Once toweled off and wearing clean clothes, he combed his hair and returned his personal items to his pockets. Except his watch, which had stopped working at precisely 6:21 this morning. Could it be salvaged if he took it to a watchmaker? A large dent marred the case, and the crystal bore a spider’s web of cracks. He tossed it onto the bureau to think about later. For now, he needed to get to Bow Street. To go back to the beginning and examine the evidence.

As he reached for the knob, he glanced at the calendar hanging beside the door.

The twentieth. Of March.

March twentieth?

His birthday.

Today he was twenty-five years old. This was it. His release day. The day his patronage stopped and he was finally his own man.

Which also meant he had an appointment at the solicitors’ office. What time was it?

In spite of the soreness, he hurried down the stairs to check the case clock in the hall. Half-eight. He still had time. How could he have forgotten? He’d received the summons days ago and had circled it in his mind for much longer.

His sore muscles and the state of his murder investigation aside, his spirit lightened. Perhaps today he would get some long-sought answers, and even if not, he would be his own man by day’s end.

Breakfast was a hurried cup of coffee and a hot meat pie from the cart on the corner. Then he hailed a cab. Too bad Cadogan wasn’t here this time.

“Hurry,” he told the driver as he took a seat. The appointment was set for nine o’clock.

Surprisingly, after waiting for this day for thirteen long years, he felt calm. Perhaps it was the lack of sleep and the strain of the early hours, but his mind was at peace.

The offices of Coles, Franks & Moody were unobtrusive from the outside, a redbrick building in a forest of redbrick buildings, but once inside, the opulent furnishings told the true tale.

The clerk knew and expected Daniel, taking his hat and gloves and leading him into Mr. Coles’s office.

Daniel stopped on the threshold. The clerk had made a mistake. Mr. Coles was not alone.

“I beg your pardon. I will wait in the front room.” He started to back out, but Mr. Coles rose.

“No, no. Come in. We’ve been waiting for you.”

The Duke of Haverly nodded from his chair. “Good morning, Mr. Swann.”

“Your Grace.” Why was he here? Was it a coincidence? Or did he know something about Daniel’s guardianship? Surely the duke could not be his mysterious patron, could he? Daniel had wondered over the past few weeks, but each time had discarded the notion.

“I wish you birthday greetings.” The duke waved him to the other chair while Mr. Coles resumed his seat.

Daniel took his time lowering himself into the chair, stifling a wince as his muscles protested.