Giles battled the mind-numbing panic that threatened to overwhelm his ability to think in a coherent manner.
“What man? Could you recognize him?”
“Not for certain, but …”—the man paused to swallow the lump of fear in his throat— “the crest on the carriage belonged to Lord Scowfield.”
“Freddie?” Claude breathed in shock. “Good God, what the devil has gotten into him?”
Giles ignored the younger man’s interruption, his concentration rigidly focused on discovering exactly what had become of Roma.
“What did he do once he had taken her from the carriage?”
“He forced her into his own carriage, and they took off. Tomkins is following them, but he sent me here to tell you what had happened.”
“Good man.” Giles loosened his hold on the shaken servant, his mind racing. At least Tomkins was in pursuit, and now he could join in the chase. Together they would save Roma. He had to believe that or go mad. “Do you know what direction they were taking?”
“The road that leads to the cove,” he answered promptly.
“Very well …” He forced himself to pause and consider his options. It would do little good to rush about without some semblance of a plan. Roma’s safety depended on his reacting in a sane and sensible manner. “Claude, I want you to go with this young man to the inn. My groom, Jameson, should be there, and hopefully Jack Howe. I wrote and asked him to come. Tell them to meet me at the cove.”
“But why should Scowfield abduct Roma—”
“Not now, Welford,” Giles snapped. “Your cousin’s safety depends upon how swiftly we can locate her.”
The urgency in his voice must have communicated his leashed fear, for Claude gave a sharp nod of agreement.
“Let us go to the stables. That brute of a stallion of yours should have you caught up to those carriages before they go another mile.”
Less than a quarter of an hour later Giles was galloping down the shadowed road, indifferent to the chill wind that whistled past his ears or the discomfort of riding in his tightly tailored evening gear. Instead, he desperately attempted to hold back the horrifying images of Roma hurt, perhaps even dead …
No, he wouldn’t believe that, he told himself grimly, urging his horse to an even faster pace. He wouldn’t accept that he could be too late. Even if Lord Scowfield was responsible for William Allendyle’s disappearance as he suspected, that did not necessarily mean he intended to harm Roma. He might very well have planned this stunt to simply frighten her, or perhaps to warn her to halt her search for her brother.
But why would he take her to the cove? a taunting voice demanded from the back of his mind. And why risk abducting her in front of the servants when he was fully aware she rode unaccompanied every morning?
The questions pounded ruthlessly though his confused mind, plaguing him with a sense of urgency that made him toss aside all caution and plunge down the dark road at breakneck speed.
It seemed like an eternity, though he knew that it couldn’t have been more than half an hour since he had left the Welford estate when he detected the distant sound of water breaking over the rocky coastline and knew that he was rapidly approaching the secluded cove.
With a wary frown he slowed his weary mount, realizing that he should have caught up with the two carriages by now. Was he even farther behind than he had suspected? Or had the carriages pulled off the main road and taken one of the paths that crossed the numerous fields?
Seething with frustration, he narrowed his eyes, attempting to penetrate the heavy darkness as he slowly wound his way down the treacherous path to the crescent-shaped cove. He knew if they had turned off the road he didn’t have a prayer of following them tonight. He could only hope that they were still somewhere ahead of him.
With instinctive caution, he edged his way onto the open beach, his initial glance almost missing the vague outline of a small boat at the edge of the water and the two forms that turned in startled surprise at his arrival. Looking for two large carriages, Giles was caught off guard by the sight of the men, and it wasn’t until they swiftly headed toward him that he wondered if he might have stumbled into a dangerous situation.
Bringing the nervous stallion to an uneasy halt, he quickly considered his options, but even as he prepared to bolt to safety, the moon reemerged from behind a flimsy cloud and the unexpectedly familiar man nearest to him held up an urgent hand.
“Lord Carlton, hold a moment,” Thomas Slater called, his tone commanding.
Startled by the unexpected encounter, Giles gazed down in puzzlement. “Mr. Slater, what brings you here?”
The man stopped next to the horse, tilting his head backward. “That is precisely the question I was about to ask you.”
His words abruptly reminded Giles of what had brought him to the cove, and realizing that this man could be of considerable help, he forced himself to explain Roma’s plight as concisely as possible.
The man listened in silence, but it was clear from his stiff stance that he was surprised they had discovered the traitor who had kidnapped William and even more surprised that Roma had now disappeared. As Giles finished, he gave a disbelieving shake of his head.
“A truly amazing tale, Lord Carlton,” he said.
Rather taken back by the mockery he sensed below the casual words, Giles sent him a thunderous scowl.
“Amazing or not, Miss Allendyle is in danger. We must go in search of her.”
“Unfortunately that is not possible.”
“What do you mean?”
“Oh … I had fully intended to deal with the troublesome Miss Allendyle, but if what you say is true, then it seems someone has already taken care of one problem for me,” Thomas Slater drawled. “And now I only have you to rid myself of.”
Far too late Giles became aware that the second man had covertly moved to stand almost directly behind him. The initial sense of danger he had foolishly shoved aside returned full force, but not in time to save him from the obvious trap.
“What do you want, Slater?”
