Robert alighted his carriage and dragged down the lapel of his frock coat. Before him was Captain Asher's home and this was where they agreed to meet and talk about the recent development. He wanted to visit Mrs Featherington to let her know they might be making progress. But whenever he remembered the cuts he got from her glass cups, he decided it wasn't a good idea.

It was better to return to her house with her daughter in his arms.

"Your Lordship!"

Robert paused in his tracks and looked behind the carriage. At the gate, the soldiers seemed to be struggling with a lady. He advanced to them and it was only then he realised it was Juliet. He had been avoiding her ever since because he wasn't willing to receive another scolding from anyone else.

"Let her go," He said, moving a soldier aside. "I know her."

They released their hands from her and she ran a finger over her sweaty forehead, salty sweat dripping to the sandy floor. She was panting heavily and when he saw her slight baby bump, he was concerned.

"Were you running here?" He asked.

Juliet held one of the pillars that were flanking the metallic gate and tried to catch her breath. "I spotted your carriage a few minutes ago and began to trail you. Do you know how long I've been wanting to talk to you about Ella? Ever since she left whenever I come to find you, your silly butler won't let me in." She pointed a deadly finger at Robert. "I knew you were inside that your fancy townhouse, doing God knows what."

Smoking cigars, sleeping with women, drinking whiskey...

All three things he wasn't proud he did. The cigar had become an addiction already. Sleeping with women was going to stop from today. Though he used it as an excuse to grieve, reading the letter Howard wrote made him realise how stupid that idea was. A man as smart as him shouldn't behave that stupid.

"Miss Hastings," Robert started but she cut him off.

"I'm not here to add to the guilt I'm sure you're already carrying around. I was at the funeral, I saw what Mrs Lithstone did." Once she had gotten enough energy to stand, she crossed her arms and looked Robert dead in the eye. "All I want to know is where my friend is. Have you found her? I've been worried sick about her and my doctor said it's not good for the baby."

"Please just come inside and sit down," Robert said. "I'm here because I've heard we might be able to find Ella."

"Oh my goodness, why didn't you say so earlier," She said her blue eyes gleaming with joy. "Alright, chop-chop. Let's go in."

Robert watched her as she moved quickly with her baby bump. Ella was lucky to have a friend like her. Even with her bloated stomach, she was still willing to run after his carriage just so she could know the whereabouts of her friend. If only he knew she was running after him, he would've stopped the carriage and asked her to join him.

"What are you thinking of?" Juliet asked when she was at the doorway of the cottage. She gestured for Robert to move faster. "Chop, chop! Ella is our priority now. We can't afford to be wasting time."

"Of course. Let's go in and find out what's going on."

******

"Captain, I came as soon as I got your call," Robert said shaking the Captain who had sleep bags under his eyes. It appeared no one was getting enough sleep lately.

They were in a high-ceiling living room that had a fireplace with an alcove shelf on both sides. The windows by the right side of the room had golden tiebacks. Seated on a mustard-coloured tete-a-tete settee were Helen and her brother, Arthur who had a casting on his leg.

They both stood up when Robert entered deeply into the room. He gestured at the pregnant friend of Ella who was breathing heavily after walking just ten steps to the living room. The run from earlier must've exhausted her.

"This is Juliet Captain, Ella's best friend. Juliet this is Captain Asher Newman, Ella's biological father."

She smiled at him. "Ella has told me only good things about you." She glanced at Robert. "Unlike some people."

"And these are Ella's siblings, the ones we saved from Gerrard. Arthur and Helen."

"Why is everyone in this family so beautiful," Juliet said and sat next to Helen.

"Your words are too kind, Miss Juliet," Helen said blushing.

"Oh hush," Juliet waved it off. "You're all the same age with Ella and that makes me your age mate too. So no need to be formal, just call me Juliet." She rubbed her baby bump. "Don't let this baby deceive you."

"Okay, Juliet," Arthur chipped in.

"My, my," She grinned at the handsome lad. "I believe you may have some competition, Your Lordship."

Robert ignored her jests and leaned in to whisper to the Captain. "I didn't know they've become a lot more comfortable around you."

"What can I say," Captain asher said, smiling at his children. "I have a way with children. Their parents let them come over to spend the day with me."

"Well, that's kind of them."

Helen stood and walked over to Robert and Arthur joined too, limping as he moved with his crutches. The two siblings had a stamp of worry imprinted on their eyes. Why was that?

"My brother and I know you're angry at us for the death of Howard and the capture of our sister."

Oh, God. Not this again. He wasn't angry at anyone. He had blamed all these on himself. Grace had done her bit of sadness. He didn't want Ella's siblings to join in the mix.

"Helen, I'm not angry at you or your brother," Robert said.

"But all these happened because you came to save us," Arthur added, his dark eyes narrowing. "How come you're not angry at us."

"Blaming anyone won't solve the issue we're facing now. Ella is a captive and blaming each other won't bring her back. We need to find her," Robert explained.

"I agree," Arthur said and began moving back to his settee.

Helen held Robert's hand and looked up at him with concern roiling in her green eyes. "Are you alright?"

"I am fine, Helen. Thank you for asking." He patted her on the shoulder and gestured for her to have a seat. Once all of them were seated, Robert bought out a cigar and asked the Captain, "You don't mind if I light this up, do you?"

Captain Asher's shock was inevitable in his brown eyes. "I didn't know you smoked."

"It's a new habit."

"Okay. Who am I to stop a man from blowing off some tobacco?"

Robert lit it up and puffed in some burnt tobacco from his cigar. He released it from his system, his anxiety curtailing for a split second. He couldn't wait to hear what the Captain had to say about Ella.

"I got a telephone call this morning from a spy in Birmingham. He claimed to have seen Gerrard buying some rounds of ammunition from a local dealer."

"So we go to Birmingham?" Robert asked.

"Tomorrow."

"All of us?" Juliet asked.

"No, only His Lordship and I. We can't stand risking any more lives again," The Captain revealed.

And nothing was going to let Robert allow any of them to go. It was Ella's stubbornness that made her follow them in the first place to find her siblings. If he hadn't yielded to her request, she would still be safe now. So there was no way in hell they were letting any of them follow him.

"But we have to do something," Arthur said, his hand on his crutches.

Captain Asher frowned. "You broke your leg, Arthur. And we just saved you and your sister. It would be unwise to risk more lives. I hope you all understand."

There was silence in the room and Robert took it that they all agreed to what the Captain said.

"We're taking the first train to Birmingham," Captain Asher informed.

Robert drew in from his cigar. "Well, I better go home and prepare myself."

"Please bring back my friend to me," Juliet said a tear rolling down her cheeks and she wiped it off with the heel of her palm. "I can't stand losing her."

Robert did a curt nod. He wasn't going to fail this time. He was going to save Ella. But first, there was something he had to do.

*****