Evans gave a brusque nod.

"And Lady Catherine?"

Evans's head came up, his eyes round. "No, I swear. Didn't know she was even there 'til she popped outta the coach. I didn't follow 'er at noight, 'er being a lady and all. I figured she was already abed."

"Did you tell your employer?"

Evans shook his head quickly. "'E was mad enuf that we didn't get the job done proper. Didn't want to borrow no more trouble."

"Where did you meet him?"

"Nowhere in particular. 'E always found us."

"And you don't know who he is?"

"Sorry, mate."

"Yes, I'll just bet you are." Luke considered what he knew. Nothing made sense. Something was missing. Why would he follow a d.u.c.h.ess? And which d.u.c.h.ess? "The d.u.c.h.ess you were following-did you ever see her with Lady Catherine?"

"Almost every day. They were tighter than two peas in a pod."

"You didn't think that was worth mentioning?"

The man shrugged.

"If they were together, only one of you needed to follow them, but two of you were still getting paid, right?" Jim asked.

Evans sighed and nodded as if he were a child caught pilfering a cookie. But Luke had greater concerns on his mind. He eased off the desk, walked to Jim, and said in a low voice, "Catherine spends a good deal of time with the d.u.c.h.ess of Avendale. Have you seen her in the company of any other d.u.c.h.ess?"

Jim shook his head. "If I had, I would have told you before now."

"Makes no sense. Why would Avendale-"

The door opened and Jack strode in, extending a piece of paper. "This just came for you."

Luke took it. The seal was broken. "You looked at it."

"I needed to know if it was as urgent as the man who delivered it claimed."

Luke scowled at him, then unfolded the note. His stomach dropped to the floor.

I need you at Avendale's.

Bring Dr. Graves.

Quickly.

-C Luke had left Jim to see to Evans and headed to Avendale's, with a quick stop by Bill's residence to alert him that his services were needed. Bill had come in his own conveyance so he wouldn't be dependent upon Luke for transportation. Frannie had come along as well. Luke hadn't known what to expect, but had feared the worst. He'd almost fallen to his knees with relief when he'd realized it was the d.u.c.h.ess and not Catherine who needed Bill's services.

Now Luke sat on a bench beside Catherine outside the d.u.c.h.ess of Avendale's bedchamber. He'd caught only a glimpse of her before Bill had ushered everyone except Frannie out of the room. If Luke hadn't known who she was because of Catherine's concern for her, he'd have never recognized her as the d.u.c.h.ess.

"The name you'd have eventually given to me, if you'd not changed your mind this evening-would it have belonged to Avendale?" he asked quietly.

With tears welling in her eyes, Catherine nodded.

"I a.s.sume this isn't the first time he's taken his fists to his wife."

Taken his fists to her, then fled. No doubt to Dodger's.

Catherine shook her head. "But it's the worst. And it's my fault. He was unhappy that you were in his residence. I should have known better. He's such a controlling beast. Winnie has to account for every minute of every day. And your name wasn't on the guest list, but I wanted to dance with you on a ballroom floor. How stupid and selfish. I should have lied and told you he'd taken my virtue and then this matter would be done."

"It's not an easy thing to live with a lie, Catherine." He knew that truth well enough.

"Do you think it is an easy thing to know you are responsible for your friend's death?"

"She's not dead yet. Don't give up on her so easily. Bill is very good at what he does."

"Two of Avendale's wives have died. I shall never forgive myself if Winnie does as well. Because I was a coward and waited. As much as I wanted the deed done, I began to worry about how I would feel afterward, how I'd live with myself. And now look what's happened to her."

"Catherine, it's not your fault."

"It is. As I explained."

"What did you do, sweetheart? You sent out an invitation to a person he'd not antic.i.p.ated. I killed a man and no one took a fist to me." He put his arm around her, drew her near, and pressed a kiss to her temple. "His punishment doesn't fit your crime."

Catherine took such comfort from Claybourne's nearness. From the moment that Winnie's lady's maid had shown up at Catherine's residence weeping, Catherine had feared the worst, and she'd not hesitated to send for Claybourne, for herself more so than Winnie. She knew she could draw from his strength. Knew she would find comfort in his presence.

"How many stab wounds would it take to kill a person?" she asked.

"One if you do it right. But using a knife makes it very personal, Catherine."

"A pistol would be better then."

"Only if you're a very good marksman."

She moved out from beneath his arm and sh.o.r.ed up her courage. "Can you teach me to be a good marksman?"

"I could. But I see no need. I'll take care of this matter."

He took her hand, rubbed his thumb across her knuckles, then circled it over the back of her hand. It felt so lovely, so tender, so rea.s.suring.

"I thought you were a beast," she said quietly.

"Closer to the devil, don't you think?"

Ah, yes, the Devil Earl. She couldn't recall the last time she'd thought of him in those terms. "Why did you kill the man you did?"

"Because he hurt Frannie."

Catherine tried to remember when everything had taken place.

"She would have been a child at the time."

"Indeed, she was, and in spite of the life she'd led, up until that moment, she was a very sweet and innocent child."

"Have you killed anyone else?"

