With a glance over her shoulder at the silhouette of Scarlett Hall, her uneasiness dissipated. Within its walls were so many memories of her past, but her future could be with Don Ricardo. If she retreated into the shadows of the grand home, she may never know.
“You will only be looking at the stars,” she said to herself in a low whisper. “It is not as if you are going on a journey with him.”
With a racing heart, she firmed her decision and continued toward the gate. As the man in the shadows walked out into the moonlight, her breath caught in her throat. Don Ricardo was even more handsome in the moonlight! He no longer wore his sash with its medals, but he had no one to impress. She did not care if he had a thousand medals or none; he was still a hero in her eyes.
“Miss Annabel,” he said with a bow. “You warm my heart to heights words cannot explain.”
Annabel curtsied. “Thank you, my lord.” Then, much to her surprise, he leaned in and kissed her cheek. “Oh!” she said with a gasp.
“It is a customary greeting in my country,” he said. “I hope I have not offended you.”
Different countries have different customs, she reminded herself. Who was she to disallow a man his customs? “Not at all,” she replied, glad her breath had returned.
She worried her bottom lip. Would he be like the others and force kisses on her? Do not be foolish! He is not like the others!
“I am glad,” he said with a smile. “My driver is not far. Let us go to my carriage.” He offered her his arm, and she hesitated before placing her hand on his.
She glanced toward the house as they began to walk away. “I am sorry, my lord, but I am uncertain if it would be proper for me to be alone with you in your carriage.”
The man stopped. Had she upset him in some way? “In my carriage?” he asked with a shake to his head. “Truly I am a fool for acting in such a way that would lead you to believe I wish to take you away with me.”
Confusion filled her. “That was not your intention?”
He laughed. “Not at all. I have a bottle of wine waiting for us to drink as the stars come together. I am sorry if I gave you the wrong impression.”
Annabel let out a sigh of relief. “It is I, Don Ricardo, who must apologize. I have not had the best experiences with men thus far.” She slammed her mouth closed. Revealing the unwanted kisses was not something she wished to do.
“You owe me no apology,” he said as they continued their trek. “And I must insist that you call me Ricardo. This Don Ricardo makes me sound like a rogue who sneaks into women’s bedrooms to steal kisses.”
She giggled at this, for on more than one occasion she had thought the same. “Then you must call me Annabel.”
“A most beautiful name for a beautiful woman,” he said.
Annabel did her best to calm her pounding heart. She had been called beautiful before, but to hear this man say it, in that Spanish accent, was exhilarating.
As they approached the carriage, Annabel noticed the driver perched in his seat as Ricardo opened the door. She hoped her aunt did not decide at that moment to return, yet she said she would not until the following morning.
“For you.” He held out a glass of wine, and she took it, thanking him. “Before the stars emerge, I must make a toast in your honor.”
Annabel felt that flush that had become common in this man’s presence. “I do not deserve such an honor.”
“Ah, but you do,” he replied as he raised his glass. “For a woman with a mind as wise as yours is rare, and to have great beauty to accompany such wisdom is unheard of. As the hour draws to midnight, I am happy, for I no longer am forced to wait for what my love will decide, for that woman is here before me.”
It took several moments to realize that her jaw had fallen open. The man now called her his love? Did that mean he had feelings for her? Or was that just an expression used in Spain? They certainly had not known each other long enough to consider love. She took a drink of the wine in order to calm her nerves, for all this was too much to bear.
“Now, allow me to put these away,” he said. She had not realized that the glass was already empty. He set the glasses in the carriage and then walked over to her. When he placed his hands on her shoulders, she shivered. “You are very brave to come to me alone.”
“I must admit, it was a difficult decision,” she replied. She held her breath as he trailed his hands down her arms. He was so bold in his familiarity with her! Yet, his touch sent bolts of electricity into her stomach. “My aunt left to see my cousin, and thus I was given time to escape without notice.” Where had the firmness of her speech gone? Who was this breathy woman who had taken over her skin?
“She is not at the estate?”
“No,” she replied, unable to fight the strange desires that rose inside her, not caring what she spoke as long as he continued to touch her.
He turned her around and placed an arm around her waist. “Look at the moon, Annabel,” he whispered in her ear, his breath sending tingles down her arms and back. “Do you see its beauty?”
Filled with both excitement and worry, she could not stop the “Yes” that spilled from her lips. What was wrong with her? And what made this man believe he could hold her so close? Yet, she could not have asked him to stop if she wanted to.
“It is much like you, a woman I was told was quite beautiful, but I did not believe it could be true.” He pulled her against his chest, and Annabel turned her head to look up at him.
“My lord,” she whispered, wondering if the man would kiss her and secretly hoping he would, “you are kind with your words.”
He chuckled, a deep rumble. “I am many things,” he said. “As we witness this night together, may I thank you with a kiss?”
Of all the lessons Annabel had learned in conducting oneself as a lady, allowing a man to kiss her was one of the most adamant prohibitions of them all. However, twice men had forced their lips to hers, and now a man sought permission, elevating not only her heart, but his status in her eyes.
