The Complete Regency Surrender Collection. Louise Allen

      Olivia would have been in the carriage that day? Ice crept along Gabriel’s veins as he thought how close she had been to lying dead in a pool of blood.

      ‘I suppose,’ Prinny continued, breaking into his thoughts, ‘I could have postponed the purchase, but I was too eager to see it so I contacted you instead.’

      ‘I am surprised you did not go on your own.’

      ‘Olivia said Owen was skittish and the royal carriage would have attracted too much attention in that area.’ He began cutting into his ham and eyed Gabriel’s untouched plate. ‘I imagine you ate something delicious for breakfast. I always enjoy a meal at Winterbourne House. Say...what if I stay with you until you catch the villain trying to do me in?’ His expression held all the excitement of a little boy with a master plan.

      ‘That’s not an option. We want people to believe you are forgoing all your engagements because you have the gout. If it becomes known there was an attempt on your life, it could provoke others to try to do the same. Have you forgotten that eighteen years ago your father faced two assassination attempts in one day? That second attempt might have been driven by the first. I will not take that chance with you.’

      Prinny sucked his teeth, determination shining in his eyes. ‘Well, I could have the gout at your house. That would not be unheard of.’

      ‘No, you cannot. Have you already forgotten you were shot at riding in my carriage? You are safest here with the Guards protecting you. You also do not even appear to be a man afflicted. I believe people would notice.’

      ‘Oh, pish!’ he said, waving a fork in the air. ‘Olivia already knows I do not have the gout.’

      Gabriel’s heart stopped. ‘How do you know that?’

      ‘Because she came to call on me.’

      ‘When? You are not supposed to have any visitors outside the few people we agreed upon. Who else have you seen?’

      ‘Only Hart and Andrew, but they are on the list. Really, Winter, I realise you do not speak to her, but she is your wife. I assumed you would give your consent and it was safe. More importantly, the dear gel brought me marzipan.’

      ‘Which you should not have eaten because you have the gout,’ Gabriel said with more force than he should have.

      Prinny looked down at his plate and cut into more of his ham while he mumbled something under his breath.

      ‘You did not eat any of the marzipan in front of Olivia, did you?’

      Prinny tossed his fork on his plate. ‘Demmit, man, I rule this country and if I want to eat marzipan, I damn well will eat marzipan!’

      Gabriel closed his eyes and pressed his thumb against his brow. He counted to ten. When he opened his eyes he caught Prinny’s pointed stare. How was it possible that this man did not realise the danger he was in? He wanted to chastise him like a child. Instead he took a deep breath and composed his voice.

      ‘You ate all the marzipan.’

      Prinny looked away. ‘I might have.’ Digging into the butter with his knife, he looked back at Gabriel. ‘It is only Olivia. And since she already knows I am not afflicted with the gout, what say you I stay at your house? You can protect me there.’

      ‘No, and why do you believe she knows you do not have the gout?’

      ‘Well I did eat all the marzipan, and she told me I appeared to be doing quite well when we went for our...’

      ‘Your what?’

      ‘Oh, bloody hell, this is ridiculous. I defeated Napoleon, for God’s sake. I went for a walk. In my garden. With your wife. There, I said it.’

      Gabriel pressed his thumb against the bridge of his nose, praying it would prevent his brain from exploding onto the table. ‘Your gardens are adjacent to the park.’

      ‘You do not have to tell me that. I’m the one who lives here!’

      ‘And whose idea was it to go for a walk in the garden?’

      ‘It was Olivia’s. But in all fairness, the gel is unaware of the danger I am in.’

      The hairs on the back of Gabriel’s neck rose and he rubbed them through his collar.

      ‘I cannot look at these walls for another day,’ Prinny continued. ‘You must find whoever is behind this and put their plans to rest. Olivia believes Nettleford will have lobster cakes at his ball next week. Lobster cakes! I have things to attend to and places I need to be. The world is moving and I am standing still.’ He buttered a slice of toast. ‘At least tell me you are closer to finding out who is behind the shooting.’

      ‘The man who shot you is dead.’

      Prinny’s knife clattered to his plate. ‘Dead? How is that possible? He was being held at the Tower. To my knowledge there was no hanging.’

      ‘He did not face the gallows. Although there was no blood nor sign of a struggle, it appears he was murdered.’

      The colour left Prinny’s face and beads of sweat formed on his forehead. ‘Poison.’

      ‘We believe so.’

      Prinny looked down at his food as one would a gutter rat and pushed his plate away.

      ‘You are safe here,’ Gabriel tried to reassure him. ‘And if that were poisoned, I assure you, you would be dead by now.’

      ‘Murdered? But how is that possible when he was being held at the Tower?’

      ‘I am not entirely certain, but I assure you I will find out.’

      Prinny drained his wine and motioned for more. ‘You need to find him.’

      ‘We will. But for the love of all that is holy, do not leave this house, do not see anyone else and trust no one.’

      * * *

      Gabriel entered his house frustrated they hadn’t yet uncovered who was behind the assassination attempt. There was unrest up north and in the streets of London. Many people were unhappy with Prinny for the cost of his extravagant lifestyle. The threat could have come from anywhere.

      He was about to walk into his study and write a note to Andrew when Bennett gave a discreet cough.

      ‘Lord Hartwick is waiting for you in the Gold Drawing Room, sir.’

      ‘The Gold Drawing Room?’ Gabriel echoed, reconfirming the location.

      ‘Yes, sir. I felt it was the safest place to keep his lordship while he waited for you.’

      Striding into the room, he found Hart seated at one of the game tables with a row of cards laid out before him. He was just about to lower the Queen of Hearts onto one of the piles when he spied Gabriel.

      ‘It’s about time. I don’t know how many more rounds of patience I could play before I grew bored enough to begin searching for hidden passageways.’

      This was why Bennett was so indispensable. ‘There are no hidden passageways.’ At least none that he wanted Hart to know about.

      Hart lowered the card and picked up a glass of what Gabriel assumed was his finest brandy. ‘Bennett would not allow me to wait in your study, which I believe would have been infinitely more interesting than poking about here. By the way, one of your gardeners enjoys taking a nip from the bottle as he prunes your shrubbery. If Her Grace has noticed a lack of blooms recently, it’s because he is cutting them off and disposing of them along with the dead branches.’

      ‘I take it this is not a social call?’

      ‘At this hour? While I do enjoy our amusing conversations, you are correct. I have news. You may wish to lock the door.’

      By the excited gleam in Hart’s blue eyes, Gabriel knew the news he had uncovered was of no trivial matter. He took his friend’s suggestion and