The discovery of the letter meant that the trip to Gretna Green had to be put off so that they could return to town at once to deal with the blackmailer. However, they had taken the time to set the chest holding George in the family vault first, and then had been held up when they were discovered by the Radnor minister. If not for the man’s catching them in the vault, all three carriages would now be on the way back to town. However, that discovery had led to explanations and then the minister offering to marry Richard and Christiana at once. After all, the man had pointed out, the banns had been read and the license procured a year earlier. The only reason the marriage was invalid was because Richard hadn’t attended the ceremony and signed the wedding register himself. Were the minister to marry them, and did Richard and Christiana sign the register before witnesses, the marriage would be legal and unbreakable. So they’d had the ceremony and then Richard had suggested the women go above stairs and refresh themselves while a quick wedding feast was prepared. They would dine with the minister and then return to town, he’d said as he sent the women off.

However, the moment the sisters were safely upstairs, Richard had taken the minister aside for a word and then begun hustling Daniel and Langley out of the house. He had decided they could travel faster without the women and would prefer to leave them safely here at Radnor rather than drag them back to town. The men could handle the blackmailer and then afterward return to collect the women and continue on to Gretna Green so that Daniel and Suzette could marry.

Daniel had not been pleased. He knew Suzette would be furious, but he was also rather annoyed himself. There was no way to get to know her better if they weren’t even together. However, Richard had insisted on it. He’d argued that it was safer and he didn’t wish the women involved with dealing with the blackmailer. He’d also pointed out that it was ridiculous to drag the maids and chests and all three carriages back to town when they would just be returning in a day or two to continue on to Gretna Green. Whether he liked it or not, Daniel had seen the sense in both arguments, so had finally capitulated. While the women were above stairs, the three men had snuck out of Radnor like thieves and ridden off in Daniel’s carriage.

As annoyed as he was at having to leave Suzette behind, Daniel had to admit it was safer. They were also traveling much more swiftly with just the three of them and one carriage. They had stopped three times to change the horses, and it wasn’t yet midnight, but he thought they were probably already about three quarters of the way back to London.