by Eva Devon
Ice slid through her veins.
Why the devil would her sister be leaving notes? She took it with deceptive casualness and held it in her hand as she waited for the footman to depart.
Then suddenly a wave of horror spilled over her. There was only one reason why Felicity might send her a note at dawn. She'd read enough novels to suddenly grasp the drama of the moment.
She tore open the letter, breaking the wax seal. Hastily, she poured over the scrawled words.
Dear sister,
I have run away to be happy. My captain has come for me and we are to be married. Can you imagine? Finally at last, I shall have joy.
What in the devil was wrong with her young sister, Augusta longed to howl as she read the letter again and again, barely able to countenance it.
Felicity could've married the man in the duke’s own chapel. What was she thinking? Now that it was time for her to marry, Felicity could. It wasn't as if she had to hold back any longer because of her father's edicts. No, she was the sister-in-law of a duke.
What could have possessed such a thing? And suddenly she realized exactly what it could be. The young man that she was to wed was not an honorable man at all. Augusta prayed to God that that was not the case.
Augusta stormed the corridors determined to find Adam. She strode towards his study. It was tempting to start bellowing out his name in some futile attempt to ensure that he would hear her and not avoid her, so that he would understand the intensity of the situation.
She did not spot him in his study. He was not there. She whipped around and headed down the corridor again towards the backstairs, wondering if perhaps he was in some spot that she could not anticipate. And then, much to her astonishment, she spotted him heading out towards the stables, his riding coat waving in the early morning breeze.
She darted out, her dancing slippers biting into the polished gravel beneath her feet. She winced at the feel of it, but she did not stop as she ran forward.
"Adam, stop," she cried. He tensed. Clearly, he did not wish to, but he did. He turned towards her, his face blank. "I have left a note for you, but I must go now. There is something imperative I must do in London."
"Please," she said, "I understand that it must be important for you, but there's also something imperative that you must do now. You must help me."
"I am helping you."
“No, you must help me with Felicity. She has eloped with Captain Barrow," she declared, her voice full of panic.
”Eloped?" he echoed.
“Indeed.” She dug her nails into her palms, desperate not to lose all her composure. “I received a missive from her just now. She must've gone off at the end of the ball. Felicity claims they are to marry, but now I am not so certain. Something seems terribly wrong.”
Assurance that all would be well did not materialize on his strong face.
Instead, his jaw tightened.
"You are wise then, Augusta, because I don’t think he intends to marry her if she has run off with him."
"My God," she gasped. "What shall be done?"
"I must leave immediately,” he replied, his voice firm. “If Felicity has only just left, I will be able to catch up with her."
"Please let me come with you.” Augusta reached out to him but hesitated.
He shook his head. "Augusta, see sense in this. I could let you come, of course, but it will take longer. If I leave immediately I can—"
"Go," she replied immediately, not wishing to waste another moment. "Go now. I will not stop you. Please bring her back to me."
His face was grim. "I will do whatever I can, Augusta. Even if I cannot give you what I wish, I will give you this, I promise."
His words were more important than any vow of love she could have ever heard at that moment, for her sister meant so much to her. She had failed Felicity and the truth of it was beginning to crash through her like an unyielding wave.
How had Captain Barrow convinced her running off was better than a marriage in a chapel? All she could think of was that that man was a lecher and a manipulator.
"Thank you, Adam," she said tightly.
"Don't thank me, Augusta,” he said softly. “I have nothing to be thanked for. This is a duty I am happy to perform.”
Duty, she thought.
That was what she was to him. It was better than nothing. It was better than being nothing at all. But still, she wished that he could do this out of love as well as duty. But nothing mattered now except the rescue of Felicity from a man that Adam clearly feared to be the worst sort.
She gave a nod to him. "Do not wait a moment longer."
He took her hand in his for one brief moment. The warmth of his fingers surrounded hers, filling her with a touch of hope, and then he turned on his booted heel and strode away from her. Away to do his duty.
Chapter 34
It was no easy thing waiting, but she did.
Augusta paced back and forth across the morning room floor. Philippa sat before the fire, her face drawn. She'd had numerous cups of tea, as had Augusta, but nothing seemed to work.
Nothing seemed to placate her nerves or Philippa's.
"How could this have happened?" Phillipa whispered.
Augusta shook her head, determined to stay calm for her youngest sister. "I do not know how she could be so foolish. Of course, she was in love with him, but I never thought she'd be so mad as this. Not when she has so many opportunities now.”
“Why would she run away with him?” Augusta stopped pacing. "It makes no sense."
Philippa bit her lower lip. "Felicity is no fool. How could she have been persuaded to do such a thing?"
"Felicity is young," Augusta breathed.
"Yes, but youth is not an entire excuse for folly," Philippa protested. “I am young and never would have done such a thing.”
Augusta agreed. Something else must be at play and she did not understand it.
Philippa's light blue eyes narrowed. "Do you think somehow...?"
Augusta stilled. “Do not hesitate. What is it?”
Phillipa bit her lower lip then rushed, “Do you think somehow Papa could be behind this?"
