Antwerp, the Netherlands

“Louis.”

Louis turned. Charles had entered the small walled garden of their house, and now stood a pace or two away. Louis had been so lost in his thoughts he hadn’t even heard him enter. He tried a smile of welcome, and, failing, turned back to the apple tree at which he’d been staring sightlessly before Charles entered.

Charles stepped close and put a hand on Louis’ shoulder, making the man turn back to him. “Louis, I know how you feel.”

“Sweet gods, Charles, we must find a way to save Noah from Asterion…this Weyland.”

“Louis, what can we do? The instant I step foot back in England Asterion will seize Noah and—”

“Then let me go to England. Let me save her.”

Now it was Charles whose gaze hardened. “And what will happen if you set foot back in England, eh? What happens then? We lose everything. In our peculiar circumstance, my friend, your foot is as dangerous as mine.”

Louis finally dropped his eyes away from Charles’ face. “There must be a way.”

“Then if there is, we shall find it. Louis, I do not like what Long Tom had to say. I do not want to see Noah made Asterion’s whore.”

There was silence for a few minutes, both men walking to a bench and sitting down.

“What about James?” Charles said eventually.

Louis grunted derisively. “James might aid her. Might. But I do not trust him. Besides, I do not think he would be able to act secretively. The entire nation would know James, Duke of York, had returned to England within the hour of his so doing. After that he would not be able to secrete away a mouse, let alone Noah.”

“Nay…And if I sent another? A man experienced in the arts both of action and most secret diplomacy?”

“I would be best!”

“Aye, but…” Charles allowed his voice to drift away, and again silence fell between the two men.

“Charles…” Louis said after a moment.

“Aye?”

“The problem is that you and I are so closely connected that if either of us set foot in England Weyland would know and seize Noah before we could get to her.”

“Aye. So…”

“What if I set foot in England a day or so before you? Just a day or so, hid amid all the excitement generated by your imminent arrival. Would Asterion then realise my presence? Would he think what he felt was just your impending arrival?”

Charles’ eyes narrowed as he thought. “Maybe, Louis. But, dear gods, you’d have to move fast. You’d have a day, perhaps two. Anything more and Weyland would be able to tell that what he felt was not only my impending arrival. You’d have but a breath in which to snatch her.”

“A breath is all I would need.”

Charles thought, chewing the inside of his cheek.

“Charles, let me do it, I beg you! A day or two, and I would have her. Damn it! We know where she is! Even if Weyland does summon Noah, then I could find her on the road to London, or even as she enters London.”

“Gods, my friend, we’d have to time this so carefully.”

“Charles…” Louis almost growled the word.

Charles finally nodded, and sighed. “If we fail…”

“I will not fail.”

Clearly troubled, Charles stared at Louis, then nodded again. “You will need to be ready to move at a moment’s notice.”

Louis grinned, relieved. He put a hand on Charles’ shoulder. “I will rescue her, Charles. Have no doubt.”