‘I still believe this could have been accomplished without anyone else present. You are placing yourself at great risk.’
‘That is not the way of the law. In order to have a proper trial, we must proceed accordingly. If it appears we tampered in any way with the investigation, he will be released and all of this will be for naught. Prinny’s life comes before all else.’
‘But—’
‘I appreciate your concern, little brother, but I am firm in my conviction. Now tell me about our guest.’
‘You had the right of it about Manning. He was providing information to Mr Clarke regarding Prinny’s whereabouts.’
Gabriel tried to steady the pounding of his heart. He should be relieved that they were one step closer to eliminating the threat to Prinny. Instead, he might be one step closer to condemning Olivia.
‘What was observed?’
‘I left your house earlier today with Spence in tow. I stationed him across from Manning’s studio with a stack of newspapers to sell so no one would question his presence. Approximately an hour later, Olivia and Lady Haverstraw were seen leaving his studio in our carriage. Not her carriage, mind you, our carriage.’
‘Yes, yes, I know, just tell me what the bloody hell happened.’
‘Fifteen minutes after their departure Manning left and Spence trailed him to Hatchard’s.’
‘Who was inside Hatchard’s?’
‘I happened to be in Hatchard’s to check on Williams when we saw Manning place a note into a copy of Dante’s Divine Comedy tucked under a bookshelf on the second floor. Immediately after he placed the paper inside the book, Manning left the premises. Once I was secure in the knowledge we were alone, I removed it from the book and read it. It was evident it was penned by the same hand as the other note. I left Williams to see if anyone will retrieve it. Harris and Spence were able to subdue Manning in his studio and they brought him here. The note referenced Nettleford House on Park Lane.’
Nettleford? Gabriel tried to steady his heart, which he was certain was going to crash through his chest. This was the second time a letter intended for an assassin referenced a location Olivia knew Prinny would be.
His stomach turned. In his heart he didn’t want to believe it was true.
‘What is it?’ Andrew asked, lowering his voice further. ‘You know something.’
He needed to remove his emotions and think logically. First and foremost was his responsibility to the Crown. He ran his thumb over his ring. ‘Olivia spoke of Nettleford’s ball to Prinny. He told me she tried to persuade him to attend.’
Andrew looked as if he wanted to send his fist into the wall. ‘Demmit, Gabriel! Do you see why inviting Bow Street to this inquisition was not in your best interest?’
‘That is precisely why Donaldson needs to be present. If she is involved in this, she needs to face the consequences of her actions.’
‘And as her husband, you might pay for her crimes as well.’
‘Then I will face the hangman’s noose if that is God’s will.’
‘But, Gabriel—’
‘Not another word, Andrew. If this is to be my fate, so be it.’ But he prayed to God it was not. And he prayed even harder that his wife wasn’t a murderer.
Olivia had watched Gabriel ride off from behind the curtains of her bedchamber. His impatience to arrive at his destination was evident by the speed with which he mounted Homer. In the past she would not have cared in the least about any trip he took. But today, after discovering that mysterious box in the odd carriage, Olivia wondered what was so urgent that Gabriel needed to race away on horseback this late in the day. Her need for answers was driving her to distraction.
Convinced the answer to the riddle about him would be found in his study, she made her way downstairs. When she tried the handle to the door she found the blasted man had locked the room—probably because he knew she would be back. The only thing that prevented her from kicking the door in frustration was the knowledge she would do more injury to her foot than to his massive door.
Well, she was not about to let a mere lock stop her from finding answers. Removing one of her hairpins, she inserted it into the keyhole and after several attempts she managed to open the door.
The shutters were closed and the only light came from the glow of the dying embers in his fireplace. As she bent down at the hearth to light a candle, a small scrap of burnt paper caught her eye. Dragging it out of the ashes with the poker, Olivia picked it up and blew off the soot. Returning the unlit candle, she walked to one of the tall windows, cracked open one of the shutters and read the words on the paper in her hand.
...package...in Richmond...
So whatever had caused him to speed away from their home, at least she had an idea of his general direction. The question was, what was inside this package that made his departure so urgent? And exactly where in Richmond had he gone?
* * *
The sparsely furnished, windowless observation room in the house in Richmond was lit by one small candle placed on a table in the corner. It took Gabriel a moment before he spotted Colonel Collingsworth and shook his hand.
‘Well done, Your Grace. I understand from Lord Andrew that man, Manning, has much to answer for.’
‘We believe so, Colonel. My brother tells me you brought men to guard him in the event we need him to remain here until a trial?’
‘I have. If you have a secure room, my men will make certain no one has a chance to kill this one before he is brought before the court.’
Just then Mr Donaldson entered the room and Andrew slid a glance at Gabriel.
‘I say, Winterbourne, what the devil is so important you took me away from Bow Street so urgently?’ His eyes skidded to Colonel Collingsworth and then Andrew, before a look of comprehension settled on his face.
While Andrew relayed the events of Manning’s capture, Gabriel peered through one of the small holes in the wall and took his first look at the prisoner. Although the long white shutters on the windows were closed, the candlelight from four large, silver candelabras illuminated the room in a bright glow.
Manning was sitting in a chair with a strip of white cloth covering his eyes and his hands were cuffed behind his back. Brennan, one of Gabriel’s men, lounged against the wall behind the artist with his arms crossed over his massive chest, watching silently.
‘Although he has questioned where he is, we have not said a word to him since we removed him from his studio,’ Andrew offered, approaching Gabriel’s side.
Manning repeatedly licked his lips and periodically turned his head, as if listening for even the slightest sound.
Gabriel stepped back from the wall. ‘He appears rather skittish.’ He turned to Colonel Collingsworth and Mr Donaldson. ‘My
