No matter what it was, now would be a good time to take her mind off it. “Do you have any idea how many children compose a mess?”
“I have no idea at all.” Henrietta’s lips curved into a crooked smile. He wished he could take her into his arms and tell her everything would be fine. “I suppose we will find out when we get there.”
When they turned onto Oxford Street the traffic became a heavy mix of coaches, carriages, drays, and other wagons. “I hope Mrs. Perriman does not expect us there immediately.”
“She must know how busy the streets are this time of day.” Henrietta reached out and took his hand. He closed his over her fingers.
If her sister had upset her, perhaps he’d be better off letting her tell him about the confrontation. She shouldn’t be distracted during a rescue. He tried again. “Did you speak with your sister?”
She bit down on her lower lip and nodded.
“I won’t pry, but if you tell me about it, you might feel better.”
She nodded again. “I told her that we loved each other and were going to marry. She became very angry. I had never seen her like that before.” Henrietta took a breath, and he handed her his handkerchief. “Thank you,” she said with a small smile. “It ended by me telling her that I would move to Exeter House until the wedding.”
He squeezed her hand. If she stayed with Dorie, it would cause talk. Merton wouldn’t like that. She could reasonably reside with her grandmother, but Nate didn’t know how the duchess would like the arrangement. Or he could invite her parents to stay with him. He had to write to her father in any event. He could broach the subject then. Nate glanced out the window. They would be there soon. “There are other options you can consider. I will support you whatever you decide. We can both leave Town and plan a country wedding.”
She squeezed his hand and smiled at him. “I knew I could depend upon you to understand.”
He’d understand anything that didn’t take her away from him. “Always. For the rest of our lives.”
They drove into the mews behind Phoenix House, and he got out, then lifted Henrietta down. It wasn’t until then that he noticed she wore the same gown she had when they first met. He was also in the same kit. He’d have to borrow the greatcoat and hat from Mrs. Perriman again.
Toby was there to unlock the garden gate, and the footman and another servant who’d sat with the coachman followed them to the house.
Mrs. Perriman came out of a parlor off the hall. “Miss Stern, Mr. Meadows, thank you for coming. I don’t know what I would do without you today.”
Henrietta waved her hand toward the footmen. “We brought reinforcements as well.”
“I’m afraid I’ll have to borrow the greatcoat and hat, if I may,” Nate said. Mrs. Perriman almost rolled her eyes and he smiled. If he continued to do this, he’d have to find a suitably shabby coat and hat. “I did bring my own pistol.”
“Well, that’s something. I have the greatcoat, but not the hat. Wait here and I will get the garment.”
Henrietta was finally smiling. “What will we do with you?”
He gave her his I-am-a-peer look. “I don’t know about anyone else, but you, miss, are going to marry me.”
“Yes, I am.”
Mrs. Perriman was back in a matter of seconds. As he donned the coat, she told them what was going on. “I received five requests, and all the children are to be fetched today.”
Henrietta’s forehead creased. “Are they from the same person?”
Mrs. Perriman appeared a bit worried. “That is just it. I’m not certain. There is a lad by the name of Jack who keeps his ear to the ground about children who need help, or mothers who want to give their children up. I was not here when he told Tim about four of them. However, Jack came back yesterday and said there was another one.” She donned her coat and a plain bonnet. “Quite honestly, I was more concerned to have enough people to carry the children.” She glanced at Henrietta. “I have notified the house in Richmond.”
Henrietta nodded. “You will take them straight there?”
“Yes. All of you might have to come with me.”
“That is not a problem,” Henrietta assured the woman. “I have nothing planned this evening.”
Mrs. Perriman glanced at Nate.
“Neither do I. We are at your disposal.”
“Thank you.” She moved toward the door to the garden. “I thought about asking your sister for more employees, but it is feast or famine. We wouldn’t want to pay for people to do nothing but wait.”
“I understand,” Henrietta responded. “It would be hard to have people working on an ad hoc basis, especially when there are so many secrets one must keep.”
Nate hadn’t thought about it quite like that, but she was right. Anyone who worked here could not talk about what they did or, more importantly, where the women and children went after they were rescued. “Where are we going?”
“To the outskirts of Seven Dials.” Mrs. Perriman pulled on her gloves. “Close to where we were the last time you helped us. We always change the meeting sites.”
Tim, the former soldier Nate had met when he was looking for Henrietta, joined them.
He hadn’t thought about having to do that. But it was an excellent idea. She strode down the corridor to the garden, and they followed.
When they reached the mews, a traveling coach was waiting. “This is handy to have.”
“It is for longer journeys,” Mrs. Perriman said. “We have houses outside the London area.”
As with the other carriage, the coach appeared shabby on the outside, but it was well-sprung and in good working condition.
When they reached Neal Street, the coachman turned the vehicle around before stopping. This area actually looked worse than the last place. Nate watched as Henrietta moved her pistol to a pocket in her cloak. “Do you think there could be trouble?”
Her brows rose slightly. “Even on the edge of Seven Dials, one should always be prepared for difficulties.”
Once again he was surprised at his ignorance of the two major slums in London. “I must depend on your deeper knowledge.”
He was glad to see a small smile on her lips.
“Miss Stern, I would like you to stay back a little with one of your footmen,” Mrs. Perriman said. “Mr. Meadows, please come with Tim and me.”
That left the coachman and the other footman to watch them from behind.
They arrived at the meeting place to see two men carrying two infants, accompanied by two other children who couldn’t be more than two years old. Behind him, Henrietta sucked in a breath, and he looked closer at the men. They were the same ones from the first time they had met. Nate moved to block either of the men from seeing her, but it was too late.
“You!” One of the blackguards started toward her, but Nate and the others drew their weapons.
“Don’t be stupid. You can make good coin or you can die.” Nate heard the low growl in his voice. “Give the infants to that man and woman and tell the children to come to us.”
The man who’d approached them stayed where he was until his companion said, “Bart, we can’t help Gran if we ain’t got the money. Don’t do no good to get yerself killt.” He glanced at Henrietta, who had drawn her pistol. “If he don’t kill ye, she will.”