Chapter 16

Chapter 16

Mason had been going from place to place, hoping to learn more about the secret gatherings. It had become exhausting work and was significantly more boring without Isabella's help. Finally, he was gifted a piece of information.

A drunken man in a pub by the railway station had seen a gathering like the one he was seeking information on.

"They said something about meeting again," the man said. "They mentioned something about a bookshop in Covent Garden. It seemed odd to me, but what do I know?"

"You're sure about this?" Mason asked.

The man nodded. "Yes, the whole thing was odd. I couldn't help but listen in."

Mason thanked the man by buying him another drink, and soon the man was sleeping with his head on the table. Mason hoped he would wake, and have forgotten all about their conversation.

The next meeting of the secret society was somewhere significantly safer than the places they'd been visiting up until then. Mason had to decide if he would invite Isabella along. It would be safer for her to be there, it was only a bookstore, but he wasn't sure about it.

She had been on his mind a lot since the last time they'd seen each other. It was proving to be a distraction. He needed his head clear if he was going to go up against a society that behaved the way these men did.

Still, while his mind tried to make a decision, he found that his feet had carried him to Ethan's home.

Ultimately, he had more fun when he was with Isabella. She provided a successful cover story. A newlywed couple on their honeymoon seemed much more trustworthy than a man alone poking his nose into other people's business.

Ethan opened the door. "I was wondering when you'd be around. I assume you've finally found some information."

"Yes," Mason said, stepping through the doorway. "I've tracked this information for days. I need you to deliver a message."

"You're taking her along again?" Ethan asked.

"I think I must, yes," he said.

Mason followed Ethan into his study, where he wrote down the particulars of the information.

"Now, it is imperative that this paper does not leave your home," Mason said. "You are to memorize the details on here and you are to get Miss Harper to memorize them, too. That is how this will work."

"And how do you suppose I arrange this meeting?" Ethan asked.

"Miss Harper goes out each Wednesday to stock up on cakes," Mason said. "Miss Owen feels that's the best place for the two of you to meet. Wait for her outside the bakery."

Ethan nodded. "That will be all then?"

"Thank you," Mason said with a smile.

Ethan sat down ahead of him and leaned back in his chair. "You must be excited to see her again. You spoke so fondly of her last time."

"There is a gunman to catch. Have you forgotten?" Mason asked.

"I have not forgotten," Ethan assured him. "It is precisely for that reason that I must make sure you haven't lost your mind. You need your wits about you."

Mason headed for home then. The entire way there he thought of the next day. It was exciting to know that the next step in his new adventure would soon be underway.

***

Ethan had been inside the bakery, pretending to look at cakes and baked goods, for nearly ten minutes before she walked in. The instant he saw her, he wanted to run out the door. Nerves rushed through him, so he turned his face away, hoping he wouldn't see the flushing in his cheeks.

He glanced at her as she reached for her cakes of choice. There wasn't going to be much time before she left, and he still needed to deliver his message.

"I much prefer chocolate," Ethan said, coming to her side.

Miss Harper startled and looked toward him. "Oh, it's you," she said, relieved.

"I did not mean to frighten you," he said with a laugh. "I've been sent by Mr. Alton."

She took her cakes, and he could see the concern in her eyes. Miss Harper didn't want the message to arrive. He understood her concern. He felt it, too.

"I suppose you have a message?" she asked quietly.

"I do, but I won't give it to you here," he said. "Too many people."

Miss Harper looked around her. "I have a few more stops if you'd like to accompany me," she said.

"Excellent."

He waited for her to buy her cakes, and they left the store together. It was a warm day outside, and they basked in the sun as they walked to the next shop.

It took him entirely by surprise when she tugged on his sleeve and pulled him into a small alleyway between buildings. He stumbled after her, finding himself suddenly much closer to her than he'd expected.

"The message," she said. "What is it? Quick. Before we're spotted."

"The alleyway behind Owen Manor. She is to wait for him there at eleven tomorrow night," Ethan said quickly.

They were so close that he could feel the warmth radiating from her body. He felt a tremor in his hand then.

"Got it," she said. "Give it a few seconds before you follow me out again."

With that, she moved into the sun and away from him. Ethan closed his eyes and took a few seconds to catch his breath. Then he stepped out after her. It took him a few strides to catch up.

"I'm sorry about that," she said. "It was the only way I could make sure we weren't overheard."

"No," he said quickly. "No need to apologize. It was a great idea."

Miss Harper smiled and cast her head downward.

"How are you doing?' she asked, changing the subject to more polite topics. "I must admit I am nervous about all this."

"That makes two of us," Ethan said. "But Mr. Alton is a determined man, and I've learned better than to try and talk him out of anything."

