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sitting in the carriage she drove. Aside from the fact that it was an idiotic idea, he knew Giles would enjoy hearing that far too much. When he caught the woman, Orion also intended to make certain that if the woman thought of demons, she thought of him.
    A familiar voice hailed him when he reached the more open road outside the heart of the city. “Halloo, sir!”
    Orion looked at the young man who moved up to ride beside him when he slowed the pace of his horse. Trenton Cotter was a new man in the group Orion worked with in the government, a group so intent on remaining secret that even Orion and his fellows were not completely certain what it was called. The younger man was eager, patriotic, and still very green. There was not yet any blood on Trenton’s hands. He rather hoped service to the Crown did not steal all of that away. It had certainly jaded Orion, but he had always told himself being jaded was far, far better than being dead.
    “Where do you ride off to, sir? Anything I could help you with?”
    It was tempting to ask Trenton to come along, but Orion resisted that lure. “’Tis but a personal matter. If you would be so kind, I would appreciate it if you would tell our captain that I may be unavailable for a while.”
    “Will do. I was surprised to see you, but then it has been a day rife with strange sightings.”
    “Has it now? What else have you seen?”
    “A redheaded woman driving a carriage all by her dainty little self. It had a grinning boy peering out the window as it raced by me, and he looked a lot like that lad you just claimed as yours. I believe he may have recognized me because he waved merrily as they passed me by. Truth to tell, that carriage and the team looked a great deal like yours, as well.”
    “That is strange.” Orion inwardly cursed his bad luck, for he had wanted to keep this matter a secret if only because it was embarrassing to have a woman steal his carriage from right in front of his home. “I would strongly suggest you do not mention this vision, for it is bound to cause you trouble. Why, sounds much akin to the tale told me in the city by a man who swears it was a demon with Death’s head peering out of the carriage window.”
    Trenton’s gray eyes gleamed with laughter and his mouth twitched as he fought to suppress it. “No talk of demons and death’s-heads shall pass my lips.”
    “Thank you.”
    “Nor of little redheaded ladies driving your carriage while your grinning child waved merrily at all the people they passed by.”
    Orion stared up at the sky for a moment before narrowing his eyes and looking at Trenton again. “I have my pistol on me.”
    “Good thing, too. I have heard that redheads can have quite the temper.”
    “You are enjoying this far too much.”
    “I fear I may be. It but begs to be thoroughly enjoyed. There was one other odd sight.”
    “You appear to have had an interesting ride.”
    “Very interesting. There was a carriage that rattled past me before I saw yours. It was a startling shade of blue with gold trim, pulled by four speckled gray mares. It, too, was going somewhat fast and it, too, had a face in the window. Another child, but this one was not smiling. Little lad with a head full of black curls, and he looked quite frightened. I almost turned about to follow them and see what was going on, but I need to get back to the city.”
    “Could just be a child who does not like traveling.”
    “It could be, but I thought I would make mention of it since you are headed in the same direction. If I am recalling it right, that garish carriage belongs to one Sir Morris de Warrenne, and I did not think he was wed or a father. He has been far too busy trying to gain guardianship of his brother’s child.”
    “And how have you come to learn that? Is this de Warrenne someone the Crown is interested in?”
    “No, but my brother is de Warrenne’s solicitor, and he came by my place to sup with me a few nights ago. Complained a lot about