“He was also obsessed with the title, the monarchy, the house,” he pointed out.
They chose to take a carriage to the camp, their bodies already tired despite the fact that it was not even noon yet.
To Aaron's surprise, everything seemed normal that day. The public had been drawn in more by the accidents, not less. Word was spreading, and there were young boys everywhere, looking to join up and protect their country. Whether Taners had used it as a marking ploy, or whether it was honest word of mouth, he didn't know. However, they had to make their way carefully through the crowds to the dressing tents.
“I think they are setting up a litter and throne somewhere,” Lola said. “I'll see you at noon?”
“Yes,” he said, and she gave him a smile before vanishing inside.
After seeing Wesley and Lola fight, he wanted to see Shauna more than ever. His chest hurt, his heart was pounding, and he needed to touch her. Their fight had just made him fall more in love with her.
However, out of the corner of his eye, he saw Taners cross the camp, and he realized he needed to make that his first priority. “Mr. Taners,” he called out, trying not to be too loud. Taners turned his head, and Aaron saw his opportunity.
“Lord Bamber. I see that you are sufficiently recovered from your trauma on the ship.”
“Oh, just a bump on the head,” Aaron said, trying to smile. “And Miss Montclair?”
“She has wounds that will heal, and can be hidden,” Aaron said. “She is professional; she will always show up for a job.”
“Excellent,” he said. “Nothing draws the public like a tragedy.”
“Indeed...” Aaron was confused at that line, but he was also suspicious. He wanted to scream at this man, to ask him if he was behind it, to ask him what he thought he was doing. Instead, he decided to play a part. “I hope your family is safe, Mr. Taners, and not in town?”
“My family is non-existent,” Mr. Taners replied.
Aaron raised an eyebrow. “Oh?”
“I don't like to discuss it,” he said, and turned on his heel to go.
“Oh,” Aaron watched him go, and lowered his voice. “You may not want to discuss it, but you've given me a clue.”
“HER ROYAL HIGHNESS, THE PRINCESS!” came a loud cry in his ear, and Aaron jumped several feet in the air. He turned around to see Corrigan standing there, a stupid grin on his face. A few paces behind him, on a litter as promised, was Lola, lounging, carried by six strong soldiers, and led by Matheson.
“Ow,” he said to Corrigan, who clearly thought he was the funniest thing in the world. He did it while bowing, though, as everyone else around him stared at her. There were a few audience members who bowed as well, although they clearly knew it was all in good fun. “Is all well, Corrigan?”
“Yes, sir,” Corrigan replied. “My morning has been waiting for the princess to get dressed, walk around after the princess, walk around before the princess, yell.”
“Right,” Aaron replied as Lola's litter approached. She glanced at him, her eyes weary.
“Sir,” she said. If he had anything to tell her, she knew that he would find a way to pass it along. However, he simply shrugged, so she continued on her spiel. Lola was a professional, and with her long sleeves, no one could tell that she was injured. Aaron knew that she was hiding pain behind her bright eyes; but weren't they all these days? “How are you spending your day?”
“I thought I'd have a quiet day,” he said, just as he heard two gunshots go off.
He spun around to see two soldiers chasing each other. Aaron immediately tensed, his jaw set. Corrigan put a hand on his shoulder, pulling him back.
“It's okay, sir,” he said. “That is planned. We planned it.”
“I don't know what is real and what is fake around here,” Aaron said, sighing. Now that he was looking at the scene, it was clear that they weren't actually shooting at each other. “I think this is a dangerous game to play.”
“But sir,” Corrigan said. “Look at the crowd, they love it.”
“And easily, one of those guns could have a real bullet in it,” Aaron pointed out. “The man could fall to the ground and no one would know that it was not part of a game.”
“Aaron,” Lola said, so softly that no one else could hear her. “All is well.”
“I need to find Shauna,” he said, pushing through the crowd. His need to hug her, to hold her, was so great that he felt he couldn't breathe. His chest was tight; his head was spinning every which way.
