Fletcher watched him closely and silently. He must’ve sensed Barnabus had not come on a small thing.

“Except, turns out he ain’t my uncle; he’s hers. She caught sight of him and climbed out the window and ran like the blazes, with him right behind. I wasn’t fast enough to catch them. She’s gone, and I don’t know where.”

Fletcher’s brows pulled together in concentration. “So his story about being your uncle was a ruse?”

Barnabus was inwardly kicking himself. “It was. And I swallowed the entire thing without even thinking.”

“You can chew your leg over that later. We need to find her.”

Barnabus nodded. “I need more eyes than just mine.”

“You’ll hate this, but it’d be best if you return home in case she doubles back. And we need to know where you are so we can get you word of anything we sort out.”

He was going to be left out of the search? “No. I cain’t sit there knowing she’s in trouble and not doing a blasted thing.”

“You will be doing a blasted thing. Your house is the one place she might come back to. But there’s every possibility your false uncle will as well. I’ll have someone watching your place. You make sure you’re always armed. And, maybe, don’t see patients for a while.”

Barnabus wanted to object more, but Fletcher had a knack for these things. And he felt certain Fletcher would consult with the Dread Master, whoever that might be.

“I’ll head first to the Donnellys on the off chance she goes there,” Fletcher said. “And I can send Brogan out to start getting word to the Dreadfuls. We won’t give up, Doc. I swear to you.”

He still wasn’t entirely convinced that he shouldn’t be out pleading for the support of the Dreadfuls himself. But there was some wisdom in Fletcher’s strategy.

Barnabus reluctantly took another hackney back home and let himself in. The empty silence didn’t usually bother him, but it struck him forcefully just then. There was a heaviness to the stillness.

He walked into the sitting room. The table near the window was still in disarray. The memory of the terror in Gemma’s eyes remained fresh in his mind. He had brought this danger here. He had led her family right to her. He didn’t know when he would have a chance to apologize for that.

If they could only find her, if he could only be certain she was safe, some of the pain in his heart might ease.