So True a Love by Joanna Barker

Author:Joanna Barker [Barker, Joanna]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Shadow Mountain Publishing
Published: 2024-09-03T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter 17

I arrived at Bow Street to find it bustling with officers and patrolmen. It seemed Nathaniel had called upon the vast resources of the magistrate’s court, all on behalf of Elizabeth. I stood there a moment in the thick of it, my eyes touched with tears. No matter that he was frustrated with me, he was doing everything he could to find Elizabeth.

I spotted him across the room, addressing a group of patrolmen. He spoke calmly but assuredly, his expression serious. There was such confidence in his every aspect. How easily he commanded their attention—and mine.

The group around him began breaking up, and I stepped toward him just as someone moved in front of me.

“Pardon me,” I said absently. Then I looked again at the man’s trimmed beard. “Mr. Allett?”

The portraitist stopped, surprised at my recognition. His blue eyes squinted at my face, trying to place me.

“Miss Travers,” I reminded him, bobbing a curtsy. “We met at Harwood House a few days ago.”

He nodded. “That’s right. The young lady with the sketch.”

“Yes.” I peered up at him curiously. “Might I ask what brought you to Bow Street today?”

He tightened his cravat with a soft sigh. “It’s this business with Miss Harwood, I’m afraid. I was asked to bring my sketches of the young lady, from the portrait I was painting of her. They would be the most recent likeness of her, and useful in a search.”

“Oh?” That was odd. Nathaniel certainly wouldn’t need mine if he had Allett’s sketches.

“Miss Travers.” Nathaniel appeared at my side.

Immediate awareness of him swept through my body, lighting up my spine. “Mr. Denning,” I managed.

“I see you’ve found Mr. Allett,” he said, giving the slightest raise of his eyebrow.

A suspicious raise of his eyebrow. My mouth parted slightly. Had he . . . had he remembered what I’d told him about my hopes for working with Mr. Allett? Had he brought him here on purpose so I might see him again?

“Yes, indeed,” I said slowly.

“And did you bring your sketches?” Nathaniel asked.

“I did,” I said, though I held my portmanteau closer. I hadn’t imagined Mr. Allett would see these.

Nathaniel held out a hand for them, daring me to refuse him in front of Mr. Allett.

“I hardly see why you need mine,” I said, cheeks pricking. “You have Mr. Allett’s sketches, which are no doubt superior.”

“We have several search parties,” Nathaniel said evenly. “The more, the better.”

Mr. Allett waited expectantly, so I reached inside my portmanteau and extracted the sketches.

“Here you are,” I said quietly, handing them to Nathaniel.

He flipped through them, Mr. Allett glancing unobtrusively over his shoulder. Nathaniel nodded. “These will do nicely. One moment, please.” Without another word, he strode away.

“Miss Travers.”

I turned to look at Mr. Allett, swallowing hard. “Yes?”

He gave a gentle smile. “I know this is certainly not the right time, what with Miss Harwood’s plight. But I owe you an apology.”

“An apology?”

“Indeed. I asked you to bring your sketches to Lady Harwood’s party the other night, and then I fell ill.

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