by Bold, Diana
He hugged her tightly for several long minutes, then gently set her beside him, using his handkerchief to wipe the tears from her face. “I’m taking you home. You’re staying with me until we find our daughter. Then we’ll discuss the future.”
She could only nod, trying to hold back her tears. She must be strong. She must be brave. If they were to find their daughter, she could not give in to her emotions. She needed to keep her wits about her. Damage to her reputation seemed such a ridiculous thing to worry about after everything she’d been through. She could care less if the whole world thought her Luke’s mistress, as long as he helped bring her baby back to her.
The coach came to a stop outside his huge white townhome, and a coachman opened the door. Luke got out and then turned to help her down as well. She swallowed, staring up at the house she’d passed so many times before on her way to and from the market. Every time, she’d hoped to catch a glimpse of him, but somehow she never had.
Now she was going to be living in this lavish place, with the only man she’d ever loved. A woman like her stepping over the threshold would be utterly scandalous in most people’s eyes, but the look he gave her as he took her arm and guided her forward made her realize he didn’t care either.
Still, nausea churned in her stomach as the butler opened the door, and they entered a vast foyer with a ceiling that arched far above them and white and black marble floors. As the butler took her cloak, she was all too aware of the fact that just a few short days ago, she’d been far below this man in the grand scheme of things. She was certain that he somehow knew who and what she was.
“Miss Pratt will be my houseguest for some time,” Luke told the man. “Please have the blue room prepared for her and make sure she has everything she needs.”
“Of course, sir,” the butler said, turning away with no hint of censure.
No doubt he’d save that for later on, below stairs, where all the help would gossip endlessly about the situation.
Once the butler had gone, Luke escorted her down a long hallway and into a surprisingly homey sitting room, done up in soothing shades of cream and blue. She took a seat on the edge of the sofa and tried to smile at him, though her emotions were in such turmoil, all she wanted to do was cry.
“What are we going to do first?” she asked instead, trying to focus on the only thing that could make this pain end. “How are we going to find her?”
Lucien sat down across from her, rubbing his hand across his face. He looked exhausted, and she realized how little sleep he’d gotten during the past few days. She wanted to urge him to get some rest, but she also wanted him to get up immediately and go find their daughter.
“I think the first thing I need to do is talk to Adrian, see what he knows about the people who ran Miss Hawley’s Gentleman’s Club. Perhaps he will know where they’ve set up shop now,” he said at last.
She shot back to her feet. “Good. Let’s go.”
His eyes widened. “You needn’t go with me. You should go and get comfortable in your room. Take a nap, perhaps. I’ll let you know what I find out.”
She shook her head. “No, I can’t. If I don’t go with you, I’ll just think about what happened, the fact that she’s out there all alone. At least if we’re doing something, I won’t be thinking.”
“You’re absolutely right.” He stood as well. “Perhaps the coach is still outside, let’s go.”
A HALF AN HOUR LATER, Luke and Serenity sat in his brother Adrian’s parlor. Adrian stepped into the room, his gaze locking immediately with Luke’s. “Did you find her? Did you find Allison?”
Luke shook his head, feeling a new pang of guilt. He hoped the detective he’d hired to go after Roger and Allison had made it to France by now, but at the moment, he wanted his stepbrother found for different reasons entirely. He wanted Allison back, but he also wanted to know what Roger had done with his child.
“No, still no word about Allison. But I need to tell you about another matter, and I pray you can help me.”
Adrian suddenly noticed Serenity. He raised a brow at Luke, who gave a short nod. “You must be Miss Pratt,” Adrian said with a smile, giving her a little bow before taking a seat across from her. “I’ve heard so much about you.”
“You must be Adrian,” Serenity replied, returning his smile nervously. “I’ve heard much about you as well.”
Luke was pleased that Serenity met Adrian’s gaze directly and did not seem to be bothered by his younger brother’s scarred face. He very much wanted his brothers to care for Serenity and for her to care for them. Anne’s loss had made him more determined than ever to cherish his family, and he wanted desperately to find a way to make Serenity and his child part of it.
