The smile she gave Tommy made the boy stumble, then he blushed at his misstep. Rosalind turned his attention away from that by asking him questions about his plans for the farm, now that his father would be leaving more of the work to him.
The dance ended and Rosalind was about to find Liam, when she saw he was waylaid by several of the girls in the village, who’d apparently overcome their shyness. Whether it was from the gaiety of the evening or the strength of the ale, Rosalind did not know. But she could not keep from laughing at his slightly panicked look as it appeared the girls had all determined he would not sit out a dance for a good half hour.
Rosalind eased away from the group, wanting to be alone with her thoughts. Now that she’d made her decision, she knew it was the right one. As she ventured to a nearby copse of trees that had become a favorite for contemplation, she looked back at the village which had come to mean so much to her. It had been her haven. Her home. She hoped that she and Liam could visit occasionally. Perhaps he could buy the cottage where they’d spent many happy hours. Perhaps he already owned it.
She smiled at the very thought of it.
When she looked up from her ruminations, she realized she’d walked quite far from the celebration and had crossed her favorite field. Such was the lot of a woman who was both very fond of walking and prone to losing herself in thoughts of William Kellington.
She was just about to turn back when she heard a sound on the other side of the trees. She wasn’t sure what it was, but hoped it wasn’t a lost sheep. The snow was rather deep and more than once she’d seen Gabriel venture out to rescue them. Daisy had always been so worried. Perhaps Rosalind would be able to free the animal herself. It was certainly worth a try, since she was already out there.
She walked just a bit further, the trees muffling the noise of the celebration, which now seemed so very far away. Suddenly, she felt the hair at the back of her neck stir. Something wasn’t right and this was not a lost sheep.
She felt the presence of someone near her, though it was too dark to see anything clearly. Someone stepped out from behind a tree. In the gloom of night, she could not see his features. But she could discern enough to know he was a large man, unkempt and a stranger to these parts. He was not dressed like either a laborer or a guest of the earl’s. He should not be there. She had just begun to scream, when the man shoved a rag over her mouth.
The sickly sweet smell of whatever was on the rag made Rosalind’s eyes burn. She felt like she was sinking underwater, but she continued to fight as best she could. Finally, when she had no more strength, she fell into a deep sleep.
Her last thought was of losing the man she loved so much.
* * *
Liam bowed to his partner at the end of the dance and prayed the fiddler took a long break. If Rosalind ever again abandoned him to a flock of females at a dance, he would make her pay for her transgression. He even envisioned how he would do it, a rather elaborate foray into Lynwood Manor’s strong room and the fur-lined manacles he planned to install. Just the thought of it made him hard, which was unfortunate, since he didn’t want to give his dance partner the wrong idea.
When the fiddler did actually take a break, he quickly left the dance area in search of Rosalind. He thought they might be able to make their escape soon and he was already planning how they would use their time.
It had been an interesting day. A rewarding one in many ways. He would soon own the land and the farms of Kibworth and the neighboring villages. It was the first time he would be taking on such responsibilities for lands he hadn’t inherited. Yet the responsibility he felt for these tenants was every bit as serious as for those who resided on his family’s ancestral lands. It was even greater, considering the work ahead of him needed to set everything to rights. The land itself was well-situated and should prove fertile if managed correctly. But from the damage he’d seen caused by years of mismanagement, he wasn’t sure if he’d make a profit for a decade or more.
He was having a devil of a time finding Rosalind. His first thought, irrational though it may have been, was that she was with Gabriel Mills. But he spied him speaking with Olivia Morrison, completely unaware of the disappointed women trying to get his attention. Or, perhaps, not so unaware. Liam idly wondered if Olivia would be staying in Kibworth with Gabriel. He would miss her, if that was the case. She’d not only been very helpful to him personally – for which he owed her a tremendous debt – but she was a good woman. She would have felt right at home with the rest of his rather impertinent servants.
But, no, Rosalind was not with them. Nor was she with Tommy or Daisy or any of the other children. He wondered if she’d gone back to her cottage, but from the green, he could see no lights in the building. She had to be at the fest somewhere.
After another few minutes of searching while politely deflecting the inquiries of others, he began to worry. Something about his manner must have changed, for Gabriel soon approached him.
“Is something amiss?” asked Gabriel.
“Have you seen Rosalind?”
“Not for more than an hour, mayhap longer than that.”
The two of them, aided by Olivia, searched, asking others if they’d seen Rosalind. Soon, the entire village was looking for her and Liam was extremely worried.
“Your grace!” said Tommy, as he ran up to him. “Come see this.”
He led Liam, Gabriel and Olivia to a spot near the woods. Tommy had seen Rosalind walk that route on many occasions and had thought to look there when she’d gone missing. The snow was deep in the area beyond the trees. They could see tracks made by the wheels of a carriage.
“What’s this?” asked Olivia, as she picked up a rag.
Liam took it from her then brought it near his nose. “An opiate. She was drugged. Taken.” Terror gripped his heart. For the first time in his life, he was immobilized with fear.
“Aye,” said Gabriel. “But we’ll get her back. Don’t you worry.”
