Page 73 of A Dangerous Pursuit (Regency Spies & Secrets 1)

For some inexplicable reason, she believed in him. She took him at his word and didn’t press him for more. What an interesting woman Miss Dowding was turning out to be. Perhaps when this was all over, he would take her on a carriage ride through Hyde Park.

A knock came at the door, breaking him out of his reverie.

“Enter,” he ordered as he sat up on the straw mattress.

The door creaked opened, and Morton stepped into the room. “Evening, Baldwin.”

Rising, Baldwin returned his greeting. “Evening.”

“I have come to speak to you privately,” Morton said. “Do you have a moment?”

Baldwin huffed. “Time is the one thing I have plenty of.”

Morton closed the door and turned back around to face him. “Where is your cousin?” he asked with a side glance at the empty straw mattress.

“Chasing after women.”

“Ah,” Morton said, eyeing him closely. “Did you get into a fight?”

“Nothing that I couldn’t handle.”

Appearing amused, Morton remarked, “I just wanted to say that your story resonated with me, and I can’t help but think you and my father were similar.”

“How so?”

“My father was a criminal, but he was hanged for his crimes.” Morton walked over to the broken window, which was stuffed with rags and paper to keep out the elements.

“What crime did he commit?”

“Murder,” Morton replied. “He killed my mother.”

Baldwin gave him a baffled look. “I am not sure how we are similar.”

Morton chuckled. “My father was a man of principles. When he found out his wife was fornicating with his friend, he killed her for it.”

“You think I am a man of principles?” Baldwin asked.

“I do,” Morton replied. “You made the choice to stop fighting for the king and start fighting for yourself.”

“That is true.”

“You risk death if you are caught, but you still deserted.”

“‘Life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness’ is what the Americans have, and I want that,” Baldwin said, leaning his shoulder against the wall.

“Everyone deserves that,” Morton responded.

“That they do.”

“Have you thought of traveling to the Americas?”

Baldwin bobbed his head. “Yes, but I need funds to buy a ticket, and I’ll only go after the skirmish is over between England and America.”

Morton met his gaze. “What if I could come up with the funds for you to start a new life in America. Would you be interested?”

Baldwin straightened from the wall. “I would be very interested, but are we talking about abducting more girls?”

“No, abducting the girls is just a quick way to produce some money,” Morton explained. “I am talking about much more than that.”

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