Free Playing With Fire by C.J. Archer Page B

just as Bollard wheeled Langley in, not giving Sylvia or me a moment to discuss what had happened.
    "I saw that inspector arrive," Langley said.
    Sylvia ran to her uncle and gave him an awkward embrace. "Oh, Uncle, it's awful! Tate has escaped."
    Langley's face froze. His nostrils flared. Even Bollard's eyes widened and turned on me. His expression—any expression—was so unexpected that I shrank back into the cushioned seat of the settee.
    "It's terrible," Sylvia said, holding onto her uncle's hand. Langley seemed to not want to let her go, which wasn't at all like him. Signs of affection between himself and his niece and nephew were rare.
    "Where is Jack going? Bollard, fetch him. He needs to stay here to protect Hannah."
    Yesterday he'd wanted me to leave the house as soon as I was in control of my fire. Today he seemed distressed that any harm would come to me. Trying to understand him was impossible.
    Of course, his sudden change may have nothing to do with wanting me to be safe and everything to do with not wanting Reuben Tate to get hold of the one thing that could lead him to a cure—me. There was a history between them, and I had no doubt they were rivals in their work. It was possible that I'd become a pawn in that rivalry.
    "Wait, Bollard," I said. To my surprise, the mute obeyed and stopped. "Jack has gone to find out more, and I think we should let him go. Without details, we could make a wrong step. He won't be long."
    Langley closed his eyes. I thought he was controlling his temper or perhaps trying to block me out, but after a moment he nodded. "Very well. Where's Samuel and Tommy?"
    "Tommy is injured, Uncle," Sylvia said. "Remember?"
    "He has a few scratches, that's all. What about Samuel? It's up to him to check that all the doors and windows are locked."
    "They already are," I said. "Because of the demon." Had he forgotten about it already? He did seem quite flustered.
    Langley glared at me. "Take me out, Bollard."
    Bollard wheeled his master out of the parlor, leaving Sylvia and me to stare after them.
    "I don't think I'll ever understand your uncle," I said.
    She sighed and came to sit by me again. "It's not his fault. His mind works differently to everyone else's."
    It certainly did. What wasn't so certain was whether that difference was a good thing or bad.
    ***
    Our nerves remained frayed until Jack finally walked in after night fell. He went to see Langley then met us in the dining room. We'd already started our soup course, but it was still warm in the tureen. Maud filled a bowl for him.
    "Well?" Sylvia prompted as soon as he sat. "Did you receive a response from Scotland Yard?"
    "Tate hasn't been found," Jack said.
    Sylvia dropped her spoon and pressed her napkin to her mouth. Samuel swore quietly. My gaze connected with Jack's, and I nodded for him to go on.
    "Tate's man Ham escaped too," he said.
    "Really?" Samuel said. "Extraordinary."
    "How did it happen?" I asked, not wanting to mention fire in front of Maud. Tommy was the only servant aware of our supernatural abilities and all the circumstances surrounding our conflict with Tate.
    "Ham escaped from his cell by killing one of the guards. He then freed Tate."
    "But…how?" Samuel frowned. "There would have been several more guards, plus locks and heavy doors to pass through. Newgate is a warren of cells and corridors."
    "How do you know?" Sylvia asked.
    Samuel's only answer to that was a shrug. "Even if he managed to get both himself and Tate free, he would have had to scale the external walls. They're incredibly high."
    "It does seem rather extraordinary," I said.
    "Yet it has happened." Sylvia pushed her soup away. "The method is unimportant, but the fact remains, they have escaped and are out there somewhere."
    "That's enough, Sylvia," Jack said with a glance at Maud. "You'll frighten everyone."
    "I think Reuben Tate is doing a rather good job of that too." She pulled her bowl back and tasted her soup.
    I exchanged a worried glance with