“Two men have forced kisses on me, and now I wish to experience one of my own free will, one that my heart desires.”
Perhaps it was a trick of the low light of the full moon, but Annabel thought she saw a flicker of regret behind the man’s eyes. However, it passed as quickly as it appeared, and when his lips touched hers, all memory of what she thought she might have seen evaporated. Unlike those other kisses, this one felt right, for it made her heart happy and made her somehow feel safe.
As soon as it began, the kiss ended. “I am sorry,” Ricardo said as he touched the back of his hand to her cheek. “I did not mean to like you as much as I do.”
“I do not understand,” Annabel replied. “Was this invitation not to win over my heart?”
“No,” he replied as he cut off Annabel’s scream by placing his hand over her mouth and nose, cutting off her breath. “It was to get you away from your home.”
Chapter Ten
Annabel thought it odd that her bed was bouncing and considered for a moment that perhaps it was Juliet playing one of her many pranks again. Her cousin had once hidden beside the bed, moaned like a ghost, and pulled on the covers, making Annabel cry out in fright. Therefore, it would not have surprised Annabel if the girl was doing something similar to frighten her as she had done before. If that was the case, Annabel would have a firm word with the woman, for it was a very mean thing to do!
When she attempted to open her eyes, she clamped them shut when bright sunlight blinded her. Two realizations hit her at once, the first being that she was in a carriage that moved along at a steady pace, which was the cause of the bouncing. The second was that she had been gagged and bound in a most uncomfortable manner. The gag, whatever it was, tasted dusty, and she attempted to push it away with her tongue only to leave her tongue dry and the gag wet. Her hands were bound behind her back with some sort of rope and no amount of yanking or twisting could loosen the bindings.
Panic ensued as memories came flood
ing back. She had been with Don Ricardo, and she had given him permission to kiss her. Beyond that, she had no memory. What had she been thinking meeting a man alone late at night? Now look at the trouble she was in.
She eased her eyes open again, blinking at the bright sunlight until her eyes adjusted, and was surprised to see Don Ricardo smiling down at her from the opposite bench. He reached over and loosened the gag, and she wasted no time in giving him a piece of her mind.
“I do not know the customs in Spain,” she said as she forced her fear into the recesses of her mind, “but I can assure you that when a gentleman kisses a woman in England, it does not give him permission to bind her and carry her away!”
His only response was a raise of a single eyebrow, and she shook her head.
“Untie me this instant and return me home! Aunt Eleanor will be worried, and I will be in a lot of trouble when she learns I have sneaked out of the house.”
“You are going with me,” he replied with a light chuckle. Where had his lovely Spanish accent gone? “And you will remain with me for some time.”
She pushed herself up into a seated position—not an easy feat when one’s hands were tied behind her back—and glared at him. “You are not Spanish?”
He shook his head.
“Then who are you? And what do you want with me?” The fear she had so carefully locked away gushed from deep inside and she wanted nothing more than to weep. However, she would not give this man the benefit of seeing her weak! “Please, Don Ricardo, let me go. I promise I will not tell anyone about any of this.” How she despised being forced to beg, but if that was what it took, she would beg until the sun set over the horizon.
“You may call me Edward,” he replied as if she had not spoken. “That is my name. Don Ricardo Sánchez Ramírez is only a name I created for this charade in order to get close to you.”
“To what purpose? I understand none of this. If you wished to court me, you needed only to ask.”
The man sighed and reached into his coat pocket to take out a silver flask. “I am a man with many names to complete many tasks.” He removed the lid from the flask and tipped it back to take a drink. Wiping his mouth on the sleeve of his coat, he continued, “You are being held for ransom. Once it is paid, you will be released.”
Annabel gaped at him. “Ransom? I?” She shook her head. Then the realization hit her. “I have been kidnapped!”
Edward gave a single nod. “You have been kidnapped.
“But why? And when will I be released?”
He gave her a flat look. “I cannot say much more on this, for I did not act alone. In fact, there are many now at Scarlett Hall speaking with your aunt.” He leaned forward. “If at any time you try to escape or signal for help, or if anything seems amiss in any way, she will be killed.” Every bit of kindness that had been in the man’s eyes before was now gone, replaced by a sinister glare.
“Aunt Eleanor is good,” she said in an attempt to explain the misfortune of threatening such a woman. “Surely you would not allow anything bad to happen to her.”
“I do not wish to hurt anyone,” came his reply, as emotionless and distant as it ever could be. “I can assure you she will be safe as long as you do not cause any trouble. Is that fair?”
Fair? How could any of this be fair? However, she nodded her agreement, nonetheless. The thought of her aunt suffering was made worse at the possibility of Annabel being the cause. The truth of the matter was if she had stayed inside last night, none of this would have happened. What a fool she was.
“Ricardo…that is, Edward, who is wanting to ransom me? And for what reason?”
He shrugged. “I do not know, and even if I did, I would not tell you.” He took another drink from the flask, replaced the lid, and returned it to his pocket. With his head tilted, he studied her for a moment before placing a hand on her cheek.
