Chapter 13

Chapter Thirteen

Aaron was too stunned to move.

Fear crept into his heart like a malevolent spirit out to destroy every shred of hope. It choked the breath from his lungs. It taunted him and left him feeling as helpless as the night his stepmother barged into his bedchamber with hired thugs and threw him and his brothers out.

"Aaron." His name was a terrified whisper from Joanna's lips. She scrambled to sit up, grabbing his arms, clinging to him as if afraid to let go.

"Should I fetch Miss Lovelace?" Flynn called from beyond the door, his grave tone adding to Aaron's torment. "I can send Delphine."

"No. Pour Daventry a drink. I'll fetch her." Aaron waited to hear Flynn's retreating footsteps before helping Joanna to her feet. "Take a breath. We've prepared for this. I'll not let them take you."

She fell into his arms, holding him tightly, her fingers sinking into his flesh as she anchored herself to him. "What if we're too late? What if I must leave with Mr Daventry now?"

The scenario played out in Aaron's mind. "I'll restrain him and tie him up and we'll make a hasty escape." It would be a fight that would alter his destiny.

She looked at him through teary eyes. "But you would be arrested upon your return. I can't let you do that. I can't let you sacrifice everything you've worked hard for, everything you've achieved."

I'll leave with you , he wanted to say.

But the bonds of brotherhood were an anchor, as strong as the iron chain that held it secure. Abandoning his family was not an option.

You could marry Rothley , he thought to suggest, but the words burnt like acid on his tongue.

Aaron brushed a lock of hair from her face and cupped her cheeks. "You'll not hang for a crime you didn't commit. I have a boat waiting and a crew willing to sail at a moment's notice. Sigmund has agreed to accompany you and remain with you indefinitely."

Tears slipped down her cheeks. "I don't want to leave."

"You must. You have no choice. I shall keep your club open in your absence." And there would be a war. No more tiptoeing in the shadows. He would sweep through the ton like a tempest of destruction, forcing his foes to their knees. "I shall do everything in my power to bring you home again. Ignore what I say to Daventry tonight. He cannot know of our plan."

Her hands moved over his back as if memorising every muscle. "How has it come to this? Why are we being punished when we've suffered more than most?"

He wished he knew the answer.

"One day, it may all become clear." He exhaled deeply. "I need to find a shirt while you straighten your skirts. Then we'll ask Daventry about the warrant."

They dealt with the tasks silently amid a heavy cloud of despair .

Aaron led Joanna to the drawing room where Daventry was pacing, not lounging in the chair, casually sipping brandy.

"I thought we had another day until the magistrate called us in for questioning." Anger infused Aaron's tone, though it wasn't Daventry's fault they were in this predicament.

Daventry came straight to the point and confirmed their worst fears. "The Thames Police received an anonymous letter informing them of Miss Lovelace's unpleasant history with Lord Howard."

Aaron's pulse soared. Who was this anonymous devil causing havoc with their lives? "They cannot arrest her on hearsay."

"It proves she had a motive for murder."

"It proves nothing."

"The letter was quite detailed," Daventry said, trying to be delicate. He turned to Joanna. "Your acquaintance with the maid, Lucia, has been called into question. A witness places Lucia at the pawnbroker's shop with Lord Howard. It's been suggested you were in cahoots to snare him in a trap. Lucia lured him to your house because he believed she was the opera singer Madame Rossellini. Lucia stole the murder weapon while at Mrs Flavell's party and together you conspired to kill him."

A chill swept over Aaron. They were dealing with a master manipulator. "It's supposition. None of it is true."

"It's enough for a jury to convict her of murder." Daventry looked uneasy. Was he out of his depth for the first time in his professional career? "Finding your father's watch in Howard's pocket doesn't help matters. It's thought she might have been trying to frame you."

"That's preposterous," Joanna cried, dashing tears from her cheeks while Aaron's family looked on. "Everything is being twisted to suit the villain's purpose. I would never hurt Mr Chance."

An unwelcome thought entered Aaron's mind. One certain to offend the woman he might lose for good. "Could Rothley be involved? He's obsessed with the death of his friend. Marrying Miss Lovelace would ease his guilt, but he knows he must force her hand."

"Even Rothley couldn't save her from this."

Joanna's nostrils flared. "It's not Gabriel."

"Then he won't mind answering a few questions when I visit him tomorrow." Aaron turned his attention to Daventry. "Are you here to arrest her?"

"No. I persuaded the magistrate to give you the time you requested. You have until eight o'clock tomorrow night. Then you'll both be taken in for questioning. There's a constable stationed across the street outside The Burnished Jade. I've been ordered to remove your carriage from the mews to ensure she cannot abscond. Your coachman will follow me to the Thames Police Office."

