Regency: Rakes & Reputations: A Rake by Midnight / The Rake's Final Conquest

“We must find some way to divert her,” Bella mumbled.

“It is hopeless, and you know it. When Mama has made up her mind, nothing can change it. Nothing will do but that she have her way.”

“But you have not …”

“Escaped?” Gina smiled and looked down at her plate, largely untouched. “Perhaps I could learn to bear that, but I cannot resign myself to the thought that Mr. Henley will not pay for what he has done. That is the one task I cannot leave undone.”

Bella’s eyes darkened as she sat forward. “I’ve seen that look before. What are you planning, Gina? “

“I hardly know. I have made some headway amongst the ton, but progress is slow. I am to meet with Mr. Renquist tomorrow for his report. And …” she hesitated, reluctant to tell them about the little key “… and there has to be more I can do. Other ways to learn what I need.”

Lilly dropped her napkin on her plate and glanced over her shoulder before lowering her voice to a whisper. “If you are game, Gina, I may have an idea. There were some street urchins—lads, Devlin called them—who helped find the evidence against the Brotherhood. They are quite engaging little pickpockets and, for a few coins, they could discover anything.”

“I vow I am not going to turn any source away.”

Lilly nodded and stood, determination in her voice. “I know just where to find them on a Sunday afternoon. Bella, you stay here and if the men return, tell them Gina and I have gone for a stroll through the park and shall be back presently. Gina, fetch your bonnet and shawl.”

Gina glanced around the square at Covent Garden, almost as busy as Hyde Park on a summer afternoon, unable to shake the feeling that she was being watched. “How will we ever find them?” she asked Lilly.

“Just dangle your reticule from your wrist and they will come along. Walk slowly and smile as if you have nothing more on your mind than meeting friends. Ned will find us.”

“What will your husband say?”

Lilly laughed. “He would likely ask how much we paid them, and then tell me it was too much.”

“He will not be angry?”

“Not in the least. But I do not intend to tell him.”

“Why?”

“Because I do not know if I can trust him not to tell Andrew or Jamie. Am I correct in thinking you would not want them to know?”

Gina grinned. “Oh, yes. Andrew would take his duty as my closest male relative to heart and forbid me to do more than drink tea and embroider. I thought Devlin might be the same.”

Lilly’s eyes twinkled. “Devlin is far too protective, but he admires women who can think for themselves. Still, he would not want you to endanger yourself. Ah, but how can hiring a few lads endanger you? No, I think we are safe in this.”

Gina was not nearly as worried about what Andrew or Devlin would do as she was about another man. “M-most importantly, I do not want James Hunter to know. He told me last night that, if he had his way, I would return to Belfast at once.”

Lilly’s eyebrows shot up. “No! He would not be so ungentlemanly.”

“He was not in a gentlemanly mood. I am afraid he knows I am looking for Mr. Henley. And I might have suggested that I could hardly do worse than the Home Office.”

“Oh, my!” Lilly did her best to contain her laughter. “I can imagine how he took that. Whatever possessed you to make that charge?”

“I cannot recall. Our conversations tend to deteriorate after a moment or two. It would be best if we simply avoided one another as much as possible, but he has decided to take my safety upon himself. Quite aggravating.”

“I wish you luck, Gina. Knowing the Hunter men, you will need it.”

Gina felt a tug on her arm and turned in time to see a ragged child trying to cut her purse strings. “Here now!”

Lilly peered around her. “Let loose, Ned.”

“Mrs. Lilly! This a friend of yers?”

“My sister.”

The lad released his hold on Gina’s reticule, removed his cap and swept an exaggerated bow. “At yer service, Miss Sister.”

“Miss Eugenia,” Lilly corrected. “And we were looking for you, Ned, and some of your mates.”

“Got a job fer us, Mrs. Lilly?”

“Indeed we have. But I shall let my sister tell you what she needs. Whatever she pays you, Ned, I shall double it if you deliver.”

The boy grinned ear to ear. “You know I will, missus.” He turned to Gina. “What do y’ need, Miss Eugenia?”

“The location of a man named Cyril Henley.”

“Gor! ‘E’s the one we looked fer before, missus.”

“He escaped the net we cast, Ned. But his mates were brought in. He’s the last of them.”

Ned nodded. “I already knowed he got away, missus. I spotted ‘im a couple days ago and told Mr. Farrell. ‘E’s lookin’ for the gent, but I didn’t know anyone else was lookin’ fer him, too.”

Gina held her breath. “Do you know where he is?”

“‘E lost me, Miss Eugenia. Never knowed a gent so slippery. I recognized ‘im from last time, but ‘e got away before I could follow ‘im back to ‘is ‘ole. Can I work fer both of ye?”

“I do not object to Mr. Farrell having the information, Ned, but he must not know I have hired you, too.”

Ned seemed to consider this for a moment. “Well, since ye ain’t askin’ me to keep information from ‘im, I s’pose there’s no ‘arm. Mum’s the word, miss.”

Ignorant of what a pickpocket would charge for such a service, she withdrew a crown from her reticule and pressed it into the grubby hand. “And another when you bring me the information.”

The lad looked down at his palm and grinned. “Aye, miss. An’ where’ll I find ye?”

“You mustn’t come to my home. I shall meet you daily at St. Mary’s.”

Ned glanced at the church on one side of the square and nodded. “Noon too early fer ye?”

“Not in the least.”

He tipped his worn cap and gave an awkward bow. “Don’t ye worry, miss. We know the warrens like nobody else. We’ll ‘ave yer gent soon enough. Oh, an’ did ye know ye was bein’ followed?”

A deep cold invaded her vitals. She scanned the crowd, looking for some sign of someone watching, but nothing appeared amiss. No one betrayed the least interest in her or her sister. Could Ned be wrong?

Chapter Seven