But where was he now?
The reins flicked over the horse’s back, and the wheels began turning. Kate watched Timberwell in forced silence until she and Lord Evan became engulfed in the trees.
CHAPTER 11
T he moment Kate had left Aiden’s side, Lord Aveley took her place, the anger in his voice unconcealed as he beckoned Aiden to the dark hallway. Aiden followed reluctantly, searching the crowd for Evan. He could not see him.
“What the devil are you doing here?” Lord Aveley half-shouted once they were away from the assembly. “You are not to claim any relation to my family. You are a servant in my house! Everyone will wonder why I have been hiding my stepson.” He said the word as if it tasted of stale tea. “They will look upon me with disdain.”
Aiden did not want to know what his stepfather would do if he confessed that he had claimed to be Lord Orsett, his own son, upon his entrance. If his stepfather discovered the deception he would likely send Aiden to the streets.
Aiden glared at him. “They will look upon you with more disdain if they learn that you have been conspiring with your sons to ruin the reputation of Lady Katherine in an attempt to secure a marriage with her.”
Lord Aveley sputtered. “You cannot prove that.”
Intense worry filled Aiden as he surveyed the ballroom again, failing to find Evan among the guests. Kate had gone to the gardens to await Aiden. Could Evan have followed her?
The thought sent a chill of dread through him. He tightened his fists. “I must go.”
“Go where?” his stepfather spat. “If you think you are going to win the hand of the heiress you are mistaken. It will not be long before Evan meets success.”
The duke stepped out from the nearby ballroom, striding toward Aiden and his stepfather.
“Your grace,” Lord Aveley dropped a bow.
The duke nodded briefly in return, turning his attention to Aiden. “Orsett, do you know where my daughter has gone? After your dance she fled from the ballroom.” His expression was dark, protective.
Lord Aveley sputtered again. “Orsett?”
Aiden ignored him. “She mentioned the gardens. But I fear she may be in danger. I will go in search of her now.”
The duke gave him a look of confusion, worry of his own tightening his brow. “Pray tell, in danger of what?”
Aiden could not wait another moment. He ran down the dark hallway, leaving the astonished duke and his stepfather. Aiden’s pulse rushed past his ears as he stormed through the dark hallways in search of the back door. The gardens. Where were the blasted gardens? Where was the back door?
He rounded a hall to the right, throwing open a small door near the back of the house. As soon as it opened, Freddy came flying out from what turned out to be a closet, his claws sliding across the marble floors as he barked. The dog jumped up on Aiden’s legs, his hostility turning playful.
“We must find Kate,” Aiden said, beckoning the dog to follow him. He found the back door and threw it open, letting Freddy free into the night.
“Kate!” he called, not bothering to whisper. The dread in his stomach prevented it; the feeling would not abandon him. He feared the worst. “Kate!”
He ran around to the gardens, jogging between shrubs and dark, flowering bushes, the dog close at his heels. He looked behind the various stone fountains, finding no sign of her. He ran across the back lawn. Had she even come to the gardens at all? Or had Evan led her elsewhere? He couldn’t believe she would go willingly. She knew from Aiden’s warning that Evan was dangerous.
Far across the grass, near the line of the woods, something gold caught his eye. He ran toward it, his heart sinking when he realized what it was.
A slipper.
The slipper he had made for her, abandoned in the grass. Freddy leapt toward it, sniffing the gold silk before turning his face up to the trees with a growl.
Aiden’s heart thudded hard against his chest, his gaze frantic as he searched the surrounding area. He noticed a deep imprint of wheels marking the grass at the edge of the woods.
Had Evan abducted her? They could not have travelled far in the time it had taken him to escape his stepfather’s side. Without another thought, Aiden tore through the trees and onto the path, running as quickly as his well-tailored clothing would allow, the dog leading the way.
Kate heard a familiar sound, one that took her a moment to comprehend. She jerked upright, the sound too faint and distant to believe.
Could it be Freddy’s bark?
She strained her ears, struggling to hear the sound over the revolutions of the wheels through the twigs and leaves on the wooded path.
