Chapter 11

"I am bound to add that the excess in too little has ever proved in me more dangerous than the excess in too much; the last may cause indigestion, but the first causes death."

Giacomo Casanova

"Absolutely not! It will not work, and if it does, you could be slain!"

Abbott's outrage was plain. He had been the last to arrive, dressed as a footman rather than a groom, with a great overcoat, buckled shoes, and a powdered wig to conceal his identity. A footman to which household, Julius wondered, not recognizing the livery.

"It might work," cajoled Julius.

Brendan shook his head, clearly of the same mind as Abbott. "We do not know that, and you are a valued friend."

Julius felt frustration rising from his gut. This was why he worked alone. Or with Audrey. She tempered his plans, but did not try to stop him from pursuing his intentions. The young woman had buckets of courage, not to mention she was a useful companion when things went awry. Although … the fact that he now counted a female as one of his closest chums still served to disorient him.

Not just any female, a beguiling one at that!

"It is time we take the knowledge we have gathered to the Home Office. There have been far too many incidents where one of us could have been hurt or killed. Lily …" Abbott swallowed hard, evidently overcome by the recollection of the day his sister had been attacked.

Brendan's face tensed, clearly reliving that terrible day. "I would never forgive myself if something happened to you, Julius."

Well … I suppose I should appreciate that!

Indeed, it warmed the cockles of his heart. Julius valued his friendships above all else. However, that could not be allowed to dissuade him from his commitment. His chums had suffered egregious offenses, and he had it within his grasp to solve their dilemma once and for all.

"We cannot give up our advantage when we are so close to unmasking the murderer."

"We must! I demand we end this investigation and turn it over to the Home Secretary."

Julius narrowed his lids, approaching the taller Abbott with a menacing mien, his temper roused. "Considering I cleared your father-in-law of a heinous crime, and ruined one of my favorite coats with a bloodied slash in a spot that can never be mended …" Julius shook his head in regret. He had loved that coat. "This is my call, Abbott. And I do not care to be told what to do!"

"Easy, gentlemen. Quarreling amongst ourselves will solve nothing," Brendan called from across the room. Julius inhaled to calm himself, before spinning on his heel to retreat before he did something foolhardy, such as hit a larger man while he was recovering from a knife wound.

The baron paced, a thoughtful expression forming on his face. "The clubs are buzzing with talk about your disappearance with Miss Gideon."

Julius's resolve dimmed. The longer they were absent, the more her reputation was being decimated. He hoped that providing her the protection of his name would be sufficient to mitigate the scandal because it had now been six days since she had helped him flee to Aunty Gertrude's.

"What is your point?" His bark belied the nonchalant front he preferred to portray, his belligerence unrestrained with Audrey's welfare on his mind.

Brendan came to a stop, peering at him through the shadows of the dim tack room. "We could plant a story that you are terrified of your father's reaction when he returns, certain that he will cut off your allowance for your dastardly behavior. The earl is healthy, so it will be years before you inherit and access funds from the estate."

Abbott growled from the corner where he was standing. "No!"

Julius grinned. "I am a desperate man, willing to resort to blackmail to secure emergency funds."

"Did you hear me? I said no!" Abbott's tone was both adamant and pleading.

Brendan nodded. "Then, you return home and send the letters to inform the three suspects that you have obtained an interesting letter, which the late baron wrote. A letter you intend on delivering to the Home Office unless someone persuades you to do otherwise, but your time is limited, so a deadline looms."

Folding his arms to think, Julius stared down at the hard-packed earth beneath his feet. "It is a good plan. The murderer might be wary of a trap, but we might incite him if we can trigger his emotions into making a rash move. Or … he may attend the meeting and reveal himself if he believes I can be paid off."

Abbott strode between them, bristling with disagreement.

"Have either of you considered how vexed the earl will be when he returns home to find the family reputation destroyed with rumors? Or how this will affect Miss Gideon?"

Silence fell as they contemplated the questions.

Encouraged that he had caught their attention, Abbott inhaled deeply as if to calm himself. "This is as rash as anything you hope to provoke the killer into doing. We must calculate a better strategy than this. Each time we attempt to uncover the killer, we have made things worse. It is time to take what we know to the Home Office. If the killer makes a run for it, so be it. It is not worth risking anyone's safety."

The reaction Julius felt was visceral. To allow the murderous fiend to escape? After all they had been through, all the work they had done to uncover the facts they now possessed? He would not stand for it.

"I am not ready to give up. Once the killer knows a public investigation has been opened, he will disappear. He must pay for killing the baron, and for hurting the baroness. And what of Michaels? Does he have a say in this since he, too, has been assaulted? Do you forget he was forced to kill another servant to save your sister?"

