The Marquis and I (The Worthingtons #4)(80)

“Good morning.” Matt inclined his head. “And thank you.”

“Good morn to ye, me lord.” The innkeeper grimaced. “Will we have to tie Miss up again? Don’t sit right with me rib.”

“No,” Dominic assured the landlord. “Miss Betsy won’t know she was bound.”

Mr. Crowe led them to a room at the top of the stairs. “It’s not as nice as the one Lord and Lady Kenilworth had yesterday, but I thought it might be better for what we’re doin’.”

Lord and Lady Kenilworth?





Chapter Twenty-Seven


Someone had a great deal of explaining to do if Charlotte and Kenilworth were going around the country pretending to be married. Matt wondered just how long it would take to discover the entire story. He had half a mind to simply take his sister back to Town and demand Kenilworth marry her immediately.

“Excellent.” Merton clasped Mr. Crowe’s shoulder. “Her betrothed, Mr. Mitchell, is with us as well. We instructed him to go around to the back of the inn with Lord Worthington’s coach. Send him to my chamber as soon as you can. I also imagine he will wish to ascertain that Miss Cloverly is safe.”

“I’ll tell him, me lord.” Crowe bowed to Merton, then to Matt.

“He seems like a good man.” Matt watched the innkeeper move swiftly down the corridor.

“He and his wife are both good people,” Merton said. “It was Charlotte’s idea to recruit them. They were shocked at how they had been duped.”

“I imagine they would be.” Duped? Matt was confused by his cousin’s statement, and it occurred to him that neither he nor Grace had asked Charlotte for all the details surrounding her abduction, and she had not volunteered the information.

Apparently, she had discovered much more about Miss Betsy’s operation than she’d let on. Then again, they hadn’t asked her exactly what had occurred. Not only that, but Charlotte had been dealing with an unwanted betrothal to Kenilworth at the time.

At least that seemed to have changed. As soon as he returned home, Matt would secure a special license and see the two wed.

A few minutes later, the small room seemed even smaller. Ben Mitchell was a tall, strapping fellow, with brown eyes and blond hair just a shade darker than his intended’s.

“I was able to see Miss Cloverly.” Mitchell’s brows lowered in a slightly menacing fashion. “She just hugged me, told me she’d be fine, and pushed me out the door. Are you sure she’ll be all right?”

Dominic nodded. “She will be guarded the entire way.” He motioned to Jeffers. “I take it there was more to tell me.”

“Yes, my lord. They’re at a hedge tavern called the Dirty Duck. Her ladyship managed to hit the blackguard over the head with a stool and his lordship finished him off, so to speak. They—”

“Why did they not return with you or go to the Star and Garter?”

“Worthington,” his cousin said in a tone designed to depress questions, “allow him to finish. We don’t have much time before the bawd arrives. I shall explain the entire plan when he’s done.”

“There’s another man that needs to be arrested. If you don’t mind, my lords, I should get back in case they need any help.”

Dominic nodded. Once Jeffers was gone he turned to Matt. “Yesterday we, all of us including Miss Cloverly, decided that the only way to put an end to Miss Betsy’s villainy was to catch her in the act. Merely rescuing the women wouldn’t be enough to hang her.” Glancing at Mitchell, Dominic continued. “We gave Miss Cloverly the choice of not being involved, but she agreed to help, as long as we could keep her safe. I promise you, she shall come to no harm.”

“That doesn’t surprise me.” Mitchell’s mouth tightened. “She’s as brave as they come.” He shook his head. “What I don’t understand is why her?”

“What we have ascertained,” Dominic said, “is that the woman, Miss Betsy, is a procuress. In other words, she is hired by men who want a certain female.”

Or child. Matt’s stomach turned when he remembered what Charlotte had said.

Mitchell’s face turned murderous, and Matt couldn’t blame the man. “What about the men who hired her?”

“We’ll capture them as well.” Merton’s voice was as grim as Matt had ever heard it. “Naturally, a trial is out of the question. The only thing it would achieve is to give grist to the gossips.” And ruin Charlotte’s reputation, Matt thought. “However, there are other ways to get rid of the scoundrels.”

“I don’t normally agree with handling crimes outside of the court.” Mitchell glanced at Merton and Matt. “But I also don’t want Miss Cloverly to have to testify in court. So, you do as you please.”

“It will be much easier for everyone if this remains among us.” When Matt had agreed to bring Mitchell with him, he’d forgot about the middling class’s objections to aristocratic privilege. Matt was about to ask again how Charlotte had been kidnapped, when a knock sounded on the door.

“My lords, sir, a coach is coming into the yard.”

A few moments later, a loud male voice boomed from below. “Where are the others?”

“Don’t know, sir,” the landlord said. “I ain’t seen them since last night. Went to another inn drinking, they did.”