Page 71 of Charity

The groom sat up suddenly, alert once more. Oscar cursed his lack of foresight. If he’d stayed quiet, he might have been able to get past him and away before he could be stopped.

The groom waved the pistol in his direction. “Now, your lordship. Don’t be taking that tone with me. I got orders, you see, and one does not cross the duke’s man unless one wants to seek employment with the fishes.”

Oscar scowled at the weak, cautious man. If he did not hold a pistol, now aimed exactly at Oscar’s chest, Oscar would have been out of this carriage ten minutes ago and inside the building to find Agatha. However, he couldn’t do anything to help if he sustained another injury. His hand ached enough as it was.

He still hoped to convince Redding’s lackey to be reasonable and let him have his way. But the man appeared utterly opposed to crossing the duke’s man. They’d spoken at length since the duke’s departure, and he’d not conceded one point in Oscar’s favor. Damn foolish loyalty.

Oscar slumped in his seat, imagining the retribution he would bring against the duke’s man should they not return with Agatha within the next five minutes. He pulled out his pocket watch to mark the time. A little before three. Three o’clock seemed a goodly time of day to shoot someone.

As he tucked his watch away again, a carriage passed the end of their lane.

Oscar sat forward as the gleaming Town carriage pulled up before the bawdy house steps. A single lady stepped from it. An elegant lady he recognized only too well.

Yet he had trouble believing his eyes. “Lady Prewitt?”

She swept up the staircase and disappeared inside without a glance left or right. What the devil was she doing visiting a brothel in this, or any, part of Town?

“You know her?”

“The sister of the woman I was tricked into betrothing myself to.” He scrubbed a hand over his face. “Lord and Lady Prewitt have an acquaintance with Mrs. Leyton. I don’t like this.”

Redding could be right. He’d brought this situation upon Agatha.

At the time, he’d dismissed the Leyton woman but now? Now, it seemed he should have paid more attention to why they knew each other.

The groom whistled. “Now that changes matters somewhat.” He held out the weapon to Oscar. “You’d better go, milord.”

“Why agree now?”

The groom jumped out. “That one isn’t right in the head. I mean, who would be, when her husband’s shagging her baby sister right under her nose? Disturbs the mind more than a bit. Even turns my stomach—and I seen a lot, working for the duke.”

“I knew something was going on between that pair,” Oscar growled. All of his suspicions had been vindicated. Prewitt, huh. That explained his possessive presence around Penelope and his reluctance that they be alone.

Prewitt could have Penelope, but he’d go retrieve Agatha now.

The groom held open the door. “Don’t kill ’er. It’s harder to hush up that kind of thing in London than in the country. Too many witnesses to pay off in Town.”

Oscar hurried for the bawdy house door, pistol tucked beneath his coat. The two footmen allowed him to pass without question. To them, he must have seemed like an eager gentleman come for a fuck and little else. He hoped everyone else he passed assumed the same.

He slowed his steps once he entered the house. He’d never come here before and had no idea of the layout. Could he ask the butler to direct him to the newest acquisition? Probably not a wise question to ask immediately, given that he wasn’t a returning customer. But the butler was nowhere in sight to direct him. The foyer was empty.

He eased forward until he heard voices.

“Lady Prewitt, what an unexpected pleasure to see you,” the Duke of Staines purred.

Oscar glanced around the corner just as his uncle tugged Agatha behind his back. The duke’s man was on the ground at the base of the stairs, hand raised to his head in obvious pain. When Redding removed it, the bright stain of blood coated his fingers and the side of his face.

Oscar’s pulse hammered; his breath grew labored.

He checked on Agatha again. So far she appeared unharmed, but Lady Prewitt’s wildly swinging pistol arm gave him pause. It reminded him too much of his previous encounter with a deranged man at Lord Daventry’s estate. He drew back, breath catching in his chest. This was his nightmare come back to life. Only now Agatha was in the middle of it, and he had to save her.

Redding groaned, and when Oscar checked again, he had dragged himself to a seated position. Redding met Oscar’s gaze across the room, but made no other gesture to show he’d recognized him. Was he dazed?

“Are you all right, Redding?”

Redding groaned again. “Yes, Your Grace. It’s just a scratch. Always happens around you. I should be getting used to it by now.”

“You’re slowing up there, old fellow. By the way, there’s still a pistol aimed at me. This is no time to be getting comfortable on the floor. Really, Red, I hardly ever do anything to deserve such an indignity.”