Swallowing, she reminded herself that wasn’t a concern of his. The agreement said he could continue to live his life as he wished. Despite the fact that it might cause her problems.
“Good day, My Lord,” she said. Trying to keep the curiosity at his dress from her voice.
“Why are you dressed like that Alex?” Ann asked as she turned up her nose.
“Yes, why?” Beatrice asked.
“Beatrice,” Caroline hissed.
Alexander laughed. “That is all right,” he said as he gathered a plate of food.
“Sometimes, it is easier to blend in if you dress like everyone else,” he said to the young woman.
Caroline’s heart jumped. He was going somewhere that dictated he blend in. That meant it was dangerous.
He was doing this for her, she knew. Searching for their tormenter. It was tempting to ask him not to. To hold off. But she knew it would do no good. The man would be insulted if she even tried.
Instead, she smiled at him. Trying to let him know that he had her full support.
Before they could finish breaking their fast, a distant voice yelled “James.” Caroline’s heart jumped.
The door burst open and James ran into the room. Froze for an instant then ran to Caroline. Throwing his arms around her and giving her a tight hug.
Her heart broke. The simple caring gesture did more than anything to remind her of the seriousness of what had almost happened.
Both Thomas and Nanny came into the room. Nanny threw her a glance of apology. Caroline returned it with a smile of gratitude letting the older woman know that everything was ok.
After a long discussion about what had happened. Alex insuring to leave out the part about the notes and her father. Things began to return to normal.
They continued to eat in relative silence. No one seemed ready to broach the subject of what Alexander was doing. Hunting a man. Hunting a Demon.
“Any interesting mail?” he asked. Shooting her a look that let her know he was really asking about hand-delivered notes.
“No, nothing,” she answered.
“That’s not true,” Beatrice said. “You got that invitation to Lady Silverstone’s ball next Friday. Remember. You must go. Her son Rupert will be there. If you go this year. We will surely receive an invitation next year.
Caroline shook her head. “You are right, nothing of interest other than the Silverstone invitation.”
Alexander chuckled. “That reminds me, James, Thomas, and Nanny, rooms have been made ready. Ann, do you wish us to make up a room also or you will be returning to your home?
His sister gave him a discerning look. She knew when she was being dismissed.
“Very well. Now that I am assured Alice is fine, I will be returning to my own home. But Caroline, you must come by later so we can talk.” She threw a glance towards her brother, letting Caroline know what she wished to talk about.
“I’m glad to have everyone where I can keep an eye on them,” Alexander whispered to her.
She nodded in understanding. Smiling to herself she had to admit that she was pleased to see James again. She had missed the young boy. There was something about him that put her world into perspective. Made things seem more manageable.
After finishing his breakfast, Alexander pulled Johnson and Thomas aside for a moment. The Butler’ face showed no emotion as he nodded his head in understanding.
Caroline wondered what Alexander was telling them. What actions he was putting in place. They had agreed to share information. But here, already. The man was keeping secrets.
Sighing to herself she continued on to her parlor. It would be a quiet day of waiting while he was out. Probably putting himself in danger. She dreaded the thought of sitting all day at home quietly working her needlepoint. All the while he was doing something. Taking action. It wasn’t fair.
He finished with the two men and started for the front door. At the last moment, he turned and smiled at her. A simple smile. No promises, no endearing glance of love. A simple smile as shared between friends.
A sick foreboding passed over her. What if this were the last time she saw him. Their last communication, a simple smile.
An almost overwhelming sense of grief and fear shot through her. Something was going to happen today. Something bad.
She was not the type of person who normally put much stock in such feelings. But it was so present. So strong. She shuddered and hugged herself as he left the house.
“Please God,” she mumbled to herself. “Watch over him. I love him so much. Please bring him back to me.”
.o0o.
The day passed slowly for Alexander as he sat in a pub by the docks. It was better for him to be closer to the action. Men came and went all day, bringing him reports. Most of them negative.
Between the information, Summerset had given him and what his own men had learned. They had discovered the man’s name. Andrew De Paul. A French national. The second son of Frances’ Count De Paul. They had a good description. Tall, black hair. French accent. A scar on his right hand. Probably from a sword.
But still, the prey eluded them. The man used a dozen alias. Never stayed in one place long. It was as if he knew they were after him. Close on his tail. Ready to pounce.
Alexander swallowed the bile that rose in his throat. The fact that the man still lived was tearing at his stomach. As long as he remained free the man was a threat to his Caroline and the girls.
Every moment was one more second of danger for her.
Taking a drink of ale, he sat back and reviewed everything he knew. Twice they had thought they had located him. Only to have his slip away.
Several reports had been received. The amount of money he was offering had spread through the underworld of London faster than the plague. Each report needed to be checked. Each lead followed. It was wasteful and time-consuming, but it could not be avoided.
Sighing to himself he decided to order some dinner before the pub became too crowded it was going to be another long night.
.o0o.
Caroline sat quietly in the parlor. A book open on her lap. She had meant to read, but the words wouldn’t register. Instead, she looked off into space and imagined the worst.