She chuckled. "Miss Owen is much the same. Not that I mean to speak ill of her. She knows what she wants, and I'm afraid there's nothing I can do to stop her."

"Best we can do is help keep them out of trouble where possible, I suppose," Ethan responded.

"We find ourselves in a complicated position then, don't we?" she asked. "How could we ever tame two such adventurous souls?

Ethan could only chuckle. He stuffed his hands into his pockets to resist the urge to reach out and tuck a strand of hair behind her ear. With every step they took, he wanted to get closer to her.

"You must find me awfully boring. I have no sense for adventure at all," she confessed.

"It's better that way, I think," he answered. "I'm a man more drawn to peace than chaos. Adventure-seeking is chaotic. I like a quiet day."

Miss Harper smiled, and it lit a warm flame within him that he knew he would savor for the rest of the day.

"It appears we have that in common."

He wanted to walk with her forever that day. He couldn't, but he held out as long as possible until all her errands were done. By the time they parted, he felt like a renewed man. He had a sense of purpose to his day. To be the best man he possibly could.

***

"Tomorrow?" Isabella asked, excited. "Are you sure?"

"It's not very complicated," Eliza said. "That's what Mr. Langley said. Tomorrow at eleven, in the alleyway behind the house."

Isabella clasped her hands together with eagerness. "Excellent!" she cried. "I was starting to think he'd forgotten me, or decided to cast me aside."

She was jumping out of her skin with anticipation, and she wasn't sure if it was for the adventure or the fact that she'd be able to see Mason again. Already, she was trying to decide which dress to wear and how to style her hair.

Her mind was flooded with places they might go and things they might do together. Would they pretend to be husband and wife again? Or would the next day hold an entirely different experience for her?

"This makes me nervous," Eliza confessed.

"Don't be," Isabella answered. "I can do this. I swear to you I will not put myself in danger."

Eliza looked out the window, and Isabella spotted a slight smile on her lips. She got up and joined Eliza at her side.

"Was it good to see Mr. Langley again?" she asked. "You certainly look as if you've had a wonderful time."

Eliza's cheeks turned pink, and Isabella chuckled then. It was sweet to see Eliza so bashful about it.

"It was pleasant, yes," Eliza said. "We had a good conversation. I was surprised to see him, though."

It was torture waiting until the next night. Isabella was spinning with thoughts of it all. She could not stop her fingers from tapping impatiently against her knee. She checked the time every half an hour.

When it got so late that the rest of the house went to sleep, she only became more eager. It meant the time was coming nearer.

She had settled on a black dress with a black cap. Isabella had always liked the way black looked against her porcelain skin.

"Please don't go," Eliza said as Isabella put the final touches to her look. "I don't feel right about this. Don't catch a cold or get caught out. If your parents learn of this and know that I'm a part of it, there'll be greater consequences than either of us could imagine."

"Don't worry so much," Isabella assured her. "I will be careful. I trust Mr. Alton, and so should you."

Eliza let out a stifled sigh.

"Why do you trust Mr. Langley so much?" Isabella asked. "If I were to take your argument, you have no reason."

"He has given me no reason not to," Eliza answered.

"Mr. Alton has given me no reason not to trust him, too," Isabella explained. "Do not wait up for me. I will see you in the morning, and then I'll tell you all about it."

With that, she snuck through the house and out the back door. Eliza was right, it was freezing outside that night, so she picked up the pace as she walked through the gardens and toward the gate that was tucked behind the hedge.

She opened the gate as quietly as she could and stepped out. That was it, she had left the grounds. It was nearly midnight, and she was unchaperoned and sneaking around in the darkness.

Isabella had never done something so dangerous or tricky. Her heart was pounding in her chest when she finally approached the alleyway.

There, silhouetted, was Mr. Alton. He leaned against the wall, dressed in all black. It was as if a specific scene from a recent book she had read came to life. For a moment, she was so struck by him that she could not find the words to make her presence known.

It was the crunch of a stone beneath her shoe that caught his attention.

"Miss Owen," he said, coming toward her.

As he stepped closer and the space between them closed, he felt his breath get stuck in his throat.

"Mr. Alton," she said quietly.

"I am pleased you came," he said. "And I am sorry it has turned out to be such a cold night."

"I would not refuse an invitation from you," she confessed. "No matter the weather."

In the darkness, she could just make out the corners of his mouth as they curled upward. It seemed that every time she saw him, he was more handsome. She took a deep breath and held it, hoping it would still her fluttering heart.

"Shall we?" he asked, extending an arm to her.

She took it gladly, their nearness causing her knees to weaken. Like that, they were off on their next adventure.

"So, where are we headed?" she asked with a smile.