The shed was dark, the wooden floor dusty. The scent of rum hung in the air, sweet yet sickly. A scurrying sound from somewhere in the far right-hand corner near the mound of old sacks caught Daphne’s attention. She flexed her fingers though her hands were secured in front of her body by a pair of shackles, the words Newgate Prison stamped into the cold metal. The rope tied tightly around her ankles prevented her from pulling the knife from inside her boot, and so she could do nothing but sit and wait for Lily to return.

Lily Lawson had fooled them all. Poor Thomas. To discover his partner was a liar and cheat must have hurt him deeply. Yet he’d said nothing, given no indication of the stress he must have suffered as a result.

Daphne suppressed all feelings of guilt. Now was not the time to dwell on the past.

Lily had made no mention of her plans. Even so, her failure to provide food and water suggested Thomas wasn’t to be the only victim on Lily’s list. The fact that Daphne was still alive raised certain questions. Yet the answer always came back to the cryptic comment Lily made when she’d forced Daphne from the book shop.

If I shoot you, how will you be able to rescue Mr Thorpe?

What was her game? Was Thorpe her prisoner too? Is that why she’d left Daphne in the shed and not returned? Regardless of the mess they’d made of the case so far, Thorpe was too clever to fall for Lily’s tricks. Then again, the woman seemed comfortable playing a damsel in distress. And they had been so convinced of Lord Gibson’s guilt they’d been blind to Lily’s involvement.

Daphne closed her eyes.

The faint sound of lapping water reached her ears. But the absence of muffled voices or the rumble of a cart proved worrying. She listened for a while, was still wondering if anyone would find her in the musty old shed when the rattle of a key in the lock drew her gaze to the door.

The glow from the lantern held aloft illuminated the person’s face.

“Good evening, Mrs Chambers.” Lily came into the room, placed the lantern on the floor and pulled the pistol from the leather satchel slung over her shoulder beneath her cloak. “Thank heavens for safety catches.” She pointed the pistol at Daphne. “I trust you’ve not been too cold in here.”

“Have you come to kill me?” Daphne’s tone brimmed with contempt. She had no desire to partake in meaningless conversation.

“Kill you? Oh, I can’t kill you yet,” Lily said with a snort. Her once sweet voice was filled with bitterness and loathing. “You’re the bait.”

“Bait?” Daphne stared at Lily’s face. It had lost its angelic appeal. Now Daphne had glimpsed the rotten core inside, the rest proved equally unappetising.

“Surely you don’t imagine I could drag Mr Thorpe here for any other reason than to save you? With his lack of options, I’m hoping that logical brain of his will soon realise he has but two choices. Either I’ll persuade him to join me, or I’ll use you as bait to kill him.”

The words conjured a vision of Daniel lying lifeless in the water.

“There is no need for any of this,” Daphne pleaded. She wasn’t afraid to beg if necessary. She’d sell her soul to save Daniel’s life. “Despite what Thomas told you, he had no evidence you were the traitor. We’ve searched high and low and found nothing.”

“Thomas was too clever to make idle threats. He’d been monitoring my movements for weeks, knew I was selling information to the French and lying to the Crown.” There was a hint of admiration in Lily’s tone when she spoke of Thomas. “I offered him many incentives to join me.” From the seductive lilt in Lily’s voice, the woman had used her charms to tempt him. “The man was loyal to a fault which was to his detriment in the end.”

A sudden wave of sadness swept through Daphne, the emotion pooling at the base of her throat. Pride swelled in her chest for her husband, her friend. Thomas was a good man who deserved so much more. Despite Lily’s devious plots, he had remained faithful to his wife, and to the Crown.

Daphne shuffled on the cold, hard floor. “Did you care about Thomas at all?”

Lily took a step closer, bent down and stared into Daphne’s eyes. “Care about him? I loved him. Despite the fact he didn’t love you, he refused to love me in return.”

Perhaps Lily expected the comment to shock. But regardless of the other problems Daphne had in her marriage, they’d always been honest.

“We loved each other,” Daphne corrected. Thomas had been her dearest friend. “Only not in the way a husband and wife should.” Not in the way she loved Daniel.