Lord Evan held the reins tightly beside her, flicking them constantly, sending the poor horse into a strained trot. She steadied her breathing, trying to appear nonchalant as she glanced behind them.
“What are you looking for?” Lord Evan questioned with a lazy smile. “We have evaded all notice. You will not escape this marriage.”
Kate could hear the tremor of doubt in his voice. His dark eyes surveyed every angle of their surroundings, shifting with unease. He urged the horse to move faster.
Kate gave a silent gasp as the sound she had been listening to grew closer. It was definitely Freddy. But how had he escaped? She turned in her seat, squinting through the darkness. The color of Freddy’s coat would be difficult to discern in the darkness, but she would try. Hope sparked in her chest when the sound of heavier footfalls behind the barking—the breaking of twigs underfoot—reached her ears.
“Make haste, you stupid beast,” Lord Evan snarled, whipping the horse across the back. The gig jerked forward, moving dangerously fast over the path. The conveyance teetered back and forth, wild desperation returning to Lord Evan’s eyes.
Still watching the ground behind her, Kate caught sight of a flash of gray fur, followed by a set of shiny black boots, dark trousers, and a silver waistcoat. Aiden.
Without thinking, she grasped at the reins in Lord Evan’s hands, her movement quick and unsuspected. The reins slipped from his hands and she pulled them tight, bringing the horse to a slow stop. Lord Evan snarled, attempting to wrestle them back from her. Her fight against him only lasted a short moment before the reins were in his control again. But not before Freddy caught up to the gig, leaping onto the narrow step and into Lord Evan’s lap with a surprisingly deep growl.
Lord Evan screamed, attempting to throw Freddy from his lap, but Freddy’s teeth had made a secure hold on his forearm. Kate gasped as he managed to detach her dog, sending him flying off the gig. Aiden caught him before he could hit the ground.
She found his gaze, tears pouring from her eyes all over again. His previously neat hair had fallen over his brow, his chest rising and falling quickly. His eyes only lingered on her for a moment, and she felt safe. Secure.
His eyes hardened like steel when he turned them on Lord Evan. He handed Freddy to Kate before rounding the gig and taking a fistful of Lord Evan’s jacket, pulling him out of the gig with great force.
Kate hugged Freddy to her chest, her heart racing like a trapped bird against his little body.
Lord Evan did not appear afraid, not even a little. He laughed, his dark hair falling in black feathers on his forehead. “You would try to stop me, stepbrother? You think anyone will trust your word above mine or my father’s? If we are discovered, I will claim it was you who abducted the heiress. Who will he believe? Hmm?”
Aiden shoved him back against the gig. “Did you hurt her?”
Lord Evan laughed, tipping his head back. Kate still felt the sting of his grip on her arms, the red swollen marks that would likely become bruises. Aiden looked up at her, his eyes heavy with concern, the tears there betraying the rough facade he was portraying to Lord Evan. “Did he hurt you?” he asked in a soft voice.
She shook her head, lifting her chin as she stepped out of the gig on shaking legs. “Only a little.”
Aiden’s jaw clenched as he held Lord Evan in front of him. She shook
with fear. How could he dare fight one of his masters? But had she heard Lord Evan call him stepbrother? She could hardly hear or think past her racing heart.
“What is happening here?” The deep and rather booming voice of her father came, rising above the hooves of his horse as they slowed upon the ground. She looked behind her, relieved to see her father astride his horse, approaching with command.
Lord Evan put on an expression of terror, cowering away from Aiden with a pointed finger. “This man, this servant in my home, has attempted to steal away with your daughter to Gretna Green. He planned to force her into an elopement.”
Kate shook her head fast, her words freezing in her throat. Her father’s anger mounted, reddening his cheeks as he looked at Aiden.
“I managed to stop him, your grace.” Lord Evan bowed, a shaky smile of triumph on his lips.
