Page 37 of A Lady's Past
Michael stood. “It’s late and you’ve had a difficult night, Jacques. We all want to believe Diana is innocent. All Alex is doing is making sure we haven’t missed anything. You know as well as we do that some people are excellent at hiding the truth.”
“Not Diana.”
Standing, Alex nodded. “Then there is no harm in making a few inquiries.”
Unable to argue with the logic, Jacques nodded.
“Good,” Preston said. “I suggest we visit Everton House and my wife’s uncle in the morning. I’ve sent out my own footmen to see if Bertram and the other footmen from Everton House have come up with any leads. I also sent word to Lord Rupert Everton informing him of the situation. He and Lady Jane feel responsible for the safety of their employees. I’m sure they will wish to help in any way possible.”
Alex walked to the door. “I will return at first light. I know it’s not fashionable, but the more time we lose, the less chance we have of finding them.”
It was the first thing Alex had said that Jacques agreed with. “I doubt I will sleep tonight. I’ll be ready when you arrive.”
* * *
Francis was still in his nightclothes when they arrived. He rubbed his eyes. And called for coffee. Jacques said, “I am sorry to wake you, Francis. It is rather urgent.”
“Is it Diana? Is she hurt?”
“What makes you ask that?” Alex asked.
Blinking, Francis looked from Jacques to Alex to Preston and Michael. “I suppose I asked because all of you have come here, in a state, at such an hour, and Diana isn’t with you. What else am I to think, knowing who she is and the danger she’s in?”
Preston took the coffee tray from Doris. “Thank you, Mrs. Whimple. I’ll take it in. You might call on my wife today. She’s had a trying night and could use her friend.”
Opening and closing her mouth several times, Doris wrung her hands. It appeared she had several questions, none of which she asked. “I’ll get my cloak and go straightaway.”
“Thank you.” Preston nudged the door closed and brought the tray to the table. “Francis, we just have a few questions, then we’ll leave you in peace.”
He stopped his pacing and huffed. “First you’ll tell me what has happened to Diana. And Jacques, why do you look a bit green?”
Head pounding like someone was wielding a pickax, Jacques wasn’t surprised he looked as terrible as he felt. He sat on one of the dark-red overstuffed chairs where he and Francis often talked of new ideas. “Francis, sit. Please.”
With another huff, Francis complied. “What’s happened?”
Unable to meet Francis’s gaze, Jacques stared down at the red-and-gold rug. “She was nabbed out of my carriage by French spies. I tried to protect her but failed.”
Patting Jacques’s arm, Francis said, “I’m certain it was not your fault. You would do anything to protect that girl.”
Preston stepped behind Jacques’s chair and rested a hand on his shoulder. “It was not his fault. They were jumped. Jacques and all the Everton footmen were knocked out.”
Alex cleared his throat. “What kind of experiments was Miss MacLeod helping you with?”
Taking his coffee from the tray, Francis shook his head. “Not what you’re thinking, Lynds.”
“Humor me, sir.”
Francis sipped his coffee. “We’d been testing a new fire extinguisher and the new mining lamp. We had also made great strides with using kitchen trash as fertilizer.”
Raising an eyebrow, Alex looked at Michael who nodded. “Nothing involving rockets?”
“No.” Francis put down his cup with a loud clank.
“Did Miss MacLeod ever discuss rockets or their workings with you?” With his voice unnaturally even, he might have been speaking of the weather.
Jacques wanted to rage, but it would make a bad situation worse. He would play this the Horseman’s way, because they needed their help if Diana was ever going to be safe.
Narrowing his eyes, Francis leaned forward. “Diana has no interest in rockets. Her knowledge of them is all due to her father’s knowledge. I might add that that information was offered to the English but was thought too dangerous. I suspect there is a spy inside the government who leaked that rocket research to the French, and that is why my friends were murdered and their daughter is now in danger of meeting the same fate. Now, you get your haughty ass out of my house and find that girl before they take her to France. She was clever enough to escape once, but they’ll not let her get away again. Do I make myself clear?”
