“I meant no offense,” the constable muttered, and scurried away.
Henry stared at Thomas. “When did you become so commanding? I’ve never seen you that way before.”
“Yes, we have,” Duncan said suddenly. “He was just the same when he ejected Lord Milton from your home the evening of the dinner party, don’t you remember?”
Henry nodded. It was true. On that occasion, he remembered suddenly, he had been staggered by the power that had seemed to radiate from his friend’s eyes.
Thomas looked the same now—lit up from within by anger and determination.
It’s as if Lady Valeria brings it out in him,Henry thought uneasily.
They’d reached the end of the hall, where the constable had told him they would find Lord Midford’s cell.
“Richard?” Thomas said roughly.
A long pause. Then—
“Who’s there?” a voice asked out of the darkness.
“Is that Richard Walsham?” Thomas asked.
“Give me your name and I’ll give you mine.”
“Richard, it’s me.” Duncan pushed his way forward into the tiny patch of pale light shining into the hall from the window high above.
“Duncan?” Richard said. “What are you doing here?”
“We’re here to talk to you.”
“We? Who’s with you?”
“Never you mind. These are just some friends of mine, here to lend me a bit of support.”
“Well, what brings you here after all this time?” Richard asked. “Is it about Valeria?”
“We aren’t going to talk about Valeria,” Duncan said firmly. “You’ve troubled her more than enough.”
“Now, listen,” Richard said. “That’smysister you’re talking about, and I won’t have you telling me when I can and can’t talk about her.”
“There’s nothing you can do about it and you know it,” Duncan said coldly. “I’m not going to tell you anything about Valeria. Anything about her life. She’s more my sister than yours at this point. You threw away any relationship with her when you chose a life of crime.”
“None of this is why we’re here,” Thomas cut in.
Richard turned his attention to Thomas. “Who the hell are you?”
“I’m the Baron of Woodsford. You and I have met before, actually.”
“Oh,” Richard said, rather haughtily. “Well, I don’t remember it.”
“I came to ask you some questions.”
“Tell me why I should bother answering your questions. Why would I even talk to you?”
“Because if you do,” Thomas said, “then we will tell you what’s been happening with Lady Valeria. You can ask any question, and we’ll tell you what you want to know.”
Henry looked from Thomas to Duncan in surprise. “We will?” Thomas seemed to have made that offer without even consulting with Duncan, and Henry rather expected Duncan to be angry.
Duncan held himself stiffly, but he said nothing. If he was angry, it was impossible to tell.
