by Aria Norton
“That's him!” the one said. “Lord Blackmore's son. Would recognise him anywhere. His father was the bugger who fought Mr Loftin for that woman's affections. Married man, too.”
Nash stopped, swinging around to face the men. “What did you just say?”
“My Lord?” the one questioned.
“What did you just say? I heard one of you mention my father's name.”
“No, my Lord, that cannot be.”
Nash wanted to lunge at them, but he controlled himself. I shall gain nothing by attacking them, I need them more than they need me.
“It is an offence to lie to your betters, my good men.”
“But we have done nothing, my Lord, we do not know what you speak of.”
Willoughby stepped in. “Allow me to help you, dear friend. These men will only speak once you give them what they both want.” Willoughby proceeded to take out a few coins, holding them out to the men. “Will this do, gentlemen? Will this loosen your tongues and bring your memories back?”
Both footmen stared at the coins greedily. The slightly larger one nodded his head, holding his hand out.
“We will speak, my Lord, we don't have nothing to hide.”
“Good. Would you be so kind as to repeat what you said to my friend here? You did, after all, mention his father.”
“We meant no harm by it,” the bigger man continued. “We only remembered how Lord Blackmore and Mr Loftin used to compete for Miss Ann George's hand.”
This was the first time that Nash had heard of the name; his father had never spoken a word of her. Perhaps this woman would have more information that would help him uncover the man behind the threats. Or woman, she could be a woman.
“Ann George?” Nash asked. “Do you know where she lives?”
“Aye, she lives in a boarding house up yonder on Boardman's Street. What do they call it, Archie?”
The footman named Archie scratched his beard. “Kimble's Boarding House.”
“That's it!” the other footman said. “Kimble's Boarding House.”
Nash thanked them, but he would have rather tipped them a settler for their dishonest nature.
“I suppose onwards to Kimble's?” Willoughby asked.
"I would like to, but it is rather late, and Freddi must be waiting for me."
“Ah, the joys of commitment, to have someone waiting for you after a long day. Enjoy it, Nash, it is far better than to have someone than to be alone. The bachelor's life is not all roses and violets.”
“Cheer up, old friend. You shall meet your wife one day, and then you will complain about her nagging to me.”
“I welcome the nagging, it is better than the silence of a large house.”
His friend's words were a sharp reminder that if he did not return to Blackmore Estate with a name for his father, he would leave for France alone. We are in the same boat, Willoughby, you just do not know it.
Chapter 13
Freddi flung her bonnet and shawl on the bed as soon as she entered their room, leaving Edwina to shut the door. She wasn't remotely concerned as to what the woman might think of her unladylike actions; the only thing that bore down on her mind was Nash's prolonged absence. Evening had come upon them with neither hide nor hair of him since he had left her at Willoughby Manor.
“I cannot understand the reasoning behind his actions, Edwina! We spent a time and a day at the park, and after almost an hour in Lord Curtis' home, Nash has still not returned. Did he not give me his word that he would return at a specific time?”
Several hours had passed since Freddi had last seen him, and she had begun to imagine the worst.
“He failed to inform me of his destination- a foolish decision on his part, I might add. Who is to say that something of a nefarious nature has not befallen them?”
“Nefarious?” the woman questioned. “Surely not, Freddi! Lord Curtis has accompanied him, and they are both strong-looking men. I am confident that nothing untoward has come upon them, they are simply delayed. Perhaps we should order some tea while we wait? I am afraid that our walk has made me rather ravenous- the biscuits were but a drop in the ocean.”
“You may have, but I cannot eat or drink until Nash has returned.”
Nash's task was a dangerous one and was not to be taken lightly. What if the man who was currently threatening his father came to know that Nash was looking for him? What was to stop the perpetrator from setting his eyes on Nash? Oh, goodness! I feel quite sick to my stomach. I do not know where they have gone, or who they wished to see.
How was she to come to his rescue if she did not know where to begin to search for him? I shall throttle him the minute he walks through those doors. An old habit surfaced as Freddi brought her finger to her lips, using her front teeth to gnaw on the fingernail. It was one she had picked up soon after Nash's accident, and it had taken her six years to end the habit. Freddi soon found herself pacing the length of the room, looking to the door every few seconds. Her heart leapt when a knock at the door sounded.
“Nash?”
She went to the door, disappointment swimming to the surface when a young maid appeared.
“Your tea, Miss.”
