“Leave me, then.”

He began to walk toward her but stopped at her sharp look.

“If you won’t give me a week, at least give me an hour.”

His eyes hardened once again. “You always did want more than you deserved. Very well. But you will pay for it later.” Then he spun on his heel and left.

The click of the lock echoed through the room.

Chapter Twenty-Two

So, this is where you grew up?” Rafe raised an eyebrow as he scanned the quiet streets of Sir Alfred’s tony neighborhood. “No wonder you never pick up the check.”

Rafe was here in an official capacity to deal with the leak and unofficially to help Alec. Though Alec had initially balked, he was glad not to be alone now. They departed Venice on the next available train, then had to wait a day in Calais due to the weather, which put them two days behind Lottie.

“That’s rich, coming from an earl’s son.” Alec cast him a glance before continuing to look out the hackney’s window. “We were in Surrey most of the time, anyway. That is, when I wasn’t at school.” He pressed his lips together as Sir Alfred’s properly imposing town house came into view. Alec banged on the roof of the carriage and it stopped across the street. He pressed a hand against his knee to still his jittering leg. The closer they had come, the more restless his nerves grew. They watched the town house for another few minutes, but not a soul came in or out, and the curtains were drawn over every window.

The hairs at the back of his neck prickled. “I don’t like this.”

“Perhaps they went to Surrey.”

Alec’s heart sank at the idea. He needed to see Lottie. Now. “Let’s find out.”

As they alighted from the carriage, another pulled up in front of the town house and a spritely man in dark clothes wearing a vicar’s collar emerged.

As they walked across the street, the vicar took notice of them. “Good afternoon. Are you here for the wedding?” he asked with a cheery smile.

Wedding?

Alec stopped dead in his tracks and his hands immediately tightened into fists.

“Steady now,” Rafe murmured as he stepped forward to greet the vicar. “Yes. We are cousins of the bride.”

“Oh, how wonderful! I must admit, the summons I received yesterday made this all seem very mysterious. I felt a bit like the priest in Romeo and Juliet. Hopefully this wedding has a happier ending!” He laughed at his own terrible joke. “It’s always preferable to have at least some family in attendance.”

“Our dear cousin doesn’t know,” Rafe explained. “It’s meant to be a surprise, you see.”

“Ah! Even better! Well, you should come round the back with me, then. Those were my instructions.”

Rafe and Alec exchanged a subtle look. “That sounds perfect,” Rafe said, then flashed that easy smile that always got him exactly what he wanted. As the vicar led the way to the back entrance, Rafe gave Alec a spirited wink.