Daring the Duke (22 page)

"Great." She forced a smile, and the boy skittered past.

Stephen walked from the room and followed the boy to the study. She pushed her plate forward, no longer hungry. Chewing on her lower lip, she grabbed the gossip section and scurried after them.

The door to the study was closed, and she paused in front, casting a quick glance around the hall. There was no one in sight.

She knelt on the ground, spreading the sheets in a disordered fashion. It was a feeble excuse at best, but it was going to have to do in a pinch. She leaned toward the closed door while maintaining the act of collecting the fallen papers.

The voices were muted but still audible.

"He says that you have to return forthwith to the city. Don’t tip off the girl but use extreme caution."

"Did he tell you anything else?"

"The girl murdered your solicitor, Mr. Logan. The Watch and Bow Street runners are presently looking for the girl."

Audrey’s heart hammered in her chest. No. She refused to be locked away again for a crime she didn’t commit.

The boy continued, "There are reports that the woman stole documents and books from the man before doing him in."

"How was Logan killed?"

"Stabbed, Your Grace."

Should she run or stay?

A servant rounded the corner, and Audrey swept the papers into a pile.

She forced a smile and walked down the hall.

So what was the worst that could happen? He could kill her. He could jail her. He could take her back to the city. He could . . . what? Not care? Not be upset? Because she meant nothing to him? She increased her pace.

This was a game to him, after all. A game for the bored aristocrat.

She stumbled, but caught herself. Her breath came out in short gasps. She didn’t care. This was a game to her too.

She headed for the stables, unsure what to do. A groom greeted her, and she followed him inside. She selected a spirited mare. The mare, a beautiful rich brown horse with friendly eyes, nudged her from inside her cell. Audrey shook her head. Stall, not cell.

There was nowhere for her to run. She was as good as caught—a fly in a web. If Stephen chose to arrest her, she’d never make her escape in time.

His lands and woods stretched for miles. She wouldn’t even make it to Travers’s lands before Stephen could hunt her down. He would overtake her, bind her, and cart her to prison. No one would question a duke. No one would care.

She patted the mare’s nose and stared blankly at the stall door.

"Audrey?"

Stephen stood at the next stall, absently playing with the stallion’s reins.

Audrey straightened her shoulders and stared back.

"Have you decided where you want to begin?"

Her heart started beating again. It was a game. Play it like a game. Her options were limited. If Chalmers wanted to play it out, she would too.

"Yes."

The reins flipped left to right. "Shall we begin?"

She nodded.

"I told the grooms to make the saddle astride. Would you rather have a sidesaddle?"

"It doesn’t matter. I have ridden both ways. I grew up in the country."

The horses were led out, and Stephen helped her mount. They trotted toward a wooded path, a groom on horseback leading the way.

The landscape turned into a deep valley, and small houses dotted the countryside. It was a gorgeous pastoral scene. Audrey had grown up in the country and appreciated the setting, even if she had become a rabid city dweller.

Stephen asked the groom several questions about the running of the estate, and Audrey could see his mind working. The estate looked very prosperous. There was no way this property could be in debt.

Stephen was a perfect gentleman and included her in the conversation with the groom. The cool morning turned into a bright midday as they broke from the countryside into the village.

As they meandered down the street, the villagers stared at them in unabashed curiosity. Small children ventured close to stare, and Audrey saw puffed cheeks and healthy glows. These people were in excellent health. No starving here. And yet they were supposed to be in dire need of help.

And she was supposed to have killed the solicitor? Her eyes narrowed.

This was all too convenient.

There was a small inn in town. Probably not even ten rooms large, but they made their way there.

"They used to have excellent stews," Stephen confided as he helped her dismount. His hands were warm on her waist. Her heart sped up and his lingers seemed to linger before releasing her.

The groom excused himself and left them to the innkeeper, who busied himself with making the two of them comfortable.

"I confess I have been thinking of nothing as much as your lovely stew since stepping foot in the county," Stephen told the innkeeper after he was seated.

The innkeeper beamed. "I’ll be back with two bowls."

A rich beef stew sounded superb after her meager breakfast, but Audrey didn’t know if she could dredge up an appetite when her stomach was coiled in knots.

Stephen gave her an unreadable look. "What do you think of the estate?"

She thought it looked very nice, but she was no closer to finding Faye after the inspection. Of course she hadn’t complained. She had no idea where she stood at the moment, but good sense proclaimed the ground shaky.

"I think the estate looks healthy and prosperous."

"I do too. It looks well run and in need of little repair. I’ll need to look over the books."

"Oh?"

"l have copies of some of the accounts, but the full ledgers are with my solicitor. I’ll retrieve them from him when I return to London."

Audrey felt a faint line of perspiration dot her forehead. She had to get herself under control. He was watching her closely. "I’m sure you will have everything under control in no time."

The innkeeper arrived with their food, saving her for the moment.

Stephen started eating, and she stared at her own bowl. Might as well eat, one never knew when it would be the last meal.

The stew was indeed good, and she ended up using her bread to wipe the bowl clean. She thought a faint bit of amusement crossed his face, but the unreadable mask was back in place. She found herself hating him at that moment. She had become accustomed to his joking manner only to have it rudely pulled from beneath through no fault of her own.

"Let’s ride some more. We can discuss our plans on the way."

He thanked the innkeeper and sent the groom ahead to the manor. Stephen boosted her onto her horse, and she froze as his hand lightly caressed her backside.