“That is not true,” Kate said, rushing toward her father as he dismounted. “No, father, you must listen to me. It was Lord Evan that—”
“My son speaks the truth.” A second voice pierced the clearing, a second horse approaching behind her father’s—Lord Aveley’s. The marquess dismounted, placing a gloved hand on the duke’s shoulder. “My servant has been speaking of nothing else but his desire to marry your daughter. He seeks her fortune, you see.”
Aiden exchanged a look with Kate, an honest denial in his eyes. He stepped closer to her, his voice lowered. “I am not merely their servant, though they treat me as such. Lord Aveley is my stepfather, and Evan my stepbrother.”
As the revelation sunk in, Kate glanced eagerly at her father. Would he trust Aiden? How could he not? Aiden was clearly much more trustworthy than his sneering stepbrother and wicked stepfather. But the duke’s gaze only hardened in Aiden’s direction. “I will not believe a word from you after you attempted to deceive me, declaring yourself to be Lord Orsett.”
“Papa!” Kate tried to pull her father’s eyes back to her, but they remained fixed on Aiden.
“It is fortuitous indeed that Lord Evan was present to stop you.”
She curled her hands into fists at her sides. “Papa!”
He looked down at her, bewildered.
“For once, listen to me!” Kate’s breathing came heavy, rasped, her heart pounding fast. “My word must be accounted for above that of a marquess, or his son. I am your daughter.” She had his attention. “Lord Evan abducted me with the intent to elope. Aid—er—Mr. Notley came to my rescue.”
Her father drew a deep breath, searching her eyes with suspicion. His voice was quiet when he spoke again. “How do you know this Mr. Notley?”
Aiden had moved closer, his eyes fixed on her when she turned around.
“He… he is a dear friend.” Her voice shook with emotion. “He would never harm anyone. He rescued Freddy once, and now he has rescued me. Please believe me, Papa.”
Lord Aveley scoffed, drawing her father’s gaze. “My son would never treat a lady in such a manner. But my servant would.”
Kate’s father’s eyes darted between Aiden and Lord Aveley. “Is it true? Is this your stepson?”
“No, of course not. He is my servant.”
Aiden bowed to her father before speaking. “Your grace, if my word means anything to you, I would promise that, yes, I am Lord Aveley’s stepson. I reside at Colborne Hall. I heard that Lord Evan planned to force a marriage with your daughter. I apologize for claiming a false identity, but it was the only way I could enter the ball in my attempt to protect her.”
Kate watched her father’s quizzical brow as he turned to Lord Aveley. “Why do you claim this man as your servant?”
“Well,” the marquess stammered, “he does the work of a servant. We cannot afford to staff many of them.” He snapped his mouth shut, cursing under his breath. “What I mean to say is—”
“That is enough.” Kate’s father pulled her close, away from Aiden and the other men. “All of you must desert my property at once. My daughter’s safety is of my greatest concern, and I do not trust one of you.”
“Papa, no.” Kate turned toward Aiden, but her father pulled her back. “You must believe me. Mr. Notley has done no harm.”
“Come,” her father said in a gruff voice, pulling her gently along toward the house. She stared at Aiden over her shoulder, apologizing with her eyes. Would she ever see him again? What would Lord Aveley do to him? Surely her father would never let her court him after what had happened that evening. Did Mr. Notley even desire to court her? He had never said as much. His actions that night could have simply been the result of his kindness. But she remembered that day in the woods, when he had said he was falling in love with her.
Her heart ached as her father pulled her far away from Aiden and far away from the woods. Freddy followed closely at her heels. When they reached the house, her father led her inside, leading her past the ballroom doors and toward his study. When they entered the small room, he closed the door, keeping her far away from any other of their guests that could have sinister intentions.
Her father sat down at the desk, putting his forehead in his hands. “I should have done more to protect you,” he muttered.
“It is not your fault.” Kate cradled her elbows, her heart rate just beginning to slow. For the first time that night, she remembered her right foot was bare and the hem of her dress was torn. “Aiden rescued me.”
Her father’s head jerked up, his eyes hard. “Aiden? Your acquaintance could not have begun this evening if you are familiar enough to use his Christian name.”
