Page 35 of Only Pleasure Will Do

Chapter 16

The explosion of oaths her suggestion brought made Amorina cringe and want to cover her ears.

“Madam Vestry!” Lady Dalbury jumped back from her, bumping into her husband.

The gentlemen behind them set up a loud chatter, punctuated by the phrases, “Fool woman,” and “Completely idiotic.” Stunned, the other ladies looked from one to another, speechless. And Lord Dalbury, whose face had darkened in a gigantic scowl—his thick eyebrows actually appeared to touch the top of his nose—shouted, “Are you out of your mind, woman?”

Despite the din, Amorina stood her ground, calmly facing them all down, until at last the storm had subsided to a low grumbling and she could continue. “If you will let me explain, I think you will understand better what I am asking, and why it is imperative we do this.”

As a sullen silence settled over the group, Lord Manning turned back to the sideboard and poured himself another libation. “Well, I suggest you do explain, madam. Blowing up one’s home on purpose is not something anyone would seriously contemplate.”

“Not even to save your child’s life, my lord?” Amorina stared at the young lord until he looked away. She shifted her hard stare from Manning to Morley to Trevor, finally coming to rest on the man who towered over her. “I think if it would save young Lord Tolliver’s life, you would not hesitate to raze this house to the ground, Lord Dalbury. Am I wrong?”

Dalbury hesitated, but Lady Dalbury did not. “You are correct, Madam Vestry. To save my child I’d set London afire and not think twice.” She glanced up at her husband. “Hear her out, Duncan.”

Grinding his teeth so hard his jaw creaked, Lord Dalbury nodded and indicated her chair. “Very well, Madam Vestry. Please elaborate on why we must blow up the townhouse Juliet and I grew up in.”

Giving a silent sigh of relief, Amorina seated herself and put forth her plan. “Mr. Redmond will be waiting for me to bring him a broadsheet detailing an explosion at this address. If I cannot produce such proof, I believe he will send immediately to Kent with instructions to kill both my daughter and Sir Reginald.” Pray God that order had not already been sent. “To prevent that, we must make him, and others in London, believe I have carried out his wishes and given the bomb to Lord and Lady Dalbury.”

“Why the devil don’t we all just ride to Kent this minute and stage a rescue?” Dalbury swung his gaze from one gentleman to another then paced toward the sideboard and lifted a decanter. “Between the four of us we could mount a formidable attack on Redmond’s men.”

“This is what we were discussing just now, Kat.” Lord Manning looked to his sister.

Lord Trevor nodded slowly. “We’d have surprise on our side, surely.”

“And the chance that we could take Redmond himself, if he’s still there.” Mr. Morley had added his voice to the gentlemen’s plan.

“He’s not there.” Amorina spoke up sharply. Her own plan to save her daughter had been summarily pushed aside for a more dangerous scheme. She would not allow that. “He left as soon as he sent me to Dunham House this morning, so that much of your plan will not work.” She raised her chin and stared into the marquess’s eyes. “Neither do I believe that the rest of it is sound.”

“I beg your pardon.” Lord Dalbury straightened and returned her glare.

“You propose to mount an armed attack on Redmond’s family estate without any knowledge of the makeup of the servants or any hired guards he might have installed to watch Sir Reginald and Pearl.” Refusing to allow the marquess to intimidate her with his cold gaze, Amorina gritted her teeth and dug in. “If you attempt such a rescue, you risk both their lives and your own. He has likely made provision for such a possibility and will simply have Sir Reginald and Pearl killed at the first disturbance.” A sob caught in her throat. “You cannot do it.”

Lady Dalbury laid a hand on her arm. “They will not, my dear.” She looked up at her husband. “Duncan, you must find another way.”

“Cannot a printer be persuaded to print a single broadsheet that you could then show the blackguard?” Lord Trevor’s suggestion brought the tension down a notch. “At least then the house might be spared, but Redmond would still get his proof.”

“I think that might be done.” Taking a breath, Amorina fought to compose herself. Such a scheme would be possible and better in some respects than the other plans, although not without its own dangers. “It would, however, mean risking that Redmond does not have spies either watching this house or within the house itself. Some of what he’s told me only the people in this room or someone working very closely to the house would know. Besides, he would know as soon as he came to London if people were talking about an explosion. He’d just have to ask on any corner.” Calm again, she sighed and shook her head. “I suspect the broadsheet is a ruse for him to get close to me so he can turn me in to the authorities.”

“You believe there’s a spy in the payment of Tommy Redmond in my house?” Dalbury’s face paled, his voice low and dangerous.

“I believe it’s a possibility, my lord. He seemed to know a lot about my services on behalf of Lady Juliet and her stay at my establishment. Unless that’s become widely known, I believe he’s gotten to someone here. They may even this minute know that I’m here with you and have not simply delivered the clock and left.” That very real worry had been eating at Amorina ever since she’d come inside with the marchioness. If there were a spy, that person could be trying to contact Redmond this moment with news of her perfidy.

Face livid, Lord Dalbury strode to the door. “Grayson!” He then stalked back to the little gathering. “I’ll ask if any of the servants have left on any errand whatsoever in the past hour.” He scowled at Amorina. “I’ll be damned if I think the spy is Grayson, so we’ll take him into our confidence. He’ll be the best judge of who on the staff might be in someone else’s employ.”

“Yes, my lord?” The butler appeared, unruffled as always.

“Grayson, has any servant in this establishment attempted to leave within the past hour? For any reason at all?”

“I will have to consult with Mrs. Myers, my lord, but to my personal knowledge, no one has had reason to leave. It’s none of the staff’s half day.” Grayson seemed well assured, though one could almost see him mentally checking off person after person.

“Very good. Ask the coachman as well. I want no one, absolutely no one, Grayson, to leave this house until further notice, which will come from me alone.” He peered into the butler’s stoic face. “There is a spy among the staff. Someone who would cause grievous harm to those within this household and those others who are our friends.”

The servant’s eyes widened and his jaw visibly clenched.

“If anyone asks to leave or attempts to leave without permission, detain that person on the spot and send for me.” The marquess stepped back. “Am I understood?”

“Perfectly, my lord.” Grayson’s clipped response spoke volumes about what he might do to the servant who attempted to depart Dunham House today.