Page 49 of Entrancing the Earl
When he glanced at the lobby again, Iona was serenely arranging a bouquet of flowers on a table. She wore her spectacles and a white cap, and in her too-short dress, she looked as if she worked for the hotel.
A wave of relief rolled over him. She’d put him through so many ups and downs this morning that he finally recognized that his habitual detachment was as much a pose as hers—at least where Iona was concerned. He needed to send her off before the pressure of emotions he hadn’t known he possessed burst his tightly-bound seams.
Folding his paper, he stood up and stopped near the bouquet to check his watch. “Room 110.” He left the key on the table and took the stairs up.
He almost had a heart attack when she didn’t immediately follow. He paced the hall, caught Rainford loping down the stairs, told him to wait in the tavern, and had almost worn a rut before he saw Iona hurrying from a hidden door at the end of the hall.
She was carrying the cloak, walking stick, and her bag this time and had discarded the little white cap.
“That was a most edifying adventure,” she announced as she held out the key to him. “I could take a position here arranging flowers, I think.”
Refraining from rolling his eyes, Gerard unlocked the room and shoved her in before anyone could see them.
He resisted the urge to wrap her in his arms again and watched as she perused the small chamber.
“Very nice,” she declared. “I cannot stay here, of course. I really should go to the room I’ve paid for.”
“For the moment, no one knows where you are. Let me talk to Rainford to see if he’s discovered anything new. I’ll have tea and sandwiches sent up. Dash off a note to Azmin and Dare letting them know you’re safe. I still need to file that police report, so I won’t be back as quickly as I’d like.”
“Will you send a telegram to Isobel warning her to stay inside?” She folded her hands at her waist and watched him anxiously.
“Of course, good idea. Anything else?”
“Lady Alice is here,” she pointed out, irrelevantly.
“Everyone who is anyone is apparently here. That is the point of places like this—to see and be seen. I’ve told the clerk you are my sister. I think I should send a dressmaker over. If you are to appear as my sister—or a countess—you need something better than that rag.”
She opened her straw tote and shook out a rumpled cotton gown of demure green and gold print. “I’ll ask the maid to have this pressed. With a bustle and underskirt, it will look respectable.”
“One of Lowell’s choices? Then it might work. I’ll have someone collect it. You’re safe here. Can younotbuzz about for a few hours, until I return?” If she wasn’t here when he got back—Gerard wouldn’t let her see his fear, but she probably sensed it.
“If the reward exists, you’ll have it,” she assured him.
She’d read his fear wrong, but nodding as if he were reassured, he walked out, waiting until he heard the key turn before trotting downstairs.
Leaving his messages at the desk—it was amazing what one could command with a few coins and a title—Gerard hurried on to the tavern.
“Word is that you’ve brought in one of your sisters,” Rainford said the instant Gerard pulled up a chair. “I’ve met your sisters. There is no way they would have arrived without a parade of baggage, children, servants, and a twelve-piece band. I assume our heiress is now in residence.”
“Damn, I hate this town. Give me London any day.” Gerard took the drink the waitress instantly brought over. “Tell me we can set up a meeting tomorrow and claim the reward.”
“The money is there,” Rainford agreed. “Mortimer is increasingly desperate. Word is that Mr. White is no longer inclined to believe the twins exist.”
“The reward is not tied to marriage settlements?” Gerard verified. He really wanted to throttle Mortimer before presenting Iona, but that was his newly discovered savage beast speaking.
“Not as far as I can ascertain. Mortimer may insist that the ladies be handed into his care, but I’m fairly certain we can provide sufficient objection. That still does not mean the twins are safe to go home.”
“No, we need to remove Mortimer from the picture. To that end, how did Drummond fare at the card table last night?” Gerard forced himself to sip his drink until his lunch arrived. Iona was safe. He needed to keep his distance—and his head.
“Mortimer is a drunk and plays like one. White appears tired of bailing him out. Tempers are running short. I don’t think it would be difficult to force Mortimer to sign the twins away.Enforcingthe agreement, of course, is a different matter. You may need the reward money to pour him on a ship leaving for Australia.”
“There’s one in port now, sailing in a few days for the Far East,” Gerard offered. “We think alike.”
“Ho! Leave him with the Chinese where he can’t speak a word. Even better. So how do you wish to work it?” Rainford sat back, calmly sipping his whisky as his lunch was set before him.
“We’ll have to prove we have at least one twin and hold the meeting in a solicitor’s office tomorrow.” Gerard had planned this carefully, but he waved his fork about as if he were thinking aloud. “Perhaps play a card game with them tonight to convince White we’re the genuine article. Give them a little hope and pry Mortimer off the girls’ back for a day or so.”
“Take the money and run?” Rainford suggested.
