To Love and Protect (5 page)

A soft, warm body ran into him, her eyes frightened and then relieved after she looked up and realized who had her now.

“Get in the carriage,” Justin bit out.

“But Franklin,” Clarissa tried to argue now that she knew she would be safe once more.

“Go,” he growled cutting her off and turning into the alley.
 
Justin walked the dark alley, but saw no sign of the man Gertie had pointed out to him.
 
Franklin had wisely disappeared down one of the turns off the alley.
 
He gave directions to the coachman and climbed in, slamming the door shut.
 
The window across from him showed that the Duke of Hamilton’s carriage was still there and empty.
 
He would not risk Clarissa’s safety yet again to hunt for the man.
 
The coach lurched into action.

Clarissa watched covertly from her corner of the carriage wondering why he did not attempt to find Franklin.
 
She fought shivers that ran down her spine as she thought about how close she had come to being taken by the man.
 
Aunt Gertie sat directly across from Southerby and twisted her hands worrisomely.
 
Her eyes darted back and forth between Justin and Clarissa.
 
Clarissa refused to be intimated by Southerby.

“Why did you run off?”

“I didn’t think you would help me.”

“I was going to help you.”

“Would you have let me come with you?”

“No.”

“That’s what I thought.”

“Clarissa,” he began, but Gertrude cut him off.

“Now children.
 
We are going to be in tight quarters for quite a while.
 
Let’s play nicely with each other, hmmmm?”

“Papa’s carriage is following us.”

“Is that really a surprise?”

“I didn’t expect them to come looking for me.
 
They usually arrive home early in the morning and sleep until mid-afternoon.
 
I thought I had plenty of time.
 
Some of the new servants report directly to them.
 
I made a mistake stopping by the house before going to the mail station.”
 
Not for the first time, she said the admission aloud.
 
Silence reined from the other side of the carriage.

“Why did you do that?”

“I had to see if any correspondence had arrived from Papa.”

“Did Franklin see you?”

“He had me.”

“Oh, dear,” Gertie put her fisted hand against her mouth.

“Should I dare ask how you got away?”

“I don’t think so.
 
So, what are we going to do?”

Justin opened the hatch and had a quick discussion with the driver.
 
After closing the hatch once more he settled into the corner of the carriage, stretched out his long legs at an angle, and closed his eyes.

“What are you doing?” Clarissa asked angrily, confused by his languid mood.
 
She also found herself irritated that his legs were invading her space.

“Taking a nap.”

He knew Clarissa fumed at his attitude, but he had to think and could not do it if she thought him awake and continued to talk.
 
Being followed was a bit of a problem, but they were currently on their way to his country estate.
 
If they could throw him off between here and there, Justin knew they would be well protected once they passed through the gates.
 
How would he ask the director for time off?
 
Damn, the director
, he thought suddenly remembering his meeting tomorrow.
 
He had no other choice, he would have to return to town for the meeting.

He had yet to discuss Hamilton’s will with Clarissa.
 
It remained to be seen how she would take the change.
 
Franklin seemed very interested in Lady Clarissa.
 
If what Clarissa and Gertrude said had any truth behind it, they were an awfully ambitious brother and sister.
 
They needed further investing for certain.
 
He heard the sound of the horses’ hooves change as they left the cobbled streets of town behind.
 
Mere seconds later, he felt a swift kick against his shin.

“What was that for?” he bellowed and rubbed his shin.

“Where are we going?” Clarissa demanded to know.

“Don’t worry about it,” he replied back.

“Justin, I think she, no
we
, have a right to know.”
 
Justin turned a scathing look on his godmother.
 
“Oh, don’t give me that kind of look, young man.
 
I’ve known you since you were crawling around the nursery in your nappies, if you remember. Do quit being sour and tell us where we’re going.”

Justin muttered something under his breath that the women could not understand, then cleared his throat.
 
“We are going to mother and father’s country estate.
 
I hope that I can come up with a plan in which we lose Franklin for a short time.”

“Now was that so hard?” Clarissa asked sarcastically.

“Clarissa, please, my head is pounding.”
 

“Go back to sleep Justin,” Gertrude interrupted, attempting to be a calming force.
 
“Clarissa perhaps you should rest as well.”

“I can’t,” she muttered and continued to watch her father’s coach trail after them.

***

Justin surreptitiously watched Clarissa from half-closed eyes.
 
Her pointed chin raised a notch in defiance of the situation.
 
A few feathery tendrils of her silvery hair escaped the bonnet to frame her elfin features.
 
Her eyes held a determination that belied her circumstances, and the brown sparkled with flecks of amber.
 

She was much stronger emotionally than he had originally thought.
 
He did not know about physically, but she had escaped Franklin in some manner.
 
Justin would have chuckled over her expression when she ran into him, but he wanted her and Gertrude to believe that he slept.
 
His shin still smarted from where Clarissa had kicked it earlier.
 
She packed quite a punch for someone so small.

He needed to put a plan in place.
 
As long as they were on his estate, they would be safe.
 
King and Prince, his two wolfhounds, would see to that.
 
After making certain the two women were securely placed there, he would head to London for his meeting with the Director.
 
He would also send out some dispatches to find out as much as they could on Lorraine and Franklin Montmorency.

Deciding he really did need the rest if he had to travel to London tonight, Justin relaxed his body and let the rocking motion of the carriage help him drift off to sleep.

***

The man had actually fallen asleep.
 
Clarissa fumed inwardly.
 
How could he?
 
Her father had disappeared, she had almost been kidnapped - twice, they were being followed, and Southerby slept.
 
