Hero, Come Back by Stephanie Laurens Read Free Book Online

man beckoned again, and Benjy went and climbed in. The door shut, and the carriage rolled off.” She sniffed. “Robbie and Petey thought Benjy went off for a lark so they weren’t going to tell tales. We had to drag that much out of them, but they’re worried, now, so I daresay it’s the truth.”
    “What did the gentleman look like?” Reggie asked.
    Mrs. Keggs seemed to notice him for the first time. She shook her head. “The boys didn’t see him, only his hand—gloved—beckoning. They were too far back and the shadows of the carriage hid him.”
    “Did they notice anything about the carriage?”
    “Just that it was black.”
    Anne exchanged a look with Reggie. A black carriage in London was one straw in a haystack. Trying to exude a confidence she didn’t feel, she stood. “For now, don’t worry—it’s possible the gentleman I spoke to recently might know something of this. I intend to find out. But for now, we need to get the rest of the children back into their normal routine. I don’t think it’s likely any of them are at risk. It was Benjy the man wanted.”
    Mrs. Keggs looked at her, following her argument, then her expression cleared. “Aye—you’re right. I hadn’t thought of it like that.” She heaved herself up. “I’ll get everything here back on track, but you’ll let us know…?”
    “Of course.” Anne whisked up her bonnet and started for the door. “The instant I find him, I’ll send word.”
    Reggie followed her onto the street. She reached his curricle, then stopped and whirled to face him. “I’m sorry—I just assumed. I can take a hackney, of course.”
    “Don’t be silly. Get in.”
    He handed her up, then followed and took the reins. Without asking where she wanted to go, he set the horses trotting. “You can’t seriously believe Elderby stole Benjy away.”
    She pressed her lips together, then replied, her gaze on the street ahead, “If not Elderby, then Lord Thomas. I didn’t tell anyone else, and I seriously doubt they’ve made the information public.”
    “True, but—”
    “Benjy wasn’t a threat to anyone else.”
    After a moment, Reggie said, “We don’t know that he was a threat to Elderby or Thomas either.”
    She drew a breath, held it, then inclined her head. “Yet surely it’s too much of a coincidence that after being at the House for a year, some gentleman turns up to find Benjy just days after I told the Caverlocks of his existence.”
    Reggie heard the fear and self-blame in her voice. He glanced sharply at her. “You didn’t do anything wrong.” He could see only her profile; its bleakness didn’t change. “We’ll find him, I promise.”
    She did look at him then, met his gaze, saw the concern in his eyes. The line of her lips eased; she laid her hand on his arm and squeezed gently.
    Then she faced forward.
    He drove on.
     
    Thomas’s house in Duke Street was closest; Anne insisted they stop there first. Reggie drew up before the house and turned to her. An urchin materialized, offering to hold his horses; by the time he’d negotiated and handed over the reins, Anne, in a fever of impatience, had jumped down and started up the steps.
    With a muttered curse, he leapt down and strode after her. He caught up with her—caught her arm—just as she was reaching for the knocker.
    She swung to face him.
    “Let me handle it.” He glared down at her.
    She glared back. “Benjy is my responsibility. I want to hear what Thomas has to say.”
    “Damn it—I’ll wager Thomas isn’t even out of bed yet!”
    She narrowed her eyes at him. “It’s after one o’clock. He must be awake.”
    With an effort, Reggie swallowed his retort. Thomas might well be awake, but he still wouldn’t have left his bed. He glanced at the curricle; in truth, he couldn’t leave Anne alone outside. “Very well. But let me do the talking.”
    He thought she humphed, but as she lifted her head and swung to the door, he took that as assent.
    The man who