“We shared a kiss once,” Lily boasted. “I knew then I had to have him and tried to persuade him to assist with my plan.” With an ugly look of disdain, Lily’s gaze travelled the length of Daphne’s body. “But you always seemed to get in the way.”

“A woman does not kill the man she loves,” Daphne countered.

Lily jumped to her feet. “Do you think I wanted to see Thomas dead? I added a tincture to his ale, something said to loosen the tongue and banish inhibitions.” She waved her pistol about mindlessly as she told her tale. “We walked along the wharf while he attempted to reason with me. Traitors hang, I told him, while I waited for his mood to mellow.”

To hear of Thomas’ final moments caused a host of horrifying images to flood Daphne’s mind.

“And then you killed him because, in spite of your efforts to corrupt him, Thomas remained true to his cause.”

Lily shrugged. “We argued. I pushed him, tried to grab his waistcoat when he tumbled back into the river but caught hold of his watch instead. The effects of the tincture took hold, and the cold water froze his muscles. I was forced to stand there and watch him drown.”

Daphne’s throat grew so tight she could barely breathe. Tears welled in her eyes. “You could have called for help. You could have saved him if you’d wanted to.”

“Perhaps. Had my crimes carried the penalty of transportation it might have been a possibility. But we both know I’d have swung by the neck until dead.” Lily gave an impatient huff, waved the pistol to gesture for Daphne to stand. “Now, get up. We’re to meet your colleague, and we can’t be late.”

“You’ve tied the rope around my legs so tight it’s impossible to stand.” Daphne had tried numerous times but to no avail.

Lily reached into her satchel, removed a knife in a leather sheath and slid it across the floor. “Cut the ropes.” She aimed her pistol at Daphne’s head. “One wrong move and I will pull the trigger.”

For a spy, the woman lacked logic.

Daphne raised her shackled hands. “And how am I supposed to do that?”

Lily scowled. “Hold the knife between your palms.”

“It’s in a sheath.”

With another huff of impatience, Lily placed the pistol carefully on the floor, picked up the knife and pulled the blade free. Daphne watched Lily intently as she cut the fibres with a sawing motion. In a moment of fancy, Daphne imagined kicking the traitor to the floor once her legs were free. Imagined punching her hard with her clasped hands.

But Lily had nothing to lose. And Daphne knew the odds of escaping were slim. She stood a much better chance once they were outside.

Lily cut the bindings, recovered her pistol and dragged Daphne to her feet. The hours spent lying on the floor, and with the circulation to her toes restricted by the tight rope, it took a moment to keep her balance.

“You’re to walk by my side,” Lily said, threading her arm through Daphne’s. “One word from you, or one move in the wrong direction and I’ll shoot.” Hiding the pistol beneath her cloak, Lily pressed the end of the barrel into Daphne’s side. “This will blow a hole so big your innards will spill out onto the wharf.”

Keep calm. Keep calm.

There would be ample opportunity to escape, Daphne told herself. For now, she would follow Lily’s plan.

After blowing out the candle burning in the lantern on the floor, Lily escorted Daphne out of the shed and along the narrow wharf. The night was clear, the wind barely a whisper. The waning moon cast a modicum of light. There were other ramshackle buildings to the right — none of them occupied. To their left, the river looked like an inky black sheet of glass.

They’d walked for no more than a minute when a dark shadow appeared to block their path. From the shape of his shoulders and breadth of his chest, Daphne knew it was Daniel. He wore his over-sized greatcoat, the collar raised to his chin.

Lily hesitated, scanned the area and muttered a warning before stepping closer.

“Mr Thorpe, you will show me your hands, sir.” Lily waved the pistol in Daniel’s direction.

Daniel raised his hands slowly. “Allow Mrs Chambers to leave, and we’ll talk.”

“You know that is not possible,” Lily sneered. “Now stop playing games. I trust you’ve used your time wisely and have managed to locate the proof of my duplicity.”

