Vow of Deception (The Ministry of Curiosities #9)(76)

Gus jabbed him in his ribs with his elbow.

"Mr. Ironside?" I asked as he led us to a nearby cart. "You called Alice a princess just now."

"It's Sir Markell," said the cart driver. He glanced at Alice and dipped his head, although he kept his gaze on her. She nodded at him and he blushed.

"Sir Markell?" I prompted.

"She is the queen's niece," the advisor said. "Hence she is a princess. She has been stripped of that title, however, by order of Her Majesty."

"Why does the queen think she committed treason? Alice came here as a little girl. She's done nothing wrong in your realm."

He leaned on the pommel in the same way his father did. "It will all become clear in the trial."

"But how can she prepare a defense if she doesn't know the charge?"

"Enough questions!" bellowed the general, rejoining us. "Sir Markell, stay at the back of the line."

The younger man rode off, but not before he took one last, long look at Alice.

Seth huffed out a breath. "Prick."

"Seth," I hissed. "Don't anger them."

"You!" The general pointed to me. "What is your name?"

"Charlie Holloway."

"You are a commander, Charlie Holloway. Your people follow you. Are you queen in this realm?"

Despite everything, I smiled. "No."

He grunted then signaled for the cart driver to walk on. We jerked forward and fell into a steady rhythm. It didn't take long before Lichfield was far behind us, and the trees lining the edge of Hampstead Heath gave way to houses. The gray pall of central London shrouded the city ahead. It would swallow us before long.

"It's quite a walk," I told the general, riding ahead of us, his back stiff and head high.

"My men are used to walking," he said without turning around.

"We must move quickly." The sun had beaten back the dawn but still hung low on the horizon. Thanks to the early hour and being a Saturday, few commuters were out. Even so, we caused a sensation on the streets and considerable chaos for the traffic. Drivers waved their fists and shouted for us to move, once they got over their initial shock.

"They'll think we're a circus troupe," Alice said. "I hope."

"Ain't like Barnum and Bailey's," Gus said. "Remember that, Seth?"

Seth didn't respond. He hunkered down, his knees drawn up, and glared at General Ironside's back. Seth was not a brooder, but these circumstances were far from normal. In Lincoln's absence, he must feel responsible for our safety.

"It'll be all right," I told him. "Alice will not return to Wonderland."

"Is that so?" he said darkly. "Then perhaps you can enlighten me. What happens after the army has destroyed Swinburn? How will you stop them taking Alice? Or killing us?"

"The imp."

"The imp that you do not have."

I was saved from answering by the general riding back to ask for directions. We spent the rest of the journey directing him in between silences as deep and dark as a pit.

The army was not silent, however. I could hear them marveling over some of our engineering feats, from the water pump to The Great Western Royal Hotel at Paddington Station. I could only guess what they'd make of a train if they saw one. They seemed somewhat primitive compared to us.

"How big is this village?" asked the cart driver. He tilted his head to peer up at the roofs of the townhouses near Regents Park and whistled.

"It's a city," I told him. "And you've only seen a small portion."

The sight of Kensington Palace had him almost running off the road, but a sharp word from his general returned his focus.

We arrived at Swinburn's house after an hour of brisk walking. It was still early for most of the upper classes but their servants were out and about.

"Just a circus troupe passing through," Gus told them cheerfully. He waved. One or two waved back, but most simply stared.

"Knock on that door there," I told the general when we arrived at Swinburn's house. "Ask for Sir Ignatius."

The general ordered one of his men to do it. Jenkin the footman opened the door on the third knock and gasped. He fell back a step and tried to shut the door, but the soldier wedged himself into the gap.

"Jenkin!" I called out. "Fetch Sir Ignatius immediately."

Jenkin disappeared. A moment later, Swinburn stood in the doorway, dressed in a well-tailored dove-gray suit.

"What is the meaning of this?" he demanded. "Who are you?"

"General Ironside of the Wonderland Army," the general said. "Is this him, Miss Alice?"

Swinburn squinted. "Miss Holloway? Is that you? What the devil is going on?"

I jumped down from the cart. One of the soldiers thrust his sword at my throat. The cold steel halted me in my tracks. Seth and Gus rose but I warned them not to make any rash moves.

"This army is from another realm and they will destroy you," I told Swinburn. "Unless you have Lincoln released from jail."

"His arrest is nothing to do with me! I can't get him released."

"It's everything to do with you. You are pulling Mr. Yallop's strings, just like you pulled Mr. Salter's and Lady Harcourt's."