Page 93 of To Bed the Bride
Pete grinned. “Maybe you’re right.”
“I need a cracksman. Someone who can get into a house after it’s been locked for the night.”
“No,” Molly said, popping up from behind Pete. “I’ll not have him taken away again. Not with me having a baby.”
“How do you think we’re going to afford the baby?” Pete asked without turning. “You are thinking of paying me, aren’t you? This isn’t something you expect me to do as a favor, is it?”
“Yes, I’m definitely paying you,” Logan said, reaching into his pocket for the money he’d taken to the Richardses’ house. He pulled it out and would have handed it to Pete, but Molly stepped between them.
“No,” she said, staring up at Logan. “What am I to do with him in jail?”
“If you want my assurances, Molly, I’ll give them to you freely. Pete won’t suffer for tonight’s work.”
She didn’t look like she believed him and he couldn’t blame her. People in this area of London had learned to suspect everyone and everything. He’d probably feel the same way if he’d had their upbringing.
Instead of giving Pete the money, he handed it to Molly, watching as her eyes widened. He didn’t know what the going rate was for breaking into what was probably a well-guarded home, but he suspected he’d overpaid.
“Make your decision,” he said, glancing at each of them. “It has to be done tonight.”
He could almost hear Molly’s thoughts. She was conflicted. In her hand was enough money to care for her coming child, yet Pete might be put in danger.
“He won’t suffer, Molly.”
She reluctantly nodded, tucked the money into her pocket, and kissed her husband.
Ten minutes later Pete joined him in the carriage, the destination Logan’s home. He had at least eight hours before they could rescue Eleanor, but he didn’t trust Pete to show up on time. In addition to being an excellent cracksman, Pete also had a fondness for gin. Logan preferred to keep an eye on the young man until it was time for the rescue plan to be put into operation.
Mrs. Campbell insisted on being present during the strategy meeting in his study. To his surprise, Logan discovered that his housekeeper had the impulses of a criminal. He hadn’t considered, for example, that the family might have a footman guarding Eleanor’s door. Nor was he able, unfortunately, to pinpoint exactly where her room was on the second floor. It might be the third door from the stairs or it might be the second. When he said as much, she only nodded.
“You’ll have to take Bruce, then.” She explained further. “Bruce will find her faster than opening doors. Just give him the garter that she left here. That’s all he’ll need.”
He didn’t know what to say, stunned as he was by her comment. She’d found the garter in the drawing room, but hadn’t said anything to him until now. If she expected him to immediately launch into an explanation, she was going to be disappointed. He had no intention of saying anything, especially with Pete and two stable boys sitting across the table grinning at him. He wasn’t going to discuss the matter in the future, either.
“Besides, Bruce is as close to her as she is to him,” she continued. “He’ll be an asset.”
Logan wasn’t entirely certain of that. He’d trained the dog in the past few weeks to bark on command and to not bark when he gave a certain hand signal. Tonight’s activities required total silence and he wasn’t sure Bruce could be obedient, especially if he was excited.
“He’ll do fine,” she said when he explained his misgivings to her. “So would I,” she added.
“I am definitely not taking you with me,” he said.
She rolled her eyes. “The poor girl will need someone with her. Someone to provide a little comfort.”
“I’m bringing her back here. You can provide comfort then.”
He was adamant. He was not going to involve his housekeeper in such a risky operation. Unfortunately, Mrs. Campbell was a great deal more stubborn than he’d ever realized.
When she finally left the room he turned to the two stable boys he’d recruited.
“What I’m proposing isn’t exactly legal. I believe it’s moral and justified, but I’m not sure the authorities would see it that way. Your decision won’t affect your position here. If you don’t want to participate tonight, your job will not be in jeopardy.”
To his relief, both men decided to accompany him. Hopefully, their force of four would be sufficient to rescue Eleanor.
His plan was to have Pete open the front door and then take one of these stable boys around to the side of the house and gain access to the roof. Pete wasn’t put off by heights. He’d told Logan stories of thefts he’d committed by scaling the outer walls of a house, getting to the roof, then dropping down to a bedroom window. That’s exactly what Logan wanted him to do tonight.
While Pete was trying to reach Eleanor’s window, Logan and the second stable boy would go up the stairs and find her room. He agreed that Bruce might make finding Eleanor less difficult, if he could keep the dog quiet in the meantime. The last thing he wanted was for Bruce to start barking once they were inside the house.
Pete pulled out a dark shirt from the satchel he’d brought, donned it, then looked at Logan.