Last night she would have welcomed his touch, but now it repulsed her.
“This process will go much easier with your cooperation. Now, I will untie your hands, but I expect you to remain civil.”
Annabel nodded. “I will.”
He moved over to sit beside her and she turned so he could work the knots from the rope.
“Remember, Annabel, any disobedience will result in your aunt’s death.”
“I understand,” she whispered, her chest clenching at the thought.
When the bindings loosened, she flexed her hands to allow the blood to return to them, sending a prickle sensation into her fingertips. Once the prickles were gone, she placed her hands in her lap and looked down at the floor of the carriage. Someone wanted to use her for ransom. How long would she be gone from Scarlett Hall?
More than likely her aunt was being threatened in very much the same way she had been; however, her aunt would be told it would be Annabel who would be killed.
There was no one to blame but herself, and that made it all the worse.
Her parents had never liked her, and now, because of this act brought about by Annabel’s foolishness, her aunt would surely not like her anymore, either.
“And you are certain I will be released when the ransom is paid?” she asked, her lip trembling.
Edward did not look at her, but he nodded. “Yes.”
Returning her gaze to the floor, Annabel had no doubt that the man was lying. In fact, she could feel the lie emanate from him as clearly as the sun shone through the small opening between the curtains. She could just make out a forest but nothing more, and just as she did in times of trouble, she allowed her mind to escape. This time, however, no hero would be searching for her as he had in so many of her dreams.
***
Eleanor had returned to Scarlett Hall just after four in the morning, and after a wonderful night’s sleep, she found herself in the drawing room waiting for Annabel to wake. The news Eleanor wished to share with the girl was wonderful, for her prediction had been correct. Isabel was with child.
The idea of a grandchild warmed Eleanor’s heart. Laurence and Isabel would make wonderful parents, and the child would never want for anything, including love. That was one thing Eleanor had tried to instill in all her children in order to assure they had the kind of life she had never been given. Love had been absent from her life during her younger years, and she could not imagine her children being forced to endure the same.
That was not completely true; her father had been the kindest and most playful person for whom a young girl could wish. Yet, when he died, so did that life until the birth of Isabel. Eleanor’s children had brought back the love that had been missing since the death of her father, and she would do anything to see them happy. Anything.
The door opened, startling Eleanor from her thoughts. “A messenger has arrived,” Forbes said. “He has a letter and refuses to give it to anyone but you.”
Eleanor frowned. “A letter?” She hoped her other children were not experiencing some sort of issues. Then an idea occurred to her. “Perhaps the marquess is sending a thank you.”
“I am sure I do not know, my lady,” Forbes said. “However, the boy appears eager to speak with you.”
Eleanor followed Forbes to the foyer, and when the butler opened the door, a young boy of perhaps ten stood on the stoop, a hat clutched in his hand and dirt mixed in with the freckles that covered his cheeks.
He gave her an awkward bow. “Lady Lambert?” He waited for her to nod. “I was told to deliver this letter to you and no one else.” He shot a glare at Forbes.
Eleanor took the letter from the boy. “Thank you, young sir,” she said with a small smile when he straightened his back. “Forbes, give our young messenger a coin.”
The butler nodded and placed a silver coin in the boy’s waiting hand. The youngster’s eyes widened with shock, and he placed it between his teeth and bit down. When he was satisfied the coin was real, he placed it in his pocket and patted his thigh. “Thank you, my lady.”
Eleanor chuckled and looked at the letter. It had no seal
to indicate the sender, and she opened it.
“Who gave you this letter?” she demanded once she had read it, her insides knotting.
“‘Twas a boy about my own age, my lady,” the boy said, fear now filling his features as he looked over the clasped hat. “Came in this mornin’ to Rumsbury. He said he’d collected it in Bransworth.”
“Bransworth? I know no one from there.” She turned to Forbes. “Get my reticule.”
He bowed his head, went inside, and returned as she bade. She removed two silver coins and showed them to the boy. “If you tell me the truth, I will give these to you.”
The boy eyed the coins greedily and nodded. “Yes, my lady. I won’t lie.”
“Do you know who wrote this letter? Did the other messenger make any mention or any indication he knew the sender?”
The boy shook his head adamantly. “I swear on me mother’s life ‘e didn’t tell me nothin’. I don’t ‘ave no idea who wrote it.”
She studied the boy for a moment, nodded, and placed the coins in the boy’s hand. “I believe you. You may go.”
The boy gave her a wide grin. He was missing two of his teeth. “Thank you, my lady. I’ll give these to me mum right away.” And with that, he hurried back down the drive.
“What is it?” Forbes asked after closing the door behind them.
Eleanor did not answer. Could not answer. The world began to spin around her, and she had to grab hold of the banister to keep from falling.
“Eleanor?”
“It is Annabel,” she replied, her voice choked. “Please, hurry to her room. Tell me she is there!”
Without asking why, Forbes took the stairs two at a time and returned just as quickly. “She is not in her room,” he said breathlessly. “I will check the library.”
“She will not be there,” Eleanor whispered as she reread the letter.
Forbes stared at her. “What is it?”
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