Hopes and Brides: Regency and Mail Order Bride Historical Romance Collection

by Joyce Alec

  “The locket,” Sarah replied, glancing up at James.

  James pressed her hand. “It is not unthinkable to believe that she managed to steal it back, although perhaps she found someone to do it for her.”

  “For what reason?” Lord Higgs asked, frowning. “That is the only thing I cannot understand. Why give you the locket and then never tell you who she really was? If she intended to be your companion, then she could have simply told you the truth.”

  There was a short silence, as they all thought hard.

  “Perhaps she was afraid that Lord Andrew would find it again, and then he would trace the theft back to her,” Sarah said slowly. “But that does not explain why she told me to find the owner of the locket.”

  James made to speak, only for the door to open and the butler to step in with an apologetic look on his face.

  “I apologize for intruding, my lord, but you did request that any letters be given to you at once.”

  “Thank you,” James replied, taking the letter off the tray and turning it over. “Oh, it is from your brother, Sarah. I hope you will not mind if I open it.”

  “Of course, please,” Sarah responded, looking surprised that he had even thought to ask.

  Breaking the seal, James read quickly, only to feel the life go out of his limbs. Slowly sinking back down beside Sarah, he reached for her hand again and held it tightly, reading each word the duke had written over and over again.

  “What is it, Thorndyke?” he heard Sarah ask, her voice seeming to come from far away. “What is the matter?”

  “It is here,” James replied, his voice hoarse. “I understand it all now.”

  Her hand tightened in his, as Lord Higgs cleared his throat, drawing James’s attention.

  “Your brother, the Duke of Brighton, has written various things, and he is vastly delighted with the news that we are to wed, Sarah, so you need have no concerns there. However, when I wrote to him, I mentioned the locket. I described it, in fact.” He looked up at his betrothed, seeing her eyes filled with questions. “It belonged to your mother.”

  Sarah gasped, her eyes filling with startled tears as her fingers clung to his.

  “Your brother identified it from the description,” he continued quietly. “He says that on the day your mother went riding, she had it around her neck. It had a miniature within of your father, and it was, apparently, something she always wore. At the time of the accident, no one could find it. It was presumed that it had fallen off somewhere, and it was never thought of as particularly important.”

  “Until now,” Lord Higgs said firmly. “My goodness, Sarah. Do you realize what this means?”

  Sarah drew in a shaking breath, as James tugged her a little closer. “It means that we have the proof that Lord Andrew killed my mother.”

  “Precisely,” James replied, filled with a sudden burst of hope. “We will have to have a copy of the books from the pawn merchant, but the evidence is there.”

  “Remember how the pawn merchant told us that Lord Andrew was in his cups at the time, when he handed in the locket?” Lord Higgs continued, a look of triumph on his face. “It was clear that he was not thinking clearly then, for what kind of man would put a piece of evidence into the pawn shop without using a false name? Why use the same shop you had used before if you wanted to keep your identity a secret?”

  “And that is why the shop was broken into,” Sarah finished, her shoulders slumping. “Lord Andrew tried to retrieve it once he had sobered up and realized what he had done.”

  James nodded, his arm wrapping around Sarah’s shoulders as she wiped her eyes. “It is just as well the pawn merchant took his books home with him that evening, else all evidence might have disappeared. I suspect, Sarah, that Mrs. Avis never intended to be your companion, but perhaps she had no other choice. Perhaps she needed to escape and to be your companion was the only way. Perhaps she was too afraid to tell you the truth, hoping that you would marry me before discovering the truth about the locket. That way, she would have the funds you would give her as payment and she could leave your side without you ever knowing the truth about her.”

  “We have to get her back. She cannot stay with him.”

  James smiled at the determination in Sarah’s voice, feeling himself grow as resolute as she.

  “Of course, we will,” Lord Higgs said calmly. “All we need is a plan.”

  Setting the letter from the duke aside, James turned to Sarah and took both of her hands. “My dear, we must be careful in this. I would much prefer you remain here whilst we go to fetch her.”

  “What do you intend to do?” she asked, a trace of frustration in her voice. “Simply march up to his house and demand he release her?”