Her solitude was interrupted by Johnson stepping into the Parlor. His normal stoic expression had changed to one of concern. He held a small envelope in his hands.
Caroline’s heart jumped. Another note. Where was Alexander she wondered? He should be here for this.
“The boy didn’t know anything,” Johnson said as he handed her the note.
Caroline’s hands shook as she took it from him. That former sense of foreboding washed over her once again.
Taking a deep breath, she broke the seal and opened the letter.
A small lock of dark, almost black hair fell from the letter and onto her lap. She gasped. No!
She turned to read the letter. Her heart pounding, her lungs unable to get enough air. She knew what she would read. Knew with a certainty as her eyes scanned the document.
“I have Beachmont. You are lucky it isn’t a finger. Come immediately to the Chocolatier.
Alone.
That was all. Her heart fell. No this wasn’t possible.
Realizing that Johnson was waiting for word she quickly folded the note. He must not know. He would surely try to stop her. She could not allow that. This was her fault. Her father’s sin that she must pay for.
“Thank you, Johnson, That will be all,” she said to the butler.
The man’s brow furrowed in confusion for a moment. He studied her as if trying to discern what the letter had said by reading her face.
At last unable to gather the information he wanted. He bowed and left. Caroline knew full well though, that he would watch her every move.
There was no way the man would allow her to take their carriage to the Chocolatiers. Not without an army of ex-soldiers surrounding her.
Caroline grasped her hands together as she tried to contro
l her pounding heart. The Demon had Alex. What would he do to him if she didn’t come?
An evil nightmare from her childhood flashed into her mind. A long clawed monster ripping into the guts of a helpless animal. It was one of her fears. One of those thoughts that kept young girls awake at night. Afraid to fall asleep and dream.
Caroline took a deep breath and put aside such thoughts. She gathered herself and began to plan.
The servants would not provide a coach. What’s more, if she knew Johnson? They wouldn’t let her out of their sight.
Her eyes shot to the window overlooking the street. Maybe, if she acted fast. Yes, it might work.
Without another thought, she placed the note into a desk drawer. Retrieved her reticule and a knit shawl from the back of her chair. She didn’t have time to become properly dressed. She must act and she must act now.
Taking a deep breath she opened the window that overlooked the street and the park beyond. A quick perusal showed no one watching the house.
That didn’t surprise her. Alexander had half the nation out looking for the Demon. She gathered her skirts and placed one leg through then the other. It was a simple drop to the grass below.
She was out. Just as simple as that. He heart raced and her spine tingled with the expectation of being caught. What would she say?
What if it was a trap? What if the man hadn’t captured Alex somehow? Maybe this was only a way to lure her into the open. It would be easy to find hair the same color as Alex’s.
It didn’t matter, she realized. This was her chance. She could not allow this to continue. The man could take Alice or Beatrice. A single shot while Alex walked down the street. James arrived tomorrow. How easy would it be to take the boy?
No. She could not allow this to continue. This was her opportunity to confront her nemesis. To find out what he wanted. To solve this problem before someone was hurt.
And if the man did have Alex? Her heart stopped. She would do whatever it took to save him. Her life, her happiness, every part of her soul demanded it.
This was all her fault. She must save Alex. He had done so much for her. She could not allow him to be hurt because of her father. It was not to be allowed. If necessary she would sacrifice herself to the Demon if it meant Alex would be released.
Placing the shawl over her head she ducked onto the street and began quickly walking towards the chocolatier.
The autumn air held a chill. The wind ruffled her dress as she walked. She knew it was unusual for a Lady to be walking the streets alone, unescorted. A few people stared at her, but she ignored their looks of disapproval.
There were more important things in this world.
Her heart pounded with each step. At last she turned onto the Chocolatier’s street. There, only a few doors down.
She halted. Fighting to bring her breath under control. Her eyes scanned the street. Nothing. She couldn’t see anyone that looked remotely like the Demon.
Would he send someone else? What should she do? A shaft of fear shot through her. Was this the right move? Would Alex be upset at her actions?
The thought of him being held against his will, probably hurt, sent a cold chill through her bones.
No. She must do this. Taking a deep breath, she gathered her skirts and walked towards the store.
She hadn’t quite reached her destination when a black coach pulled to halt outside. The coachman stared directly ahead, his face wrapped in a multi-colored scarf.
Caroline didn’t know if it meant anything. Surely a lot of coaches let out passengers there. The door of the carriage opened and a deep male voice said, “Get in,” from the dark depths of the vehicle.
She paused, trying to get an image of the passenger. Was that a French accent?
“Now,” he barked.
A shiver ran through her. This was it then. That voice. It was the same as the night of her father’s dinner table.
Swallowing hard she gathered her strength and reached for the coach. Grasping the window for assistance she stepped up into the dark carriage.
At first she couldn’t see anything. Everything was cloaked in a dark, ink-like, shadow. Her heart raced as she held her breath. Would he kill her? Now that he had her.