Abbott stared back at him, a helpless expression on his face. "Do you think that does not keep me up at night? I think of nothing else!"

Brendan raked his hand through his hair, staring into space as he considered the arguments. "What of your father, Trafford? When does he return?"

"I do not know. He left for the Continent but did not provide any details, so he could be gone a few days or a few weeks."

"We shall discuss all these options with the duke. If we agree to proceed, when will you return home?" Brendan's response was a reasonable one. Halmesbury and Lord Saunton had proved reliable allies in the past, and Halmesbury knew the Home Secretary well. Considering the duke's father-in-law had been the murder victim, it seemed ill-advised to exclude him from the decision.

"Miss Gideon wishes me another day or two of rest before I put myself in any danger. Even with runners hiding in the house and here at Aunty Gertrude's, she does not advise physical exertion."

"That is excellent because we need a day or two to put men in place if we proceed with the plan. But … what of Miss Gideon? Abbott is right that the damage to her reputation will be much worse if we fan the flames of rumor doing the rounds."

Julius did not wish to discuss his intentions. He would take care of Audrey, but the details were undetermined, and she deserved to hear from him before his friends did.

"That is my concern," he replied.

Abbott scowled, keeping his distance but his ire on display. "That young lady saved your life!"

Being berated did not sit well, but Julius understood he was debating with two men who had recently chosen to do the honorable thing. Brendan had married Abbott's sister in July under a cloud of controversy because of the drama created by providing him with an alibi, and Abbott had taken his vows just a week ago to abate a similar crisis.

"I am aware … and I will take care of her."

"Blast this intrigue!" Abbott cursed, his face flushed. "I am not made for underhanded ploys!"

Julius was tempted to mock the younger man, to resort to his customary glibness, but he chose the course of logic instead.

"We have all been through great ordeals these past weeks. The two of you were forced to marry under duress." Julius grimaced. As I will soon be. "But all we have been through, all the trials we have endured for the sake of justice, will be for naught if this fiend escapes unpunished. All three of the suspects have their own funds and can slip away to never be heard of again, and I will not stand for it."

Brendan straightened, his expression turning to one of resolve. "I shall discuss the options with the other parties. Mayhap there will be a better plan if we put our heads together."

"I, for one, vehemently refute any plan that damages Miss Gideon's reputation any further. She is an innocent young lady and deserves to be considered in this … this … foolishness!"

The inference that Julius was unconcerned about Audrey aggravated him worse than anything Abbott had ever said to him. "It was Miss Gideon's idea!"

Abbott blinked, his expression dismayed at this revelation.

"Ahem." The feminine throat clearing made the men flinch in surprise. They turned in unison to find Audrey standing in the doorway. Her dainty slippers had muted the sound of her approach, which was rather galling, considering they were meant to have their wits about them in the event of someone attempting to invade the premises.

"There is too much activity out in the alley. A delivery wagon is blocking the way, and a groom is loitering on the other side. I came to alert you gentlemen that at least one of you must remain in here for a little while yet."

Julius nodded in acknowledgment. Audrey bobbed her head, turning on her heel to hurry back to her post and leaving all three of them to watch her departure.

"She is lovely," Brendan finally commented when she was out of earshot. "She seems like quite a catch, Julius. Are you to do the right thing?"

Again with the pressure. Did his friends think him a veritable scoundrel who would desert a gently bred young woman to the feckless judgment of polite society? Did they not trust him to take care of his Audrey?

"Of course I will do the right thing … as soon as I figure out what that is."

Three heavy sighs ensued, all three of them walking over to slump on a bench against the wall to stretch out their legs.

"This has been a hell of a summer," Brendan declared, contemplating the work boots of his disguise.

"That it has been," agreed Abbott. "I am just thankful to have straightened out my botch-up with Gwen. Turns out attempting to unmask a killer has unexpected ramifications and is rather trying on one's nerves. I confess I may have caused some chaos myself with one or two poorly judged decisions."

Julius snickered, his mind racing through the recent bedlam the late Lord Filminster had instigated when he had chosen to attend the coronation back in July.

"If the baron only knew that his death would result in new unions. It is rather ironic considering his insistence that Brendan marry this year. He achieved his goal, if not in the way he might have hoped for."

Abbott scratched around his ear. "Deuce it! The late baron has much to answer for. I am wearing a powdered wig, for the love of heaven!"

They burst out laughing, and Julius acknowledged that if nothing else, he had acquired new chums on his quest to help Brendan with his troubles. It was a comfort, considering there was much melodrama ahead of them.