  Lord Higgs shrugged. “Most likely, yes. We will present him with the evidence we have and then hand both him and all we have into the authorities.”

  “My guess is he will be on his way to the jail before the end of the day,” James replied, squeezing her hands gently. “It will be the gallows or transportation for him.”

  “Then, I am coming with you.”

  There was a short pause. “No, my love. I cannot let you do that,” James replied carefully, aware of the spark in her eyes and the determination in her gaze. “You will be putting yourself in danger should you do so.”

  Sarah lifted her chin, and James was suddenly reminded that he had told her only last night about the way her courage and bravery sparked a deep respect for her within his heart.

  “You know that I will not stay here,” she said calmly. “There is no point in arguing with me. I want to see the man who has caused my family such pain, who has been such a threat to me, and I want to see him running for his life when he discovers that we know the truth of who he is and what he has done.”

  James turned to Lord Higgs, who shrugged, clearly a little uneasy but also aware that he was not likely to change Sarah’s mind. Feeling as though he had no choice, he gave Sarah a small smile.

  “Very well, but you must do as I ask you,” he said, seeing her nod fervently. Her jaw clenched, as her eyes drifted towards Lord Higgs. “Lord Higgs and I will always go ahead of you.”

  “Lord Higgs?” she asked, as though determined to ensure that he was in agreement also. “Does this meet with your satisfaction?”

  Lord Higgs cleared his throat. “My dear lady, I would not have expected anything less from you. Now, shall we go at once? I know the address, and it is some distance away, on the other side of London no less. We can come up with some kind of plan in the carriage, but I think it would not be best to wait here any longer than necessary.”

  Before James could respond, Sarah was on her feet, marching towards the door with her shoulders thrown back and her head up. She was clearly eager to be off, determined to bring back Mrs. Avis without too much thought for her own safety. He loved that about her.

  “Do come on, Thorndyke,” Lord Higgs murmured, as he passed. “Now is not the time to stand about gawping at your lady love.” He raised one eyebrow, as James felt a blush rise in his cheeks, scrambling to find some kind of protestation.

  “No, do not even attempt to excuse yourself,” Lord Higgs continued, with a wave of his hand. “I can see what has happened. You are falling in love with that young lady—and credit to you for doing so. She is quite remarkable.” He slapped James on the back, chuckling quietly. “All the better for you both, I think. Nothing so good as being in love with your wife, or so I have heard.”

  “Indeed,” James mumbled, not sure what else to say. Was he really in love? Could such a feeling come upon a man quickly, with such haste that it took his breath away?

  “Concentrate on the task in hand,” Lord Higgs grinned, as they made their way towards the door. “You can worry about the state of your heart after it is all over. Come now. Mrs. Avis is waiting.”

  15

  Sarah listened with only half an ear as Lord Thorndyke and Lord Higgs discussed what they intended to do once they reached Lord Andrew’s
home. Her mind was troubled. She had no intention of remaining at Lord Thorndyke’s home whilst they both went out in search of Mrs. Avis. At the same time, she grew sick with the thought of seeing Lord Andrew for the first time, the man who had engineered the death of her mother.

  Her hands were folded in her lap, her fingers twined together tightly as she stared, unseeingly, out of the window.

  “Sarah?”

  She started, turning towards Lord Thorndyke. “Yes?”

  His hand reached for her joined ones, settling over them both. “Are you quite all right?”

  Nodding, she tried to smile at him. “I am.”

  “Are you sure? I can tell that you are worried.” His smile grew softer, as his eyes flicked across her face. “You have lines that only appear when something is on your mind.”

  A little self-conscious, Sarah rubbed at her forehead. “I want to be here for this.”

  “I know you do,” Lord Thorndyke replied gently. “But if it all becomes too much, there is no shame in returning to the carriage. I will support you in whatever way I can, but here, in the carriage, is safety. Do you understand?”

  Sarah looked up into his face, her eyes fixing on his. Lord Thorndyke was so kind, so tender, that she could not help but smile back at him, her heart filling with affection for him despite the thundering emotions rattling all through her. “Thank you. You are always so considerate of me.”

