The Perfect Suitor (Bewildering Love Series)

by Hilden, L. A.

  “Thank you, dear. I think it might be best if you come back at a later time…”

  “It’s all right, Mother,” Paxton said, somewhat back in control of his emotions.

  “What can we do for you, dear?” Veronica set the tray down on a nearby table.

  “I needed to speak with Lord Devonhurst.” Cassie walked to Paxton. “I hope you don’t mind, my lord, but I took it upon myself to search my sister’s room. I was hoping to find a clue of some kind.”

  This immediately gained Paxton’s attention. “And?”

  “Yes, what did you find?” Cole walked into the room, grabbing a piece of buttered toast off the tray before stepping before the others.

  “You know all those gifts and loving notes you have been sending my sister?”

  Paxton looked at Cassie as if she had lost her mind. “I have no idea what you are referring too. I sent your sister no gifts aside from the butterfly bushes.”

  “I didn’t think so,” Cassie said seriously. “After we returned from Kent, Eve began to receive gifts. First, there was a bouquet of orchids with this card.” Cassie held out the note for him that said “I miss you.”

  “Next came the gold key with this note.” She handed him another card.

  Paxton read it to everyone: “You hold the key to my heart.” He briefly remembered Eve’s conversation with Brandon about buying Lady Anna such a gift.

  “Then there was this brooch.” She handed him the small gold-colored box holding the jewelry.

  “Another card?” Cole asked when Paxton opened the box.

  Paxton read it aloud: “You looked sensational last night. I can’t wait until we see each other again.” He looked at Cassie. “Who sent her these?”

  “Eve thought these gifts were from you. When I told her that I thought it was strange that you didn’t sign the notes, she claimed you were being mysterious, which we both found romantic.” She handed him the last note.

  “There is more?” Paxton took it.

  “Yes, but you see, I wasn’t there when she received this one, which leads me to believe this particular note was delivered when she was here in Sussex. And, of course, there aren’t stables that close to our town house in London.”

  “What does it say?” Cole asked impatiently.

  “Meet me in the stables.” Paxton and Cole were out the door and running to search the stables again.

  Cole was the first to spot the pool of blood on the storage room floor. “Paxton. You better come in here.”

  Paxton turned ashen when he saw the amount of blood on the ground, which had been covered with straw. “Oh God, please no! What the hell happened, Cole? Where is she? Eve! Eve, where are you! Eve, answer me this minute!” Paxton wouldn’t stop calling out for her. Then he dove head first into the pile of straw searching for her body. He came up out of the middle of the pile and yelled in despair. I’ve lost her.

  Cole put his hand on his shoulder and Paxton flinched. “Let us go back to the house so we can think clearly.”

  Paxton couldn’t speak. He was in a state of shock. When they walked in the house, everyone was sitting in the main parlor as Cassie explained the gifts and cards Eve had been receiving. When Eve’s mother noticed the ghostly pallor of Paxton’s face and the straw clinging to his body, she came rushing toward him.

  “What is it? What’s wrong? Did you find her? Was she in the stables?” The viscountess was nearing hysteria.

  “Perhaps you better sit down, Lady Stonehaven,” Cole instructed, and Charles came to retrieve his wife, who was now sobbing uncontrollably.

  Paxton left the room and closed himself inside his study. He decided Cole could do the explaining.

  CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO

  “We found blood beneath some straw in the main stable’s storage room,” Cole informed them.

  “Oh my God!” Lady Veronica exclaimed unsteadily, backing her way into a chair to sit.

  Eve’s mother burst into a fresh round of tears as a bellow of anguish tore from her throat.

  “You think the blood is Eve’s?” Cassie asked, her whole body shaking uncontrollably.

  “How much blood?” Charles asked, his voice trembling.

  “More than a few drops.” Cole didn’t want to say too much in front of the ladies.

  The viscount seemed to understand. “I see.”

