Page 60 of Project Duke

“Thank you, ladies,” she said.

She would need to go to Portside, after all. Worried Nathaniel may be there even though he’d said he had Admiralty business tonight, she wanted to avoid showing her face. But it was the most likely place to find information. It was one block from here, down an alleyway between warehouses. She looked around, but no one seemed to be following her.

She could hear a man and a woman arguing in the distance, and a sudden foghorn from the port made her jump, but the only sound coming from the alleyway was the soft skittering of small creatures. Squaring her padded shoulders, she started walking, careful of where she stepped. She’d made it halfway down the alleyway when a large figure stepped from the shadows, holding a knife that glinted dully in the darkness. Then a second shorter man appeared next to him.

“Well, ’ello there,” said the tall, burly man.

Calliope’s stomach dropped to her feet. A robber.

Her hand twitched to a pistol she’d taken with her, tucked in the back of her waistband. She didn’t really know how to shoot it, but she guessed she could at least threaten them and run away.

“Here’s the money!” she said, about to reach for her money purse.

“We don’t want money, Duchess,” said the shorter man.

“We’re told to cut your wee, pretty face,” said the tall one.

* * *

Nathaniel returned home earlier than he had expected. The last two days and nights had passed in a strange state of mind and emotions he had never felt before…or expected to.

For the first time in his life, Nathaniel was fully and truly happy.

He had been invited to play cards with one of the captains, and he’d hoped to learn something about Spencer in that informal setting. But it had been a dead end, and he’d found himself eager to return home for a quiet night with his sisters and the woman who had quickly become one of the most important people in his life.

He greeted Joshua, who told him everyone was in the dining room, and, whistling, he went there. Only to see three females instead of four.

His sisters looked up from their plates as he strode in.

“You’re early, brother…” Poppy’s face flushed, and her eyes widened. “We didn’t expect you until very late.”

Calliope’s place wasn’t even set at the table.

“Where is she?” he demanded, already taking a step back, ready to run.

“Who?” asked Violet.

“You know who!” barked Nathaniel, fear for Calliope making him raise his voice more than intended. “Calliope, where is she? Why are you lying?”

Hazel crossed her arms over her chest. “I don’t know where she went, but I know she disguised herself as a man.”

Cold dread showered over Nathaniel. “Disguised?”

“Hazel!” cried Violet. “We asked you not to tell!”

“She’s putting herself and all of us in danger, and you expect me to cover for her?” exclaimed Hazel.

“Where did she go?” Nathaniel bellowed, staring at the twins.

They looked at each other, sighed, and said in unison, “The docks.”

“The docks?” Fear for her corroded his insides like acid.

Nathaniel didn’t need to ask why she had gone to the docks dressed like a man. He let out a foul curse and had just turned to run when Violet cried after him, “I don’t know why you’re so angry with her. If you had disappeared like her brother did, we’d be doing the same to find you.”

He turned to her, fear and anger tying his tongue.

“I think she’s the most admirable woman alive,” said Poppy with her eyes burning. “Thank you for marrying Calliope, brother! I want to be her when I’m older.”