Kate lowered her eyes. “Yes. We have met on other occasions. It began when he rescued Freddy from the brook, then we met again, just to allow our dogs to play, and then again in town—”
He let out a long sigh. “How long have been having these secret meetings with Lord Aveley’s stepson?”
“Not long. But long enough for me to know that he is a kind and honorable man.”
“You haven’t… developed an attachment to him, have you?”
Kate’s legs shook beneath her. “Yes, Papa. I have. I care for him very much. But I know you will not approve of such a match. And I do not know if Mr. Notley still cares for me, and—”
“Oh, Kate.” Her father’s eyes lightened. “There is no question that he does.”
She pressed her lips together, a smile pulling at them.
“I trust your word above Lord Aveley’s or his sons, you must know.”
Kate drew a quiet gasp. “You believe that Lord Evan is guilty? Against the word of the marquess?”
“I have never seen a more sincere face as Mr. Notley’s.” Her father’s gaze sparked with amusement. “Especially regarding his love for you. I have never wished anything but happiness upon you. But I have been selfish desiring a prestigious match for you. I should have desired an honorable man for you above all else. And I see you have found one.”
Tears stung her eyes anew, joyful ones that brought a smile to her cheeks.
Her mother burst through the door, gasping as her eyes fell on Kate. She bustled forward in her layered skirts, throwing her arms around Kate. “Oh, I thought I had lost you forever!” She squeezed Kate before pulling back to grip her cheeks between her hands. She turned to her husband. “I have sent all the guests home. I could not bear the thought of any other wicked men abducting Katherine.”
“There will be no more of that, I assure you. Lord Aveley and his son will be brought to trial for what they have done. Not to worry.”
Kate pressed a hand to her chest. “Papa, what will Mr. Notley do? Where will he live?”
He rubbed his jaw. “Would you like to marry him? If that is so, Silverbard is unoccupied at present. You ought to practice managing the estate before it is yours entirely. I trust Mr. Notley will be a worthy partner for you. He has saved you from a life of unhappiness with that dreadful Lord Evan, a debt to which I could never repay him.”
Kate blinked, her ears pounding with her pulse. The clock on the wall of the study began its loud chiming, the tw
o clock hands coming together after twelve hours of being apart. Midnight.
“Who is Mr. Notley?” Kate’s mother said, her voice astonished. “Is he the man that rescued you?” She gripped Kate’s hands. “Is he titled? How are his connections?”
Kate exchanged a glance with her father. “His familial connections are rather atrocious, and he has no title or wealth to speak of.” She smiled, her heart soaring. “But he is kind.”
“Kind?” Her mother’s lips turned down in a grimace. “Is that all?”
No. Kate could list dozens of things that Aiden possessed that were greater than connections or wealth or prestige. What had she done to deserve so much? He was a greater prize than any dowry or estate. The clock still chimed behind her, loud and vibrating.
“Oh, why do you still have that odious clock?” Kate’s mother covered her ears as the final chimes of the midnight hour sounded, striking in Kate’s heart with hope. Would she really be allowed to court Aiden? She had never thought it possible. But a small part of her still doubted. Would he still want her even after she had hurt him—lied to him about her identity?
“Thank you, Papa.” She stepped away from her mother to grip her father’s hand. “But Mr. Notley has not made an offer to me. I deceived him.” She shook her head. “I pretended to be my lady’s maid.”
The eyes of both her parents rounded in shock. “Then he cannot possibly be a fortune hunter,” her father said, a deep chuckle catching in his throat.
“He is not.” Kate smiled.
“I am glad to hear it, knowing how much you despise them.” He winked. “I could certainly see his feelings for you were genuine. But not to worry,” he yawned, stretching his arms overhead as he reclined in his chair. “I expect he will be here tomorrow, begging my permission to marry you. In the meantime, I will ensure no harm comes upon him at the hands of his stepfather and stepbrothers. They will have a visit from the bow street runners at first light.”
The Midnight Heiress (Once Upon a Regency Book 2) Page 10