* * *
Rosalind awoke slowly, keeping her eyes closed as she tried to make sense of what had happened. She was thirsty and her head ached, but other than having a sore neck from sleeping in an awkward position, she didn’t seem to be in pain or injured in any way. Her hands were tied together as were her feet. But she didn’t have a gag on her. The carriage she was riding in was passably comfortable, which meant the person who’d taken her hadn’t come to do her harm or rob her.
He had come to take her back to her brother.
She decided she would face this bully who’d done this to her. She resolved to show no fear, despite the very real trembling she was trying hard to suppress. She had enough will to run away in the first place. She would figure out a way to escape before she reached London. Especially since she knew Liam was waiting for her.
She sat up as straight as possible, then opened her eyes to appraise the man opposite her.
“I was wondering when you was going to wake up,” he said. “I begun to worry if I’d given you too much laudanum. Had to make sure you was still breathing.” Here he let his eyes drift to her chest. “Had to make good and sure. But you was, so I let you sleep it off.”
“You touched me while I slept?” she asked as coolly as possible, trying to suppress her revulsion.
He laughed humorlessly. “Only as much as I needed to make sure you was alive. Not enough to damage the goods. Not as much as I wanted.”
Rosalind summoned all the strength she had, and used the haughtiest voice she’d ever heard Liam’s aunt, the Countess of Crenshaw, employ. “I assure you that my brother will not pay you if you abuse me in any way. You’d best keep that in mind, for ‘tis a long journey to London.”
He laughed again, and this time the gleam in his eyes had a touch of malice. “Well, it ain’t your brother I have to please and we’re not goin’ to Lunnon.”
“Then who is paying you and where are you taking me?” asked Rosalind.
“Your betrothed hired me to find you. And he’s none too happ
y with the way you embarrassed him by runnin’ off. He was so upset, I can’t imagine he’ll care all that much what shape you’re in when you get there, as long as some parts of you are untouched.”
Fallmoor was behind this? Rosalind hadn’t thought the man would care much one way or the other. There were plenty of other women he could marry and he’d never expressed any particular desire for her. She knew he’d given her family money, but that could be repaid. She imagined Liam would have already sought to do so. She hadn’t considered that Fallmoor’s pride might be injured, but if that was the case, then she might have more of a challenge ahead of her than she’d imagined. She could have handled Calvin and her mother, especially once they learned of Liam’s intentions. But Fallmoor was something else entirely.
“Where are you taking me?” she asked.
“You’ll see when you get there.”
“Mr….what is your name?”
“Why should I tell you that?”
“Do you really think I can’t find out?”
He grunted. “Grant Loudin.”
She nodded. “Mr. Loudin, I am sure you and the Duke of Fallmoor came to a financial arrangement and he may very well be angry with me at the moment. However, if I do become the Duchess of Fallmoor – and I believe that is the entire point of this transaction – then I will wield a great deal of power. While he is paying you, I promise that if you upset me, I will make your life miserable. Have I made myself clear?”
From Loudin’s expression, it was clear he understood quite well. A moment later he said “We’re going to the duke’s estate near Birmingham.”
So now at least Rosalind had a destination in mind. Depending on the state of the roads, they could reach Birmingham within a day and a half. She could not count on appealing to Fallmoor’s better nature because, apparently, he didn’t have one. She also could not hope to have months ahead of her before a formal London wedding. If Fallmoor had gone to all of this trouble, he probably had a special license and would wed her soon after her arrival. She would have no allies at his estate or in the neighboring village. She had to find a way to escape before they arrived. But she would find a way to send word to Liam. She had to. She’d come too close to having her dreams come true to give up now.
The carriage continued to travel over the rough roads. Fortunately, the snow and ice kept them travelling at a slow pace. It was dark out and she had no idea how much time had passed. Her stomach was upset from the laudanum and it was all she could do not to be sick.
“How much is he paying you?” she asked.
“Enough.”
“I assure you that however much it is, I can double the amount.”
The loathsome man only laughed at her. “I know you can’t do that. If you had that kind of blunt, your family never would’ve sold you to the old toff, would they? And if you think your Duke of Lynwood will pay up, well, forget that, too. Your other duke told me to expect something like that. He said he’d make me sorry if I did any such thing. And he’s a mean enough old bloke I think he would.” He looked at her appraisingly. “You don’t look like someone to have even one duke sniffing about your skirts, let alone two. Mayhap you have a way of keepin’ them interested that ain’t so obvious.”
“Mayhap you should watch your tongue,” she said repressively. “As you said, the Duke of Fallmoor is not a man to be crossed. You never know what I’m likely to say once you turn me over.”
It was obvious Loudin didn’t like to be thwarted. But he was also wise enough not to test her. At least for the moment.
Rosalind leaned back in her seat. She had to think. She had to find a way out.
* * *
After stopping briefly at Gabriel’s home to gather supplies, Liam and Gabriel set out on horses. They would not get far because the roads were all but impassable at night. But Gabriel said he would take them as far as possible. At first, Liam had refused Gabriel’s offer of assistance, but he soon realized he would need all the help he could get since he was unfamiliar with the land. Olivia had agreed to look after Gabriel’s children.
