Ladies and Their Secrets: Regency Romance Collection

by Alec, Joyce

  Opening her eyes, Lucy sat quietly and watched the guests mingle, hearing the orchestra preparing to strike up the next dance. Rows formed and the dancers began. Lucy smiled to herself as she watched them, wondering when it would be time for herself and Edward to take to the floor. Surely it would not be too long now.

  A sudden dart of worry hit her as she realized just how long she had been sitting there alone. This was now the second dance she had watched to completion, with the third soon to begin. Where was Edward?

  Lucy got to her feet and leaned over the balcony rail just a little, her eyes searching for Edward.

  Perhaps he has simply been caught up in conversation, she told herself. Or mayhap his mother wishes to speak to him. You are becoming anxious over nothing.

  Lord Hutton’s face floated before her eyes as the fear and worry she had felt earlier that evening flooded her once more. Surely Edward’s prolonged absence had nothing to do with Lord Hutton? Edward had reassured her that the man would not be allowed to set foot on his property, had he not?

  Her breath coming in shallow gasps now, Lucy searched in vain for Edward, her eyes landing on the wide-open French doors. She froze, her eyes lingering on the darkness. It was a little too early in the evening for the doors to have been opened, which gave her pause. Her hands grasped the rail tightly as she waited, suddenly certain that the doors had something to do with Edward.

  A figure dressed almost entirely in black slowly made its way through the crowd towards the French doors. His gait was slow, possibly due to his opulence. The only flash of white was his shirt, but other than that, he was almost entirely hidden in the shadows of the room. Lucy gave a strangled cry as the figure turned to glance around him before disappearing through the French doors, clearly believing that no one had seen him.

  It was Lord Hutton.

  Hurrying down the stairs, Lucy struggled to catch her breath, fear pouring through her veins and making her heart pound frantically in her chest. Edward was gone, she knew it for certain. He would not have left her alone for so long.

  “Lucy!” her mother exclaimed just as Lucy found herself at the steps that led to the ballroom. “We have been looking all over for you and Edward.” Her eyes twinkled. “Of course, we knew where you might have been, but thought it best to come seek you out.”

  “No, Mama,” Lucy gasped, finding it difficult to get her words out in her breathlessness. “He is not here. He is gone.”

  “What?” her mother exclaimed, the color draining from her face. “He has run off?”

  “What is this?” her father demanded, suddenly appearing by Lucy’s side. “The man has left you?”

  Lucy shook her head, clinging desperately to her father’s sleeve in an attempt to get him to listen to her. “Lord Hutton, Papa. He was here! I saw him, at the French doors!”

  Tears blurred her vision as she saw her father’s face pale slightly, his change in demeanor warning her that he had immediately come to the same conclusion as she.

  “We must find him, Papa!” Lucy begged, blinking back her tears in an attempt to keep her composure. “I cannot let Lord Hutton—”

  “Take your mother to the drawing room,” her father interrupted, taking her hand and gently removing it from his sleeve. “I will summon the butler and find Edward’s mother. She must know of her son’s disappearance.” He gritted his teeth. “As the Marquess himself is not here, I must hope she will permit me to take charge.”

  “You are sure he has gone, Lucy?” her mother asked, taking Lucy’s arm. “We should speak to the footmen to ensure that is the case. Perhaps he has simply been caught up in conversation?”

  Lucy shook her head. She did not need for the footmen to search for Edward—her heart already knew that something was terribly wrong. He would not have left her sitting there for so long, having promised to only be a few moments. He had been the one to remind her of their first dance together, that she only had a little time to rest. Edward was not about to forget his obligations simply because of a conversation. He was not that kind of man.

  “I am sure we will find him very soon,” her mother continued as they entered the drawing room. “Lord Hutton can have nothing to do with this, surely!”