Augusta swallowed.
Dear God, it was very possible. Her father was a nefarious man and Felicity had always hoped to have love from him. They all had. She’d given up first, but Felicity had still clung to that hope over the years.
And yet, Felicity had made no note of him in the letter, so it made no sense. “It does not seem likely."
"But why not?" Philippa protested. “Our father is a most manipulative man. You have struggled against it for years and tried to protect Felicity and myself from it.”
It was true, but surely he had done as he was told, given the sum of money he’d been given, and gone to Italy.
Boot steps thundered outside the hall.
The door flew open and Adam came in looking like hell had borne him hence.
"She is nowhere in the county," he announced without pretense. "Somehow she made off quite quickly.”
His broad chest expanded as he took in a long breath. But despite his urgency he was filled with purpose and capability. “I am off to London immediately, but I did not wish to give you this notice via a servant."
Augusta swallowed. She took a tentative step forward. “Allow me to come to London," she said. "Can we at least do that together? I will go in the coach with Philippa. You may ride ahead, of course, but I do not wish to stay in the country."
He gave a tight nod. "Nor would I require you to," he relented. "There is too much at stake, so please do come to the town house. There is a chance she may go there if things were to go awry with Captain Barrow. As you say, I will ride on immediately. We must do everything in our power to discover where she has gone with haste or she could be lost. I shall set out to every coaching inn within the next hundred miles and see if we can find her and her nefarious fellow.”
Adam paused, then said softly, clearly not wishing to disrespect her intellige
nce with lies or false hope. “He is a man with a black heart. It pains me to tell you this, Augusta."
"I had feared it," she said. "He had seemed such a gentleman in our brief meetings, and yet I could not understand why he would put such investment into her, not when we had so little."
"Well, now she has a great deal. This mad dash makes little sense.” Adam’s brow furrowed. ”Bloody hell. That's probably exactly what it is. He discovered I was investigating him and so he pressured her to come with him immediately."
"Do you think that's it?” Philippa ventured.
"Why not?" he asked.
Augusta swung her gaze from her sister to her husband. "Philippa seems to think our father could be involved in this somehow."
"It is possible, of course. Anything is," Adam said. "But for now, the best thing we can do is find her, find her before everyone else knows what has happened."
Dread swept through Augusta.
It was true. If it was known what happened, Felicity could be utterly ruined and she would be bringing scandal to Adam. Or worse, she could be trapped in a marriage to a truly horrible man.
"Then let us go," Augusta urged. “I have already prepared for us to leave, so we would not have to wait once you arrived."
Admiration filled his gaze. “I've always known you were a woman who would be prepared, Augusta. I'm glad to see that you are living up to my expectations of you."
There was praise in his voice and she wished that it was more, but it was enough to see that he did truly think well of her, even in moments such as this. He turned to Philippa who gave him a rather reticent look.
Finally, she said, "I am sorry, Adam. I did not mean to bring such trouble to your house."
"Philippa," he said tightly, "you have brought trouble to my house, but I am glad of it. I am glad that you are in my life. I am glad that Augusta is my life, and I'm even glad that Felicity is in my life at the present. I have been alone for a very long time and I am glad to finally have a family."
That stopped Augusta's heart.
Could he mean such a thing even if he could not love her? Was he saying that at least they could perhaps be at peace with each other even if they could not know love?
She prayed to God it was true. But he said not another word as he strode from the room.
"There," Philippa said. "You see, he has softened towards you." "No," Augusta countered. "He has not softened towards me at all. You see, he does not wish me to be miserable in such a time, nor you. He wants you to know that he does not hate you, that he does not blame you, that he will always forgive us for whatever transgression we make against him."
"Is he a saint then?" Philippa asked kindly.
Augusta gave a wan grin. Just weeks ago, she had thought so little of her husband. She’d thought him a rake. A wastrel. A man who did little with his talents. How wrong she had been. “No, he is no saint," she said. "That is not my husband. He's more than that. He's a hero, you see. A helper. He does not sit idly by and pray. He's someone who takes action and does all he can."
"Just like you," Philippa said.
Augusta looked away. She was not prepared to agree with that. But then she held her hand out to her youngest sister. “Come, let us go to London, and let’s pray she is found before it is too late."
Chapter 35
Brookhaven threw his black hat down on the rough wooden table in disgust. "He's upstairs. So says the barkeep.”
Adam ground his teeth together then spat out, "That old fool. Philippa is a wise young woman, is she not?"
Brookhaven nodded, his jaw tight. "Indeed. As is your wife. It just happens that they're not accustomed to the machinations of society and the cruelty out there."
Adam surveyed the crowded inn, forcing himself to remain in control. It was full of travelers from all parts of England, quaffing ale, eating bread and stew, and generally making merry whilst waiting for the departure of the various coaches that transported people across the country.
Slowly, Adam removed his gloves. He had to act from intellect and not pure emotion if they were to help Felicity. “We can't all be entirely wise, and we can't all make perfect decisions."