“Shauna.” He found her at a station that showed how the men dealt with their rations while on land. It was simple, a soup pot, a few items lying around, and many women posing as camp followers helping out. There were several curious mothers asking questions for their young sons, and Aaron had to wait a few moments to draw her away. “Shauna.”
“Are you alright?” she asked, confused at his look.
He opened his arms and wrapped her into them, holding her tight. He knew that she was fine; that nothing had happened. Seeing her whole, and safe, was still a weight off his mind. “Yes, I just wanted to see you,” he said.
She laughed. “We did just see each other, but I'll accept your kindness. Do you want to try your rations?”
“No,” he said and wrinkled his nose like a child. “I eat those far too often as it is.”
“To be honest,” she said, looking at them cooking. “They don't look to be very appetizing.”
“Appetizing is not something they were designed for,” he said. “Good, hardy food to stick meat on your bones and keep you strong. You can hold your nose while you swallow.”
She laughed at that. “Do not speak too loud, the parents will hear. I never realized so many planned out their children’s lives.”
“For boys of a certain age range and ...class, there is little option,” Aaron replied. “I am glad we have a girl, for her job is to be beautiful and marry well.”
“You don't want her to work?” Shauna said in surprise. Although there was little a woman could do, women born in poverty often found some kind of work to support the family. It was only noble women who had the luxury of lounging all day. “If she wants? She's seen me work all my life.”
“No,” Aaron said. “Unless...she wants. But if she is to be a lady, she can have causes to support, that should be work enough.”
“Aaron...” Shauna was about to give him the speech again of Gwendolyn's life, of what was not practical. However, he didn't want to hear it.
“Perhaps we should have a proper meal,” he said. “A private meal, the three of us. I could send the others away for the night, and the chef could prepare the grandest things; the tastiest things. Whatever your heart desires.”
“Where are you going to send them?” Shauna asked, always curious about the details.
Aaron shrugged. “Lola will know a place, and everyone is always up for an adventure.”
“I doubt your sister will like being booted from her own dining room,” Shauna pointed out.
“She will, if it means I can be with you a moment,” he murmured and drew her close. “Please say yes. You, me, and Gwendolyn.”
“Perhaps we should ask Gwendolyn what she thinks,” Shauna replied, although she did have a large grin on her face. Aaron agreed.
“Where is she?”
“She's just...” Shauna said, and turned around. “She was just here.”
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
MISSING
MISSING
“Gwendolyn!” She went around to the back of the tents to see if she had wandered off. Gwendolyn usually didn't stray far from her mother. She was adventurous but obedient, and she knew never to be more than a few feet away. “Gwendolyn!”
Aaron ducked his head into the three tents. They were mostly used to hold cooking supplies, but he thought it was possible that a young child could have hidden in there, perhaps for a nap.
They were empty of any evidence of his daughter.
“Oh god, I just looked away
for a moment,” Shauna said, when they reconfigured. “Where could she have gone?”
“She doesn't know half the disastrous things that have happened in this camp,” Aaron pointed out. “Perhaps she feels comfortable enough to walk through on her own?”
“I don't know,” Shauna bit her lip. “She normally would not...”
“But nothing is normal here,” Aaron said soothingly. He took her hand. “Come, let's look together. I am quite sure all is well.”
He was trying to be calm about the situation, but his head was whirling. Was this connected to that strange man who Annabelle said came to the house? Was this connected with the attacks?
“Sir?” Matheson sensed that there was something wrong right away. He had known Aaron since he was a child, and he could figure out when there was even a hair out of place. “What is it?” he detached from Lola's guard to come over.
“I can't find Gwendolyn,” Aaron said. “Shauna took her eyes off of her for just a moment and she vanished.”
“She was right beside me,” Shauna swore. “It was just a moment.”
“Hush,” Matheson smiled. “It's the fate of children to give their parents a scare. My boys used to do this to us at least twice a week. I'm sure you'll find your daughter.”