Aaron kept calm. Joanna's life depended upon it. "I'll come with you. We need to call at The Saracen's Head. Godby has a room there."

Daventry narrowed his gaze. "I expect you have a plan. Don't breathe a word of it to me. I'll not lie under oath."

"You'll escort me to the inn while I rouse Godby. That's all. And you will accompany me when I question the suspects tomorrow. Miss Lovelace will remain here with Delphine. You'll tell the constable you've placed her under house arrest. He can access the premises at any time to vouch for her whereabouts."

With a curious frown, Daventry nodded. "Agreed."

"Does anyone have the time?" Aaron said.

Flynn checked his watch. "Almost half-past two."

"I'll meet you at Parker's residence at noon," he informed Daventry. "Bring Lucia with you. Godby knows Miss Stowe's address." Aaron reviewed the plan in his mind. "My family will arrive in the morning. Until the murderer is in custody, I insist they reside here. "

"Your family pose no threat. As long as Miss Lovelace follows orders, I see no issue." Daventry glanced at Aaron's open-necked shirt. "I'll wait while you fetch a coat."

"I don't need a coat. Time is of the essence."

The plan went smoothly.

Daventry escorted Aaron to The Saracen's Head across the street and waited in the yard while he fetched Godby. For the second consecutive night, his coachman occupied a room with Sigmund and a woman named Miss Bryant.

Sigmund pushed out of the rickety wooden chair he used for a bed. "Happen your worst fears have come true, then."

Aaron nodded, banishing the rising dread that threatened to overwhelm him. "Be ready to leave in half an hour. Do you have the money, letters and jewels?"

"I have everything I need." Sigmund patted his greatcoat pocket as proof and gestured to Joanna's portmanteau near the door. "I forced the back window and packed what I could off the list. I hope the lady appreciates you risking your neck to save her."

"I've evaded death more times than I can count. Let's pray I'm as lucky this time." Aaron studied the woman whose brother owed him more money than most men earned in a lifetime. "Do this without rousing suspicion, and I'll give you the vowels. Remember, if questioned, say you warm my bed on occasion. Tell them you undressed in my chamber and discovered someone had stolen your clothes when you woke."

Miss Bryant gave an unladylike snort. "I assure you, I'll not admit to helping a suspected felon escape. That would make me a criminal."

Aaron left with Godby and met Daventry in the yard beside the horseless carriage, the empty shell a symbol of a journey come to an end.

Daventry kept the conversation to a minimum. "I've spoken to the constable as requested." He told Godby to ready Aaron's carriage and follow him to the Thames Police Office. "I'll drive you home again."

Aaron returned to Fortune's Den, stopping to talk to the constable stationed outside The Burnished Jade. He explained his plans for tomorrow and that Miss Lovelace would not be leaving the house.

"My mistress will join me for an hour." He described Miss Bryant as a luscious brunette with a mouth made for sin. "As I'm not under arrest, I see no problem with a brief visit. Do you?"

The constable grinned. "I'm to watch the premises and make sure Miss Lovelace doesn't leave. Mr Daventry didn't warn against nocturnal visits."

"Good." Aaron patted the man's back. "Someone with Miss Lovelace's golden hair and striking looks would be impossible to miss."

"That's what my sergeant said."

Once back at Fortune's Den, Aaron found his family comforting Joanna in the drawing room. The sight made his heart lurch. She didn't deserve to suffer. But his enemy had played a winning hand in this game of wits.

Who despised him so much he'd hurt an innocent woman?

The answer Aaron had been avoiding assaulted his mind.

Was his father alive?

Had Ignatius Chance returned from the grave to give him a beating?

No. Aaron had stood beside the body in the open casket and condemned his father to eternal damnation. Still, doubts surfaced. Was the scene staged? He'd not checked to make sure the body was cold. Mere hours later, Aaron had been evicted from the house.

"We don't have much time," he said, banishing bitter memories from the past. "You need to change out of those clothes, Joanna. Delphine will help you."

"What's this all about?" Mrs Maloney said, worried .

"You heard what Daventry said, but I'll explain it in greater detail later. You can help by sending notes to my brothers, instructing them to pack a valise and be here by ten o'clock." He explained what to include in the letters.

"It sounds like we're at war," Delphine said.

"We are, though I'm still trying to identify the enemy."

Flynn offered some insight. "In cases like these, timing is key. Why now? What threat do you pose? It strikes me the answer lies with the Earl of Berridge."

They had avoided questioning the earl, but there was no reason to hide anymore. "I'm convinced Berridge is involved and will visit him later today."

