That Beth could never understand. Flora had been duped, and yet she was suffering for it. Her family were suffering for it, and their father’s business was drying up because of it. Why wasn’t anyone going after the man in question and his family? Why didn’t they go through the same suffering? It just wasn’t fair.
Beth did feel pity for Flora at times like this. But when Flora acted like a little spoiled child, it took a lot for her not to hit her sister over the head with her parasol.
They were about to walk along the path going around the pond when Beth slowed. There was a little girl with blonde hair held in a dark blue ribbon that matched her dress standing near the edge of the bank, looking around her and calling out. It sounded like she was yelling ‘Mama’.
Beth touched Flora’s arm.
“Flora, look. That little girl seems lost.”
“Hmm?” Flora focused on the child. She shrugged. “She’s probably here with her nanny.”
“I don’t see a nanny anywhere nearby.” Beth looked around again to check. They were the only ones near the pond, the only servants close by being their own. “I think she’s alone.”
Now Flora was staring more closely. The child sounded confused and a little distressed. Beth could see her sister’s composure softening a little; Flora did love children. The two sisters exchanged a look, and an understanding passed between them. With Flora signalling for Sebastian and Belle to catch up, they quickened their pace and approached the girl, who looked very close to toppling into the pond, slowing as they got closer.
“Are you all right, Sweetheart?” Beth crouched down to her level, giving the child a smile. “Are you lost?”
“I’m trying to find Mama.” The little girl’s voice was trembling. Her hands fumbled with her skirt. “I can’t seem to find her.”
“Where did you last see her?”
“I …” The girl was beginning to shake. Her expression crumbled. “I don’t know. She often goes for walks along this path. I thought if I could find her …”
Then she began to cry, tears streaming down her cheeks. Beth’s heart cracked. She hated seeing people cry, especially little children. She reached out and beckoned the girl over. The child came willingly and threw her arms around Beth’s neck, almost knocking her over. Adjusting her crouch, Beth looked over the girl’s shoulder at Flora. Flora looked just as pained. Then she turned and beckoned Sebastian over.
“Sebastian, come with me. We need a Bow Street runner. I saw one walking out in the street just now. We have a lost little girl.”
“Yes, Miss Flora.”
Sebastian immediately fell into step beside Flora as she hurried away. Belle came rushing over, gasping as she dropped to kneeling beside Beth.
“Oh, you poor darling.” She touched Beth’s arm. “Why don’t you look out for Miss Flora and Sebastian, Miss Beth? I can look after her.”
“I don’t think she’s going to let go.”
The girl was holding onto Beth’s neck so tightly that Beth could feel it pressing hard on the back of her neck. She was close to getting strangled. Belle brushed some hair out of the little girl’s face, tucking it behind her ear.
“What’s your name, sweetheart?”
“Rosamund. Rosamund Thinesley.” Her sobbing thickened her voice, but it was still clear enough. “I’m six years old.”
Belle smiled.
“That’s a very good age. I liked being six.”
“So do I.”
Beth was startled at the ease of Belle’s interaction with Rosamund. She had had no idea that Belle was any good with children. She was Beth’s age and had told Beth’s mother that she was unmarried and had never had any children. Maybe a little brother or sister. It would explain why Belle was looking calm around Rosamund, and Beth felt like she was going to panic. Then again, the pressure on her neck wasn’t helping.
“Where do you live, Miss Rosamund?” Belle asked.
“Mayfair. Fifteen Chesterfield Street.”
Beth exchanged a look with Belle. That was one of the richer parts of London. More than likely her family were of high noble standing. Belle turned back to Rosamund.
“That’s good, honey. I’m glad you know where you live.” She brushed away a tear with her thumb. “We’ll get you back to your parents soon.”
“Not until I find my mother!” Rosamund started wailing again. “I need to find her! I miss her!”
Then she was sobbing again into Beth’s shoulder. Beth couldn’t do much except rub her back and wait for the crying to subside. There were many times over recent months where she felt that she was at a loss at what to do. This was certainly becoming one of them.
Chapter 6
Gerard was beginning to panic. Where could Rosamund have gone? How could she have disappeared? If that woman he had foolishly hired had actually been doing her job, then this wouldn’t have happened.
It had been over an hour since Gerard had been made aware by Hettie, the upstairs maid, that Rosamund didn’t join them for lunch, and they couldn’t find her. Isabel said she hadn’t seen Rosamund for some time, so God only knew when Rosamund had actually disappeared. Isabel was crying, thinking she was going to be scolded for losing her sister. Gerard didn’t have the heart to be angry at her.
