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“No.”

“Well, that was very remiss of me.” She was already pulling her boots from the wardrobe. “Because I think today is the perfect day to drive down Tyburn Road and pass the gallows.”

As far as Hannah was concerned, there was never a good day to visit Tyburn Gallows, or any other gallows, for that matter. “I think you may be confusing Tyburn Road with Bond Street,” she said dryly. “We will not be stopping at any shops.”

“Good,” Sophia said, tying the ribbons of her bonnet beneath her chin. “I have already spent my pin money for the month on charcoal and paint. Visiting a haberdashery with no money in one’s reticule would be far more torturous than driving through the puddle-­filled potholes on Tyburn Road.”

Hannah choked back a laugh. Intuition had told her to invite Sophia to go with her on this difficult outing. Already, she was grateful she’d followed the prompting. “Thank you, Sophia.”

Sophia crossed the distance between them and drew her into a warm embrace. “I am so proud of you,” she said. Then she drew back and picked up her cloak from the bed before slipping her free arm through Hannah’s. “Of course, if you still have money to spend and wish to donate it to my new bonnet fund, I shall not deter you from having Prescott stop at one of our favorite millineries on the way back.”

The carriage ride stretched Hannah’s resolve to its limit. Between her awareness of where they were going and her memories of the last time she’d been in the vehicle, she was sorely tempted to call off the entire trip.

Sophia had chosen to sit beside her, which was a blessing. She took Hannah’s hand and held it tightly, not once mentioning how much Hannah’s trembled. Instead, she pointed out various sights of interest as they passed. Mrs. Cartwright’s chrysanthemums blooming unseasonably late, the robin that was cheeky enough to sing atop the holly bush outside Miss Winthrop’s music room, the shiny black barouche that rolled past so quickly it was impossible to identify its occupants, and the size of the puddles compared to what they had been only yesterday.

Hannah managed to express mild interest, but mustering enthusiasm was beyond her. She was fully consumed with battling her inner demons. Whenever her thoughts landed on the highwayman who had stopped the carriage and held her captive, she redirected them to memories of Mr. Ross’s efforts to free her and take her home. If her thoughts strayed to visions of the young pickpocket’s accusatory gray eyes, she pictured Mr. Ross’s concerned gray eyes instead. One way or another, the Bow Street runner had become a lifeline.

“This is it, Hannah.” Sophia’s voice had quieted. “Would you like to drive by or get out for a moment?”

Hannah did not dare look. “Is there anyone here?”

“If you mean, Are they preparing for a hanging?” she said, “Then no. The gallows are clear, as are the seats. There are a handful of people in the square, but as far as I can tell, they are simply passing through.”

“Very well.” Hannah had come this far; she owed it to herself and to Sophia to complete the journey. “I believe I should get out.”

Sophia rapped on the side of the carriage. Instantly, the vehicle slowed and was soon coming to a stop beside a tall building. The carriage swayed as Prescott dismounted. Hannah’s heart thumped uncomfortably in her chest. Was she truly ready for this?

As though Sophia could read her thoughts, she squeezed Hannah’s hand. “I am here,” she said. “And we shall leave the moment you say the word.”

Hannah nodded. Prescott opened the door, and without allowing herself time to think, Hannah stepped outside.

The Tyburn Gallows stood immediately before her, in the center of the square. The gallows itself was a simple wooden structure built upon a platform one could access using half a dozen steps. Two buildings topped with risers stood on either side of the square, their rows of benches and large windows facing the gallows and the vast open area around the scaffolding intended for commoners wishing to view the executions.

For a moment, Hannah simply absorbed the sight, and then, with Sophia at her side, she stepped away from the carriage and approached the gallows. Carriages continued down the road. An old woman carrying a basket walked past. A stray dog looked at them curiously and then wandered off. For everyone else, it seemed, this was an ordinary day. A quiet day with no executions.

“Why?” Hannah whispered, coming to a halt a few yards from the harrowing structure. “Why would anyone wish to watch a hanging?”

“I cannot imagine,” Sophia said.

Hannah looked away. “Earlier today, when I was thinking about the boy I sent to the gallows, I pictured him happier than he was then. Do you think that’s possible?”

“First, and most importantly,” Sophia said, “you sent no one to the gallows! If the boy ended up here, it was because a judge and jury found him guilty of serious wrongdoing. His sentencing had nothing to do with you.”

“But if I had not spoken up, he would not have been caught.”

“You cannot possibly know that,” Sophia said. “Besides, even if it had not been that day, he likely would have been caught at some point. You only have to look at how diligent Mr. Ross has been to know that one of Fielding’s men would have taken him in sooner or later.” She placed her hand to her forehead, as though only now connecting Hannah’s comment to their being here. “Wait. Is this what your nightmares and aversion to Tyburn Gallows have been about all these years?” She shook her head, her expression stunned. “I thought—everyone thought—it was a fear of hangings. But you . . . you blame yourself for what happened to that pickpocket?”

“When I asked Mother what would become of him, she told me he would likely be hanged,” Hannah said quietly. “She was right.”

Sophia groaned. “You cannot change the Bloody Code, Hannah. It’s the law of the land. I repeat, you are not responsible for what happened to him.”

“Then why do I feel it so keenly?”

“Because you are a good person, albeit completely misguided on this issue.”

Hannah wanted to believe her, wanted to be free of this weight around her heart, but Sophia had not seen the look in his eyes. “I betrayed him,” she said.

“He betrayed himself by breaking the law,” Sophia said. “But if it helps, I am quite sure that if he lost his life, he is happier now.”