He did so, and then set about kicking the cold ash of the dead fire into a dark corner. The char on the ground could not be hidden, but it was only visible if someone looked closely. The duke picked up the coat that they had slept on and shook it out as well, beating the dirt off with one hand. With a grim scowl, he put it over her shoulders and she frowned at the unexpected caring gesture. “It’s still cold.”

The small act of compassion, despite his ire, warmed her. “Thank you.”

As if he could read her thoughts, his mouth flattened. “Don’t read anything into it, my dear, or mistake my kindness for weakness. Treason is treason, even in the form of beautiful young ladies.”

Treason? Bronwyn blinked and then felt a boulder of pure ice form in the pit of her stomach. She was in possession of a document from a confidential government report. How had Wentworth gotten his hands on it? Had he stolen it? “It’s not what you think, I swear.”

“Save it,” he growled. “You can tell it to the Metropolitan Police when we get back to England.”

She let out a hollow laugh, despite her dread. “How quickly we have gone from marriage to prison! I suppose they equate to the same kind of cage for a man like you.”

“What the hell is that supposed to mean?” he growled, seething. “You have confidential Crown documents in your possession. One of my private reports. Are you working with the Kestrel? Who is he? Did you get this from him onboard your brother’s ship?”

Bronwyn blinked, her mind whirling. She almost laughed in his face but didn’t want to push her luck. The man looked like he was on the verge of coming apart at the seams, and she needed his help and knowledge of the city to get back to the Valor. She would figure out a means of escape once she was safely on her way back to England.

“I have no idea what you’re talking about.”

The look he gave her was fulminating. If she were a man, Bronwyn had no doubt she would not be standing right then. “You’ll give up all those pretty secrets soon, love. I swear it.”

The endearment was spat with such loathing that she almost shuddered but lifted her chin. “You can try.”

***

Fearing that the shout had been from one of their attackers, Valentine moved them quickly. It would be impossible to retrace their steps from the night before, considering they were deep in the woodland of Fairmount Park and had floundered around in the dark before finding the folly that had sheltered them overnight. However, from the position of the sun in the sky, he could at least determine which way was east as well as the direction of the docks.

The page from his report was burning a hole in his pocket.