She didn’t know what his game was, but if she could survive this experience and get him back to London, she could escape into the streets.

The country was a wide trap, but the city was her domain, and she knew all its twists and turns.

lf necessary, she could always fall back on her other plan. She would loathe herself if she had to resort to it, but her choices were slipping away. Last night she had felt a ray of hope. Today it had dimmed and withered away as usual.

Even the sun slipped behind the clouds to reflect her mood.

"There are numerous buildings to investigate on Travers’s property.

Which direction do you want to search first?"

"I don’t know," she snapped.

Stephen looked at her askance. He had been trying to determine if she had heard the message and attempting at the same time to figure out how to ask. The case was becoming more and more complex, taking more twists and turns than St. John's affairs.

"Feeling snippy?"

"None of your business. I'll take care of my own problems, thank you."

Irritation spread through him. "I know why you’re piqued. You overheard my conversation with the messenger. "

She looked at him sharply. "No."

"How much did you overhear?"

"I don’t know to what you are referring."

He couldn’t remember being this irritated with a woman before. Usually women were so pliable. So happy. So docile.

"Come off it, Audrey. I know you were there. Let’s get it out in the open."

"Why?"

"Because then we can discuss why someone is making false claims about you being a murderer."

There was a wary look in her eyes as she examined him for what seemed like hours. She slowly nodded. He had the distinct impression that she would rather have answered no to whatever he said.

Was there ever a woman so contrary? His mother had never been like this.

She had been a been thoughtful, caring woman. Not a prickly stubborn, ungrateful one. At least that is how it had appeared to have been in his young mind.

Had his parents ever fought like this? It was unbelievable that their sunny relationship had ever had any stumbling blocks. Not even in the end.

They had died in each other 's arms, something not even the street thieves could steal.

Stephen shook off the dark thoughts and stared at the street thief. He shook his head, no, at Audrey. "Rumor has it that you murdered my solicitor. The funny thing is you somehow carried out the dastardly deed two nights ago while I slept, managed to tiptoe back into my bed while I slept. Furthermore, you magically disposed of the of the body. Witnesses saw you kill him, but no one seems to know what happened afterward."

A look of relief crossed her features. "Oh, thank God."

"You thought I believed it?"

"Why wouldn’t you, considering my checkered past?"

Why hadn’t he? He had automatically sought an alternative explanation as soon as he had heard the first words from the messenger, never once feeling the messengers words were the truth.

"Because it didn’t make sense," he said smoothly. After he had asked some targeted questions, it hadn’t, that was true. The accusation had been carefully crafted. Only his desire to believe in Audrey had prompted him to press the messenger and reveal the discrepancies.

"So what do I do about the allegations?"

I, not we. Their relationship had quickly regressed. "Roth is concerned you will do me in."

"And what do you believe?"

"I told you I didn’t believe the tale. Should I be worried about my health?"

Audrey gave him a dark look. "I don’t make it a practice to kill my partners in crime."

"Then whom do you make it a practice to kill?"

"Irritating men. Be grateful you’re my partner."

He smiled. "I am grateful."

Color stained her cheeks, and she moved her mare forward. "We should really be searching."

He nudged his horse into a trot. "You've made an enemy of Travers, you know."

She nodded brusquely "Yes, I figured he was behind this. We now have something else in common, Your Grace."

The title stung, but he knew she was right about Travers. The man had hated him for years, even decades. And he knew what Travers desired.

All the pieces were falling in place, and it wouldn’t be long before Travers was brought down. But first he had to locate Audrey’s sister. He was too nervous to put Audrey to the test if they didn’t find her sister; he knew he would end the loser.

Audrey glanced at Stephen riding next to her. He hadn’t believed the lies.

Or was this a more elaborate ploy? She quashed the negative thoughts.

She had to believe him.

A weight lifted from her shoulders. They were still no closer to finding her sister, but at least they were back on even ground.

"Let’s be methodical and head south first." Stephen cantered ahead.

The mare was more spirited than she looked, and she sped off with only the slightest urging. They soared over an open valley The wind on her face, the ground flying beneath, Audrey had forgotten how much she enjoyed riding. There was never an opportunity in the city A few empty dwellings and barns occupied the southern portion of Travers’s property, but there were no tracks and nothing suspicious around them. They rode to the eastern portion that adjoined Stephen’s property, the portion closest to the manor, and scoured the area. The sun was starting to set when they finally found what they were looking for.

"Stop." Stephen motioned to her, and she saw the small burst of smoke ahead.

They dismounted and tied their horses. Stephen removed his gun, and they crept forward. A small cottage was nestled in the trees, and a man sat on the edge of the front porch trying to light a fire in a pit. Tendrils of smoke haphazardly rose from his efforts. Audrey could see forms moving inside, but could not determine the number or gender of the people within.

Audrey recognized the man as an elder from the stews who sometimes worked with Flanagan.

Another man, this one a stranger, exited the house. "Our guests are all settled, boss. Are we supposed to just wait now?"

Had Flanagan sent someone? Or were these men working for someone else? And who were the guests? She wanted dearly to burst into the clearing and shake the answers out of them.

"The little Kendrick filly will stay put. Don’t worry about her, she’s well taken care of. "

The elder shook his head. "You don’t know her. "

Cold rage descended. They had Faye. She moved forward, but Stephen grabbed her. She balked and nearly pulled away, but their eyes met, her eyes glaring, his entreating, and after a few tense seconds she stilled.

She dropped her hand. "You heard them. They have my sister. I’m going in with or without you."