  “As I should be,” came the sweet reply, making her smile all the more. “Remember to be careful, my love. I would not have anything happen to you.”

  She nodded, promising to be careful whilst continuing to hold his gaze. He really was a man of honor, a man who would be a wonderful husband and friend over the years of their life together. After all, not every gentleman would have allowed her to come here, but Thorndyke had known why she needed to join them, why she needed to see Lord Andrew. He had understood her without her having to explain. Already, there was a deep attachment between them.

  “Here we are,” Lord Higgs murmured, as the carriage rolled to a stop. “Carefully now, Sarah. Remember to stand behind us.”

  “Out of sight initially,” Lord Thorndyke said, as the carriage door opened. “Just until we know what kind of welcome we are to have.”

  The house was small, squeezed between a long line of other houses, which all had the same dimensions. The small wooden door was dulled and scratched, the knocker falling heavily on the peeling wood.

  “Not the best place in London,” Lord Thorndyke commented, glancing behind him to ensure that Sarah had placed herself out of sight of the front door by standing just behind him, one step below. “But then again, given Lord Andrew’s financial difficulties, I am surprised he has managed to secure even this place.”

  The door swung open to reveal a tall, lanky young man, who wore what had once been a clean and pressed footman’s uniform. It was loose about the man’s neck, the sleeves flapping over his hands.

  “Lord Andrew, please,” Lord Higgs said at once, taking a step inside. “Where is he?”

  The young man gawked at Lord Higgs, his face paling.

  “Don’t tell me that he has gone out, for I shan’t believe it,” Lord Higgs continued airily. “Where is he, please? If you do not tell us, then I am afraid we shall have to go in search of him ourselves.”

  The young man turned to look at Lord Thorndyke before turning back to Lord Higgs.

  “I ain’t meant to say, milord.”

  Lord Thorndyke stepped forward, gesturing for Sarah to follow. “Then let me make it worth your while,” he murmured, pulling a few gold coins from his pocket. “Will this loosen your tongue?”

  Sarah watched as the supposed footman’s eyes widened, accepting the coins greedily.

  “Well?” Lord Thorndyke asked impatiently. “Where is he?”

  “Second door on your left,” the young man mumbled. “Thank you, milord.”

  Lord Thorndyke said nothing but followed Lord Higgs down the corridor with Sarah in tow. She could feel her heart beating frantically as they walked, aware of the beads of sweat trickling down her back. She was frightened yet hopeful, determined yet unsure.

  “Wait here,” Lord Thorndyke murmured, as Lord Higgs came to the door. “Just until I call you in.”

  Sarah knotted her fingers together and nodded, her jaw jutting out as she fought to contain her frustration.

  “Thank you,” Lord Thorndyke whispered, dropping his head to press a light kiss to her lips. “Courage, my dear. It will all be over soon.”

  Looking up at him, Sarah held his gaze for a moment, drawing in some of the strength she found there as the imprint of his lips on hers remained.

  “Come on,” Lord Higgs hissed, his hand on the door handle. “Time is of the essence.”

  Lord Thorndyke smiled at her before turning back towards Lord Higgs. With a nod, Lord Higgs threw open the door, and the two gentlemen strode in, leaving Sarah to stand outside behind the door that was only open a crack.

  “What is the meaning of this?” she heard a voice exclaim, recognizing it to be Lord Andrew. “You cannot burst into my home like this!”

  “Mrs. Avis,” she heard Lord Thorndyke say gently. “How good to see you again. We are come to take you back home with us.”

  There came a harsh laugh, making Sarah wince. “She is not going anywhere with you,” came Lord Andrew’s angry voice. “She is my wife. She remains with me.”

  “I do not think so,” Lord Higgs replied, his voice frustratingly calm. “Come, Mrs. Avis. It is best that you leave at once.”

  The sound of a pistol being cocked made Sarah gasp, her hands flying to her mouth to cover the sound. It could only be Lord Andrew’s gun, for neither Lord Thorndyke nor Lord Higgs had brought their pistols, arming themselves with swords instead.

  “I will thank you for leaving my wife well alone,” Lord Andrew snarled, his voice coming ever closer to the door. “Come with me, now, Laura. No questions.”