“Want?” The man gave a mocking laugh, the sound eerily echoing through the cove. “I want my very profitable business to continue. Do you know the money that can be made by selling the most trivial of information to the enemy? You see, unlike you, I was not born with the means to live the life I have always wanted, so I was forced to do what was necessary to achieve my goals. Unfortunately, my business sometimes includes dealing with overly curious individuals who poke their noses into things that are none of their concern. I have already taken care of William Allendyle. Now, Lord Carlton, I believe that you will have to join him at the bottom of the cove. A tragic waste, but quite necessary, I assure you.” His smile was perfectly polite, but as his arm slowly rose, Giles saw moonlight glint off the barrel of his gun. “Now, if you would be so good as to dismount, we can get this unpleasant business behind us.”
Twenty One
“William … Oh my God, I knew you were alive, I knew it.”
Roma threw herself at the man seated in the corner of the carriage with an enthusiasm that knocked him back into the cushions.
“I am alive and well as long as you do not strangle me to death, sister,” William teased, his own arms wrapping about her tiny form despite his chiding words.
Half-laughing, half-sobbing she pulled back to absorb the familiar pale face and laughing green eyes that she had so desperately feared she might never see again.
“You have some explaining to do, William. I have been near Bedlam with worry, and then to have Freddie throw me in this carriage in such a manner—”
“I will explain all in good time, Roma, but now we must hurry,” he said, holding her tight as Freddie jumped into the carriage with them and they took off with a violent jerk.
“Hurry? Where are we going?”
“To catch a traitor in the act,” William said, his voice grim. “If my plan works, then the agents I contacted in London will be at the cove to personally wit
ness Thomas Slater selling vital government information to the French.”
Roma’s already stunned mind became even more confused.
“Thomas Slater? But he is—or was—helping us search for you.”
“I seriously doubt he spent much time searching for me, my love, not when he was quite certain I was safely lying at the bottom of the cove, which I no doubt would have been if it wasn’t for Freddie.”
Roma slowly shook her head, barely aware of the dangerously swaying carriage as they raced down the uneven road.
“I do not understand.”
“It is all very simple, Roma.” William tapped the end of her nose in an endearingly familiar gesture. “You were aware that I was working for the government as a courier. Thomas, in fact, was the first to approach me to offer me the opportunity. Our friendship and the need to occasionally pass on new instructions gave him the perfect excuse to stay at Greystead. No one suspected that it was no more than a cover so that he could meet with his own contact from France. A man who would stay at the inn and then sneak out to use a small boat to make his way to the cove. I didn’t even sense that he was a double agent until I accidentally came across some papers he had left in his room. Like a fool I confronted him with his treachery, hoping I could convince him to turn back before it was too late. For my efforts I was efficiently knocked over the head and tossed into the cove.”
Roma gasped, shuddering with horror at the duplicity of the man who had accepted their hospitality and pretended to be their friend.
“He was always so charming, even when I saw him in London. And all the time he thought he had managed to kill you …” Her voice broke as her stomach roiled with disbelieving disgust. “He must be completely evil.”
“At least very desperate,” William said, his tone filled with contempt. “But what he did not know was that Freddie had witnessed him tossing me unconscious into the cove, and as soon as he left, Freddie fished me out and took me to his estate.”
Turning her head, Roma flashed the silent man a tearful smile. “How can we ever thank you?”
“All in a day’s work, my dear.”
William gave a chuckle. “It was a little more than that, Freddie. You see, he is also an agent for the government, and it was his plan to allow Thomas to think he had succeeded in getting rid of me. We hoped to keep track of his movements, and when he set up another rendezvous at the cove, we planned to reveal his treachery to the proper authorities. Unfortunately we had no notion he would wait so long to make contact with the French, or that you would be in any danger.” His grip on her tiny waist abruptly tightened. “When I learned that you had stumbled across the papers I was supposed to deliver and that Thomas had decided to set a trap to scare you away from searching for me, I nearly gave up the whole notion. But Freddie offered to follow you and keep you out of trouble.”
“A very trying task, I must say.” Freddie gave a rueful chuckle “You proved to be decidedly elusive, and your extremely aggressive fiancé made me distinctly uneasy. I expected to find myself at quarters drawn every time I approached you.”
Roma’s cheeks flamed, and she was glad the darkness would hide her embarrassment from her brother’s all too perceptive gaze.
“Giles … Lord Carlton very kindly offered to help me look for you, William.”
“Really? And how is it that he became your fiancé without asking for my approval?” William demanded. “I am your legal guardian, and I warn you, my dear, I am very particular as to who can or can not become a member of this family.”
“But, he isn’t—I mean, we aren’t …” She broke off in confusion, the distress in her tone clearly evident.
“Hush, Roma. I am merely roasting you,” William said gently. “From what I know of Lord Carlton he is a fine man with a near legendary reputation for aiding his country in whatever capacity it might demand. He is also a man of honor, and whatever your relationship, I am quite sure you are in safe hands.”
Roma’s blush only deepened as she abruptly thrust aside all thoughts of the disturbing man. Her emotions were far too painful to deal with at the moment.
“So why did you see fit to kidnap me in such a fashion?” she demanded, hoping to shift the conversation back to the problem at hand.
