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Fenella subjected the stranger to a comprehensive inspection and shook her head He'd hold his own in a fight, but some powerful instinct told her she was safe from harm She couldn't say the same for her servants if they attempted to eject him before he'd achieved his purpose, whatever it was "I don't think so There's clearly been some mistake"

"Mistake be daht"

Carey? A spark of memory stirred in Fenella's mind Her son Brandon's recent letters had brimmed with praises for a new boy who had quickly become his best friend "Carey Townsend?"

"Who the dev…" The large h his ept coal-black hair "Of course Carey Townsend, unless your house is packed to the rafters with runaways"

"Carey's not at Eton?" she asked faintly A horrible prerave trouble After all, if Brand hadn't run off, too, ould this man expect his ward to be here?

"No, by God The boys have beensince early afternoon"

"Boys?" Dear heaven, she'd been right Sick fear, worse by far than any doubt about the man's intentions, cramped her belly In the five years since her husband Henry's death at Waterloo, this was the worst crisis she'd faced Her knees gave up and she collapsed into her chair "Brand's with him?"

"Aye"

"Mr…Townsend?" When he nodded to confiruess at his na in riddles and tell me what's happened"

"So the lads aren't here?" His impatience vibrated like an earthquake, but at least he moderated his roar to a cranky rumble As he sat, the chair creaked o to put me off?"

"If your as here, I'd tell you" Her voice shook, and terror knotted her sto"

He frowned "Your son is a bad influence"

"I doubt that very ination took flight in hellish directions The idea of two eleven-year-old boys lost somewhere between Eton and London turned her blood to ice "If Brandon has done so silly, I place the blame firmly with your—"

"Nephew," the man snarled "And they've been more than silly, madam They've been wantonly irresponsible Are you sure they're not here?"

She shook her head "No"

Mr Townsend's dark eyes regarded her searchingly, then his aggression drained away "Hell I was convinced they'dof this harebrained prank either When the boys' house to introduce his new best friend to his ical destination Especially with Careyhis own mother"

Through her agitation, she barely heard him Dread rose to choke her "We have to find them"