Aaron's eyes flickered up to Matheson. Of course he knew; of course he had been told. It seemed so odd to have everyone referring to Gwendolyn that way. He wasn't ashamed; he was just startled by it. “Yes. Can you help?”
“Of course,” Matheson said. “I think our princess will be just fine for a moment, don't you?”
“If anyone will be fine, it will be Lola,” Aaron replied. “Where should we start? Has this ever happened before?”
“No,” Shauna assured him. “She has never given me a scare like this.”
“Food,” Matheson said. “She probably went toward food.”
“We were serving food, though,” Shauna said and Matheson spun around, looking at the various stations.
“Did she knew that the princess' tent was doing up a feast?”
“Uh...possibly, Lola might have told her, or she might have heard?”
“This way,” Matheson said, leading them away. The crowds were everywhere, and most of them were significantly taller than Gwendolyn. Aaron was scanning every piece of grass he could see, looking for her little feet. “I'm sure it's nothing to worry about. We may find the day interesting, sir, but for such a little child, it may be quite boring.”
“Right,” Aaron said. “Has she complained about being bored, Shauna?”
“By the time the day is over, yes,” Shauna replied. “Often. I've told her that we need to do this, of course, and she agrees, but I think it is wearing on her.”
“I wonder if she's hidden somewhere to take a nap?” Aaron pondered. “Perhaps the inside of a tent that we haven't checked?”
“There are hundreds of tents around here,” Shauna pointed out. “We can't possibly check every single one.”
“We will if we have to.” Aaron set his jaw. “I'm sure she's just at Lola's tent though. Hasn't she always wanted to be a princess? Perhaps they've taken her in as a junior princess.”
“Perhaps it comes with a pay raise for stopping her mother's heart,” Shauna said, rolling her eyes.
When they reached the tent, they were all sure that it was going to be the case. Aaron had even imagined a picture in his mind of Gwendolyn in the tent, a tiny crown on her head, enjoying her time with the other actors. When they entered, she was nowhere to be seen. There was no one in the tent at all, which set his jaw on edge.
“Other ideas, Matheson?” Aaron asked, his eyes frantic.
Matheson always had a way of saying the best thing, and this time was no different. He was brimming with ideas, and told them stories along the way of the times his boys had scared him. Aaron had never met Matheson's sons; they served on a different ship and were never home at the same time. However, they sounded like troublesome children who had grown up to be strong young men. It took his mind off the time ticking by, and they even laughed a few times.
Nevertheless, he was rapidly aware, mostly by the height of the sun, that it was noon and they had soon searched the whole camp.
“Aaron, is it possible she could have gone with Annabelle? Annabelle could have picked her up and taken her back?”
“I ---” He turned to Shauna. “I doubt it. Not without telling us. Harold would know though, if Annabelle had dropped by. She wouldn't, without at least saying hello to him. “
“Mr. Harper was not assigned to the ship today, obviously,” Matheson said. “But he should be near it, working on reconstruction.”
“I wish Wesley were here,” Aaron said, biting his lip. “He would have this figured out in a moment. He has a mind like a trap.”
“Don't underestimate your mind,” Shauna said. “I'm sure it has brilliance too. Although at the moment, I don't care which of the two of you solve the case.”
“Shauna, she's fine,” Aaron said and squeezed her hand. “Look around. Everyone at the camp is behaving normally. No one has been shot, there're no explosions today. The only one having a crisis is us. There are other children around, so nothing has happened to the children. She's just wandered off.”
Repeating it didn't make him believe it any more. They crossed the camp frantically, trying to find Harold's station. He wasn't where he should be, and Matheson tried to think whether he had seen him.
Finally, it was Aaron that spotted him, in the middle of a group of soldiers who were all trying to talk to him at once. No doubt he was trying to give orders and make plans without making a scene; a common situation. On a normal day, Aaron would have made up an excuse to step in and rescue him from the chaos.
