No Earls Allowed (The Survivors #2)(66)

“I suppose we all must cope with tragedy in the best way we can. Harriett and I never doubted you loved us.”

He looked at her, his eyes bright. “Don’t you see? That was the exact cause of my anguish. I loved your mother. Not when I married her.” He waved a hand. “I barely knew her, but I grew to love her. When she died, it was so sudden. One day a fever and the next she was gone. Julia, I never told her.”

Julia blinked in shock. He had never told her mother how much he loved her? “I am certain she knew, Papa.”

“Are you? I am not. And not a day goes by that I don’t wish I had but one more hour, one more minute with Mary so I might be certain she knew how I felt.”

Julia took his hand, squeezing it tightly. “She knew, Papa. Harriett knew you loved her, and I know you love me.”

“I only want the best for you, my darling. I only want another chance to be the father I should have been. Will you please consider coming home?”

Julia wished she could tell him yes, but she could never go back to the life she’d lived as an earl’s daughter. The orphans needed her, especially now with Slag threatening them all. She could not leave them. “I will consider it, Papa,” she said, but the way he looked at her told her he knew she did not mean it.

“Lady Juliana?” A servant appeared at her elbow with a silver tray holding a slip of foolscap.

“Yes.”

“This came for you, my lady. A man delivered it and said it was urgent.”

Frowning, Julia lifted the paper off the tray and opened it. Her hand shook as soon as she saw the words.

I propose a trade. Your Billy for my blunt. The price is now two thousand pounds and a month in my bed.

Don’t keep me waiting or the boy suffers.

“What is it?” Neil asked. She could not stop staring at the letter, and she had not even noticed that he’d crossed the room to her or that everyone was taking their seats for the next performance.

“Billy,” she whispered, her throat feeling as though it was choked by sand.

Neil took the letter from her hand.

“What is wrong?” her father asked. “What is this about?”

Neil looked from the letter to Julia and then to the earl. “My lord, I must go, and I expect your daughter will want to come with me. There is a problem at the orphanage. May we have use of your coach?”

“Not this again.”

“My lord, I promise that after tonight, there will be no more urgent summons from the orphanage.”

Her father looked at Julia. “Will you make that same promise?”

She nodded, not at all certain it was a promise she could keep.

“If you don’t mind, my lord, take your seat and pretend nothing is amiss. I will escort Lady Juliana to the orphanage and send the coach back.”

“Very well.” He pointed a finger at Neil. “I am relying on you to settle this, Wraxall.”

Neil nodded. When her father turned away, he took Julia’s arm, squeezing it reassuringly. “Mostyn and Beaumont are here. I’ll bring them back with us. Make no mistake. I will bring Billy safely home.”

Julia had not trusted a man in years, but in that moment, she had never believed in anyone more.

*

Neil found the orphanage to be surprisingly quiet when he, Julia, and Rafe walked in. He had sent Mostyn ahead to Slag’s flash ken, and he had to deliver Julia to Mrs. Dunwitty before he would follow. Julia had not ceased folding and unfolding Slag’s missive all the way back from Mayfair. She hadn’t spoken. There was nothing to say. Even Rafe had been uncharacteristically quiet.

“This is…charming,” Rafe said, his tone of horror belying his words. “How very… Help me here, Wraxall.”

“Shut up.”

“Yes.”

Jackson rushed in. “Sir, I am so relieved you have returned. We cannot find Master Billy.”

“Slag has him,” Neil said without preamble. “How long has he been gone?”

“According to Master Michael, at last reckoning it had been one hundred and eight minutes. Sir, your cravat—”

Neil shoved his hand away. “The Ox and Bull is a flash ken, not a royal residence. No one will care what my neckcloth looks like.”

“As you say, sir.” But Jackson’s mouth drew down into a grimace.

Neil turned to Rafe. “Beaumont. I need you to stay here with Lady Juliana. If this is some sort of trick to leave the orphanage undefended, I will need you to protect the ladies and the children.”

“What?” Rafe and Juliana said in unison.

“I am not staying behind,” she said, stepping forward.

“Neil, you cannot possibly expect me to wait here. There are children and…and those hideous wall hangings,” Rafe said.

Neil ignored him. “Keep the doors and windows locked and the boys inside.” He cocked an ear, then looked at Jackson. “Where are the lads now?”

“In their rooms,” the valet answered.

“Why is it so quiet?”

“Mrs. Dunwitty has given them one hour of independent study. The little boys have fallen asleep—they are exhausted from their lessons—and the older boys are pretending to comply.”

Julia stepped between the men. “I am not staying behind. Slag has Billy. My Billy.”