  Lucy quickly described what Lord Hutton had done to Edward already, speaking in rapid tones as she paced up and down. Her mother’s features changed from hopeful to horrified, having been kept in the dark up until that point over Lord Hutton’s true nature. By the time Lucy had finished speaking, her mother had been forced to sit down heavily in a wing-backed chair, her eyes wide and staring.

  “I must change at once,” Lucy continued, relieved to recall that they had brought some clothes with them, given that they would be staying overnight. “I cannot help with the search otherwise.”

  “Lucy!” her mother gasped, sounding horrified. “You cannot do such a thing! You have responsibilities now—the ball, the guests!”

  “My only responsibility is to Edward,” Lucy said firmly, battling the overwhelming dread growing in her chest. “I cannot simply pretend all is well at the ball when the man I love is in danger. I will not be long, Mama. Please try to understand.”

  11

  It did not take long for Lucy to change, having found a maid on her way to her rooms. Her fingers shook as she pulled the pearls from her hair, her hands trembling as she placed them down on the dressing table.

  “Is there anything else I can do for you, miss?”

  Shaking her head, Lucy dismissed the maid, drawing in one long breath before settling her shoulders and trying to think clearly.

  “Edward, where are you?” she whispered under her breath, wandering to the window in an attempt to calm herself before she returned to the drawing room.

  Lord Hutton had disappeared through the French doors, but that did not mean that he had remained in the gardens. He could be anywhere by now, but Lucy had not the faintest idea of where to start.

  As she looked out of the window, her eyes caught a sudden flicker of movement in the moonlight. Her room overlooked the cobbled paths leading out of the large estate and back towards town, and there appeared to be a carriage approaching. Of course, that was not particularly unusual, although it was a little surprising to see that one of the guests was leaving so soon after the ball had begun. That would be considered quite rude, a slight towards the Marchioness. Lucy’s brows rose. That was unthinkable. Surely none of the guests assembled here tonight would do such a thing, which meant…

  Lucy’s hand was on her bedroom doorknob in a minute, pulling the door open and rushing headlong along the corridor and down the stairs. She had no time to return to the drawing room to explain what she had seen, knowing that every second counted were she to get her dear Edward back safe and sound. That carriage had to be for Lord Hutton, for there was no conceivable way that any of the guests would leave the ball that Lady Blackinstore herself had organized, not without jeopardizing their own reputations.

  The front door was opened for her, although the footman gave her something of a bemused look as she passed.

  “Find her ladyship. Tell her there is a carriage outside,” she said breathlessly, seeing the confusion on his face. “She will know what I mean. Go! Now!”

  Without waiting to see whether or not the footman had obeyed her order, Lucy rushed outside, the cool night air hitting her cheeks at once. Glad that she was no longer encumbered by her beautiful yet heavy gown, Lucy lifted her skirts and ran towards the side of the house, where she was sure she had seen the carriage. Her feet crunched on the gravel as she ran, forcing her to slow her steps as she approached. Her heart was hammering so loudly in her chest that Lucy was sure someone would hear it and know of her approach.

  Pressing herself against the side of the house, she crept forward, hoping that the shadows would hide her. To her surprise, she found herself gazing at some horses, the carriage closer to her than she had first realized. One of the horses blew out a noisy breath, apparently aware of her presence.

/>   “Hurry,” she heard a low voice say, coming from the back of the carriage. “We need to move him before his absence is noticed.”

  There were some grunts and shuffling steps, followed by a thud that had Lucy wincing. That could not be Edward, could it?

  “Do we have everything we need?” came the voice again, now sounding very impatient. “This is to be entirely secret, you understand. I can have nothing traced back to me.”

  “You won’t be involved,” came a second voice, more gravely than the first. “You’ve been at White’s all evening. By this stage, the other gentlemen there will be so deeply in their cups that they will not be able to say otherwise. Just ensure you are found there in the morning. I will have his body in the Thames in less than half an hour after you arrive at White’s.”

