Page 131 of A Dangerous Lord (Regency Spies & Secrets 3)

Oliver shook his head. “You’re both mad,” he muttered.

Stewart stepped into the study, wearing a brown suit and matching waistcoat. “Good afternoon, gentlemen,” he greeted. “I received your missive and took the liberty of speaking to my informants.”

“Did your informants reveal anything about an abducted lady?” Baldwin asked.

“They did,” Stewart confirmed. “There has been a lot of activity coming from a building on Joshua Street. It’s in a disreputable part of Town, but many of the residents have noticed an increased presence of men frequenting the building during odd hours.”

Corbyn nodded. “That isn’t surprising, since I am to meet Kerley at a building on Joshua Street.”

“You are?” Baldwin asked.

“It’s where Kerley and I had our first assignment together,” Corbyn explained. “It’s where he saved my life.”

Oliver lifted his brow. “He did?”

“We were trailing a suspect who had ties to a French spy and ended up in an office building on Joshua Street,” Corbyn shared. “Kerley and I split up as we searched the building, and the suspect cornered me with a pistol. If Kerley hadn’t come along when he did, I would have been killed.”

Corbyn grimaced, then said, “Kerley is attempting to make a point. He saved my life, but I failed to save him when he needed me the most.”

“It wasn’t your fault,” Baldwin asserted.

“Wasn’t it?” Corbyn asked, his voice rising. “I was the one who gave the order to leave Kerley behind in France.”

“We all thought he was dead,” Baldwin pressed.

“But we were wrong!” Corbyn exclaimed. “Now Kerley has Jane, and who knows what he is doing with her!”

Oliver’s voice was filled with compassion. “Jane is a clever girl. She will do what she needs to do to survive.”

“You’re right,” Corbyn agreed. “I’m just angry with myself for letting it get this far. I should have stopped Kerley days ago.”

“We’ll stop Kerley together,” Baldwin declared.

Corbyn bobbed his head. “I’ll send agents to monitor the building but will instruct them not to engage with Kerley for any reason.”

“We could just assemble a group of agents and raid the building,” Oliver suggested.

“At what cost?” Corbyn asked. “Kerley may make good on his promise and kill Jane.”

Baldwin’s jaw clenched. “If Kerley even dares to touch Jane, then I will make sure his death is as slow and gruesome as possible.”

“I agree completely,” Oliver said.

Stewart leaned his shoulder against the wall. “What would you have me do?”

“I’m not entirely sure yet, but I should warn you that it could be perilous,” Corbyn warned.

“Perilous?” Stewart asked with a smile on his lips. “That has never scared me off before. In fact, I find it to be rather intriguing.”

“I can’t promise we will all make it out alive, either,” Corbyn said.

“We all understand the risks,” Baldwin responded.

“But—”

Oliver cut him off. “Will you stop trying to talk us out of this?” he asked. “We’re all in.”

Corbyn nodded. “Thank you, especially since I know you all have something to lose.” He turned his attention towards Stewart. “Are you sure you’re ready for this?”

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