“I have. I also spent my time interrogating Mr Brown, the pawnbroker. It seems you have an interesting relationship with the gentleman. How else would you have known of my involvement? How else would you have known our every move?”

Lily gave a hapless shrug. “Mr Brown will do anything to earn a shilling. He’s been spying on Mrs Chambers for months.”

Daphne swallowed down her surprise. No wonder the man had been so helpful. “And so that’s how you knew when it was safe to enter my private rooms.”

“That’s not how she knew,” Daniel replied. “She played the role of seamstress to gain Betsy’s trust.”

“I hoped to find the evidence Thomas spoke of,” Lily replied. She focused her attention on Daniel. “Indeed, I hope you’ve had more success, Mr Thorpe.”

“Let us just say I stumbled upon interesting information,” Daniel said though Daphne suspected he was lying. Despite numerous conversations they’d shared on the topic, they’d found nothing to implicate Lily. “But if I give you the only evidence linking you to the crime, what then?” Daniel added.

“Then you have found it?” she asked not bothering to hide her desperation.

Daniel lowered his hands. “Answer my question first.”

“Keep your hands high where I can see them. You are in no position to bargain.”

“Oh, but I am.” Daniel gave an arrogant smirk although Daphne could sense his unease. “Allow Mrs Chambers to step a few feet to your right, and I shall tell you what you want to know.”

Lily looked at Daphne and hesitated. She pushed the barrel of the pistol into Daphne’s side while she decided what to do.

“What if I told you that you’d held the proof of your involvement in your hand only to let it go?” Daniel continued by way of an incentive.

Lily frowned, but then recognition dawned. “The pocket watch?”

“Yes,” Daniel nodded. “The one you sent to Lord Gibson hoping to convince us he was the traitor. That is why you gave us the paper with his name on it? With Danbury living in France, you knew we’d have no way of investigating his activities. Today, I discovered that Captain Lewis is in India, which no doubt you already knew.”

In the hours Daphne had sat helplessly on the floor of a shed, Daniel had been extremely productive.

“What doesn’t make any sense is the time frame.” Daniel sighed. “You feared that once Mrs Chambers and I became reacquainted, we would discuss the events surrounding Thomas’ death, which in turn might prompt us to visit The Mariners. But Lord Gibson received the package days before I began sitting outside the pawnbrokers to guard Mrs Chambers’ house at night.”

Daphne had not even considered that point. Daniel’s insight was remarkable.

“In my line of work one must prepare for every eventuality.” Lily’s tone conveyed her arrogance. “I’ve followed you both for years. A few weeks ago, I saw you together at the docks. Based on her flimsy clothing, I wondered if Mrs Chambers had taken a new profession. But then you boarded the Falcon, and I knew you were working together on a case.”

So Lily had seen them working the Harwood case, and all the while they had been oblivious to her interest in them.

“Now I have done your work for you and answered your questions, give me the pocket watch.”

“I’m afraid you’ll have to shoot me in the heart,” Daniel said, “for I will tell you nothing more until you’ve released Mrs Chambers from your grasp. You have a pistol, and I doubt there’s much the lady can do while her wrists are bound.”

It took Lily a moment to consider the suggestion. “Very well.” Lily pushed Daphne away. “Take three large steps. That is all.”

Daphne did as she was told, but hoped to heaven Daniel had a plan to save them.

Lily pointed her pistol at Daphne. “If she moves, I’ll shoot her. Now, Mr Thorpe, give me the proof I seek. I assume you stole it back from Lord Gibson.”

“Of course.” Daniel gestured to his pocket. “May I?”

“Retrieve the item slowly.” Lily’s eyes grew round as Daniel lifted the watch gently from his coat pocket. He threw it to her, and she caught it with her free hand. “I trust the proof is hidden somewhere inside?”

“It was.” Daniel shuffled backwards as Lily examined the gold case. With a discreet jerk of the head, he gestured for Daphne to move further back. Then he placed his hands on his head, even though Lily had lowered the weapon and had not instructed him to do so. “But it is not there now.”

Lily’s frantic gaze shot up. “Do you not value this woman’s life? Give me what I ask.”