  Lucy did not need to hear more. Her mind screamed at her to act, to find a way to save Edward from Lord Hutton’s clutches, but she simply could not think of what to do. Should she make them aware of her presence, they would most likely overpower her too. It was obvious that Lord Hutton was not working alone, which did not surprise her given both his age and his corpulence, but she also did not think she stood much of a chance against those that he was working with, at least not on her own. At the same time, Lucy could not simply sit and wait for the footman to deliver her message to Lady Blackinstore, for by that time, the carriage would be long gone.

  Slowly moving forward, Lucy prayed silently that the horses would not start with surprise when she approached them. Thankfully, although one let out a quiet sound, they soon allowed her to stroke their velvety noses.

  “There we go,” Lucy whispered, listening hard to the conversation going on at the back of the carriage. “I just have to try and slow them down.”

  At least Lucy knew about the intricacies of a horse and carriage. Even in the darkness, it still proved difficult for her to find the buckles that lay just behind the horse’s front leg. She did not want to injure the animals in any way, but simply to cause enough of a distraction to allow her time to go in search of Edward, although she was not exactly sure what she would do when she got to him. Slowly, the buckle began to loosen, the horse shifting only a little as she relieved the harness on one side. It did not take her long to do the other side, her confidence growing as her fingers became surer. The second buckle was easier to undo than the first, and relief flooded her as the horses remained silent.

  “Hurry up, man!”

  Lucy sprang back into the shadows, her hands pressed against her chest, her heart pounding. She managed to see the outline of a man climbing into his seat and lifting the reins, only for a curse to leave his lips.

  “Whatever is the matter?” came Hutton’s hiss as he leaned out of the carriage window. “We do not have time for this!”

  “The harness has come loose,” the man replied, jumping down from the step. “If you want to help…”

  Lucy waited until Hutton stepped out from the carriage, huffing and puffing as he did so. She did not know what else to do other than to wait for him to go to the front of the carriage. Then she could quietly step over to the open carriage door.

  “It won’t take long,” she heard the first man say. “The buckles have just become slack.”

  Peering into the gloom of the carriage, Lucy lifted her skirts and pulled herself inside, desperately hoping that she would not be seen. It appeared that Lord Hutton and his man were too busy frantically getting the horses ready for them to notice her and, for once, she was grateful for her soft slippers.

  “Edward?” she whispered, her hands reaching across to the form she saw lying across the seats. “Edward, is that you?”

  Her fingers reached out and tentatively brushed his brow, feeling his skin cool and clammy. Fear wrapped itself around her heart, and she desperately felt for a pulse, praying that he still lived.

  Thankfully, a small warm breath puffed across her hand while she ran her fingers over his face, sagging with relief as she realized he was still alive. Apparently unconscious, however.

  What am I to do? Lucy thought to herself, growing a little frantic with worry. She could hear Lord Hutton’s voice growing closer, the horses’ harness apparently fixed.

  “Edward,” she hissed, patting his face with her hand. “Edward!” There was no response, and with a sudden lurch of fear, Lucy realized that Lord Hutton was almost upon them.

  12

  “Go, man!” Lord Hutton exclaimed, pulling the carriage door open. “What are you waiting for?”

  Lucy held her breath as the carriage slowly began to move, with Lord Hutton pulling himself up into the carriage at exactly the same time. Lord Hutton was wasting no time in getting away, apparently fully aware that every second they lingered was a second closer to them being discovered.

  “Wh…what?” he spluttered, the carriage door still open behind him. Lucy saw his eyes narrow, only for a slow, malevolent smile to spread across his face. “Well, this has worked out better than I expected.”

  Lucy saw the threat in his eyes, heard the menace in his voice, and did the only thing she could think to do in that situation.

  Launching herself at him, she pushed hard against Hutton’s large bulk, her hands hitting him roundly in the stomach. The man’s breath left his body with a whoosh, and with the force of her strike, he fell backward, completely out of the carriage door. A dull thud told her that his body hit the ground, fear crawling up her throat as she looked out after him.