"I propose we win the day, gentlemen, and not allow a tragedy to unfold. Much has been sacrificed to uncover the truth, and I want to see this scoundrel brought to justice."

"Aye," replied his companions.

Julius's friends left,and Audrey watched from her post, thinking about what she had overheard. That the idea she had proposed would worsen her own situation. A cloying feeling of dread rose each time she thought of returning to the earl's home to face the consequences.

The needs of the patient outweigh any other considerations.

However, now that Julius was on the mend, the other concerns had inevitably made themselves known. Audrey stroked her thumb over the pads of her other fingers in a repetitive motion while she tried to imagine what would happen when she returned across the street. Would she have to face anyone other than the earl? How would the earl react? Would he be furious?

Surely not if I saved his son?

She was not close to Lord Stirling, who was as solemn as Julius had pointed out, but he had always been generous to her. Discovering that he was her guardian had been a surprise, but not overly so. And he had been kind enough when he came to attend Papa's funeral and escort her to London.

Audrey had been grateful to leave Stirling while she recovered from her father's abrupt death. He had been delivering a baby and returned home alone in his curricle in heavy rain. Best they could tell, something had startled his horses, perhaps booming thunder or lightning striking too close, and the curricle had been overturned in their panic, crushing her father. Papa had been instantly killed, a fact for which she was grateful. It was a comfort to know he had not suffered, but … she had. Her entire life had altered in the course of a few hours, and soon after, she had arrived in London, dressed in the black garments of mourning.

At first, she had been relieved to leave Stirling while she was grieving. Audrey knew that the process of healing from her father's death would have been all the worse if she had woken in the familiarity of their home each morning, only to remember he was gone. To go about her day in their home or to visit the village without his presence nearby would have been more than she could have borne.

Instead, she had spent her time walking about the earl's palatial townhouse, enjoying the art of centuries displayed in ornate gilt frames, perusing his fabulous library and, when she had been ready, planning her future without Papa. He had been her parent, her mentor, and her tutor. They had assumed she would continue working at his side for years to come, but she knew wherever her father was now, he was gratified that she had not accompanied him that night.

Unfortunately, they had never discussed how she would succeed as a healer without him. Her first patient and she had immediately been compromised. There were logistics to her being an unmarried young woman that they had not discussed.

Despite the looming controversy, Audrey did not regret what she had done. If there had been time to think, to plan, perhaps they could have conceived an alternate action, but in the heat of the moment, she had made the right decision.

The rules of polite society did not supersede life and death, after all. However, polite society would not concur with her point of view.

"Are you coming?"

Audrey spun around to find Julius standing in the door with a quizzical expression. She had been so absorbed in her thoughts, she had failed to hear him climbing the creaking steps. She nodded, walking over to join him. They descended to the lower level, and Audrey realized her companion was rather more subdued than usual.

"What was the outcome?" she asked as they crossed to exit the mews, curious about what occupied his thoughts.

"Hmm … they wish to discuss it with the other men. The duke, and his cousin Saunton, who is husband to Abbott's cousin. Abbott wishes to determine less risky alternatives, so … I suppose I shall rest until they return. I cannot proceed without their agreement—at least, not without great risk. I must consider your involvement."

Julius paused midway in the garden, turning to gaze at her. "I want to thank you."

He shook his head, his wheat mop glowing in the morning light. Audrey ached with the desire to comb her fingers through the wild tangle, to stand on tiptoes and press a kiss to the firm lips that had claimed her own over the previous days.

She nibbled at her lip, remonstrating herself for her maudlin sentimentality. She was behaving like returning home, parting ways with Julius … she was behaving as if she had been condemned to the gallows.

Julius moistened his lips, clearly wanting to say more but struggling to find the words. Audrey took pity, interjecting when he continued to search for what to say. "It was my pleasure, Julius Trafford."

He was wearing the forest green coat from the day before, which picked out the color in his fascinating two-toned eyes. Some would consider the strange brown spots a flaw, but she thought it was endearing. It was a visible mark of his eccentric character. The character that accepted her credibility as a physician without question, and thought nothing of her donning masculine clothing to join him in the domains of men. Those eyes were staring deep into her soul, emotions coiling in their depths that she could not decipher.

At that moment, her stomach emitted a mortifying grumble and Julius's buoyant spirits were restored, his face breaking into a wide grin. "Shall we eat?"

Audrey could feel the heat that was climbing her neck at the embarrassing bodily function choosing to interrupt so rudely. Her chuckle was rueful as she nodded. Whatever he had wanted to say would have to wait.