He was angry at the governess. Lacey Dupont had come with great recommendations. And then she decided her own desires were more important than her charges. Gerard had already thrown her out of the house with a promise that he wouldn’t recommend her to anyone if they had male servants. The only decent thing he did was to allow her to get dressed.
Everyone in the house had searched for her. Gerard had gone through the downstairs rooms with the footmen while his mother gathered the maids and they went upstairs. Gerard had been born and raised in this house, so he knew every nook and cranny. Rosamund was a curious girl and loved to explore. She must have got herself into one of the many hiding places and got stuck.
But she wasn’t around anywhere downstairs. Not anywhere. Gerard had to stop himself from panicking, but it was difficult. Rosamund was his baby, his little girl. He couldn’t bear the thought of Rosamund having been spirited away by someone or gone wandering outside alone.
He came into the foyer and saw his mother coming down the stairs.
“Is she not up there?”
Amelia shook her head. She looked worried.
“No, we’ve looked everywhere. Hettie even showed me the few places Rosamund’s used when playing her games, and there’s nothing to say she’s been there.”
Footsteps sounded from behind, and Gerard turned to see his other two daughters running towards him. Isabel ran right into her father’s arms and hugged him tightly. She was sobbing quietly. Gathering his daughter into his arms, he lifted her up and propped her on his hip.
“It’s all right, Isabel. It’s not your fault.” Gerard turned to Hermia. “Anything?”
“We’ve looked in the garden. The back door into the alleyway is locked tight with the padlock still on it. And Axel said the door from the stables hasn’t been used all day.”
Gerard growled, which had Isabel whimpering more. He held her tightly and kissed her head.
“Forgive me, Isabel. I didn’t mean to scare you.” He shook his head. “I just don’t get how it’s possible for a child to leave a house with so many people about. Someone had to have seen her.”
“Children are sneaky, Gerard,” Amelia pointed out. “You’ve done it many times in the past.”
“This is not about me, Mother. And I’m not Rosamund.”
This was not a game anymore. Whatever Rosamund was up to, it wasn’t amusing. This had to stop. If she had managed to get out, Rosamund was going to be in big trouble. She knew that she wasn’t allowed out on her own. They had to go with a chaperone or himself.
If Lacey had been doing her job, this wouldn’t have happened.
“Your Grace?”
Gerard turned. Kidman, one of the under-footmen, was hurrying towards him. He bowed qui
ckly, almost falling over as he tried to bow and walk at the same time.
“What is it, Kidman?”
“There’s an Officer Fletcher at the door. He has Miss Rosamund with him.”
“What?”
Rosamund had been found? Gerard could hardly believe it. Lowering Isabel to the ground, Gerard hurried to the door just as a tall, burly man with a ruddy face and thinning hair stepped inside. Rosamund was holding onto his hand. His daughter looked like she had been crying. As soon as she saw her father, Rosamund burst into tears and ran towards him.
“Rosamund!”
Gerard fell to his knees and hugged her tightly as Rosamund ran right into his arms. She sobbed on his shoulder, her whole body shaking. Now Gerard was scared. What had happened to her? What had Rosamund gone through? He eased her back and checked her over. She didn’t look to be in any physical distress, and her clothes were clean.
“Where on earth did you go? You had us scared someone had taken you!”
“I went to the park to find Mama.” Rosamund was talking so fast Gerard almost didn’t understand. “But she wasn’t at the park. I couldn’t find her anywhere, Father. I couldn’t find her!”
Then she was sobbing again. Gerard’s heart cracked. She had gone to find Allegra. Rosamund had been told that her mother was not going to be around anymore, but because of her age, Gerard had decided not to go into further details until Rosamund was a little older. Rosamund must have thought that meant Allegra was not going to be living with them but was close by. Several times, she had been openly looking for her mother, and nobody had the heart to tell her that she wasn’t going to see her mother anymore.
Maybe if he had told her the truth, then this wouldn’t have happened. Gerard cupped her daughter’s head in his hands and kissed her forehead.
“Oh, sweetheart. At least you’re safe. Go with Grandmama, will you?”
Rosamund was still crying as Amelia took her hand and led her away. Isabel followed quickly, grasping onto her little sister’s other hand like she was scared Rosamund was going to vanish again. Hermia hesitated a moment, Gerard seeing a flash of pain in her eyes, before moving after them. Gerard rose to his feet and turned to Officer Fletcher, who was standing before him with his hat in his hands. The man bowed.
“Your Grace.”
