Closing his eyes, Noah sought sleep. Rest had been elusive in the miserable confines of the jail cell, and he knew he was going to have to be fresh and ready to move whenever they came for him. As he finally drifted off, his last waking thought was of CC and of how sorry he was that he had never had the chance to tell her that he loved her.

CC was wildly angry as she paced her room. It was dark, and still her father had not come to speak with her or allowed her to leave her room! She was growing distraught over the thought that Kincade might have already been released from jail, and she was desperate to let Ryan know about his possible treachery.

A sharp rap at her bedroom door broke through her thoughts, and she hurried to open it, hoping it was her father coming to tell her she could come out. To CC’s dismay, she found only Anna standing in the hall with a dinner tray.

“Your father told me to bring this to you. He also said to tell you that he’s not quite ready to speak with you yet, and he wants you to stay in your room until tomorrow.” Anna explained her presence as she faced her mistress. Though she had seldom seen Miss CC in such a high temper, it was easy to tell that she was still angry, for her green eyes were sparkling with an inner fire, and her cheeks were flushed in agitation.

“What?” CC couldn’t believe it, and she planted her hands on her hips defiantly. “You can’t be serious, Anna.”

Anna gave her a sympathetic look as she moved past her into the room to place the tray on the bedside table. “I wish I was making it all up, Miss CC, but I’m not. Your father was still furious with you when he told me to bring your dinner up to you on this tray. What in the world did you do to make him so angry?”

“It’s a long story, Anna…” she snapped in irritation, “and one I’d rather not discuss.”

The maid nodded in deference to her wishes. “Can I get you anything else tonight? Would you like me to have a bath sent up?”

At the remembrance of Anna’s first comment about CC’s father, a plan had begun to form in CC’s mind. She refused the offer of a bath. “No, not tonight. By the way…are you sure my father said that he didn’t want to speak with me until tomorrow?”

“Yes, Miss CC.”

“Well then, since I won’t be interrupted tonight, I think I’ll just eat and go on to bed.”

“All right.”

“Thanks for the dinner, Anna.”

“Oh, you’re welcome. I just hope everything calms down soon. I’ve never seen you and your father mad at each other before.”

“It doesn’t happen often,” CC assured her, managing a cool smile, “and it will probably all be over by tomorrow.”

“I hope so. Well, good night.”

“Good night, Anna.”

When the servant had gone from the room, CC locked the door behind her. Completely ignoring the meal, she rummaged through her armoire and pulled out her disguise. If her father was definitely not going to come up to see her tonight, there was no reason why she couldn’t sneak out of the house to give Ryan the news and then make it back without being missed. She undressed quickly and pulled on her boy’s clothes. After blowing out her lamp, CC opened the window and climbed out onto the welcoming branches of the tree. In short order, she was on the ground racing toward the Green Dragon in hopes of finding Ryan.

It was over an hour later that a totally frustrated CC stood in the stables of the inn. She had gone first to the inn, then to Ryan’s house, and then back to the inn again, and all without success. No one had seen or heard from him since earlier in the afternoon. She tried desperately to figure out where else Graves might have gone. It occurred to her then that he might be meeting with some of the other rebel groups at the old house near the wharf. The ramshackle two-story was one of their most safe and secret meeting places. Realizing that it was her last hope, she started off as quickly as she could toward the waterfront.

The sound of violent pounding on the front door was not unexpected, but Faith, Matthew, and Ruth still exchanged nervous glances across the dinner table.

“Wait here, and don’t say a word,” Matt told them in quiet tones as he stood up and calmly went out into the hall to answer. “Who is it?” he asked through the closed, locked door.

“It’s Constable Jeremy Roberts!” Came the reply. “Open up!”

“Of course.” Matt gave every appearance of being completely at ease as he unlocked the portal and opened it. He was surprised to find that the law officer had several armed regulars with him. “It’s good to see you again, Constable. Is there a problem?” Matt nodded toward the soldiers.

“I think you know what the problem is, Kincade,” Roberts charged nervously.

“It’s Lord Kincade, Constable Roberts,” Matthew instructed haughtily, drawing himself up with dignity, “and I have no idea what it is you’re talking about.”

“I’m talking about your brother’s escape.”

“Noah? You say he’s escaped?” He truly sounded shocked by the revelation.

“Indeed he has, Lord Kincade, and I think you just might know something about it,” the constable declared, eyeing him suspiciously.

“Please, Constable Roberts…won’t you come inside. I’m sure we can discuss this in a more civilized manner that way.” Matt held the door wide to admit the officer.

“All right,” Roberts grumbled. He was disappointed with Kincade’s reaction and very distressed by the fact that he’d invited them inside. “My men will search the house and grounds while we talk.”

“This is highly irregular,” Matt protested indignantly.

“Your brother’s an accused murderer, and his jailbreak was highly irregular, m’lord,” he responded brusquely.

“I had nothing to do with it.”

“We’ll just see about that, now won’t we?” he sneered at the English nobleman. “Men, check the house. Don’t miss anything. I’ll be with His Lordship in the parlor.”

The soldiers quickly moved indoors and began to search the small home. They left no piece of furniture unturned and no item untouched in their zealousness to find the escaped prisoner.

Faith and Ruth grew nervous at the sight of the soldiers, and they hurried into the parlor to stay with Matthew.

“Faith and Ruth, this is Constable Roberts. Constable, this is my wife, Faith, and her mother, Ruth.”

“Ladies,” he greeted them shortly before turning his full attention to Matthew. “Now, Lord Kincade, I’d like the answers to some questions.” He regarded Matt doubtfully.

“By all means, what can I do for you?”

“I want to know where your brother is.”

“I wish I could help you, but I assure you I have no idea where Noah is. In fact, this is the first I’d heard that Noah had escaped. How did it happen?”

“Never mind.” Roberts dismissed his question. “Tell me, when was the last time you saw your brother?”

“I went to his arraignment earlier today.”

“Did you have the occasion to speak with him then?”

“No. It was not permitted,” Matt informed him.

“And you haven’t had any communication with him or from him since?”

“No, sir. I haven’t heard a thing,” he answered honestly.

“How about you ladies?”

Faith and Ruth both paled at his charge.

“Oh, no. We haven’t spoken with or seen Noah since all of this happened,” Faith replied quickly.

They were interrupted as the soldiers returned from their search.

“Did you find anything?” Roberts asked.

“No, sir. Not a thing.”

“You checked everywhere? The attic…the cellar…”

“Yes, sir. There’s nothing. There’s no indication at all that anyone’s been here.”

“All right.” Roberts turned back to Matthew. He had thought that the brother would be hiding out here, and it irritated him to find that he wasn’t. “Don’t think this is the end of it, Lord Kincade.”

Matthew’s expression was regal with disdain. “It most certainly is the end of it, sir. I know nothing of my brother’s escape. I was not a party to it, and I do not know where he is. I believe your search has been completed, and I would appreciate it if you would leave my home now.”