“I think you know that too.” It was said with a smile that showed yellowed teeth. His features held the heaviness of his body: large chin, broad cheekbones—oddly sprinkled with pale gold freckles like a child—and thick sandy brows.

“I have no idea what you mean,” I said.

He jerked that heavy chin at his comrade, and I heard Samuel yelp. I whirled around. The other man had shoved my footman up against the wall, his hand around the boy’s throat. Samuel thrashed in the brutal hold using the umbrella as a club. The larger man plucked it out of his hand and threw it to the ground, then drove a fist into his gut. Samuel gasped.

I lunged forward. “Stop that! Let him go!”

Mulholland stepped across my path, blocking my momentum. “Are you on your way to meet Lord Evan Belford?” he demanded.

I drew myself up, mustering as much frostiness as I could manage. “I have no idea what you mean. I am on the way to my jewelers.” He stood far too close—I could smell the mustiness of his clothes and body—but I refused to step back. He must not see the fear beneath my rage.

Mulholland nodded to his underling. The man drove his fist into Samuel again. The boy wheezed, his tricorn dropping from his head into the mud. He struck out wildly and landed a blow on the side of his attacker’s head, but it did not seem to even register with the heavier man.

“Where is your mistress going?” Mulholland called to Samuel. “Tell me, and Pritchard will let you go.”

“The jewelers, I swear it!”

Brave boy.

“Sure about that?” Mulholland asked. Another nod sent Pritchard’s fist even harder into my footman’s side with a dull thud. Samuel moaned.

I glared at Mulholland. “He has told you the truth. Let him go.”

“I know for sure it ain’t the truth because our mutual friend Mr. Kent told me that you and Belford were hand in glove up round King’s Lynn way. So Pritchard here will keep serving your man until you tell me where Belford is situated now.”

Mulholland knew about King’s Lynn. And if what he said was true, Mr. Kent had betrayed us. Could I blame Kent? He was a Runner, after all, and he had made it clear he had fulfilled his obligation to Lord Evan. But surely he must realize he had placed Julia and me in peril. Perhaps his regard was not as strong as Julia hoped.