Page 121 of Notorious

“At a pawnshop down by the East Docks—Hurley’s, I think the name was.”

Gabriel turned to Byer and could see his friend was thinking the same thing he was: a rat always returned to its lair.

“You mentioned a plan,” Gabriel said. “What plan?”

“Whatever it was, they were doing it after the masquerade ball. Rowland met him here, and they left the house together.”

“Was Rowland in costume?”

“No, sir. Just his regular cheaply made togs.”

“They must have meant to do something at the ball but it fell through,” Byer said.

“So they left Drusilla and came for Samir.”

Byer pushed off the desk and stood over Symond. “Is there anything else?”

“I’ve told you all I know, sir.”

“Everything?”

“Yes, sir. Everything.”

Byer turned to Gabriel. “You ready?”

He nodded, and they headed for the door.

“Sirs!”

They both turned to find the valet standing in the middle of the room, his hands out.

“What?” Gabriel asked, impatient to be moving on.

Symond gestured around the room. “What should I do?”

“About what?”

“About Lord Visel. He should have been home already—I think something might have happened to him. Surely I should do something? Tell someone?”

“You could go tell the local constable,” Gabriel tossed over his shoulder. “But given what Lord Visel was up to, I doubt he would thank you for that.”

* * *

It was almost eight o’clock in the evening and Drusilla was half-mad with worry as she paced her study. She’d been waiting for hours for Gabriel to return or at least for a message from him. It was getting to the time when somebody should take the money and go meet Theo. What could he be doing? Why hadn’t he at least sent a message? Something must be terribly wrong—she felt it in her bones.

There was a soft tap on the door, and Parker entered. He looked as raw and tense as she felt.

“A message for Mr. Marlington, ma’am. But I thought you should have it.”

Drusilla recognized the handwriting immediately: it was from Eva.

“The messenger is from the Swan with Two Necks, madam. He said he was paid double and that it was urgent.”

“Is he waiting for an answer?”

“He said the young man instructed him not to wait for an answer.”

Young man? What young man. Oh Lord. What had Eva done now?