Page 10 of A Family Of His Own
He said nothing to that. After a moment, because he truly wanted to know, he ventured, “What do you think of Fellows’s proposal?”
She grimaced. “I suppose it’s logical, and it does, as he said, resolve several issues.”
“But…?”
She sighed. “I wish we didn’t have to leave just now. It seems… precipitate, almost unseemly, to leave Adrian at a time like this.”
“You knew his late wife?”
She nodded. “Alicia was my closest friend.” Briefly, she met his eyes. “When we first came here, to Vienna, I was fifteen and still grieving for my mother. As was my father. The Fellows family were among the first to make us welcome, and as the years passed, we grew close. I’m godmother to all three children.”
“I see.” That added weight to Fellows’s request that she escort the children to his aunt. “How long ago did Alicia die?”
“Four—no, nearly five years ago now. She never truly recovered after Evelyn’s birth, and nothing my father or any other could prescribe managed to halt her decline.”
They walked on for half a block in silence, then Diana spoke more softly. “Adrian knew I wouldn’t refuse his request.”
“Can you see any reason why we can’t take the children with us?”
Her lips tightened, then she admitted, “No. I suppose not.”
Scanning the shadows ahead, Toby murmured, “I can see the advantages from his point of view. I suspect when his time comes, he’ll be relieved to know that the children are with you and on their way to England.”
More silence, then she asked, “How real are the dangers you mentioned? The Prussians and these others? Are they likely to actually attack us?”
“The Prussians, yes. I didn’t exaggerate. If we can avoid crossing their path at any point, I’ll be happy. As for others who might also be sent after the dispatches, they will, most likely, parley first, but they, too, might resort to violence if denied.”
“Hmm. So the threat of violence is real.”
“Very. The fact that it’s the Prussians who’ve been sent to retrieve the dispatches indicates that their masters are desperate to lay hands on the packet.”
“Which in turn suggests it contains valuable information.”
“Indeed.”
After a moment, she asked, “Are there any other particular pursuers you suspect might appear?”
He hesitated, then admitted, “The Austrians might get involved. If they do, it’s possible they’ll send in a particular agent—Heinrik Maier—whom I would really prefer not to have to deal with.”
Turning her head, she studied his face. “Why?”
Toby felt his lips tighten. “Because he’s nearly as good at his job as I am. Heinrik thinks, which is something the Prussians tend to do only when violence fails.”
“I see.”
They walked on, crossing the square and nearing one corner of Kleeblattgasse. As Toby knew from his earlier reconnaissance, the street was an odd shape, like a squared horseshoe.
“Incidentally, I haven’t yet agreed as to when we should leave.”
He swallowed a snort; she would be stubborn to the end. “Self-evidently, we need to find the packet before we can make any arrangements.” He glanced at her. “Do you have any idea where it might be?”
She shook her head. “It’s not in his desk or in any of the more obvious places. I did look—I just haven’t had time to search more thoroughly.”
They turned onto Kleeblattgasse, their leather soles slapping softly on the cobbles of the narrow street. The door of the Locke house lay just around the first corner of the horseshoe.
The instant Toby laid eyes on the door, he knew something was wrong. He slowed and put out a hand to halt Diana. He glanced at her and saw that she was frowning at the door.
She ducked her head toward him and whispered, “It’s open.”