"Ah, yes, and none too soon," remarked Edwina. "I feel rather faint from hunger."
The woman hurried forward, taking the tray from the maid. Edwina's mouth is seldom not busy. If not talking, then she is eating. Freddi left the older woman to set out the tea while she continued to pace the room, wringing her hands as she tried to push out her troubling thoughts. I can feel Edwina's eyes on me, but if I look in her direction, she will surely wish to speak with me. Upon the thirteenth trip across the room, the woman finally spoke.
“Dear, I am sure that he will be here soon. Do come and have something to drink? I took the liberty of ordering a lovely pot of tea along with these delectable-looking biscuits. They assured me that they were freshly made this very day, and in-house too. Shall I prepare a cup for you?”
Freddi shook her head. "I cannot do anything but wait for him, Edwina. Once he has returned, I shall join you."
“But the tea will surely grow cold! Tea is best drunk comfortably hot with a couple of moreish biscuits to follow. You have hardly eaten this day, and you are not doing your body any favours by depriving it of nourishment. Dinner has passed, but that Rose woman has promised to prepare something once Nash returns. In the meantime, this should suffice.”
Freddi looked at the little spread on the table, her stomach churning. “No, no, I will gladly drink cold tea if I must, but I cannot have anything until Nash returns.”
Had he eaten anything? Freddi had noticed that Nash would forget all else once he latched onto a task, idea, or challenge. He becomes one-minded and forgets that he is only human and not immortal.
Edwina sighed. "Very well, although cold tea is a sin in my opinion. Will you at least take a seat? Your pacing is quite distracting, my dear. I do not know whether to take a bite out of this biscuit or watch you."
Freddi had to smile. The woman had indeed paused, her biscuit clutched between her thumb and index finger.
“Well, which do you find more worthwhile? Watching my movements or satisfying your hunger?”
“There is the challenge: do I keep my eye on you as your chaperone? Or do I eat?”
“Surely a chaperone can eat to their heart's content when her charge is in her presence? I do not intend to leave this room, and I am only walking because I cannot sit at this moment. You must eat, Edwina, do not let me stop you.”
The woman grinned. “You make a splendid argument there, Freddi. I shall keep a few for you and Lord Salisbury- I do not know if he shall be famished from his journey. Not that a few biscuits will satisfy his hunger, but it will do to tide him over until we have our late dinner. I do hope that it is a lovely stew with...”
Freddi took her focus from Edwina, placing it on thoughts of Nash. What if he were injured and lying in some God-forsaken part of the city? Edwina had told her about the dangerous rog
ues that roamed the streets of London, ones who pickpocketed unsuspecting victims and drew knives. They will have seen him travel in that fancy carriage and decided to target him. Oh my, this is a predicament indeed! Why did Edwina have to tell her these things?
Of course, at the time, Freddi had been interested in the woman's experiences of the city, but now her words were coming back to haunt her. Goodness, my chest feels rather tight. Perhaps I should sit down. Freddi sunk down into a worn armchair, closing her eyes when she leaned her head on the padded back. This is the last time that I shall allow Nash to affect me so. From this moment on, I shall demand that he tell me his whereabouts, nothing else will do. Had he not been the one to insist that she come to London with him? Where was he now? He has left me with Edwina while he goes gallivanting in the city with Lord Curtis.
“Dear, are you all right? You seem pale.”
Freddi spoke but kept her eyes closed. "I am fine, only tired."
“So speaks the woman who is so worried about her fiancé that she cannot nibble on a little biscuit. You will cause yourself to be sick if you carry on in this way, Freddi. Only trust that he will be perfectly fine. He is a capable man, after all.”
Freddi opened her eyes. “Capable will not help him in the face of thieves, and knife-wielding men.”
“Oh dear, perhaps I should not have told you all of that. I do not think that Lord Salisbury has ventured into those parts of London, my dear. He is safe; there is no need to keep yourself in high fidgets. Would a game of cards interest you? I am not any good, but I do like to play them every now and again.”
"Cards? I have never played any card games, Edwina. Papa always cautioned me against the entrapments of an innocent card game."
"Oh, hopscotch! We shall not play for money, dear, but fun. There is no harm in that, is there? And it will keep your mind off of your intended."
Freddi was not in any mood to play a card game, but she hated the feeling of anxiety that held her belly in a tight grip.
"Very well, but you will have to teach the rules to me, Edwina. Play a simple one that I may understand it quickly."