“When I spoke with Mother, she told me something horrifying,” Luke said, deciding to just cut to the chase. “She admitted that she and Roger had conspired against me. First, they told Serenity I no longer wanted her. Then, after she’d safely delivered our daughter, they took the child from Serenity and told her she had not survived. According to Miss Stone, Serenity’s companion, who was feeding information to Mother, they took my daughter to Miss Hawley’s Gentleman’s Club.”
Adrian sucked in a sharp breath. “Oh, my God, Luke. I’m so sorry. I... can’t believe... no, scratch that. Of course, I believe it. I’d believe anything of that witch.” He got to his feet and began to pace the room. “You know, of course, that Miss Hawley’s Gentleman’s Club burned to the ground a few months ago.” He cast Serenity an anxious glance, apparently uncertain whether he could trust her with his activities as Prometheus.
“She knows about your previous occupation,” Luke said, twisting his lips in a semblance of a smile.
Adrian raised a brow, obviously surprised and not altogether happy that Luke had shared their secret. Luke didn’t blame him, but he tried to show him with a look that Serenity could be trusted. She’d never tell anyone that Adrian had been Prometheus.
Luke cleared his throat. “I assume you did quite a bit of reconnaissance on that hell hole before you destroyed it.”
“Of course,” Adrian said, a bit uncomfortably. “Before I met Vanessa, I spent all my time in such pursuits. That place was particularly heinous. The children were so young.” He shuddered. “That’s where I found Gabriel, you know.”
Luke sat forward, his pulse thundering in his temples. He’d known Adrian had rescued the boy that he and Vanessa had adopted, but he hadn’t known he’d found the boy at Miss Hawley’s Gentleman’s Club. “Can we talk to him? Can we ask him if he knew a little girl, one who was about seven years old?”
Adrian continued pacing, riddled with tension. “May I call Vanessa down, ask her what she thinks?” he asked at last. “I badly want to help you, Luke. But Gabriel is just starting to adjust to his new life. I would not bring back his memories of that place unless it was absolutely necessary.”
“Of course,” Luke said, abashed. “I’m sorry I asked. I just... damn it! I don’t know what to do.”
Adrian’s eyes widened at his admission. “I don’t know if I’ve ever heard you admit that you’re anything less than invincible.” He came over and squeezed Luke’s shoulder. “We’ll talk to Gabriel. We’ll find your daughter. I am just not sure how to do so in a way that won’t hurt my son.”
“Hurt our son?” Vanessa asked from the doorway. She stepped into the room, her dark eyes flashing with anger. “What are you talking about?” Maternal protectiveness emanated from her in waves.
When Luke had first met the beautiful actress who’d blackmailed his little brother into marrying her, he’d tried to buy her off, convinced she was nothing more than a fortune-hunting whore. However, since their first meeting, she’d done nothing but surprise him. She loved Adrian despite his scars, she’d shown uncommon courage and resourcefulness during her ordeal with Anne, and she was a fierce champion of those she loved. Adrian couldn’t possibly have found a more suitable bride, despite her humble beginnings.
Adrian strode to
his wife’s side and took her hand. “It’s a long story, but Luke desperately needs to ask Gabriel some questions about the place where I found him. You see... his daughter might have been there also.”
Vanessa turned to Luke, her gaze softening. “Luke... I didn’t know you had a daughter.”
“Neither did I,” he said hoarsely. “Not until yesterday. She was taken, and Serenity was told she had died.”
Serenity had been silent throughout the exchange, but when he turned to look at her, he saw tears streaming down her pale cheeks. “Please,” she whispered, locking eyes with Vanessa. “I know it’s a lot to ask, and I would never want to do anything to hurt your son, but my little girl is out there, all alone. She’s only seven years old.”
