“She is insensible,” Evan said. He glared across at Miss Grant. “Why did you allow her to come?”

“She is a Belford,” Miss Grant snapped back. “You try stopping her from doing what she wants.”

Weatherly appeared with the rug, Julia close behind me with her medicine box already open. “What does she need? Smelling salts?”

Weatherly laid the rug upon the road, and Evan and Miss Grant carefully lowered her upon it, with Miss Grant cradling her head. Julia kneeled beside them and held the small bottle under Hester’s nose. We all leaned in. No response. Hester remained unmoving, only her chest rising with each shallow breath.

“We must get her back into the carriage,” Evan said to Weatherly.

Julia sat back upon her heels. “We need to get her to a bed and a doctor.”

“Brighton is close, my lady,” Weatherly said.

Julia shook her head. “If we go to Brighton, we will have no lodgings. We cannot take Hester and Miss Grant to any of our acquaintances or risk public exposure in a hotel. It will get back to Deele.”

“We must return to London,” I said.

It did not take long for Evan and Weatherly to settle Hester back into the carriage in Miss Grant’s arms. Julia sat opposite, keeping a watchful eye upon Hester’s breathing, smelling salts at the ready.

I foresaw an anxious journey back to Grosvenor Square.

I passed Julia the rug that had been used as a pillow on the roadside, then took the few steps to Evan, waiting with his horse. We had barely seen each other, our reunion far too brief and far too crowded. And yet here we were, another farewell at a carriage door.

“Do not worry. We will take care of her,” I said.

Evan drew the reins over his horse’s head, ready to mount. “I will follow.”

“No! You cannot. You will only put yourself in danger. Mulholland has noses everywhere.”

“My sister is right,” he said, his voice low and full of self-reproach. “This is my fault and I must try to put it right.”

“That is not true—” I began, but he shook his head.

“I see now that Hester is desperate to flee our brother, and if I thought I could do so safely, I would take her on the next ship. But I cannot see her surviving an extended sea journey, or even a land journey. You have started this search for the truth, and with it, a hope for my exoneration. We must continue as swiftly as possible. I must do everything I can to take my place in my family again and save her from another five years of my brother’s rule.”