He was still alive.

Doctor Fleming arrived in the morning as he promised and was encouraged by what he found. Joshua Winslow seemed a bit stronger. He wasn’t out of danger, but he hadn’t developed a fever, which was a good sign.

After the doctor left, Nick arrived. Edward was working in his study when his son-in-law entered the room.

“What did you find out?” Edward said, hoping he had good news.

“Not as much as I wanted, but more than we knew yesterday.” Nick poured himself a cup of coffee from the tray on Edward’s desk, then sat in the cushioned chair near him. “I found the woman who left the note in your carriage.”

Edward sat forward. “What did she have to say?”

“She said she works in one of the taverns near the docks, and one night several weeks ago she and a friend were on their way home. She lives in a shack down the street from the boarding house on Conner Street. She and her friend heard someone moaning, and they went to investigate. They found Winslow beneath a thicket. She didn’t know how he got there and took him home.”

“Who is this lady?”

“The only name she gave me was Maude.”

“Did she tell you anything else?”

Nick shook his head. “Nothing, other than she thinks she saw Winslow going in and out of the vacant building on Conner Street several times over the past few weeks.” Nick took a sip of his coffee. “She warned me to stay away. It used to be an old boarding house, and going there wasn’t safe.”

“Did she say why?”

“No. That was all she’d say.”

Edward rose. “Well, that’s more than we knew before.” He stepped to the window and looked out onto the street. “What should we do next?”

“I’m going to assign some men to watch the boarding house.”

“I think that’s wise,” Edward admitted.

“I’m also going to assign some men to watch you.”

Edward turned to face his son-in-law. “Me? Why on earth would you do that?”

“For the same reason that if Lord Lindleigh would have had men watching him, he might still be alive. If the boarding house is being used by smugglers and they’re not only bringing in French wines, but also stolen jewels, they’ll do whatever it takes to protect the place they’re using to unload and distribute their goods.”

“And you think I’ve threatened their organization?”

“Your plan to buy their warehouse did that and they’ll do whatever it takes to stop you. Even kill you.”

Edward returned to his chair and leaned his elbows on the desk. “I’ll be at the Portwood event tonight. Lady Lindleigh will be accompanying me.”

Nick nodded.

“If the choice were mine,” Edward said, “I’d cancel tonight’s engagement and stay home. But being accepted by Society is too important to Lady Lindleigh. I’m afraid she would go without me. I don’t want to force her to face Society’s dragons without me there to protect her.”

“And I don’t blame you,” Nick answered. “Winnie and I both think you’ve made a wise choice in your friendship with Lady Lindleigh. It’s obvious you’re happier than you’ve been in a long while.”

Edward looked at his son-in-law. “I have to admit that I am.”

Nick smiled, then finished his coffee and left Townsend House.

When Edward was alone, he sat at his desk and picked up his pen. He had two letters to write. One to Her Majesty to tell her he’d found Joshua Winslow, and he was hiding him at Townsend House until he recovered.

And the next letter to the solicitors at Elsberry and Son to inform them that he’d decided to purchase the property on Conner Street.

If he was right that Byron Elsberry was involved in the smuggling ring, his life would be in more danger than before. And so would everyone who associated with him, including Alyssa.

He wasn’t sure what he intended to do about that, except stay away from Alyssa, which was the last thing he wanted to do.

When he’d sent the letters, he went to check on the lad. That no one had come to tell him Winslow had taken a turn for the worse was a good sign. Perhaps the lad would survive after all.

Alyssa had enjoyed every minute of the Portwood ball so far. She’d been included in several groups of friends she and Kendrick had associated with before his death. She was also invited to a musicale Lady Shepherd was hosting later in the week, and most important, several women had asked if she would be home tomorrow morning. They wanted to call on her. That her friends were including her in their morning visits meant more to her than she could say.

Of course, the three harpies that used to be a part of the Duchess of Townsend’s manipulating group still gave her their backs. But Alyssa was becoming quite skilled at avoiding them. And if they were anywhere close to her, Edward magically appeared.

Without intending for it to happen, she’d become more reliant on him. She enjoyed his company more than she thought she’d ever enjoy a man’s company again, and looked forward to every moment she could spend with him.

Something was different tonight. She’d noticed it when he’d arrived to accompany her in his grand carriage, but thought it was her imagination. But by the time they’d arrived at the ball, she knew it wasn’t.

Edward seemed a bit more quiet than usual. And more than once she caught him glancing out the window.

That’s when she noticed that the carriage parked behind them had followed them. It parked behind them when they arrived at the Portwood ball, but no one dismounted from the carriage, or entered the Portwood town house.

Alyssa tried to ask Edward about it but he avoided answering her.

“Are you enjoying yourself?” he asked as he approached her with a glass of champagne in his hand.

Alyssa took the champagne from his fingers and drank a sip of the tepid liquid. “Yes, I’m having a marvelous time.”

“Would you like to dance this next set, or would you rather take a stroll in the garden?”

“Oh, the garden, Your Grace. Definitely the garden. It’s terribly warm in here.”

Edward smiled and Alyssa’s heart swelled in her breast. He was such a handsome man, and when she took his arm, every nerve in her body tingled.

She walked with him across the terrace, down the garden path, then deep into the maze of hedges and flowerbeds. When they reached an ornately designed wrought iron bench, they sat down beside each other. Edward wrapped his arm around her shoulder and held her close to him.

“Why are there men following us?” she asked.

The muscles in his arm across her shoulders flexed. “I’m not sure I know what you mean, Alyssa.”

“Yes you do. You know exactly what I mean. The men in the carriage that arrived at my townhouse when you did. That left my townhouse when we did. And is parked outside as we speak, ready to follow us home.”

Edward laughed. “Remind me never to try to put anything past you, my lady. You are far too perceptive. You are definitely a worthy adversary.”

Alyssa leaned her head against his shoulder. “Something for you to keep in mind should you ever think you can fool me.”

“I’ll keep that in mind.”

“So, why are you being followed?”

“I’m not being followed,” Edward said, then rose from the bench. “We’re being protected.”

“We? As in you and I?”

“Yes.”

“Protected?”

“Yes.”

Alyssa rose to stand behind him. “Why?”

“We believe that Kendrick, because of his search for a home for unwanted children, accidentally stumbled upon a building being used by smugglers.”

“That’s why he was killed?”

Edward gathered her into his arms and held her close. Alyssa leaned in even closer and tucked her head beneath his shoulder.

“Yes.”

“Is this the property on Conner Street?”

“Yes.”

Alyssa lifted her gaze. “So why are you in danger?”

“I purchased that same property today.”

“Edward, no!”

“Sh,” he whispered. He held her to keep her from pushing away from him. “I’m safe. I have men watching me.”

“But why would you do something so foolish?”

“Because your husband was right. It’s an excellent property for an orphanage. And there’s no area of London more desperate for what it can provide.”

“But he was killed because of it.”

“That’s because he didn’t know what he’d stumbled into. I do.”

“It hardly matters if you know the reason you’ve been killed or if you don’t. You’re still dead.”

Her very frank observation seemed to startle him.

“Nothing will happen to me.”

“You can’t guarantee that.”

“The smuggling ring needs to be stopped, Alyssa.”

“Then let someone else stop it.”

“I can’t.”

“Can’t? Or won’t?”

“I won’t.”

Edward’s words clenched around her heart and squeezed until her chest hurt. Funeral processions and widow’s weeds flashed brutally across her memory. She couldn’t bear the thought of Edward dying. Not when she’d just found him.

Alyssa pulled out of Edward’s arms and walked away from him.