He leaned back and studied his two friends. “All right. One final question. What the bloody hell are we doing still sitting here?” He stood and looked around for his jacket. Realizing he was still wearing it, he shouted, “Let us be off, men! We have a fugitive to capture.”
Rushing to the door, he grabbed the door handle and turned to his friends. “Do not tarry! We do not have a moment to waste!” With that he was out the door.
Charles and Thomas sat in silence. “How long do you think it will take him?” Charles asked.
“It should register about the time he arrives at the stables. Maybe until his horse is saddled.” He stood and walked to the bar on the other side of the room. “Care for a drink?”
“Why, yes. I do believe I will. What is available?”
“Well, the scotch is gone, but it appears he has quite the stock of bourbon and brandy. Do you have a preference?” Thomas asked.
Charles leaned back, crossed his legs, and smiled. “Surprise me. It has been a day full of them. One more could not hurt.”
“You are absolutely right about that, my friend.” He poured two generous portions of bourbon and carried them over.
Taking a glass, Charles clinked his against Thomas’s. “Cheers! And to our dear friend who is about to sacrifice his freedom.” He placed a hand over his heart. “For king and country!”
“To Colton! And that the king’s reward be shall be monumental so that Colton may be profoundly compensated for the loss of his freedom!”
They turned up their glasses and drained them in salute to their friend. “Excellent choice, Thomas. Shall we have another?”
Thomas pulled out his pocket watch and sighed. “It will have to wait. Colton should be returning right about…”
“Why are you two not ready? We need to be going!” Colton stood in the doorway with a quizzical look on his face.
“Now.” Thomas finished his sentence and returned his watch to his waistcoat pocket.
Charles stood and motioned to Colton’s chair behind the desk. “Please, take a seat. There are matters that prevent us from taking immediate action.”
Colton walked behind his desk but remained standing. “What could possibly delay our search, gentlemen? We must find this culprit before he has a chance to leave London! He could already be miles away!”
“We would already be scouring the city but for one small detail. Really, it is just a minor oversight and will be rectified in no time.” Thomas nodded his head in assurance.
“And what possibly could this ‘minor oversight’ be, Thomas?”
“I am so glad you asked, Colton. Which brings me around to why we came looking for you in the first place!” Charles beamed.
“Yes, Charles is correct! When you did not show at the appointed time, we waited but an hour or so before we went in search of you. When we arrived at the war department, we discovered the latest and rushed right over here to update you on the events.”
“With only one stop at the Bear’s Claw. We had to make sure you had not stopped in for a dram or two,” Charles added.
“Oh, yes. I forgot about that little detour.” Thomas laughed. “We had no way of knowing what or who had detained you.”
“Tell me you did not check with my future in-laws during your quest!” Colton ground out.
Charles blinked. “By Jove, that is the one place that slipped my mind! Thomas! By the time we reached the Wine and Song, we should have realized that!”
“I thought you stopped at the Bear’s Claw!” Colton growled.
“But we did! Right after we checked at the Brew-Ha-Ha!” Thomas clarified.
Colton’s head was spinning, and his temper had reached its breaking point. He dropped down in his chair and grabbed handfuls of his hair. Through gritted teeth, he demanded, “Just tell me why we cannot search for the captain of Tiger’s Eye before I am forced to kill you both with my bare hands!”
“Why, Colton, old man! We don’t know whom the captain is. It is quite simple, really. There was so much chaos as the soldiers boarded the ship that…”
Charles never had the chance to finish that sentence. Somehow Colton had dove over his desk and had his hands wrapped around Charles’s throat before either he or Thomas could react.
“Get…him…off…me!” Charles managed to squeak out.
Thomas jumped up and tried desperately to pry his friend’s finger from around Charles’s throat. “Colton! Think, man! You do not need a murder charge levied against you! Why, think of the scandal it would cause! And the king would be quite vexed if you kill his almost cousin!”
Somehow the reference of the king penetrated the red haze, and he slowly loosened the hold on Charles’s neck. With the same hand, he patted his friend’s shoulder.
“Begging your pardon, my friend. Please, excuse me. I need a moment to compose myself.” With that said, he removed himself from the room.
Thomas smiled. “Sometimes he just makes it too easy, Charles.”
Coughing, Charles choked out. “Easy for you to say. It was not you he was strangling!”
“This time. Last time I ran clear to Scotland before he gave up the chase.” He picked up the two glasses, walked over, and filled them. “He will be awhile this time.” Holding out a glass to Charles, he asked, “Care to join me?”
Charles took it gratefully. “I thought you would never ask.”
Clinking glasses, they proceeded to drink deeply of Colton’s expensive imported bourbon.
Chapter Four
Alice paced back and forth in her room, replaying her latest attempt to thwart the plans they had for her future.
“But, Father! Mr. Marsh and I had an understanding. It would not do to disregard his suite just because of a misunderstanding. It would be best if I returned to America. At least I should be permitted to explain this horrible situation to him in person and see if we can resolve it together. We are very close, you see.”
“Has he offered for you?” Her father peered at her over his glasses.
“Why, not yet. But I am sure he was on the verge before I was ordered back…”
“Is there a contract?” Her father interrupted.
“Not yet, Father. But once I return, I am certain…”
“No offer. No contract. No return trip to America. No further argument. You will be marrying the duke. But,” a small smile slipped through, he winked, “an excellent try, my dear.”
Half an hour later she was still fuming. Apparently, her grandmama had informed her father of her tactics, and they were conspiring against her.
And if she attempted to escape and was caught, they would lock her in her room until the moment her presence would be required at the church.
Therefore getting caught was not an option. Her plan would have to be foolproof. No room for errors.
She would just have to bide her time and appear resigned to her fate. An opportunity would present itself, and she would seize it with both hands. She would spend every moment until then preparing for her impending departure.
Clothes. Money. Personal items of her mother’s with which she could not