No, surely not. If he had wanted her dead, she would have been killed long before this.
From inside the depth of darkness, a fist emerged to pound on the roof, twice. Immediately the carriage shot forward. Slamming Caroline into the back seat.
That fist, those long yellow nails. Like a hawk’s talons. It was him. There could be no doubt. Still, she kept quiet. Unable to think as her mind raced.
At last the man leaned forward into the light from her window. He pulled back his cloaked hood and stared at her with dead, bloodshot eyes.
Her soul weakened, her strength threatening to give way. Every nightmare, every dread, every bad thought flowed into her at once. Threatening to overwhelm her.
Using every bit of courage she ever had, she asked. “Where is Alexander? What have you done to him?”
The man simply smirked.
Her heart jumped, she knew then. He didn’t have Alex. He never had Alex. A part of her rejoiced. Alex was all right. He wasn’t laying on some dirty floor, his blood seeping into the ground.
She had made a mistake she realized. She had handed herself to him. He would use her to get what he wanted.
But this man had made a mistake as well. He had left Alexander free. She knew in the depths of her very being that Alex would turn the world over to save her.
The Demon didn’t realize what he had done. By taking her, he had sealed his own fate.
Chapter Twenty Four
Alex shifted on the hard bench. He had been here at the pub too long. Stuck in one place when he should be doing something. Anything. He needed to find this man before he acted again.
The Viscount studied the man across from him. The man had the appearance of an ex-prizefighter. A cauliflower ear, thick neck, and a nose broken so many times it looked like a smashed pastry.
Jacob Turner led one of London’s more notorious criminal gangs. Alexander had found him through Sergeant Major Bowen. How the ex-soldier knew him, he was not going to delve into, not now.
“So, Your Lordship. You want us to find this man. This Andrew De Paul.”
Alexander nodded and pushed a small leather purse across the table.
“Ten times that,” he said indicating the purse. “When he is found. I want him alive. We will deal with it.”
The criminal leader hefted the purse in his hand and made a quick calculation as he frowned to himself.
“Is that so you can turn him over to the authorities,” he asked. The idea was obviously not very appealing.
“No,” was all Alexander said.
Turner smiled, exposing several missing teeth. He nodded his head and pursed his lips. He understood.
At that moment, the pub door flew open. The bartender instinctively reached under the bar but relaxed when he saw Archie Middleton step in followed by a cool wind.
Alexander’s shoulders tensed. He wasn’t expecting reports for another hours or so. Something must have happened.
Archie marched across the pub, halting before his table. He was short of breath, his face red, with sweat dripping off his chin. The man had raced to get here, Alexander realized. The thought shot a bolt of fear through him.
His employee glanced down at Turner, obviously not wanting to reveal his news in front of the criminal.
“That will be all Turner,” Alexander said.
The criminal leader glanced back and forth between Middleton and the Viscount then smiled in understanding.
“Of course, Sir,” he said as he pocketed the coin purse. “We will find him.”
Alexander watched him leave then turned to Middleton.
“My Lord,” his man began. “Lady Caroline.”
“Yes,” Alexander said as he held his breath.
“She has been taken.”
&nbs
p; “What!” Alexander yelled as he slammed a hand onto the table. “How? When?”
Before Middleton could answer the front door burst open again to allow Johnson, his butler in. Alexander’s heart sunk. It must be true if his butler were here. The look of sorrow and guilt on the man’s face confirmed it.
“Sir, I’m sorry. Lady Beachmont is missing sir. I can’t find her. We’ve torn the house apart looking for her. The girls don’t know where she is.”
His butler looked as if he had lost the crown jewels.
“She received a note sir,” he continued. Alexander’s nerves were on fire. He wanted to hit something. How had this happened?
“Sir,” Middleton interrupted. “We know where she is. Or at least we did.”
Alexander slowly stood as he fought to retain control. Leaning forward he rested both fists on the table in front of him.
“Tell me,” he said. “Everything.”
Middleton swallowed hard and gathered himself.
“I’d pulled everyone off of guarding the house, sir. As you said. I sent them out to search.”
“No one got inside sir,” Johnson said. “We would have known.”
“Go on Middleton,”
“Yes sir, one of the men, Carpenter saw her. She was walking down Bond Street.”
“What, why was she there, Are you sure?” Alexander demanded. What was she thinking?
“He was sir, he is one of my best men.”
“Go on,” Alexander said as he swallowed the bile rising in his throat. If Caroline was out on her own. There was no telling what could happen.
"Yes, Sir, Carpenter began following her. He followed her to that store. The one where Miss Alice was attacked.”
Alexander gritted his teeth as he held his breath, afraid of what he would hear next.
“Carpenter said she stood on the corner for a minute. As if looking for someone, then got into a carriage.”
Alexander’s heart sunk. It was what he had feared.
“The coach tore away. He couldn’t keep up. Once he was sure that he had lost them he sent a runner to me and has gone back to the chocolate store in case she returns.”
The Viscount's Bride (Love's Pride Book 2) Page 18
