His Dark Enchantress (Books We Love Regency Romance) (32 page)

CHAPTER 26

Lucius strode into the house, his footsteps ringing on the tiled floor. Noble and Tockington were close on his heels.

“Edward!” he bellowed into the darkened foyer. His voice bounced off the walls and echoed around the high ceiling. “In the library. Now.”

Edward, anxious for news, came running. Lucius, his brows lowered in a ferocious frown, the muscles along his jaw locked tight, looked at each of them.

“The gig was found at an abandoned gypsy encampment close to the London road with no sign of her Ladyship. One of Jackson’s men is trailing them.”

“But could they have doubled back and gone in the opposite direction as a cover?” asked Edward.

Lucius shook his head. “I think not. I have evidence
that indicates a possible culprit and am leaving immediately for London. My first call tomorrow will be to interview Lady Darnley.”

“If I may venture a suggestion, sir?” offered Edward.

“What?” Lucius swung his head towards his secretary.

“Wait until first light before setting out.” Edward spoke calm
ly. “You will travel faster than in the dark.” His voice cracked, belying his apprehension.

Lucius considered for a moment. “Well put, Edward, but no. I will not sleep until I have found her so I may as well be on the move tonight. Noble, I’ll travel by post-chaise with the Hungarian team
. Edward, I want you and Tocky to follow as quickly as possible by carriage.”

Having received their orders, Noble and Tockington hurried away.

“Edward, remind me, how you are with sword and pistol?”

“Proficient with both, sir.”

“Good.” Lucius nodded as if to himself. “The situation may not come to that, but I will take no chances. Collect what you need from the armoury along with my Manton’s. Make sure there is enough shot. I am persuaded we have notes for the journey?”

“And to spare, sir.”

“Then let us not waste time.”

Lucius left the library and found Hammond and the under butler waiting with expectant expressions on their faces.

He shook his head. He could not bear to admit to them that Emmaline’s whereabouts had not yet been determined. Following Hammond to the front entrance he found the post-chaise already waiting for him, the travelling lanterns burning brightly and one of the postillions holding the carriage door open for him.

“I want no delay,” he said gruffly as he stepped into the chaise. “Push as hard as you can and we’ll take our first change of horses in Marlborough.”

The Hungarian team was fresh and the unusual hour made them skittish. Lucius pounded the squabs with a clenched fist in frustration at the delay. Finally, after much snorting and false starts the postillions had them under control and set them on their way.

The chaise was well sprung and Lucius
rocked with its motion as, eyes closed, he rested his head against the squabs. There was no rest, however. With each thought that went through his head and each mental picture he had of Emmaline, his stomach knotted and his jaw clenched.

He
was too much the gentleman to understand the ways of war, Emmaline had said.

She was wrong, he thought. Very wrong.

If anyone dared stand in his way, dared to withhold any information, they would soon discover how ungentlemanly he could be.

CHAPTER 27

“Her Ladyship is not receiving visitors,” announced the sour faced footman who opened the door to his resounding knock.

“She will receive me,” insisted Lucius, pressing his silver topped cane across the man’s frogged livery and pinning him to the wall. “No need to announce me. I know the way.”

He stalked into the drawing room and nodded to Olivia, who sat quietly on the sofa. Rosemary immediately got to her feet, real fear in her eyes.

“What do you mean by bursting in on me?” she demanded, raking him with as scornful a glance as she was able. “I thought you a gentleman.”

“And I once thought you a lady,” Lucius returned.

The insult hit its mark and an angry flush mottled her neck. “La, sir, if you are here to trade words your mission is accomplished.”

“We both know it is not.” Lucius regarded her coldly.

Rosemary raised an eyebrow. “We have business of which I am not aware?”

“I need the direction of three of your dinner guests. Your nephew, Captain Kellen and Mr. Hooper.”

“I know them not.”

“Do not prevaricate, Rosemary. My temper is very short and you will not like the result if I am thwarted.”

For a moment Rosemary regarded him through narrowed eyes.

“Captain Kellen and Mr. Hooper were Peregrine’s guests. I have no idea where he found them, or what their direction might be.”

“You c-could t-try Tattersall’s. Peregrine
s-said they were horse c-copers.”

Both Rosemary and Lucius turned to face Olivia who had risen from her seat. She approached Lucius hesitantly and held out a slip of paper.

“Directions to Peregrine’s lodging, t-though I doubt you will f-find him there.”

“Olivia!” hissed her mother. “Be quiet. You know nothing.”

“No?” Olivia’s laugh was brittle and there was no fondness in her face as she looked at her mother. She looked shyly up at Lucius. “I hope you are not offended, my Lord, but I had no wish to marry you and am glad you married Miss Devereux. It did not please mama which is why she engaged Peregrine to make something happen.”

Lucius looked at her more closely as he took the paper she offered. Something had changed in her. She
spoke firmly with a determined glint in her eye.

“Thank you,
Lady Olivia,” he said. “I am not at all offended and, even though I do not understand the cause of it, I commend your new found fortitude, but as for your mother. . “ He turned to Rosemary and brought his face very close to hers. “If one hair on my wife’s head is harmed and I find you are the cause of it, you will live to regret it.”

Lucius turned on his heel but the last voice he heard as he left the room was Olivia’s.

“Because she kicked my dog,” she called after him.

***

Lucius retrieved his horse from the footman who held it and trotted smartly off for Peregrine’s lodging. As Olivia predicted, he was not there and the landlord did not know when the young gentleman might be back.

