Prologue
London, December 5, 1814
“Please, you cannot do this!” The hoarse pleading echoed in the silence of the hall.
Seventeen-year-old Martin Banks hid in the shadows, watching his father plead for mercy with Edwin Hartwell in the foyer of their small townhouse on Gracechurch Street. Edwin’s tall stature, broad shoulders, and cold face cast fear into Martin’s young heart. His twin sister, Helen, clutched his arm as they peered around the curtain’s edge from their hidden vantage point.
“I can and I will.” Edwin’s face was hard as he stared at William Banks. “You owe me ten thousand pounds, and I’m calling in that debt. If you cannot pay, you shall be out within the week.”
“Out?” Their mother, a lovely woman with a delicate constitution, leaned heavily against the banister for suppor