Today, no such excuse was needed.
“Harold, have you seen Gwendolyn?” Aaron barreled through the crowd, asking him directly. Harold looked up from the chaos in front of him.
“No, why?” he asked, concerned in an instant. “Has something happened?”
“We don't know yet,” Aaron admitted. “All we know for certain is we haven't been able to find her over the last two hours.”
“Gentlemen, excuse me,” Harold said, stepping away from the crowd. Once away though, his expression changed. “Thank you, they were getting on my last nerve.”
“I'm not making this up,” Aaron said, his eyes still frantic. “We cannot find her anywhere.”
Harold's expression changed immediately. “Where have you looked? Where did you last see her?”
“Shauna was working in the rations section,” Aaron replied. “Is it possible Annabelle came and took her home?”
“Not to my knowledge,” Harold answered. “Annabelle had plans for the day, out of town. She said she was going to the country and might not even be back by supper time.”
“Oy,” Aaron closed his eyes. “Help me, please.”
“Gladly. It will give these idle men something to do,” Harold turned back to the men, raising his voice. “Oy. We're not going to fix the ship today. Listen here.”
He described Gwendolyn and assigned them into teams, giving them orders on where to go and search. The men scattered, and Aaron breathed a sigh of relief. Watching such a well organized operation gave him relief that his daughter would be found.
“Maybe I should go back to the rations station,” Shauna suggested. “Maybe she went back there.”
“I'll go with you.” Aaron had a firm grasp on her hand. He wasn't about to leave her. “It's a good idea.”
“I will find you if I hear anything,” Harold said. “Although it's best not to...spread this. We don't want mass chaos for another day in this park. It will only make it harder to find her.”
“Of course,” Aaron agreed. “Although I'll mention it to Lola. Being up on top of a litter today, I’m sure she'll have the best view.”
“Yes, that will be fine. Don't worry, Aaron, she'll turn up.”
“I'm sure she will,” Aaron said, and then nearly pulled
Shauna back to the rations station.
The hours, however, began to tick by without any success. Aaron watched with trained eyes as each of the teams passed him, and then passed him again. They were given strict instructions by Harold not to stop the search until Gwendolyn was found. Lola was informed, and Corrigan, and nearly everyone they trusted to keep the search confidential, but by the time the bell rang to close the camp for the day, no one had turned up anything.
“She must have gone with Annabelle,” Aaron said, even as his voice trembled. “She must have come and taken Gwendolyn home and not wanted to bother us. I'm sure of it.”
“Are you?” Shauna asked. She knew him well enough to know that he was lying, but she didn't say anything. She wanted to believe it was true. In her mind's eye, she could see Gwendolyn curled up at the fireplace at the manor, a hot cup of tea by her side. Gwendolyn would never go off with a stranger, but Annabelle was no stranger. She was family, and Shauna suspected even Gwendolyn knew it.
“Let's leave,” Aaron said. “Come, we'll hail the first carriage. It will be fine, you'll see.”
“But what if she is here?” Shauna asked. “What if she does return?”
“I---” Aaron said. He was torn. “If she's not at the manor, we'll come back. This is a long time for her to be hiding somewhere.”
“I agree,” Shauna replied. “But the thought of her coming back and finding us gone...”
“Another 10 minutes,” he agreed. “The bell has rung, she would have heard it. If she's not back by then, we go.”
“Yes,” Shauna took his hand, scanning the departing crowds. When nearly everyone was gone, she began to realize the truth. Gwendolyn was not at the camp, and she could only pray that she had somehow made her way back to the manor.
They left their post without officially being dismissed, hailing the first carriage back to the manor. Aaron's heart beat wildly, and he sent up a prayer as they bumped along.
Do what You like to me, oh Lord, he thought. But please, please, keep my daughter safe. Please, I beg You.
The Lord’s Secret (The Regency Renegades - Beauty and Titles) (A Regency Romance Story) Page 10