Unbeknownst to his kin, Aaron had climbed the steps to their uncle's house once before. They'd been on the streets for days, and he'd gone cap in hand to ask for help. He'd been left standing in the cold, shivering to his bones. Berridge appeared, threw a bucket of vegetable peelings over him, called Aaron the scum of the earth and slammed the door shut.

He thought of that moment every time he raised his fists to fight.

A sudden knock on the front door brought the decoy.

Miss Bryant had hidden her blonde hair beneath a chestnut-brown wig. Her breasts were practically spilling out of her fashionable red dress, and her rouged cheeks made her look every bit a courtesan.

She stroked Aaron's arm affectionately, and he tried not to flinch. "The constable is watching. I suggest you kiss me if you want to make this look authentic."

Every muscle in his body stiffened, but he smiled for the constable's benefit and kissed Miss Bryant on the mouth. For good measure, he patted her bottom as he shut the door.

"You know what to do," he said, annoyed he'd broken his vow not to kiss another woman. Surely it didn't count. "You've been through this with Sigmund ten times. I'll return your brother' s vowels to you tomorrow. I can give him a beating, too, if you think it will knock sense into his addled brain."

The young woman sighed. "Sadly, there's no hope for him. I'm having him kidnapped and put on a boat to India. First, I need to be sure his creditors won't come banging on my door demanding payment."

The news brought light relief. It was reassuring to know other people faced similar burdens. "I hope you've told no one else of your plan."

"Of course not. I'm telling you so you know you can trust me."

As time was precious, he ushered the woman upstairs.

Half an hour later, Aaron was waiting in the hall.

Joanna descended the stairs, the brown wig hiding her golden locks, her heaving breasts almost spilling out of the red dress that was a tad too big around the waist.

It hurt to look at her.

It hurt to think of what might happen tomorrow.

Tears streaked her cheeks, but she dashed them away. "Will I ever see you again?" She reached for his hands and squeezed them tightly. "Will this nightmare ever end?"

He didn't care that Delphine lingered in the background. He kissed Joanna tenderly on the lips. "I'll do everything in my power to put this right. But I need you to be brave. Surviving must be your priority."

She sniffed back tears and nodded. "Will you reassure my ladies? Tell them I've not abandoned them. If my father returns, you must prevent him from taking ownership of The Burnished Jade."

If her father returned, Aaron would toss him in the Thames.

"I will deal with everything in your absence." Knots twisted in his stomach. Emotions gathered in his chest like storm clouds, ready to burst. "But you must go now. I'll follow later to ensure you've reached your destination but will keep my distance. "

Her eyes widened. "You can't ride all the way to Dover. You'll not be back in time to meet Mr Daventry at noon."

He drew her closer, kissed her cheek and whispered, "You're not going to Dover. Do as Sigmund says. You'll be safe with him. He's waiting for you in the yard of The Saracen's Head. Hush. Say nothing." If questioned, he did not want Delphine to lie. "I'm going to kiss you at the door. Let the constable think we've spent a rampant half an hour together. Tell me when you're ready."

She brought his hand to her lips and pressed a lingering kiss to his palm. "Saving yourself must be your priority now. Don't let the devil beat you. Don't die, Aaron. The world needs strong men like you."

Strong? He felt as weak as a kitten.

"And you must be a good girl," he teased, "not a mischievous imp."

"I'll try." She inhaled deeply a few times. "Open the door."

He obliged, raising a hand to the constable before taking Joanna in his arms. He took her mouth, anchoring her to him like she was his life force, like his heart would stop beating without her, like his lungs would be depleted of air.

He tasted her salty tears. Felt the agonising torment in every deep plunge of her tongue. Inhaled the sweet scent of roses on her skin. Heard every desperate sigh. Knew she wouldn't stop kissing him, and he must be the one to break contact.

"Follow Sigmund's instructions," he said.

She cupped his bristled cheek. "I pray I'll see you again."

"You must believe it's possible. Now go before the constable grows suspicious. And giggle like you've just had the ride of your life."

He would never forget her parting smile.

One of pleasure tinged with immense sorrow.

"Same time tomorrow, minx," he called.

She laughed and waved. "You might last longer next time. "

Aaron stood in the doorway, watching until she entered The Saracen's Head, the crushing ache in his chest a sensation he had never known. He didn't breathe again until Sigmund drove the hackney cab out of the yard, and the vehicle disappeared into the blackness.

He closed the door, resting his forehead on the wood.

Seconds passed as memories of their last days together repeated like a well-loved play—a kaleidoscope of unforgettable moments.

"It's obvious you're in love with her," Delphine said, closing the gap between them and placing a comforting hand on his shoulder. "We always teased you about it, but I've never witnessed a greater display of love in my life."