Considering Olivia’s suggestion to be a sound one, he rode on to Tattersall’s premises near Hyde Park. It would be an easy matter to engage in conversation with any of the racing men he knew who might be there, and especially Richard Tattersall himself who would surely know a name or two and might even know of Captain Kellen.

It was, however, with some astonishment and relief that this was the first person Lucius came across.

“Kellen, a word if I may,” he said, catching his arm.

“Lord Clifton.” Kellen removed his hat in greeting. “Is there something I can do for you?”

“Tell me where my wife is,” Lucius growled, “and quickly.”

A shadow of alarm crossed Kellen’s face and Lucius watched it whiten.

“I do not know, my Lord,” he stammered. “All I can tell you is that Peregrin
e Styles was looking for Hooper. Since then I’ve seen neither of them nor want to as I discovered Hooper gypped me on several horse trades and put me seriously out of coin.”

“Find out what you can about his whereabouts. Send a note to me at Berkeley Square and I will see that your coin is replenished.”

He accepted Kellen’s thanks and, knowing he could accomplish nothing of use elsewhere, Lucius rode thoughtfully home to find Juliana anxiously awaiting him.

“Folkestone,” she said breathlessly. “Emmaline was in Folkestone. We had word a short time ago.”

“Why the devil would she be in Folkestone?” Lucius took the crumpled note Juliana handed him. “Do we know who this is from?”

He scanned it briefly. Could this be true? Or was it a cruel hoax?

“There was no name,” Juliana said, “and it did not come by post. The person who hand delivered it did not wait for an answer.”

“Then we go to Folkestone,” Lucius said. “This may be false information but it gives me a place to start.”

Hope curled in his chest and strengthened his resolve to find Emmaline.

“And I will come with you.”

Lucius looked at Juliana in astonishment.

“No,” he replied firmly. “I will not have you as well as Emmaline to worry about. You stay here and be prepared to do whatever directed. I will send word as soon as I can. Have Beamish help you if necessary.”

“We’ll both come,” Juliana insisted.

“Beamish is not a fighting man,” Lucius reminded her. “And there may well be fighting.”

Juliana opened her mouth but before she could say anything, Lucius held up his hand and shook his head.

“I will travel fast and light with only those necessary.”

Juliana held his gaze for a moment then nodded in acquiescence.

“
Go, but be sure to bring her home,” she said.

CHAPTER 28

Lucius rode into Folkestone in the face of a north easterly storm. Head down against the driving rain, his horse jibbing against the onslaught, he pulled up at the first inn he came to.

“Stable my horse and be prepared for my carriage which is following,” he told the groom
. As he entered the Rose and Crown, the landlord took one look at him, recognized quality when he saw it and took Lucius into a small but private parlour where a fire burnt merrily in the hearth.

“I will shortly be joined by three companions,” Lucius told him, “and will bespeak rooms for all. But for now
we need coffee and brandy.”

He hung his dripping cloak over a chair back and turned to
warm his hands over the flames. The landlord returned with a brandy decanter and glasses on a tray. Lucius turned his back to the fire and surveyed the man thoughtfully.

“Your name, landlord?”

“Pike, sir. Joseph Pike.” Pike put the tray on the table and poured brandy into a glass.

“How long has this storm been blowing?” Lucius cradled the snifter in his hand, swirling the liquid around the bowl to warm it.

“Started late this morning, sir.”

“So no shipping has been in or out of the harbour?”

“Only the packet for Boulogne. She left on the morning tide, before this started. Are you perhaps looking for a passage?”

“Quite likely I will be,” Lucius sipped the brandy, appreciating the rich, full flavour and guessing it to be contraband. “My wife has been abducted. I had word she was in Folkestone and being held at the Anchor in Beach Street. Do you know it?”

“Abducted, sir?” Pike’s eyebrows climbed towards his hairline. “You mean like, stolen away?”

Lucius
nodded. “Exactly, Pike.”

“Well, sir, I’ll assist ye any way I can,” Pike said. “Though
, beggin’ yer pardon, the Anchor’s a low sort of a dive to take a lady.”

“Considering the habits of my wife’s suspected abductor,” Lucius said roughly, “I feared it might be.”

Footsteps in the passageway announced the arrival of Edward, Noble and Tockington.

“This storm is not in our favour.” Lucius told them. “Nothing can leave the harbour right now,
but I must get to the Anchor. If Emmaline is still there....” His voice trailed off as the men with him nodded their agreement.

“Pike.” Lucius stopped the landlord as he was about to leave. “
Might you have a man available to take us to the Anchor?”

“I
do at that, sir, and pleased to be of help.” Pike hurried away as a maid appeared with the coffee.

The wind moaned around the inn and slapped at the windows, against which rain rattled like small shot.

“A good night, I think, for what we have to do,” Lucius said as he listened to the wild weather outside. “Edward, did you bring the firearms in with you, or are they still in the strongbox?”

“Strongbox, sir.” Edward put down his empty coffee cup. “I’ll get them.”

“Noble, I want you and Tocky to play the good hosts. Drinks all round for whoever is in the tap room at the Anchor,” Lucius told them. “I’ll take a look first and see if Hooper and Styles are amongst them, although I suspect they may already be making passage.”

Edward returned, struggling with two boxes. Noble took one from him and lifted it onto the table. Lucius quickly opened it and scanned the contents. He took out two pistols, handing one to Noble and the other to Tockington as Edward opened the second box and took out one of the duelling pistols.

“I’ll load it, thank you, Edward.” Lucius took the pistol from him and reached for powder and shot.