“My God,” Vanessa whispered, rushing to Serenity’s side and taking her in a fierce embrace. “I’m so sorry.”
Luke and Adrian exchanged helpless glances as Vanessa continued to murmur quietly in Serenity’s ear, obviously giving her comfort. The fact that Vanessa had so easily accepted Serenity, even knowing that she’d had a child with Luke without the bonds of marriage, made him love his sister-in-law even more. The two women would prove to be great friends, he suspected, and after Gemma’s betrayal, he knew Serenity desperately needed a friend.
When he’d been a young man, he’d worried so much about how society would accept Serenity. He’d been loath to put her through the gossip and cruelty people of his class turned on anyone they thought lower in status. Since Adrian had married Vanessa, he’d come to see that none of that mattered. Vanessa and Adrian rarely went out in public, and they didn’t seem to mind at all. Vanessa cared nothing for balls and entertainments; she just wanted to spend time with her family.
Now that Serenity had entered his life again, so had hope. For the first time in forever, he could see himself happy and whole. He could see a life, a family, and Serenity had always been at the heart of that dream. But the dream didn’t work with their little girl, and he would move heaven and earth to find her so that Serenity could believe in that dream, too.
As the women continued to hold on to each other, Adrian seemed to sense something of his thoughts and pulled him out into the hall. “She’s lovely, Luke. I’m so glad you’ve found her again.”
Luke sighed. “I never thought it would be like this. I can’t breathe without thinking of my little girl, out there all by herself, in a place like that.” He took in a choking breath. “You know what they’d do to her. Even though she’s just a child. Even if I find her, she won’t ever be all right. I will burn the whole world to find those responsible. I will kill Roger with my bare hands.”
“I’ll help you,” Adrian said. “And it starts with talking to Gabriel.”
Chapter Fourteen
Luke and Adrian stood in the door of the nursery, watching Gabriel play with a fine set of army men. The dark-haired little boy had lined them all up in neat rows, obviously getting ready for an epic battle. Luke knew exactly how his nephew felt. Preparation was key when you were going to war, and he certainly felt that he was at war with Roger.
He’d agreed to let Adrian do all the talking, but it would be difficult for Luke to remain silent when so much was at stake.
As Adrian crossed the room, Luke hung back a bit, drinking in the little boy’s sweet features, wondering what his own daughter would look like. Would she be as resilient as Gabriel had turned out to be? Could she forget whatever horrors she’d experienced at Roger’s hands?
“Gabriel,” Adrian murmured, kneeling beside his son. “I believe that the British definitely have the advantage.”
Gabriel grinned, jumping up and wrapping his arms around Adrian’s neck. “Papa! Have you come to play with me?”
Adrian nodded and moved to take the side of the French. For a few moments, they engaged in battle, then Adrian ruffled his son’s head. “Do you remember the night we met?” he asked, forcing his voice to sound casual.
Knocking over one of his father’s blue French soldiers with his own bright red one, Gabriel nodded. “You rescued me.”
“Yes,” Adrian murmured, sharing a look with Luke. “Well, now I need to rescue someone else, and I wonder if you might be able to help me?”
“Really?” Gabriel asked, his pale blue eyes lighting up with obvious excitement. “You want me to help you be Prometheus? Can I have a mask, too?”
Adrian laughed. “Maybe when you’re older,” he said indulgently. Luke felt a swell of pride for his little brother. He hoped he could become half the father Adrian had become to this boy in so short a time. Only a few weeks had passed since Adrian and Vanessa had adopted the boy, yet they both seemed to have known instinctively how to heal Gabriel’s silence and sadness. He hoped he could do the same for his daughter.
“Well, the girl we are looking for, she might have been in that place we took you from. Do you recall a girl there about your age?”
The laughter in the boy’s eyes dimmed, and he returned his attention to the army men. “I don’t know.”
Luke’s heart sank.
“I know that you don’t want to think about that place,” Adrian continued, his voice hollow. “But please, do try. It’s very important.”
