A lady of Resilience

Chapter 29: Montrose Strikes Back

—

The city of London lay beneath a haze of smoke as dusk fell, the fires and distractions spreading just as planned. Seraphina watched from the window of the safe house, her fingers gripping the wooden frame as she scanned the streets below. The chaos they had orchestrated was working; Montrose's men were scattered, responding to the myriad incidents that had been ignited across the city. But despite the chaos, there was an unsettling stillness in the pit of her stomach, an instinctive feeling that something wasn't right.

Behind her, Ashford, Eleanor, and John were discussing their next move, their voices hushed but tense. The ledger had been delivered, the rumors about Lord Kettering were spreading rapidly, and Montrose's network was unraveling as they spoke. They had done everything they had set out to do.

So why did Seraphina feel like it wasn't enough?

"I don't like it," she said quietly, cutting through the others' conversation. "It's too quiet. We've set the city on fire, but Montrose hasn't made a move yet. It's not like him."

Ashford looked up from the table where the maps and forged documents lay scattered. "He's too busy trying to figure out who betrayed him. This is what we wanted, Seraphina. He's distracted."

Seraphina shook her head, turning away from the window to face him. "No. This isn't right. Montrose is smarter than this. He's not just going to sit back and wait for the ground to crumble beneath him. He's planning something."

John grunted in agreement, his arms crossed over his broad chest. "Seraphina's right. We've rattled him, but he's not the type to roll over. We've hit him hard, and now he's going to hit back."

Eleanor frowned, pacing the room as she thought it through. "He has the resources to strike, but he's also paranoid. He won't act recklessly, not unless he's sure of where the threat is coming from."

A knot formed in Seraphina's chest, her gut telling her that they were about to face the full force of Montrose's fury. "We need to be ready," she said, her voice resolute. "He's coming for us."

Before anyone could respond, the door to the safe house burst open. Thom rushed in, his face pale and breathless from running. "He knows," he gasped, leaning against the doorframe for support. "Montrose knows about the ledger."

A wave of cold dread washed over the room.

"What?" Ashford asked, his voice sharp. "How?"

Thom shook his head, still panting from his sprint through the city. "I don't know. I overheard some of Montrose's men talking—he's furious. He's already sent men to the Gazette to stop the story from going out."

Eleanor cursed under her breath. "Damn it. How did he find out so quickly?"

Seraphina's mind raced. They had taken every precaution, planned every step to avoid detection until it was too late for Montrose to retaliate. But somehow, he had seen through their plans.

"We need to get to the Gazette before Montrose's men do," Ashford said, already reaching for his coat. "If they shut it down, everything we've done will be for nothing."

"No," Seraphina said firmly, stepping in front of him. "It's too dangerous. If Montrose knows about the ledger, then he's waiting for us. We'll be walking straight into a trap."

Ashford's eyes flashed with determination. "We can't just sit here. The ledger is our only chance to bring him down."

Seraphina could see the fire in his eyes, the refusal to back down in the face of danger. It was that same determination that had drawn her to him, but it was also what made him reckless. "I know," she said, her voice softening, "but we can't lose sight of the bigger picture. If Montrose is waiting for us at the Gazette, we need to come up with another plan. We can't afford to lose any more ground."