  “We have checked the stables thoroughly. Evelyn is not there.” Cole went to walk away. “If you’ll excuse me, I need to speak with Paxton.”

  ***

  Paxton held his head in his hands as he stared down at his desk. Cole entered the room knowing his friend was aware he crossed the threshold.

  He poured them both a drink. Setting one glass on the desk next to Paxton, he then sat in an armchair across from him.

  “I think we have both come to the same conclusion,” Cole said, “that there has been foul play.”

  Paxton looked up. “Yes, someone lured Eve to the stables. But who? And why? And where is she now? Do you think they killed her?” There were so many questions with no answers.

  “We need to start at the beginning. Eve was receiving these notes in London. I think it is safe to say the person followed her here. Does your fiancée have any enemies?” Paxton noted that Cole kept the conversation in the present tense.

  “Enemies? Everyone likes Eve. Except for the count, Henri Leverett, but he’s locked up, right?”

  “Last I heard, but I will look into it.” Cole sighed. “Is there anyone who didn’t want the two of you to marry?”

  “Brandon Butler.”

  “The Earl of Bakersfield? I don’t know, Paxton. I thought he was engaged to Lady Anna Montgomery. Do you really think he would harm her? He seems like too much of a coward to do anything criminal. And I believe he holds Eve in high esteem.”

  Paxton racked his brain trying to recall every conversation he ever had with the Lord Bakersfield. “Cassie said Eve was given a gold key. Bakersfield did claim to know where to find such an unusual item.”

  “That doesn’t make him a killer,” Cole pointed out.

  Paxton grimaced at the word. “She can’t be dead, Cole. She just can’t be.”

  “Sorry. Poor choice of words. Don’t worry, Paxton. We’ll find her and the man responsible. Where are those notes?”

  Paxton pulled them out of his trouser pocket. “She kept them because she thought they were from me.”

  Cole said nothing for a few moments. “Keep going over them. See if you recognize anything: the handwriting, the paper, or even the ink. Any clue is better than what we have. I’m going to send a messenger to verify Henri’s whereabouts.”

  ***

  Veronica sent the Stonehaven’s upstairs to rest while Lydia helped console Cassie. She then waited until she saw Cole leave before she entered the study to speak to her son. “All right. What is it you’re not telling me?”

  “Let’s see, Mother. The woman I love was tricked into thinking she was meeting me in the stables. Instead, she walks into a trap and someone tried, or perhaps even succeeded, in killing her!” He was now yelling. “Which means, she may, or may not, be lying somewhere needing my help. The storage room floor is soaked with blood and the only clue I have to figure out what madman is behind this are these stupid notes, which tell me nothing at all!”

  “I see. I think it is time to call in the authorities.”

  “I’m sure Cole is seeing to that as we speak,” Paxton said, exhaustion clear in his voice. Veronica sank into a chair and remained with him in companionable silence.

  ***

  Cole called in the authorities, and four hours later, they were no closer to finding Eve than they were before. The only good thing was that the local constables would now be on watch for any woman matching Eve’s description.

  C
ole walked into the study to find Paxton in the same place as he was hours ago, the drink Cole had poured him still sitting full on the desk. “The messenger returned. It seems Henri did escape.” He saw the look of surprise on Paxton’s face as he yanked his study of the notes closer to him. “But I have it on good authority that he headed back to France so he could fight beside his leader.”

  “Then you have nothing,” Paxton said, feeling helplessly defeated.

  “How about you? Did you find any clues from the notes?” Cole grabbed one off the desk.

  “No!” Paxton slammed his fist down on his desk.

  “It looks like a female’s writing to me.”

  Paxton grabbed one of the notes to examine it closely. “I can’t tell. I guess it does.”

  “Let’s go over the suspects. There’s Henri, who is, by my contacts’ accounts, in France or on a battlefield. There’s Lord Bakersfield, who seems highly unlikely and is happily engaged to Lady Montgomery, and he even brought her with him to your wedding. That leaves Beverly.”

