“Very well.” He glanced at his butler. “When is the next assize?”
“Not for another six months. We can keep him in the dungeon. They haven’t been used for a while, but we keep them ready in the event they are needed.”
Giff nodded sharply. “Take him there. I’ll notify the magistrate in the morning.”
“Hey, ye can’t do that!” The groom struggled against his bounds.
“On the contrary. I am well within my rights. You were caught trespassing and close to my house.” Giff stroked his jaw. “As a matter of fact, I could have you shipped out of England, and no one would ever see you again.”
“I actually like that idea much better than holding him over,” Worthington said from the door.
The servant’s eyes bugged out. “No! Ye can’t. I ain’t even been paid.”
“Then tell me what I want to know, and I will take that into consideration.” Giff crossed his arms against his chest. “Immediately.”
“I was supposed to nose around and find out when that lady was leaving.”
“By lady, I assume you mean Lady Alice.”
“If she’s the one with the yellow hair, that’s her.”
Giff forced his hands not to curl into fists. Hitting Normanby’s tool would not be either worthwhile or satisfying. “Then what were you supposed to do?”
“Tell his lordship. He says she should be marrying him as he was the one alone with her.”
Worthington ambled forward. “As the lady’s guardian, I can assure you your master will never wed her. I have already agreed to Lord St. Albans suit.”
The groom slumped. “We’re done for.”
“Not entirely.” Alice’s hard tone came from the door. “Has he not told you he already has a betrothed? He is welcome to wed her.”
“But he don’t want her,” the servant said glumly. “We don’t want her. She ain’t the right sort to be our lady.”
Giff patience was running thin. “It is of no matter. Her ladyship will marry me. If you want to help your master pay you and his other servants, you will tell us where he is.”
“He’s at the Six Bells.”
“Under what name?” Worthington asked.
“He used his own name.”
The man was a damned fool. But it made what they had to do easier. “You will be kept here until morning.” He signaled to Cummings. “Lock him up.”
“Yes, my lord.” Two large footmen held the groom’s arms while another untied him. The three of them led the servant out of the stables. “When do we go to the Six Bells?”
“As soon as we’re dressed,” Worthington said. “I’ll have the others wakened.”
“I am going as well,” Alice said.
“As you wish.” Her guardian strode to the door and stopped. “We leave in fifteen minutes.”
Alice muttered something under her breath. “I do not have a riding habit. Do you have a carriage I can use?”
Fortunately, the moon was up, giving her enough light to drive. “My curricle. I’ll have it made ready.”
“Thank you. I must hurry.” He took her hand, and they ran back to the house.
Stopping in front of her door, he raised her fingers and kissed them. “I’ll meet you here.”
Alice strode into her chamber to find Bertram already there. “What do you need?”
“Absent a riding habit, a carriage gown. I only have a short time.”
She took out a gown from the wardrobe. “Here you are.”
Less than ten minutes later, Alice was dressed, her hair dressed in a knot, and a bonnet on her head. She pulled on her leather gloves. “Go back to sleep. I doubt we’re departing in the morning.” Giff was waiting for her when she entered the corridor. “Let us go. Matt will leave if we are late.”
“That is good information to have.” He took her hand again, and they dashed through the house to the stables. They arrived just after her brothers-in-law.
Charlotte was also there. She grinned. “It has been a long time since I have had an adventure. Aside from that, I brought my lock-picking tool.”
Alice wanted to throw herself into her sister’s arms. “There are a number of things I am going to start carrying in my reticule from now on.”
Charlotte gave a rueful laugh. “I know the feeling. The carriage is ready. Do you want to drive?”
“Yes, thank you.”
Giff lifted Alice onto the bench, while Con helped Charlotte. The gentlemen mounted their horses. For a second, Alice was struck at how masculine and graceful Giff looked in doing so. And now she was hers. She took the ribbons in her hands and followed him. Thankfully, the road was macadam and reflected the moonlight, making it easy to see.
