Page 87 of An Unexpected Earl

Maggie shot her a worried look and grabbed her arm. “You shouldn’t go alone, miss. Sir Charles might decide you’re a party to what Mr. Howard’s done and have you arrested, too.”

“Which is why you have to deliver that message to Pearce. He’ll meet me in Westminster and know what to do.”

With a quick hug ending all protests, Amelia rushed from the house. Only to halt on the front step.

A black hackney waited on the street, its old driver doffing his hat at her as she slowly came forward. For a moment, she thought Drummond had worked quickly to find her a carriage—unusually quickly for a butler who favored laziness.

But then she noticed that the carriage wasn’t empty. Two people sat inside in the shadows, just out of view of the window. Wasn’t that just her luck, for the carriage to be already taken? With Drummond nowhere to be seen, she gave a frustrated curse beneath her breath and hurried down the footpath toward the square, where she could more easily wave down a hackney.

“Miss Howard!”

She stopped, startled, as a man called out to her from the waiting carriage.

“A word with you, if you please.”

Slowly, she retraced her steps. The carriage door opened, and she could see inside.

“Mr. Varnham.” But her heart plunged to the ground. Arthur Varnham. ThewrongVarnham. “If you’ll excuse me.” She gestured apologetically down the street. “I’m in a hurry—”

“Miss Howard”—he ignored her attempt to leave—“I’d like to introduce you to my cousin, Miss Humphries. Marigold, this is Miss Howard, the woman I told you about.”

Miss Humphries leaned forward from the opposite bench, her pretty and young face emerging into the slant of sunlight that fell into the compartment. The curls of her hair beneath her straw bonnet shone gold. She smiled warmly. “How do you do, Miss Howard?”

Not well. Not well at all.Anxiousness bubbled inside her until what she wanted to do was bolt down the street at a dead run. “A pleasure to meet you. But I really must go. It’s urgent.” She turned to leave, not caring if she were being rude. Her world was collapsing around her. “My apologies—”

“It’s your brother, isn’t it?” Varnham asked.

That stopped her. “Yes.” She looked at him warily over her shoulder. “How do you know?”

“Because I just left Varnham House.” Irritation rang in his voice. “Imagine my surprise to come home from a night out at the clubs to discover that my brother plans to arrest yours.” The shadows covered his face too thickly for her to read the emotions there, but raw frustration colored his voice. “I immediately came here to stop it.”

She turned slowly back toward the carriage. “Why do you care?”

“Because your brother belongs to my club, whose activities need to be kept private. You understand, of course.” He smiled a bit sheepishly. “An arrest ruins all that.”

“You’re too late, I’m afraid,” she admitted as she glanced down the street in the direction where the men had taken Freddie, her voice choking. “The runners arrested him and took him away just a few minutes ago.”

Varnham leaned out of the carriage as if searching after them. Dark fury flashed over his face for a split second, so intense that Amelia was certain he would have cursed if the two women hadn’t been within earshot. Then the anger was gone, his expression easing into a troubled frown.

He leaned over to his cousin to speak quietly into her ear. The woman nodded.

“I agree. She must come with us to find your brother.” Miss Humphries smiled reassuringly at Amelia. “Westminster isn’t out of my way at all, and I’d be happy to accompany you.”

“Good.” Varnham turned his gaze onto Amelia. “Then you must come with us to speak to Charles. I insist. Perhaps you can convince him to rescind the charges.” In an attempt to lighten the mood, he teased, “Can’t have my brother putting all my chums into gaol. Won’t have anyone interesting left to drink with at this rate.” With a smile that didn’t put her at ease, he gestured at the empty seat next to Miss Humphries. “Please let us help you and your brother.”

Amelia hesitated. “I shouldn’t impose.” But she so dearly wanted to! Finding a hackney for hire at this time of day near the square would take forever, and Arthur Varnham would know exactly where to find Sir Charles. Perhaps he could even walk her past all the guards and into the offices of Parliament. If she went by herself, as a woman she wouldn’t be allowed through the first doorway.

Misreading her reluctance, he added in disappointment, “I understand if you’re not up to confronting Charles about this.”

She nearly laughed! What other choice did she have? “Wild horses couldn’t stop me,” she muttered to herself, the little mantra adding to her resolve. Then she remembered Pearce’s words. “Or ponies, donkeys, mules…and my jackass of a brother.”

“Pardon?”

“Nothing.” She pulled in a deep, determined breath and stepped up into the carriage. “Thank you for your help, both of you.”

“Of course.” He smiled and closed the door.

As the carriage rolled away from the house, Amelia cast a surreptitious glance at the pair sitting with her. Miss Humphries was dressed respectably in a blue muslin day dress and pelisse, but her dress was old and frayed at the hem and sleeves. Fine for average wear, but not at all what Amelia would have expected from a gentleman’s cousin.