Gabriel bit his lip. “I was the littlest,” he said at last. “There weren’t no girls there as young as me. The closest was Sophie, and she was twelve when I left.”
Adrian sighed. “I know we haven’t spoken about this, and I promise I won’t make you talk about it ever again, if you don’t want to, but can you tell me how long you were there? Were you somewhere else before you came there?”
“No,” Gabriel said slowly, his eyes welling with tears. “I always lived there, Papa. Until that night you found me.”
“Do you ever remember seeing a little girl your age there? When you were very young?” Adrian asked, his voice breaking a bit.
“I was the only one who lived there since I was a baby,” the boy said. “Others, they came and went, but I always stayed.”
“Thank you,” Adrian said softly, pulling the boy into his arms and giving Luke a subtle shake of his head. He wasn’t going to ask the boy any more questions, and Luke didn’t blame him.
“Thank you,” Luke mouthed, going back out into the hallway, struggling not to give into his despair. They’d barely started their search. No reason to give up yet. He would get a list of names of everyone who’d had anything to do with that place from his brother, and then he would go find every single one of them and question them until he found the answers he needed.
SERENITY COULD NOT believe the outpouring of support and friendship that Vanessa Strathmore gave her. Once her tears had somewhat subsided, the two women moved to the sofa and Vanessa called for tea while Serenity found herself pouring out the entire story, from her first meeting with Luke to how she’d run away in Dover.
Vanessa listened intently, her lovely face open and expressive, with no hint of the disgust she certainly must be feeling. How could a woman like Vanessa, a lady, ever understand the things Serenity had been through?
When Serenity had finished, she sat back, feeling emotionally drained. “I am so sorry,” she told Vanessa softly. “I don’t even know you. I don’t understand why I’ve told you all of this. You’re married to the brother of an earl. You shouldn’t even be forced to allow one such as me in your home.”
“Oh, Serenity,” Vanessa murmured, reaching across and squeezing her hand. “You have nothing to apologize for. And please, don’t think of me that way, as one of those high society women who would look down on a woman who was once a young girl in love and made a mistake. Besides, a month ago I was an actress, so I’m not invited into those sacred parlors either.”
Surprised by the admission, Serenity reached for the handkerchief Vanessa had provided her and blew noisily, choking back a pained laugh. “I am so very glad I met you, Vanessa.”
Vanessa squeezed her hand once more. “Not very long ago, I was in dire need of a friend myself, and Morgan’s wife, Anne,
showed me such kindness.” She sighed and blinked away her own rush of tears. “I still miss her so much, so I am very glad to have met you as well.”
Before Serenity could say anything else, she was distracted by Luke and Adrian’s return. By the grim looks on their faces, she knew the news wasn’t good, but she had to ask anyway. “Did Gabriel remember anything?”
Luke shook his head. “No, he doesn’t remember any other child being raised in that place, nor any girl his age.”
“I’m so sorry,” Adrian told her. “I would have pressed him more, but I honestly believe he doesn’t have any memories that can help us.”
Serenity bit her lip, determined not to give into a fresh wave of tears. She’d cried enough for one day. “Thank you for trying. I know it couldn’t have been easy for you, to have had to bring all those terrible memories back for him.” She would not think of her own daughter growing up in such a place. She would not!
Vanessa’s grip on Serenity’s hand grew almost painful, and she realized that although her new friend had been so supportive, she’d been very worried about her son.
“So, what do we do now?” Adrian asked, turning to Luke. “I know where to start. We can leave now, if you wish.”
Luke gave his brother a grateful look, then did his best to smile reassuringly at Serenity. “I’ll have our coach take you home. Get some rest. I don’t know when I’ll return.”
Home. The word shook her. He didn’t mean that it was her home, too, but for a moment it had seemed almost as though she were truly a part of his life.
She nodded abruptly and got to her feet. “Thank you so much for all your help,” she told Adrian and Vanessa. “I appreciate it more than you will ever know.”
