marisa spoke, Sebastian and Hadley brought two more chairs to the fire and arranged them for the ladies. When the women were both settled comfortably, the men retook their own seats.
“Perhaps,” Maitland said, “we should make three groups. Arend’s group tonight. Tomorrow I’ll escort the ladies’ carriage, along with two Bow Street Runners. The rest of you can go on horseback. That will be quicker.”
Isobel and Marisa shared a look. It was the kind of look that told Arend’s gut he was in for trouble.
“We,” Isobel said, “are both more than capable of riding to Deal.”
Yes, trouble. But if the other men were going to sit in stunned silence like blockheads, he was not. He refused to trot tamely beside two ladies while they rode sidesaddle from London to Deal.
“No,” he said. “Even riding, you will slow us down.”
“Really?” Marisa looked down her nose at him. “We will be dressed in breeches and disguised as men, riding astride.”
“We are both capable of riding and keeping up with the men if we have the appropriate clothing,” Isobel said.
Arend was still struggling with his reaction to a vision of Isobel dressed in breeches and shirt. No red-blooded male could possibly mistake Isobel for—
“It would be safer for them,” Sebastian said slowly, “to be in disguise.”
The hell it would be. “I don’t—”
Marisa clapped her hands. “That’s settled, then.” And before Arend could say anything more, the door opened and Brunton came in. “Oh, Brunton. Tea, how lovely.”
Arend didn’t want tea. He wanted to punch something. Preferably Sebastian. Was the man mad?
Philip rose. So did Maitland. They both looked at him.
But if he left now, he wouldn’t get the chance to speak to Isobel before he left. “I’ll meet you outside in a moment, Philip.”