“Then it shall be vingt-et-un. Simply put, we shall draw a card in an attempt to score as close to twenty-one as we can. Do you understand, dear?"
Freddi nodded. “Yes, but where shall we get the cards?”
“I always carry cards with me, dear. There is no telling when one might wish to play, you know. Many a time I have won a pretty penny because I have carried these lucky cards with me, we shall not play for anything but enjoyment.”
The woman reached down for her carpetbag that was never far from her hand, placing it on her lap to scrounge around its contents.
“Now where is it?” she muttered. “It should be right here, but- Aha!” She pulled out a square leather case, brandishing it in the air as though she were a woman ready for battle.
“This is but a game, Edwina?”
“Of course, my dear. Come, sit closer to me.”
Freddi pulled her armchair closer, wincing at the scraping noise it made against the wooden floorboards.
“I shall wake the dead with that, let alone have the lady of the inn storm in to find out what on earth we are up to.”
“Nonsense. Be a dear and move this tea tray elsewhere?”
Freddi did so, returning to find a determined woman sitting before a prepared deck of cards. I feel as though I am about to enter into a war zone. Edwina may just take this a little more seriously than she has admitted to.
“Draw a card, dear.”
***
Half an hour later Freddi found herself laughing.
“Are you absolutely certain that you have never played this game before, dear?” asked a frustrated Edwina. “You seem rather good at this.”
Out of the five rounds played, Freddi had managed to win four of them, much to Edwina's chagrin.
“I swear it, Edwina. I suppose that luck is on my side, but it might break soon enough. Shall we go another round?”
The woman eyed her suspiciously. “Are you having me on? I can count the number of times that I have lost to others on my one hand, but you are about to clear a hand on your own. This has put a dent in my streak.”
The woman seemed genuinely devastated. Freddi thought to console her, but a knock at the door drew their attention.
“I shall answer it, Edwina, you may arrange the next round.”
Freddi left her seat, all the while hoping that it would be Nash on the other side of the door. She opened it, letting go of her held breath as soon as she saw the person.
“Nash! What is the meaning of this?”
Puzzled, Nash frowned. “What do you mean? Will you allow me to enter your room?”
The nerve of the man! Is he so obtuse that he cannot see the wrong in his actions? How dare he make me fret so?
“I have half a mind to do no such thing, but as you have paid for them, you may do as you please.”
Freddi walked away from the door, taking her seat opposite Edwina. The woman had still been frowning as she shuffled the cards, but when she saw Nash, she put them down.
“Lord Salisbury! It is good that you are back. Your young lady has been beside herself with worry.”
Nash's head whipped to Freddi. “Indeed?”
Freddi coloured. “Edwina exaggerates. I only wondered where you were as you did not tell me of your destination. Also, many hours have passed by since seeing you, it's only normal to wonder.”
“My dear,” Edwina argued. “Do not be so modest with your affections. My Lord, she would not allow a drop of tea or a morsel to pass her lips while you were away. See, I had to placate her with a game of cards, and while she told me that she had never played them in her existence, I find myself doubting that. Had we played with a wager, I would have lost repeatedly!”
Nash raised his eyebrows. “Is that so?”
Freddi's cheeks were ablaze. Why did I allow my worry to show? Of course Edwina would tell him of it, she rarely misses a chance to speak! What an absolute mess this is. Look how he stares at me! He seems too smug for my liking. Freddi decided that an aggressive stance might wipe away the grin that tugged at the corners of his mouth.
“You are a selfish man, Nash! You left Edwina and I at Lord Curtis' estate with nothing more than a few words. How were we to know where you would be? What if something had happened to you?”
Nash spread his hands. “See for yourself, Freddi, I am in fine condition. There was no reason for either of you to fret.”
“That is precisely what I said, Lord Salisbury,” Edwina put in.
She is not making this any easier for me! I do not want Nash to get any ideas about the reason for my concern.
“But did you not say that London could be a dangerous city, Edwina? You spoke of the dangers lurking in corners throughout our ride back to the inn. Naturally, I imagined that something terrible could have come upon you.”
Nash tilted his head to the side. “You seem rather concerned about my well-being, Freddi.”
He held a question in his eyes as he looked at her. I am not prepared to answer it.
“Indeed, she was. You are fortunate to be marrying such a thoughtful and caring woman, my Lord. You could not have found any better elsewhere.”
