“Fine. Busy making arrangements for a ship to transport us back to England. You’re to be ready to sail tonight.”
“Yes, well, we may need to revise that plan.” She tapped her chin. “I think it would be better if I returned after we’ve found John.”
“Ah—” Dewhurst shifted and pulled on the cuffs of his riding coat. “I believe Selbourne intends to go on alone,” he said and took a step back.
Lucia frowned. “That won’t do. Now we’re so close to finding John, Alex needs me more than ever.” Not to mention, if he forced her to leave tonight, she’d never know if Alex could be reformed. No, it would not do at all.
She glanced at Dewhurst. He was eyeing her warily.
“I need to talk to Alex,” Lucia said. Dewhurst was obviously not going to help. “Will he be back soon?”
“Yes.” Dewhurst looked relieved. “In fact, he’s downstairs with Madame Loinger right now.”
Lucia nodded and bit her lip. She was going to have to think of an argument for why she should stay. Quickly.
“If that is all—” Dewhurst began.
Lucia snagged his sleeve. “Lord Dewhurst, you must forgive me for not expressing my appreciation earlier for your help last night. If you hadn’t appeared when you did, I don’t know what might have happened.”
Dewhurst waved a hand, his face reddening slightly. “It was nothing, Miss Dashing. I was in the neighborhood and thought I might throw a rub in the way of those thugs.”
Lucia shook her head. The more she got to know the easygoing dandy, the more she liked him. Genuinely liked him. “Lord Dewhurst, would you call me Lucia?” she said on impulse. “I know I’ll have to pretend I don’t know you when we return to London, but for now do you think it terribly improper?”
“Not at all, Miss—Lucia. Not at all. And you must call me Freddie.”
“Very well, Freddie,” she said, thinking the new, informal atmosphere a perfect lead in to her next question. “If you don’t mind my asking, how is it that you happened to be ‘in the neighborhood,’ as you say? How did you get to Calais so quickly when I saw you in Town the night we were taken?”
He arched a tawny brow. “So you want to know all my secrets, eh?”
“If you don’t mind divulging one or two.” She gave him an overly coy look, and he shook his head. “Very well, but this is confidential,” he cautioned with a raised finger. She nodded earnestly. “Hodges came to my town house immediately after you had been abducted. I rather thought he intended to give me the what for after I barged in on you and Selbourne.” He leaned against the door leisurely.
Lucia lowered her eyes, no longer feeling flirtatious. “You thought no such thing. I’m certain you realized Alex needed your assistance immediately.”
“I daresay I was hiding under my bed.” He winked at her. “But I like your version better.”
Lucia laughed. “Be serious.”
Dewhurst shrugged. “Very well, then, if I must play the hero, that version of the story is that Hodges came to me and explained your situation. He’d followed you and noted the ship you boarded and asked around until he determined the destination. I decided the best course of action was to go directly to Winterbourne.”
Lucia’s stomach dropped. Oh, Lord! Ethan knew.
“And I must add,” Freddie continued, “your brother-in-law does not appreciate interruptions to his sleep. In fact, he was in quite a miff. And he looked absolutely atrocious. I cannot tell you—”
“Freddie!”
“Sorry. Where was I? Oh, yes. In spite of Winterbourne’s temper, I explained the circumstances, and he agreed to accompany me to the yacht.”
“Yacht?”
“Yes, Selbourne’s yacht, The Incognito.”
“You’re hoaxing me? The Incognito?”
Freddie raised a hand. “I know, I know but it came with that name apparently. Terrifying vessel, really.” Freddie shuddered. “Don’t know why anyone would want to even think about leaving solid land.”
“Freddie, I thought this was the heroic version,” Lucia reminded him.
“Oh, yes. In that case, I am really quite a good sailor. Never been seasick in my life. In fact, I could man the entire ship myself. Don’t even need a crew. Worthless lot! Damn near threw them off the ship, in fact. But far be it from me to make a mull of Selbourne’s affairs. If he wants a crew, well then, I thought I had better keep them.”