“I can’t.” Daniel took another step back. “Lord Gibson removed the note from inside the case and passed it on to the appropriate authority. I called on him this morning.”

All the colour drained from Lily’s face. She glanced back over her shoulder and then cocked the pistol and aimed at Daphne’s head.

“There is little point firing at Mrs Chambers,” Daniel said edging further away. “The note was written in code, and I am the only one who knows what it says.”

“In code,” Lily echoed. “Does it implicate me?”

“Your name is mentioned, but Lord Gibson did not give me the chance to read more than a few words.”

Lily’s lips curled up into an evil grin. “Then with you out of the way, Gibson will have no hope of discovering what it says. I’ll be free to leave for France with no fear of reprisal.”

Fear gripped Daphne by the throat. Lily would shoot. She was convinced of it.

“You should have kept the watch when you pulled it from Thomas’ body,” Daniel said, seemingly unperturbed by the threat to his life. “Had you bothered to examine it, none of this would have been necessary.”

Yes, but a traitor would have been free to roam in their midst, causing untold havoc.

“My mistake was trying to save Thomas by grabbing his waistcoat,” Lily said coldly. “The watch snapped from the chain as he fell. Had it ended up in the water, no one would have been able to read the note.”

Daniel muttered a curse under his breath. “What motivates a woman to kill a man she professed to care for?”

“Money, Mr Thorpe.” Lily snorted. “I’d prefer a comfortable life in France than to rot away in the back streets of Wapping. When the Carron leaves again, I plan to sail away never to return.” She turned the pistol on Daniel. “I would have suggested you come with me. But as you’ve admitted you’re the only person who can read the code, I’ve no option but to kill you. This time I’ll not miss.”

The click of the hammer falling sent a bolt of fear straight to Daphne’s heart. The puff of white smoke wafted up into the cool night air. It took a second or two for the bang to reach her ears.

“Daniel!” Daphne cried as she watched him fall back, watched the cream waistcoat turn crimson with blood. With cuffed wrists, Daphne struggled to clutch her stomach as a searing pain ripped through her body. Tears burst from her eyes as she glared at Lily’s indifferent expression. “How could you?”

Without a thought for her own safety, Daphne rushed forward and dropped to her knees at Daniel’s side. She touched the back of her shackled hand to his waistcoat to find it saturated with blood.

“Oh, Lord. No!” The tears fell so hard they bubbled in the back of her throat. “Please, Daniel. Open your eyes. Don’t leave me.” She looked up and scanned the deserted wharf. “Help! Someone, help me!” Surely someone would have heard the shot.

“There is no need to cry,” Lily said, “as you are about to join him. Only a fool would leave a witness alive.”

Lily aimed at Daphne.

Daphne sucked in a breath, bent down and kissed Daniel on the forehead. “I love you,” she whispered, determined she would own the words in this life as well as the next.

The loud crack of the ball as Lily discharged it from the pistol exploded in her ears. Daphne put her head on Daniel’s shoulder and closed her eyes, waited for the sharp pain to hit her in the back.

When a woman’s shrill cry filled the air, Daphne glanced up to see Lily lying in a heap on the ground. With eyes cold, wide and vacant, it was evident she was dead.

Two figures appeared in the distance. The smaller one carried a pistol. The larger one ran towards her.

“Thorpe!” Bostock cried as he fell to his knees at his friend’s side.

“He’s gone, Mr Bostock.” Daphne’s voice sounded fractured, croaky. She stared at the ugly burgundy stain on Daniel’s chest. Why was life so cruel? Just when she’d glimpsed true happiness. Just when she’d found someone to love. “There’s nothing we can do.”

Bostock leant forward, ripped Daniel’s waistcoat open, sent the button’s scattering across the wharf. “He’s not dead, Mrs Chambers. Least I hope not.” Bostock tore at the linen shirt to reveal a strange contraption beneath.

“What’s that strapped to his chest?”

“Two metal plates with padding in between,” Bostock said, slapping Daniel around the face. He touched a point on Daniel’s neck. “Oh, he’s alive all right. Probably the shock that caused him to black out that’s all.”