  “Beverly? Dash it! I hadn’t thought of her. I was thinking the person a man.”

  “Yes, but I did think of her. She was very angry with you after I helped her remove herself from your engagement party. Do these notes look like her writing?”

  Paxton shrugged. “How the hell should I know? I’ve only seen her writing once, and I tossed any subsequent note Beverly wrote me directly into the fire.” He now wished he would have saved one of them for comparison.

  “She does have an alibi. All her servants insist she has been home for the last few days overcoming a cold.”

  “Servants lie. She does pay their wages,” Paxton stated the obvious.

  “True, but we can’t accuse her without evidence.”

  “She is insane enough to do such a thing,” Paxton said, now considering the possibility.

  “I’d be willing to bet it’s her,” Cole stated. “But we still must consider Henri. The information I have that he has fled the country could be untrue.”

  “I think I’ll send for Beverly.” Paxton began writing a letter.

  “Good idea. If anyone can obtain her confession, it would be you.”

  “I swear whoever is behind this is going to pay dearly,” Paxton threatened. In truth, he only wanted Eve back unharmed.

  ***

  Beverly couldn’t believe this had happened. All of London was talking about Paxton’s bride, but the gossip was not about Lady Evelyn’s death but the disappearing act the bride pulled the day of the wedding. This news told Beverly one thing. They had not yet found Lady Evelyn’s body.

  She paced her bedchamber, turning when she reached her chest of drawers to march back to her laced canopy bed. “Those worthless idiots! What did they do with her? I knew I should have dealt with her myself.”

  She now found herself wishing she hadn’t poisoned Red and Jack for they were the only ones who knew the location of Lady Evelyn’s corpse. She could not console Paxton when he believed his bride possibly alive. Who knew how long Paxton would continue with his fruitless search. “No, this certainly won’t do.” Beverly began to chew on her thumbnail as she tried to come up with an alternative plan.

  “What? Come in!” she hollered when she heard her maid’s timid knock on the door.

  The frightened young maid came in, eyes fixed on the floor as she held out a letter in her trembling hand. Wisely, the girl seemed to sense that Beverly’s mood was nastier than usual. Indeed, Beverley knew, the help likely had drawn straws to see who had to bring her a message and this girl lost. “I’m sorry to intrude, milady, but this message came for you.”

  Beverly snatched the missive. She was about to lecture her maid on the wrongness of interrupting her, especially when she had specifically asked not to be disturbed, when she noticed the Devonhurst wax seal on the envelope. Sometimes she wondered how much her servants knew about her life.

  She ran her fingers over the earl’s family crest with a smile. Her maid was still standing there when she looked up. “Is there something else?”

  “No, milady.”

  “Then remove yourself from my room!” Beverly barked.

  “Yes, milady.” The maid backed out of the room.

  Beverly tore open the letter as soon as her door closed.

  My dearest Beverly,

  The greatest tragedy has befallen me. As you may have heard, my bride is missing. I suddenly find myself quite alone and in dire need of you, my good friend. I would be eternally grateful if you’d join me at Devonhurst, where I hope our two broken hearts may help mend each other’s.

  I look forward to seeing you soon, Paxton

  “I did it!” Beverly clutched the letter to her chest. “I knew he still loved me. I can’t believe he wants me to go to Devonhurst. All of my prayers have been answered. Soon I will be the Countess of Devonhurst and have an unending allowance that will put me back on top.” She pulled the bell cord with joyful glee.

  “Yes, milady.” The maid quickly appeared, obviously fearful of the scolding she’d receive if she didn’t hurry.

  “Have my things packed in an expensive carriage. I shall be leaving for the country,” Beverly instructed happily.

  “All of your things, milady?” the maid asked cautiously.

  “Yes.”

  “That will take days, milady.”

