A pity that Jimmons and the other brothel guards were no more than bullies, good at controlling unruly patrons, but no use for tasks requiring thought. Perhaps Jimmons would know another man like Kane. The trick was to find a tool who didn't turn around and blackmail the man who had hired him.
It would be best if Weldon did the deed himself, but while he was a good shot, he had no military training or experience at calculated assassination. Not that he shrank from killing. More than once his unwilling partners had proved too weak and died under his hands. But this was different.
Weldon sighed with frustration, tired of how his thoughts were running in circles. It was evening, and he was no closer to a solution than he had been that morning.
As he poured a glass of port, a startling thought hit him. Mrs. Kent had said that the captive girl was not Jenny Miller. Could Lady Sara herself have been abducted? While his former betrothed didn't really resemble Jenny, she was small and blond. She also dressed simply and looked youthful for her years.
While Weldon had not planned to seize Lady Sara, he certainly wouldn't release her if fate had dropped her into his hands. He began calculating.
If Sara was at Mrs. Kent's, Eliza could be sent away the next day to his hunting box in Scotland. Peregrine would never find her there. Eliza's absence would give Weldon the freedom to use Sara against her husband.
Deciding it would be easiest to see the captive himself, Weldon called for his carriage. The trip would not be wasted. Even if the captive wasn't Sara, for he would have one of the girls before he returned home.
* * *
Peregrine followed Slade up the steps of his house, feeling pleased with the day's work. They had just visited a magistrate called Hanlon, a man of flinty integrity who loathed the exploitation of children. Hanlon had found the evidence against Charles Weldon very convincing and was preparing to issue a warrant when Peregrine and Slade left. Now, if there was just an encouraging note from Sara waiting...
Instead of a note from Sara, the two men were met by an anxious Jenny Miller.
"Thank heavens you've come back!" The girl threw her arms around Slade without stopping her rapid speech. "Eliza Weldon disappeared, and we think she may have been taken to Mrs. Kent's house; and because you weren't here, Lady Sara went to Mrs. Kent's herself to get her out."
It took a moment to absorb the breathless speech. Then Peregrine swore to himself in Kafiri,and ushered Jenny and Slade into the drawing room for a more detailed explanation. A few questions established what had happened.
It was a relief to learn that Kuram was with Sara, but going to Mrs. Kent's was still a damned fool thing for her to do. Peregrine snapped, "How long ago did she leave?"
Jenny glanced at the clock. "About half an hour."
Frowning, Peregrine said, "I'm going after her. I'll ride to get there more quickly."
Slade frowned. "Are you sure you'll be safe? Since you visited Mrs. Kent's once, you'll be recognized. If Weldon has alerted all his employees to watch out for you, it may be harder to get out of the place than to get in."
Peregrine thought a moment. "Probably not, but I might as well be cautious. Two of the guards are here; they can follow in the large carriage. If Sara and I aren't out of the house quickly, they can come in and get us." He glanced at Jenny. "I don't like asking this of you, but will you ride in the carriage and show them the way to Mrs. Kent's?"
"Of course," Jenny replied. "I'd go crazy waiting here, wondering what's happening."
Slade started to protest, then stopped. "Very well, but I'm going with you, Jenny."
After a grateful glance for her lover, she said to Peregrine, "Everything is happening at once, isn't it?"
Peregrine nodded. "We just returned from a magistrate. A warrant is being sworn for Weldon's arrest, and Mrs. Kent's house will probably be closed down within the next couple of days."
"Please, sir." Jenny put her hand on his arm. "That's the law acting, but no one is going to care much about what will happen to the girls in the house. Can we take them away? One or two are probably girls I knew. They're going to be scared to death if the police come in a raid. They can testify against Mrs. Kent later, but until then, they're better off with someone like me who knows what they've been through."
Sara had wanted him to care about the suffering of people he didn't know, and perhaps he owed these anonymous girls something for not having acted against Mrs. Kent earlier. "Very well," Peregrine said, "do what you can for them. Benjamin, order the carriage and a horse for me. I'll find the guards and tell them what we're planning."
A few minutes later, a pistol thrust under his cloak, he was riding through London as fast as he dared. If there was going to be trouble, he must first make sure that Sara was out of harm's way.