Snored, in fact.
 
Rage simmered below the surface.
 
She looked over at Aunt Gertie and noticed that even she had nodded off.
 
Was she the only one that cared what happened to them?
 
Evidently.

When Franklin had grabbed her in that alley, she truly thought her life was forfeit.
 
Sheer panic made her bite his hand.
 
Thank goodness she had good, strong teeth.
 
She hoped his hand still throbbed as well as another part of his anatomy that she had struck with her knee in a moment of anger-laced fear.
 

Why did Papa have to get taken in by that unscrupulous woman?
She lamented, not for the first time.
 
She wanted him to have a relationship, encouraged it, in fact; however, she never expected him to choose someone like Lorraine.
 
She had thought he would court one of the widows of the
ton
, but instead he had chosen that she-devil.
 

Clarissa thought back on one of their conversations about he matter.

“Papa, why won’t you remarry?”

“Your mama was the only woman for me, princess.
 
And now you are.”

“Well then, I guess I will just have to stay here and take care of you forever.”
 

“No, you will find some fine, upstanding man, marry, and have lots of children.
 
Then I’ll have lots of grandchildren to bounce on my knee.”

“Papa, I’ll never find a man as good you.
 
I would rather just stay with you and not marry at all.”
 
Then his brow would crease as if something concerned him greatly.
 

Clarissa rested her head on one of the squabs and stared out the window.
 
They had just had one of these conversations shortly before he started courting Lorraine.

Had she pushed her father into that woman’s arms?
 
She never meant to worry him.
 
And she had always meant what she said.
 
She would rather be with her Papa than do anything else.
 
Clarissa loved their time in the country where she could read and ride.
 
Oh, goodness, she had caused all this.
 
Whatever her father currently suffered, regardless of if Lorraine was behind it, Clarissa blamed herself.
 
Clarissa bit her lower lip hard to try to stem the tears she felt building behind her eyes, but for once it did not work.
 
They fell silently from her golden lashes and lightly ran down her cheeks.

Clarissa heard a gate creak open, and soon they were passing through with two hounds chasing and barking after them.
 
She bent her head and quickly dashed away any signs of the tears.
 
No more crying.
 
Tears will not bring Papa back
, she mentally shook herself.
 
Justin stretched awake on his seat and Clarissa gently shook Gertrude awake.
 
“Gertie, we’re here.”

“Already?
 
Well, that was a quick drive, wasn’t it?” she asked, stifling a yawn.
 
One corner of Clarissa’s lip quirked up in a grin.
 
“Clare you are so beautiful when you smile,” Gertie caressed her cheek fondly, “you really should do it more often.”

“When I know Papa is all right, I will.
 
I promise you.”
 
Gertrude nodded her head in acceptance.

“Ladies, shall we?” Justin disembarked from the carriage and held out a hand to help the women.
 
“Meet King and Prince.
 
Do not be afraid, they have more bark than bite.”
 
The big dogs went straight to Clarissa, butting against her legs for attention.
 
Clarissa patted each dog in turn talking gently to them before following Gertrude and Justin inside.
 
Justin stopped at the door and petted the dogs once more before uttering a command that sounded very guttural.
 
The dogs perked up, before turning in opposite directions and running towards the perimeter of the property.
 
When he saw Clarissa’s curious expression, he clarified, “The guard has been set.”

“What about Franklin?”
 

“Between the boys and my people, you have nothing to fear.
 
You’re as safe as you can possibly be here.”

“Thank you for your help.
 
And I apologize for running off earlier this morning.
 
I thought I was doing the right thing.”

Justin inclined his head before turning and calling, “Barkley,” down the hall.

“Yes, young master?”
 
Justin rolled his eyes.
 
Only Barkley still called him young master, making him feel all of about five-years-old sometimes.
 
Barkley had flyaway reddish-white hair and always looked sedate in his butler’s uniform.

“Barkley, we are going to have two guests for a few days.”

“I will have two rooms readied right away.
 
It is good to see you again, Lady Heathrow.”

“You as well, Barkley.”

“A few days?
 
We should be searching for my father immediately,” Clarissa insisted.

“Would you two ladies come with me?” Justin asked, ignoring her.
 
They followed him into a very sedate parlor.
 
The decor was done in cream and pale blue with manly accents scattered here and there.
 
When his mother decorated, she tried to make every room welcoming to anyone who might occupy it.

Justin shut the door and Clarissa whirled around, hands placed firmly on her slim hips.
 
“Well?” She demanded.

“Darling, hear him out.
 
I’m sure Justin has a good reason for everything he’s doing.”

“Thank you, Gertie,” he bowed to his godmother.

Clarissa rolled her eyes and turned, crossing the room to look out the window.
 
The dogs were frolicking off in the distance.
 
She saw her father’s carriage disappear around a bend as if it were headed back to London.
 
It traveled at a leisurely pace, and why not?
 
Why should Franklin be in a hurry?
 
He knew where he could find her, and evidently she would be here for a while.

“Are you ready to listen?” She heard Justin ask from across the room.

“I’m listening,” she said, refusing to turn around.

“I have business in London tomorrow that I cannot get out of.”
 
At that, she spun around, her hands fisted at her side, her mouth hanging open.
 
He took a deep breath, deciding the only way she would be happy was if she knew the entire truth.
 
He also did not care for subterfuge and did not like coming up with empty excuses time after time.
 
“Clarissa, I work at the Foreign Office.
 
I have a debriefing with the Director about my last assignment.
 
There is no way I can miss this meeting.”