"True," agreed Brookhaven. "What the devil do you think we should do now? Go kill the bastard?"
"It would give me great pleasure to do so,” Adam replied, “but first we need information."
And with that they strode out of the densely packed room and down the hall.
The word that the old silver devil had found himself a room and was living off credit had reached them easily after sending out word to every coaching inn within the vicinity.
Harrowton had not tried hard to hide. It was almost appalling his arrogance, but Adam was grateful for it at present.
The fact that Harrowton had been staying for a particularly long period of time, drinking a great deal of wine, and paying for girls with coins from a leather purse, all whilst whispering about his connections to a great family, had made him easy to locate.
The fact that Captain Barrow had also paid him a visit sealed it quite easily.
Adam’s admiration for Augusta and her youngest sister Phillipa had greatly increased. Phillipa’s belief that it was her father who was at this root of all this had saved them a great deal of time potentially wasted.
If she had not suggested it, they might've been halfway to Gretna Green before realizing what was amiss.
For if Felicity's father had given approval to the marriage, there was no need for them to run away.
They could marry anywhere at any time, and Adam had a dreadful feeling that that was exactly what was happening.
So, Adam strode into the hall, winding his way through the crush of bodies awaiting admittance as they rested beside the fire or sat at a table. The smell of ale permeated the air, as did the sound of fiddles.
But up the stairs at the end of the hall, that was where his quarry waited.
Adam took the stairs quietly, Brookhaven behind him.
The two men made their way easily, even as people stared. They were the kind of men that people always stared at, no matter where they went.
To their good fortune, the crowd of people dissipated down the dark hall, until finally they were alone and standing before an old oak door with black hinges.
Adam raised his boot and kicked the door in.
A dark-haired girl exclaimed in horror, grabbing at her disheveled gown as she vaulted from Harrowton’s lap. The old man sat at the small rough table, his shirt open at the neck and a glass of wine in his hand. He spat out the liquid in his mouth in his shock.
The girl tugged her frock into place, her hair wild about her pale face.
“Does he owe you money?" Adam asked?
She nodded, her eyes wide.
Brookhaven reached into this pocket and held out a guinea.
Her eyes flashed wide at the sight of more money than she could make in the foreseeable future. Her throat worked as she swallowed, then she darted forward, snatching the gold coin in her thin hand.
Wordlessly, she gave a quick curtsy before she darted out of the room.
Adam turned his eyes to Augusta's father. The old man gaped at him with shock. His pale blue eyes widened with panic. Clearly, he had not anticipated being found.
Bloody hell, he was a selfish, incompetent fool.
"I told you to get the hell out of England," Adam growled.
"I am an earl," Harrowton protested. "What right have you to give me orders?"
Brookhaven let out a tired sigh.
Adam arched a brow. “I am a duke, and I can order anyone I please except the bloody king."
Harrowton sniffed, attempting to draw himself up. “I am not to be corralled."
"Are you not?" Adam challenged coldly. "You came begging me for funds. I paid your debts.” A hard smile pulled at Adam’s lips before he bit out, “I own you. I can do whatever the hell I want with you."
"The devil you can," the earl roared like an animal in a corner, lashing o
ut with no rational thought any longer. "I've had a title for years upon years. My family is older than yours and more important than yours."
"More important than mine?" Adam mocked. "My family has not driven itself into the ground as you have done yours."
"You have no family at all," Harrowton sneered. "Your father loathed you."
"My father was an old bastard," Adam declared. "Just like you. The two of you could have been a pair except for the fact he would have loathed you too. He never would have let an incompetent lecher such as you around his presence. He loathed indulgence, and look at you. That's all you're capable of. I wager you've already spent most of the money I gave you and really what I should do is put you down right now like a dog."
"You wouldn't dare," Harrowton snarled, even as his eyes lit with fear.
"Oh, I do dare,” Adam gritted. “I could kill you right now, and no one would say a damn word because I'm a duke and I can do whatever I please. I would throw your body in a shallow grave and no one would say a word, even if half of the people in this county saw me do it. There would be no tears over the loss of you."
The man all but quivered. Harrowton gulped for air. "Please," he said. "I do not wish—"
"I don't care what you wish," Adam cut in. "Fortunately for you, you have a piece of information that I must have. If I did not wish it, you would be dead.”
The earl frowned.
Adam took a single step forward. “Tell me where Felicity is."
At that the Earl's mouth quirked slowly into a pleased smile. Understanding transformed Harrowton’s wine-worn face that he had some power in this moment.
Harrowton lifted his wine glass and took a slow drink, the ruby drops staining his lips.
"You call me a fool," Harrowton mused. “But it is you who are the fool. Look at you, so completely controlled by your duty to my daughters.” The earl gave him a knowing look. “Do you desire Felicity for yourself then? Is that it? She's far more pleasing than Augusta."
A growl tore from Adam's throat.
He crossed the room, grabbed Augusta's father and yanked him out of his chair, holding him by his shirt. Fury pulsed through him as he pulled his fist back. He was ready to punch the man senseless, but then he realized that the old fool wasn't worth it.