Gray spent the night staring at the ceiling and wondering how something so wonderful could have turned so awry. At one point, the candle guttered out. He must have fallen asleep after that, but when he woke, he was no more rested.

When the first rays of gray predawn light wafted through the window to illuminate the room, he rose and dressed. As he exited the room, he stopped short. Charlie, clad in her borrowed dress, halted with a hand still on the latch to her door, mere feet away. She looked as weary and worried as he did.

He battled the urge to take her into his arms and kiss her. The memory of her rejection erected an insurmountable wall between them. He couldn’t look at her without remembering the horror on her face when he’d mentioned a special license. They’d formed a connection—or so he’d thought. He couldn’t understand why she would have given her virginity to him if she didn’t care for him.

For the adventure?

He tried to brush away the thought, but it persisted. That was the reason she’d cited for being unwilling to marry him. Lawks, he hadn’t thought he was ready for marriage, either. But they’d shared themselves as man and wife, and he didn’t want to cheapen their bond by pretending that it didn’t mean something. She wasn’t the same as the other women he’d lain with. He cared about her.

But seemingly, she didn’t share that connection with him. Perhaps it was best that he focus on the much more important issue—his mother's safety.

Her eyebrows pulled together as she reached out to squeeze his arm. “Did you sleep at all?”

He pulled away.

The furrow in her forehead deepened, but she dropped her hand. She clenched it in front of her middle. Her posture stiffened.

He forced a smile. “I slept more than you, I imagine. I didn’t hear your snores.”

Her cheeks turned pink, and she averted her gaze. “We were several rooms apart. I’m perfectly well rested.”

Liar. He didn’t have the courage to ask whether he h,if had . Instead, he murmured, “I hope so. We have much to do today. Let's hurry to breakfast. May I escort you?”

After the intimacy they’d shared, asking her that one simple question felt strange. She inclined her head but made no move to take his arm. He motioned for her to precede him instead.

At the staircase, they met Brackley, who was dressed for travel. It seemed he’d been serious when he said he meant to accompany them. A small weight lifted off of Gray’s shoulders. If Brackley meant to come with them, they would meet with no more delays. The man was a marquess, with all the power and money that the title implied. They would reach London in time. They had to.

As they stopped within feet of one another at the landing, Gray inclined his head. “Brackley.”

His brother-in-law returned the gesture but turned to Charlie. “Lucy warned me I might have to rouse you. I’m happy to see she was mistaken.”

Charlie’s answering smile was thin and wan. “This matter is too important for me to lay abed.”

Brackley frowned. He looked between his two guests. “You seem different this morning. Is aught amiss?”

“My mother’s life is in danger,” Gray answered, his voice tight. “May we continue to the breakfast room?”

After gesturing to the staircase, Brackley fell into step with them. “Of course. Lucy will be down momentarily, and I mean to see us off as soon as possible. London is over a day’s travel away by carriage, but if we go by horseback instead and ride hard, exchanging horses at every inn we pass, we might be able to reach the city this evening.”

Neither Gray nor Charlie was the best of horsemen, but he nodded nonetheless. “Then that’s what we’ll do.”

He didn’t look to Charlie for confirmation. In fact, he was lucky that Brackley didn’t underestimate her or Lucy. Perhaps he did love her, if he didn’t try to coddle her.

Once again, his brother-in-law narrowed his eyes while glancing between them. He stopped in the center of the staircase. Gray would have walked past if Charlie hadn’t also paused.

Brackley fixed them both under a penetrating stare. “Did something happen between you two last night?”

Gray clenched his teeth and managed not to glance at Charlie. Was she blushing? If she did, it would be impossible to keep their intimacy a secret.

Not that he wished to keep it a secret. No, he would rather shout it from the rooftops—by means of marriage, to which Charlie was violently opposed.

Squaring his shoulders, he answered, “No. Shall we continue?”

Brackley didn’t budge. His frown deepened. “If there is friction between you, you’d best air it. Spy business is treacherous. You need to be able to trust your partner above all else.”

Gray met Charlie’s wide-eyed gaze for the briefest moment before he answered, “Charlie and I trust each other.” His voice was edged with steel.

Lucy, clad in form-fitting breeches and a matching jacket, plodded down the stairs and stopped in her tracks as she reached the group. The air was thick with tension.

“Is something amiss?”

“Mother is in danger,” Gray bit off. “Shall we hurry?”

“Of course.” She insinuated herself beneath his arm and squeezed his middle. “We’ll save her, Anthony.”

He didn’t know what he’d do if they couldn’t.

* * *

Foam gathered around the bit on the horse’s mouth, a sure sign that they should have stopped on the outskirts of London to exchange beasts yet again. Twilight fell around them, the streetlamps not yet lit to provide better illumination. The result was a thin, dreary sort of fog that blanketed the cobblestones. Weary to the bone, Gray pulled his horse to a stop in front of the Tenwick townhouse.

Finally, they’d made it.

Although his legs felt like watered wine, he forced himself to dismount. A footman emerged from the townhouse. Gray locked his knees as he offered the man the reins. “We have to speak to Mother at once. Is she sitting down to supper?” He wouldn’t feel at ease until he saw her with his own eyes.

“No, milord,” the footman piped up. “I’m afraid she isn’t at home.”

Gray’s legs threatened to give way. “Where is she?”

The young man tugged on his forelock as he avoided Gray’s gaze. “I’m afraid she didn’t leave her direction. She might be at the duke’s residence with her sons.”

Although he felt ready to collapse after a harried day, he dragged himself back into the saddle. They had to reach his brother’s townhouse with all possible haste—if not, they might find themselves mere minutes too late.