“To be honest it wasn’t planned,” William confessed. “We intended to trap Thomas tonight, but we feared if he managed to elude us he might become dangerous enough to harm you. Freddie was going to Aunt Clara’s party to keep an eye on you when we suddenly spied your carriage approaching. Since we didn’t have time for a lengthy explanation we decided that it would be far easier to simply bring you along.”
“Well, thank you very much.” She gave a toss of her head. “I have no doubt I shall be covered with bruises on the morrow.”
“Trust you to complain of bruises when we might very well have saved your life,” William grumbled affectionately. “You never could be satisfied.”
With a small cry she once more threw her arms about his neck, threatening to cut off his air supply despite her delicate appearance.
“I am satisfied now that I know you are alive. Oh, William, I was so terribly frightened that something horrible had happened to you.”
William suffered her strangulation with brotherly indulgence, his own voice suspiciously husky with tears.
“You needn’t concern yourself with that notion, Roma. I am much too stubborn to be taken away easily.”
The tender scene was abruptly interrupted as the carriage lurched off the road and began a rocky trip over what seemed to be an uneven field.
“Goodness, what is happening?” Roma demanded, painfully bouncing across the seat.
“I have given instructions for the groom to lose your very persistent servants, and to find an isolated place where we can leave the carriage,” Freddie explained, his arms spread wide to prevent him from being thrown from his own seat.
Gritting her teeth, Roma endured the painful ride in silence, but she couldn’t prevent a small moan of relief when the carriage jerked to a sudden halt. She had no doubt that every muscle would be sore the next day and that the mere thought of sitting would make her cringe. Still, she forced her battered limbs to move as the two men swiftly climbed down from the carriage, stepping onto the overgrown field without a thought for her elegant gown.
The still night air seemed oppressively silent, and an unexplainable shiver of apprehension rushed down her spine. She had been too overwhelmed with joy at the sight of her brother to fully comprehend that the danger was not yet over, but as she joined the two men and the groom, who had efficiently dealt with the horses, she could not miss their somber expressions.
“… I will not be left behind.” Her brother was arguing softly, his tone familiar to Roma. It meant there was nothing that could be said or done to change his mind. “I have waited too long to confront Thomas Slater to wait here.”
“And if he senses a trap or escapes before we can stop him?” Freddie demanded. “Then he will know you are still alive.”
William shrugged. “It is too late to turn back now. Tonight is all or nothing. Of course, you will have to leave your groom behind to stay with Roma.”
“Do not be absurd,” she interrupted sharply, her voice remarkably like that of her brother. “You brought me this far. I fully intend to see the appalling man captured.”
William heaved an exasperated sigh. “Roma, this is not the appropriate time for your stubborn courage. Thomas Slater is a dangerous criminal who has already proved how far he is willing to go to achieve his own ends. I will not allow you to go anywhere near him.”
“It is not your choice to make,” she hissed, her chin tilted to an aggressive angle. “And if you do leave me here I will only slip away and find you on my own.”
“Roma—”
Freddie interrupted the bristling pair, his tone resigned. “We can not remain here arguing all night. Slater could be in the arms of Napoleon by the time we make our way to the cove.”
William muttered a curse, running a distracted hand through his auburn hair. “Very well, but you stay out of sight and do exactly as I say. Is that understood, Roma?”
Her smile was the picture of innocence “Of course, William.”
He threw up his hands in frustration, but there was no more argument as the two men turned to walk toward the nearby hill and she quietly trailed behind. Or at least, she attempted to be quiet. It proved to be a remarkably difficult task as the large stones jabbed easily through the thin soles of her slippers and the underbrush tore at the full skirts of her gown. More than once she was forced to bite her lip as she stumbled over the uneven ground, but she refused to complain or even ask them to slow their swift pace. She had demanded to be included in the dangerous mission, and she would ensure that she did not become a liability.
Concentrating solely on staying upright, she obstinately placed one foot in front of the other, winding her way around the sloping hill and then through the dense trees that fringed the edge of the cove. After what seemed to be an eternity, William raised his hand and they came to a halt behind a large bush.
Maintaining the required distance, Roma waited in growing anticipation for some sign the plan was going as expected, but when her brother suddenly stiffened and breathed out a disbelieving curse, she could stand the suspense no longer. Conveniently forgetting her promise, she moved to peer over William’s shoulder, her gaze sweeping the seemingly empty cove until she spotted the trio of men standing a short distance from the line of trees. At first she merely noted that the man on the horse appeared to be in deep conversation with the man standing beside him; then something familiar about the set of the shoulders and the regal profile of the shadowy figure on horseback had her blood freezing with fear.
Giles …
She had no idea what he could possibly be doing at the cove. When she had left her aunt’s house he had been surrounded by his mistress and her bevy of acquaintances. But at the moment, she had no interest in what had occurred to bring him to this place or how he had stumbled across Thomas Slater. All she could think of was that the man standing behind him held a large stick as if preparing to strike him, while Thomas held out his arm in a manner that could only mean he was pointing a gun directly at Giles’s chest.
Lord Carlton’s Courtship Page 23