  Veronica smiled thinking about her very extensive wardrobe and how she planned to expand upon it once she married Paxton. “Then you best begin straightaway. You have a week.”

  “Very well, milady. Will that be all?”

  Beverly was deep in thought, her mind filled with images of herself outfitted in the latest fashions when she walked about town with the handsome Earl of Devonhurst showering her in his adoring affection.

  When she noticed her maid still standing in front of her, she grinned. “Yes, that will be all, for now.”

  When the maid left the room, Beverly picked up her longhaired overfed cat, which was busy cleaning himself on the down-filled comforter that covered her bed. “See, my pet? Didn’t mama tell you she’d make sure we had endless funds again?” She held the cat up in the air and rubbed its nose to hers. “I think you’ll like Paxton. He can be generous, and I happen to have a talent for persuading men to spoil me rotten. Think of all the new clothes, a new carriage, more jewels, and of course a new diamond collar for you, my pet.”

  CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE

  Evelyn tried to move but only managed to grimace in pain. She took the pain as a good sign, for it meant she was alive, but her eyes couldn’t seem to focus. Not that they had anything to focus on for it was completely black around her except for a sliver of sunlight coming in from a crack in what she thought was a wall.

  Her head hurt something fierce. She reached back to run her hand over her scalp, but all she felt was pain and some substance that hardened in her hair. Her mouth was really dry and it hurt to swallow.

  She tried to figure out where she was. It was cold and damp, and the ground beneath her was dirt and the wall she was touching was stone. She leaned her head against the wall in the hope that the cold and dampness would ease the pain in her head and stop her spinning. She shivered, but not from the cold. It was from the revelation that she was buried alive. Is this my grave? It seemed too large to be her grave. Perhaps she was in some kind of crypt. Did that mean there were dead bodies around her?

  What happened to me? She remembered going to meet Paxton in the stables. “Oh my wedding!” She tried to sit up, but her head hurt too much and her stomach lurched. She wanted to cry, not because of the pain she was in but because she knew she had missed her wedding. At least, she thought she had. There was no telling how long she had been wherever she was. Poor Paxton. And her family had to be worried about her.

  She realized someone had tried to
kill her, evidently by hitting her on the head. There was no other logical explanation. Then the person disposed of her body by putting her here. “But where am I?”

  Despite the pain, Eve crawled toward the stream of sunlight. She could feel the sun’s warmth and knew now that it wasn’t a wall that the light shown through but an old wooden door. “I’m in the storm cellar.” She moaned, putting both hands on her head as it was pounding fiercely. She couldn’t stop the throbbing and she couldn’t help it when her body convulsed and she vomited. Since her stomach was void of food, dry heaves wracked her frame, making her weak and limp. Finally, she was able to gain some control over her nausea. She had to climb out of the cellar. She clearly needed a doctor.

  She tried to yell for help, but all that came out was a strangled croak from her parched throat, and so she gave up the strenuous effort. It looks like I’m on my own. She slowly moved so that her feet were up against the wooden door. Summoning up as much strength as she could, she gave the door a giant push with her legs. She was more than amazed when it worked and the door flew open. Dirt fell into her face and the brilliance of the sun was momentarily blinding.

  When she realized she was going to have to climb three steps, she wanted to cry. She untied her cloak and pushed it aside, then lay there for a while trying to regain some strength. When she finally managed to turn her body around so she could crawl up the steps, she could only manage to lie across them for a long while. After resting from the effort to turn herself, she was finally able to crawl forward. Almost immediately she retched again. Then after wiping the sweat from her brow with her dress sleeve, she continued to move her legs up another step.

  When she reached the green grass, she wanted to take a quick nap but knew she had to reach the house for help. She knew that, if she stopped, she may die.

  Where is everyone? Usually there were servants bustling about, but of course, when she needed one, they were nowhere in sight. As she stood on wobbly legs, she tried to focus on the side entrance of the house. It looked so far away that she felt tears surface.