“My dear, you do not have to regard me as if I were made of glass,” she teased the younger woman. “I have had enough of that from my brother, thank you very much.”
The Duke looked at her grimly. “Please stop making light of everything that happens. Clearly, we are no longer safe here in London.”
Claire nodded in agreement. “Your Grace is right. I’m afraid our attackers only grow bolder by the day.”
“They grow bolder until they get caught,” Lady Suzanna remarked.
“I think it is time we head back to Minsbury Park,” Oliver told both of them. “It is not acceptable that we sit here while they start throwing rocks at us. I will not gamble with your safety.”
Claire felt her heart clench for him. He was clearly under a lot of stress as he paced across the study, his jaw clenched so tight she feared his muscles would snap. She longed to reach out for him and comfort him but feared that it would be highly improper to do so.
He caught her gaze for a moment and her heart stopped in her chest before it started beating faster. He was so handsome and as much as he wanted to be strong for both of them, she could sense that he feared for their safety while they were in London.
“I shall tell Trixie and her governess to prepare for the journey,” she said, before leaving the study.
She immediately headed for her sister’s rooms and roused Trixie from her sleep. As her younger sister blearily rubbed at her eyes, she hurriedly woke the governess and started throwing clothes into valises until her sister looked at her like she had gone mad.
“Claire! What are you doing?” Trixie exclaimed.
“We are no longer safe in London!” she said grimly. “There has been another attack and it narrowly missed Lady Suzanna. His Grace means for us to leave for Minsbury Park as soon as possible!”
At her words, Trixie immediately got up and started packing her things while Claire hurried back to her rooms to secure her sketchbooks and journals.
She quickly changed into her traveling clothes and in less than an hour, she and Trixie were standing in the foyer, a little dazed but ready to take on the journey back to Minsbury Park.
Lady Suzanna, too, came out in her traveling clothes and looked at them with a smile. “We shall be safer in the country until all this blows over,” she assured them. “Minsbury Park is quite safe and we know everybody there.”
“Quite right,” Oliver seconded, striding into the foyer with a grim expression. “As long as the criminal remains at large, none of us will be safe here in London. The events of tonight proved just as much.”
Trixie looked visibly shaken as she clung to Claire, who gave her sister’s arm a reassuring squeeze. “You know best, Your Grace. We trust in your judgment.”
He nodded curtly. “I will do everything within my power to protect you.” His gaze swept across all of them. “All of you.”
He turned to Lady Suzanna. “I fear that our carriage has been marked and we will be followed if we used it. I have instructed Smithson to hire two more carriages. Our own carriages will serve as a decoy while we take another route back to Minsbury Park.”
“That is wise,” Lady Suzanna agreed.
“Also, I have alerted Mr. Harrold to the peril surrounding our journey. He will be taking a different carriage to meet with us at Minsbury Park.” He turned to Claire. “From there, we will discuss what needs to be done and how we must proceed until the blackguard has been captured.”
She nodded and held Trixie tighter.
His Grace would never forsake us, she thought fiercely.
A few moments later, the steward announced that the carriages were ready and they discreetly boarded the nondescript conveyances.
As Trixie clung to her, Claire began to pray in earnest for their safety. Her heart was pounding rapidly in her chest as their carriage made its way out of the city under the cover of darkness but she needed to be strong for her younger sister.
Father, please watch over us from wherever you are.Please keep us all from harm and bring these criminals to justice…
Suddenly, the carriage was jolted violently and Claire let out a small scream.
“Claire!” Trixie cried out. “What is happening?”
“I have no idea,” Claire told her sister. “But you must keep quiet.”
“I am scared,” her sister whimpered.
“Do not fret. I am with you,” she reassured her.