“Thank you for finding her, Officer Fletcher. We were worried sick about her.” Gerard grimaced. “I’m afraid my children’s governess was ... taken ill suddenly, and she wasn’t watched. It’s something that won’t happen again.”
“She’s safe, and that’s all that matters.” Officer Fletcher paused. “But it wasn’t me who found her, Your Grace.”
“It wasn’t?”
“Two young ladies came upon her by the pond in the park. Apparently, Miss Rosamund was close to falling in. I was patrolling close by, and they found me. I recognized the address and offered to take Miss Rosamund home.”
Someone else had found Rosamund before she had come to harm. Gerard’s heart stumbled as the thought of the possibility of losing his daughter flashed through his mind. He couldn’t cope with that as well.
“If they were the ones who found my daughter, why didn’t they come themselves?”
“From what I could gather by their reaction to my suggestion of doing just that, one of the ladies was willing to come along, but the other pulled her away and told her that they weren’t going to get involved any further.”
“Any further?” Gerard was confused. “Any further into what?”
“I’m afraid they didn’t give me an explanation. The sister who wanted to come did give their names, but that was it.”
At least that was something. Gerard was going to need to thank them for rescuing Rosamund. Even if they didn’t want to get involved, they should be getting a reward, at the very least.
“What were their names? Do you have any idea who they are?”
“I don’t know who they are personally, but I do know the family.” Officer Fletcher nodded. “Flora and Elizabeth Campbell. Their father is Edward Campbell.”
Gerard knew who Edward Campbell was. He hadn’t had any dealings with the man himself in terms of business, but he knew Campbell socially. The man was a kind, generous person with a brilliant head for figures. His businesses, which centred mostly on importing and exporting cargo from the Caribbean and in Europe, had been thriving. Gerard had been impressed.
And then Campbell’s daughter Flora had run away with someone. A high-ranking noble’s son. This son had deserted her, but Flora had been the one who received the biggest backlash over the scandal. The name of the son hadn’t been mentioned at all. Either they didn’t know who it was, or the family had made sure it never got out. Gerard had never thought it was fair that a woman could be blamed for something when it wasn’t her fault. Allegra had thought the same thing, saying she would have a few choice words to say to the son in question.
So would Gerard. No woman should ever be treated like that.
“I know of the Campbell family. He’s having a few financial difficulties, last I heard.”
“Pretty bad, from the news going around.” Officer Fletcher frowned. “Miss Elizabeth shocked me, though. She looked like she had been in a fight. She had some bruises on her cheek and neck.”
Gerard froze.
“Bruises?”
“They were being covered, but I could see them. I asked her about them, and Miss Elizabeth was a little evasive. Said it was a mugging that went wrong. Refused to press any sort of charges.” Officer Fletcher looked uncomfortable. “Forgive me, Your Grace, but when I see a lady in distress, I don’t stand back. I’ve got three daughters myself, and I wouldn’t want to see them like that.”
“I understand,” Gerard murmured. He shook himself and signalled for Kidman, who had been hovering nearby. “Thank you for everything, Officer Fletcher. I’ll make sure your superior knows of your help. I appreciate it.”
“Thank you, Your Grace.”
Fletcher was led out. Gerard felt the room swaying, and he moved to sit on the bottom step of the stairs. Elizabeth Campbell had bruises on her cheek and neck. She said they were from a mugging. And Gerard remembered Edward Campbell having dark hair and green eyes.
Eyes very much like Beth.
Were they one and the same person? Was Elizabeth Campbell the one Gerard had taken into his arms? All evidence pointed to it. Now Gerard understood why she hadn’t told him her full name; the stigma attached to their family name was still substantial. Very little was kept from Society, and once it was known that a Campbell daughter was cavorting in a Lovers’ Lane with a duke, that would explode. That was more than enough gossip for anyone.
Gerard could see it from her point of view. But surely, she would want to be recognized for bringing his daughter back? That would work in the family’s favour. Wouldn’t it?
No matter what her thoughts on it, Gerard knew he wasn’t going to sit back and let her go on her way. He had been thinking about finding Beth again, and now he had in the least likely of fashions. He wasn’t about to let this go.
Beth was going to cross paths again with him, very soon.
#
Beth was a little annoyed at Flora’s decision not to go with Rosamund to her family home. She had been eager to make sure the little girl arrived safely, but Flora had been adamant that they didn’t go anywhere near the Thinesley home. From what Flora said, it was the home of the Duke of Rossdale. A man they should not even be breathing the same air as.
What A Wicked Duke Demands (Historical Regency Romance) Page 9