Bringing Gabriel turned out to be an excellent decision. He was a good tracker and Liam believed they were making up time with the speed of their horses, which could travel faster than the carriage, though still hampered by the snow and ice.
When their torches finally burned too low to see, Gabriel was able to secure lodging for them at a farmhouse in a village on the estate. The farmer had greeted Gabriel warmly, but was wary when introduced to Liam. Liam realized the estate’s farmers’ experience with Lyman probably meant they thought all peers were cut from the same cloth. It would take serious effort to win them over. As he looked at the rundown state of the farmhouse he was in, he could understand why the tenants felt as they did.
After politely refusing the meal the farmer’s wife all but forced on them – it wasn’t hard to see that she was offering them a week’s worth of food when they could scarcely afford to spare it – he and Gabriel bunked down in a corner of the small sitting room of the one-storey structure, while the farmer and his wife slept in their bedchamber behind the kitchen.
It was barely warmer indoors than out. Liam tried to keep his mind off Rosalind’s predicament – he would surely go mad if he didn’t – by running an appraising eye over the home in which they slept. The roof had been patched several times over and now even the patched portions needed more cover. He didn’t know how people could live like this, especially since his hosts were well into their sixth decade.
“I imagine it’s not what you’re used to,” said Gabriel, as he tried to make himself comfortable with the bedding he’d brought with him.
“Not when I am indoors, no,” said Liam, trying to keep the panic out of his voice. Every moment away from the trail was killing him, even if there wasn’t anything they could do in the dead of night.
“It’s like this throughout the earl’s lands – and worse. I must say you could have made a better investment by placing your blunt just about anywhere else.”
“Perhaps. But no other investment would have made Rosalind glow with happiness. I believe I would buy the moon itself to put such an expression on her face again.”
“She is a remarkable woman,” said Gabriel. “You were a bit of a fool not to marry her in the first place.”
Now it was Liam’s turn to grunt. “Don’t make me hit you, Mills. But I can see that you will fit well into my family of retainers. And speaking of which, when you begin the improvements on the estate, I would like you to start with this very home.”
“Aye. It is sorely in need of repairs.”
Liam studied the man for a moment, then couldn’t resist asking, “Am I taking Olivia Morrison to London with me? Or will she be staying in the village?”
“She’ll be staying put, your grace. Because I can recognize a good woman when I see one.”
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
It was close to midday when the carriage began to slow. Loudin had kept the shades drawn to prevent Rosalind from signaling to any passing vehicles. But as the carriage turned slowly onto a rutted road, she knew they had entered Fallmoor’s estate. Her suspicion was confirmed when the Runner raised the shades. It was a large estate, the house an imposing Tudor, but with none of the charm of a home like Lynwood Manor. Her heart clutched at the very thought that she might never see it again.
But she doubled her resolve. She would get out of this and find her way back to Liam.
The carriage drew to a halt in front of the house. Loudin leaned forward and cut the handkerchief that had tied her hands, then did the same for her feet. “If you think you’ll find help in this house, you’re wrong,” he said by way of warning. “The duke pays his staff for loyalty. ‘Twould not be worth it to them to help you. He’d turn everyone out. I reckon they’ve all seen their share of oddities here. You’ll be but one more and only a woman at that. If you want my advice…”
“I do not.”
“Well, I’ll throw it in for free. If you want
my advice, give in to the old bastard. He still means to marry you and you’ll be a duchess. He won’t live long, then you can live out your days on his grand estates with his blunt. Many a bird I know would kill for such an opportunity. Who knows? You might grow used to such a life. And if you ever need someone to do your biddin’…” Here he leered at her. “…or anythin’ else, just send for me. I reckon I could get used to this life.”
“Then I am begging you one more time. The Duke of Lynwood will shower you with more wealth than you can imagine, if you but turn this carriage around.”
“I assure you I can imagine quite a bit. And neither of us would get far. Your betrothed there would send men after us and likely catch us, too. He don’t like to be made a fool of, something you’d do well to remember. Now, there’s no use in stalling. Your new life awaits, milady.”
He pulled her out of the carriage just as the door to the manor opened and the butler and housekeeper walked out. If either thought it unusual to find an obviously unwilling guest and her captor, they gave no indication. But before Rosalind could even try to win them over to her side, Fallmoor walked out of the house.
To see him in London, was to observe an aging roué. With slightly stooped shoulders and a ready smile for his peers, one might mistake him as a milquetoast, one who’d be no match in a physical contest. But here, he seemed to walk taller and with more purpose. There was also no trace of the smile.
He met her eyes as he walked toward her, stopping only when he was but inches away. “You’ve caused me a great deal of trouble and money, you stupid girl,” he said.
“I left you a letter breaking our betrothal.”
“You did. But I did not accept it. Nor do I now. We entered into a contract. One does not get out of such a thing simply because there has been a change of mind.”
“I entered into no such contract, your grace. You had an agreement with my mother, one I did not approve of. Indeed, I made my feelings known to you on more than one occasion.”
Never Deny Your Heart (Kellington Book Five) Page 18
