He had an idea, reached into his pocket and offered the woman a sovereign. “This is for you, if you can help find Miss Tailor. I can assure you I have only her best interests in view.”

“I’m sure you do,” the woman repeated, but her eyes flickered with a greedy light. She held out a thin claw.

Hugh pulled his hand back. “Information first.”

The woman capitulated. “She’s gone out and she won’t want to be found, unless I miss my guess.”

“Why would you say that?”

The woman cackled and scratched her head again. “There was a young man left the rooms a while ago. I didn’t see Miss Tailor leave, I must be truthful, but the rooms are empty.” She kept her eye on the sovereign that Hugh held tantalisingly out of reach.

“What young man? Where did they go?”

“I just saw him leaving. He went that way.” She pointed to the right. “Then I went to call on Miss Tailor, to see she was well.”

Or to find out what was going on. Hugh’s pulse quickened, but he nodded and moved the sovereign a little nearer to the crone’s outstretched claws.

“She was gone. It’s not like that Miss Tailor to go out in the evening. Not like her at all. Not without saying when she’d be back. I keep a respectable house here.”

Hugh relented and dropped the coin into her hand. Philomena had gone, and if this woman was telling the truth, had left in company with a young man. Joseph? If so, Hugh was too late. Joseph had found her first.

He must find Philomena and rescue her. There was no time to waste. Who knew what Muldrow would do when Joseph delivered Philomena? Whatever the connection between the three, there was no doubt she was in danger.

Hugh leaped back into the carriage under the watchful gaze of the old woman, cursing under his breath. A line of occupants peeped through grimy windows to admire the smart carriage and exclaim at the dashing good looks of the noble driver, but there was no sign of Philomena.

He flicked the reins. The horses picked up a rhythm at once. Hugh would not hold them back, now—not for deep puddles or angry pedestrians.

Philomena was gone and so was Joseph. Joseph had done the job as instructed. Hugh sweated. Why had he not acted sooner? He should have searched Philomena out, the moment he knew she was in London. Now, the poor thing was in Joseph’s clutches. Hugh shuddered. Knowing Muldrow, a dreadful fate awaited Philomena.

How had Joseph persuaded her to leave? The mystery was deeper than ever, but only one thing mattered. Philomena was in danger and Hugh must rescue her.