A brief stunned moment passed as he viewed her black breeches and shirt. "Absolutely not. Go back and change this instant."
A mutinous look slid into place and she temporarily forgot her tenuous position. "This is the perfect outfit. No one will recognize me, and if they do, I can simply say it is a foil for your odd ways."
His brows rose, but he turned and strode out the door. She grabbed her black cape to cover her garments and ran after him. He called up the carriage and they stepped in. James did nothing to hide his irritation.
She twisted her hair and shoved it into the boy’s cap. "How will we know if Holt is out?"
"He’s out. But rest assured, if we decide to search his townhouse we’ll make sure before venturing in."
James exchanged words with his driver. The carriage stopped only a few blocks down the street. Looking around one last time to be certain no one was watching, he grabbed Calliope, and they darted into an alley. Someone moved out of the shadows. She immediately recognized the man, and James instructed him to ready "Number Three." James’s regular carriage rolled down the street. A diversion.
Number Three turned out to be an old hackney. It was hitched to a pair of unremarkable brown mares. She cast him a questioning glance but he continued to rattle off instructions to the driver. Jenkins, the driver, disappeared into the darkness, then reappeared a few minutes later, winded, but dressed in common garments. He had replaced the resplendent livery worn by Angelford servants.
"Let’s go."
Calliope climbed into the carriage and settled herself on the faded but surprisingly comfortable seat. James hauled himself in and sat across from her. They moved down the drive and set off for Ternberry’s, on the other side of Mayfair. James drew the curtains and darkness enveloped them.
"I will turn you over my knee if you leave my side. Understand?"
A protest rose in her throat. She swallowed it when she realized how tightly wound he was. The air was charged. She nodded and then realized he couldn’t see her. "Yes."
They remained silent until the coach slowed.
"l told Jenkins to stop down the street. We will walk the rest of the way. Ready?"
She grabbed his outstretched hand. It felt right.
James secured her cape and threw a greatcoat around his shoulders. It must have been inside the carriage. Calliope started to wonder how frequent an occurrence these types of trips were for him. No one would mistake them for Lord and Lady now.
Lord and Miss, she amended.
They approached Ternberry’s house from the rear, crossing through a number of yards to reach it.
There were only a few windows in the back. Ternberry must not have been too fond of the light.
The house was dark.
James already had a tool out and was fiddling with one of the windows. The clasp released and he crawled inside. A minute later he reached down and pulled her in. He lit a small lamp by the desk.
Ternberry’s study was a mess.
"Someone’s already been here," James said.
"Are you sure? His room at Pettigrew’s looked the same."
He nodded. "Yes, but he ordered things in a clockwise manner. Look at those papers on the desk."
Calliope looked at the desk. They did look a bit perfect in their scatter.
"What do you want to do?"
"Let’s take a look anyway. Something may have been missed."
"Do you think Ternberry returned to town during the weekend at the Pettigrews’?" Calliope asked, reading and discarding paper after paper.
"I think so. But I’m not sure. I will have Finn ask some questions of the staff tomorrow. "
"How did he return to the Pettigrews’ estate?"
"More importantly, why did he return to the Pettigrews’ estate?"
"And was anyone with him? Or did he meet someone there?"
"Try to find the papers we found at the party. I suspect if they were here they are gone, but it’s worth it to try. "
An hour later found them no closer to the papers or any other evidence. Calliope was sitting on the floor. She laid on her back, trying to stretch.
"Are your muscles still sore?"
"A little."
"I’ll give you a massage later to loosen them." James was poking around the desk. He had found three secret drawers and was looking for more. Nothing important had been inside any of them.
Her heart quickened. She turned toward him. "I think that sounds-"
Something was jammed under the desk.
"Yes?"
She scurried to her knees and peered under the desk.
"Did you find something?" He strode around the desk and sat on his heels next to her.
"There’s something lodged here. Hold on. Got it." She retrieved it with two fingers.
A half imprint stood out in red. Half of a falcon ring print.
"A further indication that the ring is important. Should we head over to Holt’s now?" Calliope asked.
"Yes. We can return here later. "
He blew out the lamp and they crawled back through the window. James latched it and they headed for the carriage.
"Are you sure he’s out?"
"I told you we would make sure before going through his smallclothes."
She bit back a smile.
The hackney was in the same place. James nodded at the driver but they walked past. Holt’s residence was nearby; it was easier and less suspicious to walk.
James had a firm grip on her hand. It was warm and comforting.
"What do you think we’ll find?"
"I don’t think we’ll find much, actually. Holt is a pro. If he doesn’t want something found, chances are it won’t be."
"Then should we even bother?"
"Yes. People make mistakes. And if our suspicions are correct, then he is playing a deep game."
Holt’s townhouse loomed in front of them and Calliope’s pulse quickened.
The house was dark. They skirted the back and stopped at a window overlooking a well-tended English garden.
James jiggled the window and it moved slightly.
"Sloppy. That’s unusual." He looked slightly perturbed. "I hadn’t actually thought this would open."
Calliope looked down and saw fresh footprints carved into the damp soil. "Someone has been here recently. "
He looked down and swore softly. "We’re leaving. Now. "
"Wait, what about his office? What about the ring?"
He shot her a dangerous look. "Not tonight."
James grabbed her hand again and started walking so swiftly she had to run to keep up.
They moved up the street toward the coach, which had moved to the other end. Jenkins looked nervous. "Milord, I have a nasty feeling about tonight."
"So do I, Jenkins, let’s get home."
James tossed Calliope into the carriage and vaulted in after her.
She didn’t mutter a protest. Her senses had started screaming as well.
The coach sped down the street. It wasn’t a great distance to travel to James’s residence and Calliope suddenly wanted to be safely ensconced in his extravagant house.
A screech of hooves grated through the coach’s walls.
A shot rang out, and the carriage careened out of control.
Chapter 14
Calliope grasped air as she was flung toward the coach’s floor. She girded herself for the bruising impact but was caught roughly by James. He pulled her against him and braced them both against the sides of the coach.
He swore fluently and Calliope clutched his arm as they rocketed pell-mell around a corner. It was apparent the animals were running unchecked. Buildings streaked past and shouts echoed in the night. Calliope prayed Jenkins would regain control of the frightened beasts before they neared the theater district.