He slowly shook his head.

"But you'll kill Avendale?"

He gave one brusque nod.

"Will you be able to live with it?"

With his thumb, he wiped the tears from her cheek. "That's for me to worry about."

"You said I was asking you to give up the last of your soul."

"There's only a small bit left. Giving it up will be no hardship."

But she feared it would be a great hardship, that it would change him irrevocably into a man she could no longer love. Oh, dear Lord, when had she fallen in love with him? Had there been a precise moment or had it been simply an acc.u.mulation of many?

"It was easier for me to ask you do this before I knew you," she said.

"And it's easier for me to do now because I know you better."

The bedchamber door opened. A somber Dr. Graves and Frannie stepped out. Catherine came to her feet, expecting the worst.

"She's going to recover, but she's going to require a lot of care," Dr. Graves said. "She's been terribly abused in very personal ways."

Catherine nodded. Winnie had been conscious for a while, in pain, suffering, weeping over the atrocities her husband had made her endure: raping her, beating her, striving to break her spirit. She feared he'd succeeded with the last. "I can see after her."

Claybourne urged everyone closer. "Can she travel?"

Dr. Graves widened his eyes. "Not far, not far at all."

"She doesn't have to go far." Claybourne sighed. "Avendale has been having Catherine followed. He's also responsible for the attack on us that night."

"What?" Catherine asked. "How do you know all this?"

"Jim caught one of the ruffians he hired to follow you. We were discussing the matter with him when I received your missive. Avendale must be dealt with but not here, not in London, where he may have resources of which I'm not aware. My plan is this. We will lead people to believe that we are taking the d.u.c.h.ess to my country estate. You should come with us, Catherine. Avendale will come to you first, searching for his wife."

"But my father-"

"He'll be watched. No harm will come to him."

She believed him, absolutely without question.

"We'll do a switch," he continued, "take the ladies to your residence, Bill, where you and Lady Catherine can look after the d.u.c.h.ess. I shall travel on to Heatherwood. Avendale is sure to follow me there if we leave enough clues. At which time, I shall put the matter to rights."

"What about Whit?" Catherine asked.

Graves looked at her. "Who's Whit?"

"Avendale's heir," Claybourne responded before she could. "We'll bring the lad with us. I suggest we move quickly. Bill, can you help me prepare the d.u.c.h.ess for travel?"

"Yes, certainly."

"Catherine, you get the lad," Claybourne said. "Remember, we want it to look as though we're all going to the country."

Catherine nodded, her mind racing.

"Good girl," he said, just before he quickly disappeared into Winnie's bedchamber with the doctor.

"I'll help you get the lad," Frannie said. "We want to talk loudly as we move through the house about our going to Heatherwood."

Catherine grabbed her arm. "Claybourne is going to face Avendale alone."

"It would seem so, yes."

"I can't let him go alone, Frannie. I brought him into this mess."

"He's not going to put others at risk. It's not his way. He won't let you go with him if that's what you're thinking."

"I'll not give him a choice. Will you look after Winnie for me?"

"Catherine-"

"I've come to care for him, Frannie. I'm no threat to you. I know you hold his heart, but I can't bear the thought of him facing Avendale alone. I know there will be little I can do except to stand by him, but stand by him I must. Can you understand?"

"Have you considered your reputation if you go through with this madness? If you travel with him alone?"

"Who will know that I have gone if we simply say that I am with you and Winnie? His servants shan't know who I am. They'll think I'm some trollop. My name need never be a.s.sociated with him." Reaching out, she squeezed Frannie's hand. "Do you really want him to face this alone?"

Frannie shook her head. "No, I'd planned to go with him, actually. But you're right. You're the better choice. I'll take care of Winnie and you take care of Luke." She squeezed Catherine's hand so hard that Catherine nearly cried out. "Don't leave him alone, especially at night. For some reason, he doesn't do well at Heatherwood. Avendale won't be the only demon he'll face."

Catherine detected an urging in Frannie's voice, saw an understanding in her eyes, that was giving Catherine permission for something beyond what they were discussing, but before she could ask for confirmation, she heard the door to the bedchamber opening.

"You get Whit," Frannie said. "I'm going to travel with Bill to his residence so all is ready when Luke feels it's safe."

Catherine nodded and headed down the hallway to the nursery. There was so much to get done, and for this plan to work, they needed to get everything in place before Avendale returned home.

Things moved at a rapid pace. Catherine found Winnie's lady's maid and instructed her to pack a small bag of clothing for the d.u.c.h.ess, that she was going to Claybourne's country estate to recover. Then Catherine packed a smaller bag for Whit. While servants put the bags into Claybourne's waiting coach, she woke Whit and carried the small boy outside. Claybourne joined her there, carrying Winnie bundled in blankets.

Now he held Winnie on his lap, trying to provide an extra buffer between her and the rattling coach. Periodically, Winnie groaned and Whit sniffled.

They'd stopped at Catherine's residence, and she'd stuffed a simple dress, nightclothes, and undergarments into a satchel for herself. Then she'd gone to see her father. He'd been awake, or at least his eyes had been open.