Laurence nodded. ‘And there is some little chance that he is held at the palace itself,’ he said. ‘Do you now understand our urgency? While Bonaparte—’

‘I am not a simpleton, sir,’ Woolvey said, interrupting, ‘but why send only you and this havey-cavey fellow—’

‘One good man is better than a dozen of lesser ability in such an expedition,’ Laurence said. ‘We were the only ones close enough to make the attempt. No, enough questions,’ he added sharply. ‘I am not going to waste time answering every objection you can dredge up. If you mean to continue this blundering interference, when you have no understanding of the situation, you may be damned: we will take our chances in the street with Bonaparte's guardsmen.’

Woolvey looked still undecided. ‘Will,’ Edith said, quietly, and they both looked at her, ‘will you swear on the Bible that you are telling the truth?’

This gesture did not entirely satisfy Woolvey, but Edith took him by the arm and said, ‘Dearest, I have known Will since we were children. While I can believe he would easily manage to get himself convicted of treason, I do not think that he would lie under oath.’

Sullenly Woolvey said, ‘Still; it is all a dashed rum affair if you ask me.’ He drew away from her and poured himself a second cup of coffee. He was so irritable and tense that he splashed it across the china and the polished wood; he did not bother to put in the cream but drank it straight from the cup, a few swallows only, and set it down again with a clatter. ‘So what is it, do you mean to rescue him?’ he said abruptly, with a fresh note of something even more dangerous than suspicion: enthusiasm.

‘If we can,’ Laurence said, and forced himself to ask, ‘If you can spare us your carriage-horses?’

‘No,’ Woolvey said after a moment. ‘No, I will take you, in the carriage. Lord Holland's servants know me, and his grounds march with the palace gardens. It is not a mile from his house. If you really mean to get yourselves into the palace, and this is not all some fantasy, I will see you get there. And if it is all a pack of nonsense, and you have some other mischief in mind, I dare say the coachman, footmen and I can just as well put paid to your notion.’

Edith flinched. ‘Woolvey, do not be absurd,’ Laurence said. ‘You have not been brought up for this sort of work.’

‘Driving you an easy couple of miles, to the house of a gentleman of my acquaintance, and taking a stroll through his park?’ Woolvey shot back, sarcastic. ‘I dare say I will manage somehow.’

‘And then?’ Laurence said. ‘When we have gone into the house and taken Granby out, and a hue and cry is raised after us?’