  Was he dead? Had she inadvertently killed him?

  To her very great relief, Lucy saw the man’s bulky form turn over, attempting to push himself onto his hands and knees. No shout came from him, no cries to alert his driver that something was amiss. The carriage clattered out of the gates and into the London streets, evidently heading towards White’s. That was where Lord Hutton had said the carriage was going, although she did not want to think what the driver intended to do with Edward once Lord Hutton was gone.

  Lucy pulled the carriage door shut with trembling fingers, wishing that Edward would wake. She had no idea where she had found the strength to push Lord Hutton from the carriage, hoping that someone from the house might find him before he could make his escape. She had been given no time to think and, as such, had acted instinctively. At least, for the moment, Edward was safe, but unless he awoke, she could not think about how to get him home.

  Moving carefully over to him again, Lucy knelt in between the carriage seats, ignoring how uncomfortable she was as she took in his closed eyes. The lamp lighters had been hard at work, allowing her to see his face in a little more detail and helping her to find the deep gash on his forehead.

  Stifling a gasp, Lucy leaned forward and studied it as best she could, and she noticed that it was still oozing blood.

  “It is no wonder you are unconscious,” she murmured softly. “Whatever am I to do, Edward?”

  The only thing she could think of to do was stop the bleeding. Tearing a large strip from the bottom of her skirts—and praying that her mother would understand why she had done it—Lucy wadded up one strip and placed it gently against the wound before using a second strip to hold it in place. To her utter delight, Edward groaned slightly as she gently placed his head down again, the bandage now firmly secured.

  “Edward?” she whispered, tenderly brushing his cheek. “Are you awake?”

  He groaned again, but she pressed a finger to his lips.

  “Please, we must be silent,” she begged, hoping he would listen to her. “You are in Lord Hutton’s carriage. He is not here, but his driver does not know that. Please, stay quiet.”

  “What happened?” Edward murmured, his eyes opening just a little as he attempted to focus on her face. “I only remember going to fetch you a glass of ratafia.”

  Lucy answered him, trying not to let her concern over him show on her face. “You were quite right to suspect that Lord Hutton had deadly intentions towards you. It appears he almost had you, too!”

  Edward winced when he
tried to sit up, the pain he felt evident on his features as he grimaced.

  “Careful,” Lucy murmured, rising so she might sit opposite him. “How are you feeling?”

  “Sore,” Edward mumbled, his eyes now tightly closed. “We must return to the house, Lucy. Lord Hutton cannot be allowed to escape.” Cracking open one eye, he tried to smile before leaning his head back against the squabs. “Unfortunately, I do not think I will be of much use, my love. I can barely see straight and certainly cannot stand without assistance!”

  Lucy swallowed hard. She was still alone, even with Edward now conscious. His injury was severe, meaning that he would not be able to assist her in any particular way.

  “What are we to do?” she asked, half to herself. Her mind worked furiously, knowing that she could not remove Edward from the carriage anytime soon, for he would not be able to take a step on his own. That meant that, somehow, Lucy was going to have to drive this carriage back to the house by herself.

  “We are headed towards White’s,” she murmured. “Although he will stop a street or so away. Perhaps then…”

  The responsibility weighed heavily on her shoulders as the carriage began to slow. She only had minutes to think—minutes to make a decision about what she needed to do.

  “There may be shotguns,” Edward said softly. “This is Lord Hutton’s carriage, is it not? He might have hidden some around the carriage so that I would not attempt—or be able to—escape.”

  Lucy nodded, fully aware that Lord Hutton could have hidden a shotgun with the intention of shooting Edward dead before flinging him in the Thames. She did not need to tell Edward that, of course, so she frantically began searching the carriage, her fingers seeking the feeling of cool metal instead of plush materials or wooden boards. The carriage had now come to a complete stop, and Lucy could hear the driver murmuring something to the horses.