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The misgiving blossomed into fear.

Nothing made sense. Why would Lord Timothy decide to take the children at this late hour? And why would his wife fail to accompany him on a matter of such great import? Surely Lady Timothy, if not the man himself, would have understood the children would be in distress to be taken from their home and their mother. A calming, feminine presence would have been rational.

She couldn’t shake the feeling that if she sent Reggie and Catherine off with Lord Timothy tonight, she would never see either of them again.

By the time she reached the nursery, her decision was made. The children were just beginning their ablutions for the evening when she entered to a chorus of excited Mamas.

“My darling ones,” she said, struggling to maintain her composure and keep the worry from her voice. “How would you like to go on a little adventure with Alice?”

The nursemaid gave her a questioning look.

“I loves aventures,” Catherine declared.

“Are you coming along, Mama?” Reggie asked astutely.

She forced a smile. “I will be along later. For now, it’s very important that you play a game with Alice. The game is to stay very quiet and to follow her closely. You cannot say a word, not even a sneeze, or you shall lose. Understand?”

“Understand.” Catherine shook her head. “Can I bring Rosebud?”

“Of course you can, poppet.” She turned to her son. “Reggie, go and help your sister find Rosebud, while I speak with Alice, please.”

To her immense relief, he did without argument, the two trotting off together. She turned to the nursemaid. “Alice, I need you to do something very important for me. Take the children at once, and go down the servants’ stair. Call for the carriage and have the coachman take you to the Duke of Prestwick. When you reach Prestwick, tell him at once that Lord Timothy has come to take the children, and that I need the duke to keep them safe.”

Alice’s eyes were wide, her chin trembling. “My lady?”

“Please,” she breathed. “I’m begging you, Alice. His Grace will know what to do. Just take Catherine and Reggie to him.”

Alice’s head bobbed. “Yes, my lady. I will, my lady.”

“At once,” she urged.

“Come along, children,” Alice said brightly.

With Rosebud tucked under her arm and Reggie’s hand wrapped around hers, Catherine followed Alice out the door. Reggie looked back once, his countenance uncertain.

“I love you,” Ophelia called after them.

She held her breath until they were gone from sight, and then she calmly waited for Lord Timothy to realize she wasn’t bringing the children to the drawing room as she had claimed she would.

Apollo was playing billiards with Mal when the sound of anxious voices in the hall caught his attention.

Mal finished his shot and straightened, sending him a questioning look. “Are you unexpectedly hosting a circus this evening, old chap?”

“Not that I’m aware of.” Frowning, he hung up his cue stick and headed into the hall to ascertain the source of the commotion.

Two copper-headed children rushed to him, wrapping their arms around his legs.

He laid a hand on each of their beloved heads. “Reggie and Catherine, where is your mama?”

That was when he glanced up to find the worried expression on Aphrodite’s face and the children’s distraught-looking nursemaid.

“Where is Phee?” he demanded of his sister. “What has happened?”

“We’re playing a game that Mama telled us to play,” Catherine chirped in her innocent little voice. “She said we needed to be quiet and listen to Alice.”

“She seemed worried,” Reggie said, his small face pinched with fears of his own.

Dear God.