  “I do not think you want to do that,” Lord Thorndyke said quietly. “We know more about you than you think, Lord Andrew.”

  Sarah held her breath, as the sound of scurrying footsteps came towards the door. Clearly, Mrs. Avis had done what she had been told. Her mind screamed at her to run, to leave this situation in Lord Higgs and Lord Thorndyke’s capable hands and to make her way back to the safety of the carriage, but instead, she remained exactly where she was.

  “Rubbish,” Lord Andrew laughed darkly, his shadow now falling across the half-open door.

  “Murder?” Lord Thorndyke replied quietly. “We have proof.”

  There was a short, stunned silence, and Sarah took this opportunity to look through the crack in the door, keeping herself as quiet as possible.

  Lord Andrew stood just in front of the door, his back to her. She could not see past him, but should she push the door as hard as possible, then she could knock hard into Lord Andrew and take him completely by surprise.

  “Put the pistol down,” Lord Higgs said, his voice hard. “Threatening anyone is not going to help your cause.”

  Sarah’s heart climbed into her throat. Was Lord Andrew threatening someone? Who? Lord Thorndyke? Mrs. Avis? Lord Higgs?

  “My wife is coming with me, and you are to leave my home,” Lord Andrew grated, as Sarah heard Mrs. Avis let out a whimper. “Proof or not, you have no right to march in here.”

  “And now I suppose you intend to leave this place?”

  Sarah frowned, as Lord Andrew laughed again in answer to Lord Thorndyke’s question.

  “Yes, I do,” he said, chuckling. “You have given me ample warning, and I will be heading off to another part of this wonderful country.”

  No, Sarah thought to herself, one hand tightening around the door handle. He cannot stay in England. I will never be safe. My brother will never be safe. This has to end.

  Drawing in a deep breath, Sarah closed her eyes, and then, with all of her might, she threw the door forward, hard. She used every bit of her str
ength, feeling it slam into something solid.

  There came shouts, cries, and the sound of hurrying feet, but Sarah still clung onto the door handle, not quite sure what to do. She half expected to feel the steel pistol pressing against her back, her eyes closing tightly for a few moments.

  “Sit down, Lord Andrew.”

  “Sarah!”

  She let out a long breath, looking over her shoulder to see Lord Higgs marching Lord Andrew to a chair, pistol in hand. Lord Thorndyke held her tightly, turning her around so that she was held securely in his arms.

  “I am all right,” she gasped, her breath leaving her body as she stared at the man now sitting opposite her. “I am all right, Thorndyke. Really.”

  “You are incredible,” he murmured, as she stood tall beside him. “He had the pistol pressed to Mrs. Avis’s back. If you had not done what you did then he most likely would have left with her.”

  Sarah saw Mrs. Avis sitting down carefully in a chair opposite her, her face white. A huge swell of relief flooded Sarah, as she saw her familiar face, her hand tightening on Lord Thorndyke’s.

  “We found her,” she breathed, as Lord Thorndyke led her towards the couch near Mrs. Avis. “Oh, Mrs. Avis, I am so glad you are safe.”

  To Sarah’s horror, the woman’s face crumpled, as Sarah drew near, tears beginning to pour down her cheeks.

  “I am so sorry,” she gasped, as Sarah took her hand. “I should have told you everything, but I was so afraid.”

  Sarah pressed her hand tightly, crouching down to look into Mrs. Avis’s face. “It is quite all right,” she murmured gently. “You have nothing to worry about any longer, Mrs. Avis. You will come to live with Lord Thorndyke and me for the rest of your days. You will be Mrs. Avis, not Lady Andrew Fairley, and you will be a most precious part of our family.”

  Mrs. Avis cried all the harder. “I do not deserve your kindness.”

  “You do,” Sarah replied firmly. “You were the one to put the locket under my pillow, were you not?”

  Mrs. Avis nodded, her eyes red-rimmed. “I had to. It took me two days of travel, but I had no choice. He—” her eyes shot to Lord Andrew, whom Sarah had not yet turned to look at. “He had discovered where you were. Apparently, your uncle’s solicitor was a little too talkative when he was in his cups.”