“It … it has nothing to do with the shock,” Daniel muttered as he opened his eyes.

Daphne’s head felt suddenly light. “You’re alive!” The pressure of grief pressing down on her heart, lifted.

Daniel groaned. “I’m alive, but the impact may have cracked a rib.”

“But I saw the blood.” Daphne shook her head. “I saw the ball hit you in the chest.”

Bostock tugged the material bag attached to the metal plate. “Betsy made a pouch. I won’t tell you what she used for the lining. We filled it with pig’s blood. Thorpe wanted Lily to think he was dead so that he might have an opportunity to rescue you if need be.”

“But I’m not dead, Bostock.” Daniel winced as he touched his chest. “And I am capable of speaking for myself.”

“I trust the ball hit the breastplate?” the other gentleman said as he stepped closer.

“Yes, my lord,” Bostock replied. “He’s damn lucky she didn’t aim for his head.”

Daniel came up to a sitting position. “It’s a matter of mind manipulation. With my hands raised, my chest was an open target. I more or less told her to shoot me in the heart.”

Daphne sat back on her knees and glared at Daniel. She didn’t know whether to laugh or cry, whether to slap him or kiss him. “If my hands were free, I’d punch you so hard I’d be sure to break your nose.”

“Then perhaps I should lie back and close my eyes, and wait for you to tell me you love me again.”

He’d heard her!

Bostock cleared his throat. “There’ll be time for that later. We need to get those shackles off your wrists, Mrs Chambers, and get Thorpe to his feet. And no doubt Betsy will be out of her mind with worry.”

“I’ve sent my man to find a constable,” the lord said, looking back at Lily’s lifeless body. “I’ll deal with things here. But I shall need your testimony to satisfy the powers that be.”

“Thank you, Lord Gibson,” Daniel said. “I shall call on you tomorrow and will provide whatever you need.”

Lord Gibson? Heavens, Daniel had achieved more in the few hours working alone than they had in days.

Finding the key to the shackles in Lily’s satchel, Daphne spent five minutes massaging the marks on her wrists where the metal had dug into her skin. Bostock removed the odd contraption strapped to Daniel’s chest. The lead ball had dented the first sheet of metal. Daniel shrugged into his coat. Despite her anger, Daphne had to admit there was something quite fetching about a bare-chested man wearing nothing but outdoor clothing.

“You still haven’t explained why you risked your life when there were a hundred other ways to deal with Lily,” she said.

They walked along the wharf toward Lower Shadwell. Bostock had hurried ahead to find Murphy. Daphne’s heart was still racing. The memory of Daniel falling to the ground would never leave her.

“I needed to distract Lily long enough for Gibson to get close. And I needed you out of harm’s way. Gibson wouldn’t take the shot until Lily fired first and I couldn’t take the chance she might hurt you.”

“So you risked your life for me?” she said, anger surfacing again. “What if she’d hit you in the neck? What if she’d missed your stupid metal vest? What then?”

Daniel stopped walking, grabbed her arm and turned her to face him. “Then my only regret would be that I’d not told you I love you.”

She was silent for a moment as the words seeped into her mind.

“You do?” The warm feeling in her chest banished the anger and fear. “You’re not just saying that because I said those same words to you?”

He laughed. “For heaven’s sake, Daphne. You’re supposed to be a skilled enquiry agent. How can you not know that I’ve loved you since the day I met you?”

Daphne blinked. “Since when?” Her stomach did a little flip.

“Since the night at the opera.”

“But in recent years you’ve been so distant.”

Daniel raised a brow. “As I’m sure you’re aware, I have never been good at dealing with rejection. My way of coping with emotion is to ignore it.”

His comment brought to mind all she’d learned from Lavinia. “Is that why you refuse to accept who you truly are?”

His gaze dropped, and he shrugged. “Perhaps.” He took her hand, and they continued walking. “We should go home and get some rest. With this case solved we must turn our attention to more pressing matters?”

“Do you mean what we should do now we have both declared our true feelings?”

“Indeed,” Daniel nodded. “We must decide what we want to do now. Where we go from here.”