Aaron pushed away from the door and faced Delphine, the pain in his throat making it hard to speak. "Loving someone isn't always about happy endings. I can live without her as long as she's safe."

She brushed his hair from his brow. "Your ability to do the right thing distinguishes you from other men. It would have been easy to keep her here and risk fighting your foes."

In this moment of weakness, he revealed his greatest fear. "Many men want to hurt me. What better way than through those I love? I had to let her go. I must let her go if she returns."

"Is that why you've not told her you love her?"

"She needs a man who'll battle a storm for her." Not someone who had complicated his life with a constant fear of failure.

"Is that not you?"

He sighed. "She makes me forget everyone else exists. You know why that's dangerous. I can't protect you all and be everything she needs."

A coy smile touched Delphine's lips. She didn't make the foolish mistake of advising him to forget his family. "There is a way to strengthen your defences though you won't like it one bit."

He narrowed his gaze, knowing the road she referred to was one he refused to tread. "I'll not appeal to the King to be named heir to an earldom. I'd rather cut out my tongue and serve it for supper."

Delphine shrugged. "Aramis could run the club. You could sit in the House of Lords and terrify them into making sensible decisions. As a peer, you would be practically untouchable."

"I'm a gaming hell owner, not a lofty lord."

"Your grandfather was the Earl of Berridge, as was his father before him. You're the true heir, not an imposter. Ignatius Chance sold his birthright, not yours. You could right the wrongs of the past."

Everything she said made sense, but even if the King agreed, it would mean bearing a title he despised to the depth of his bones, adopting the family name he hated with a vengeance.

"It's too much to contemplate when my heart is heavy." He straightened. All that mattered was proving Joanna's innocence. "There is much to do tomorrow. I need to rest for a few hours, though I doubt I'll sleep."

Delphine laughed. "We both know sleep isn't on your agenda. I heard you say you're following Miss Lovelace to ensure she arrives at the destination."

Aaron smiled. "As far as you know, I'm asleep upstairs with my door locked." Not clambering over the high wall in the yard and claiming his tethered horse from St James' churchyard. "Once I know Joanna has made the first leg of the journey, I'll return home to demand our brothers move into their old rooms."

"Is Miss Lovelace staying at an inn?"

Aaron tapped his finger to his lips. "The less you know, the better."

"You might have said goodbye there and had an hour's privacy. You might have shown her how deep your passions run without saying it in words. Given her a memory to treasure." She tapped his arm playfully before walking away and calling, "Just a thought."

It was a thought he couldn't shake from his mind as he dressed. A thought he considered as he scaled the wall and broke curfew. A thought that plagued him every mile on the ride to Gravesend.

Joanna wasn't staying in the popular Pier Hotel but in the quieter Pope's Head tavern. Sigmund was in the taproom when Aaron arrived, supping ale at a table by the window, watching the schooners and barges navigate the Thames. Dawn was upon them, the sunrise slowly illuminating the river in a soft, misty glow.

Aaron threw off his heavy riding coat and pulled up a chair. "How is she?"

"As anyone would be when they feel they've lost everything."

"Did you find McMillan?"

Sigmund nodded and downed a mouthful of ale. "He took the cab and horse as payment for passage. We're leaving for Southend at nine and boarding a ship to Ostend at high tide tonight. I'll know more when McMillan returns."

"When you reach Ostend, send a blank letter to Godby's sister." Then Aaron would know they had arrived at their destination. "Find a remote hotel while you look for permanent lodgings. I'll come for you once I've buried the Earl of Berridge."

Sigmund shifted in the seat. "There's something different about this one—a bad feeling gnawing away in my gut. You need me at home, not miles across the North Sea."

Aaron could feel Sigmund's frustration but needed him to concentrate on the task. "If I'm to fight to the death, I need you here. I can't be a ruthless bastard when she consumes my thoughts."

Sigmund gripped his tankard in his meaty paws like it was the villain's scrawny neck. "I hate feeling helpless. You know that."

Aaron reached across the table and gripped Sigmund's arm. "You've been a loyal friend all these years. Protect her like you would me. That's all I ask of you."

Sigmund sighed and then offered every reassurance. "Will you visit her before you return to London?"

No! It would add to the torment.

"I'm not sure that's wise."

He had an hour to spare before taking to the road. Saying goodbye would be harder this time, and he was already dying inside.

"There's nothing wise about any of this, but happen you know that already." Sigmund glanced at the ceiling. "Remember, some memories have to last a lifetime. A few good ones might keep the nightmares away. Nothing destroys a man like the pain of regret."

Aaron forced a grin. "When did you become the voice of reason?"

"When you cracked a smile for the first time in ten years."