Page 98 of Lady Edith and the Registry Office
Chapter Thirty-Two
“Excuse my appearance, ladies,” Nathaniel said once seated next to Cecil in the carriage.
“Are you all right?” Lady Edith asked in a whisper, her face pale.
“I’m sure I look worse than I feel.” He smiled weakly. “How did you find me?”
“By accident,” Cecil replied. “St. Mary the Virgin Church is the reference our fake Mrs. Stafford gave Diana.”
He was confused, and it must have shown on his face.
“Shall we start at the beginning?” Lady Edith asked. When he nodded, she continued, “Your sister sent a note this morning telling me you were missing, and she was worried.”
“Oh yes! Poor Alicia!”
“I received a missive from Lord Essex asking after your whereabouts; I traveled to Hanover Square, and here we are.” Cecil shrugged.
He frowned. “I sent a hackney driver to fetch you yesterday afternoon. Promised him a guinea for his effort.”
“I was home all afternoon and evening,” Cecil replied. “No hackney driver came to collect me.”
He told his companions about seeing the black coach with a driver wearing black and red livery.
“A hackney carriage is right there when you need it.” Cecil shook his head. “It may have been a trap.”
“I believe you’re right. Someone knew we would visit the church. There were blankets and rope in a mausoleum in the churchyard. The veterans could have been held there and spirited away when I arrived.”
“Did you hail the hackney in Berkeley Square?” Edith asked him.
“After our conversation yesterday,” he started and then paused. They all knew what had set him off, after all. “I walked and walked for what seemed like hours. I saw the black carriage with a driver in black and red livery pass me as I entered the Mortlake area, so I hailed the hackney and followed. The carriage went to St. Mary’s.”
“So you determined it was a good idea to investigate alone.” Cecil let out a groan. “Knowing that someone might want to hurt you.”
“I sent the hackney driver to fetch you. I hadn’t planned on going into the churchyard, but I heard a man yelling for help. I thought it might be one of our veterans, so I followed the noise to the mausoleum. When I got to the entrance of the building, someone hit me from behind. I didn’t wake up until a few minutes ago.”
“How dreadful!” Edith grimaced. “Were you out in the elements all night?”
He shook his head and then winced. “Whoever hit me must have dragged me inside the mausoleum.”
“Do you think anyone in the church is involved?” Louisa asked.
Cecil shook his head. “I interviewed the vicar about Mrs. Stafford. I'm sure he has no connection to the RA. The rectory is not on the premises, and the churchyard can be accessed without the vicar's knowledge.”
His head still pounded, and Nathaniel closed his eyes for several minutes.
“Lady Edith did have an interesting idea on how to gain admission to the prison hulk in Woolwich,” Cecil eventually said, breaking the silence.
“Lady Edith?” he opened his eyes to stare at the lady.
She flushed under his regard. “We all must play a part. I’m not sure how heavily you and Lord Wycliffe can be involved as I imagine you are both well-known even in the outskirts of London.”
“Go on.” He nodded encouragingly.
Once he’d heard the plan, he was convinced it could work. Now he and Cecil needed to decide who would escort the ladies onto the ship.
“If I’m hysterical and Edith is overwrought with concern for her maid, the guards will likely fall over themselves to help us.” Louisa grinned. “Men do not want to deal with emotional females.”
“I think it is an excellent plan.” He met Lady Edith’s gaze and gave her a warm smile. She’d looked unsure of herself, and he couldn’t have that.
