by Bobbi Smith
"Alexander Wakefield! I thought I told you to wait for me!" Though her relief at finding him playing happily at the pond's edge was immense, Catherine couldn't help but scold him for coming outside alone.
Shocked by her cross tone, Alex looked up at her a bit startled. "Aunt Catherine . . ."
"Yes, Aunt Catherine," she repeated, her hands on her hips in emphasis of her annoyance. "I told you we would come down here together."
Alex's expression turned mutinous. "I waited for you for a long time and then it started to get dark . . ."
In spite of the defiant look on his face, Catherine heard the pain in his voice, and she immediately softened. There was no danger. He was fine. She would relax and enjoy the rest of the evening with him. "I know you did, sweetheart," she began apologetically, "and I'm sorry I was so late, but Lord Ratcliff and I had a lot to talk about."
"I just wanted to sail my boat some more before it got dark, so I came out by myself. I didn't think you'd mind," Alex told her honestly, glancing out to where the Scimitar sat becalmed near the center of the pool.
For a moment there in the half-shadows of the fading twilight, Catherine could have sworn she caught a glimpse of what Alex was going to look like as a man, and she couldn't help but smile. Charmer that he was with those dark curls and wonderful gray eyes, she was sure the stubbornness in the line of his jaw would harden as he matured, not soften. He was going to grow into one extraordinarily good-looking man, and she knew many a maiden was going to swoon over him. She hoped the woman who finally captured his heart loved him as much as she loved Gerald.
"I don't blame you one bit for getting tired of sitting there. I was very late. But next time, please do wait for me. I was worried about you, you know."
"Why?" he asked simply. "Grandfather lets me come down here all the time by myself."
"Well, I . . ." She didn't get the chance to say any more, for at that very moment Bo and Jack came charging at them from their hiding place in the bushes.
The two men had been ready to jump on Alex and spirit him away without so much as a peep, when all of a sudden Catherine had come running up out of nowhere. They were nearly frantic at her appearance, but they were not about to stop this time. The man who'd hired them had insisted they do the job in a hurry, so they dared not let this opportunity pass. What did it matter if they gave him one extra person? All that was important was delivering the kid and then getting their pay. Their boss could do whatever he wanted with the girl, and if he didn't want her, they would be able to find someone on the docks to take her off their hands for a price.
With the element of surprise was on their side, they came raging out of their hiding place. Bo went for Alex, grabbing him and jerking him tightly against him. Pinning him against his broad, hard chest, he stuffed a filthy rag in the boy's mouth to shut him up and then pulled a big, burlap sack over his head and tied a rope quickly around his hips, binding his arms down at his sides. Alex had tried his best to fight, but he was no competition for a grown man. He'd managed only one small squeal as he kicked and tried to twist away, and soon he was completely overpowered.
Catherine saw Jack coming at her and she screamed for help, hoping that the servants would hear her. Then, fearing for Alex's life, she turned on Bo. She wanted to stall them as long as she could so help could come, so she launched herself at Bo, ready to do anything she could to force him to release the boy.
Her actions caught Jack completely by surprise. He'd thought she was going to run from him like a typical female, not turn tigress and attack his partner, jumping on his back and clawing at his face.
"Jack, damnit, man! Get the wench off me!" Bo yelled as he tried to control the squirming boy and knock Catherine off him.
Jack grabbed her by the waist and yanked her away from Bo. Then, with full force, he threw her violently down on the ground.
"You swine!" she swore, trying to get back up to continue her assault.
Jack closed on her as she struggled to get to her feet, her skirts tangling about her legs hobbling her. He snared her arms as she swung out at him. "I'd shut up if I valued my fair skin, your ladyship," he sneered in her ear, his hot, nasty breath vile to her senses.
Catherine continued to bite and kick at him, but Jack subdued her easily now, twisting her arms behind her in a vicious hold and then gagging her in the same manner he had the boy. Luckily, they had brought along another burlap sack, and he pulled that over her head just as Bo had done with Alex. After securing it, he slung her over his shoulder.
Catherine was terrified. She kicked at her assailant with all her might, trying desperately to dislodge herself from his hold, but he would have none of it. He hit her sharply, a single blow to the side of her head, and effectively silenced her struggles.
"If you want the boy to stay alive, stay still!" the unknown man's voice threatened in a tone that showed no mercy.
Catherine did as she was told, hoping that someone at the house had heard them and was coming after them. It would have sickened her if she'd known that no one had seen or heard a thing. The full, lush hedge had blocked the view and the noise from the house. It would be hours before the note Bo left behind with the ransom demands would be discovered and the toy boat found abandoned, floating in the pond. By the time a search for them was implemented, they would be well on their way to London.
Avery made his way in a hired carriage toward the docks for his late-night rendezvous with Bo and Jack. The waterfront dive where he'd chosen to meet them was a favorite of sailors just into the port, and he'd chosen it specifically, for he knew he ran little risk of being recognized there. As the conveyance drew to a stop before the tavern, Avery bid the driver to wait for him with a promise to pay extra for his time, then disappeared into the smoke-filled hovel.
"There he is!" Bo shouted to Jack above the din as he caught sight of Avery coming through the door. "C'mon, let's get him and get this over with!"
The two men moved off to meet the man who'd hired them.
"Evenin', guvnor," Bo greeted Avery boldly as they approached him. "We been waitin' for you."
"I'll bet you have," Avery answered, looking down his nose at the ruffians. It troubled him that he had to associate with lowlifes, but a man did what he had to do in order to accomplish his goals. Besides, Avery consoled himself, they didn't know who he was and they never would. "It's done?" he asked.
"It's done," Jack answered, taking another big swallow from his tankard of ale. They had been drinking steadily for the last hour, fearful of what the man's reaction would be to the news that they had taken the woman.
"I want to see him to make sure," Avery announced. He wasn't about to pay them until he was certain everything was in order. "You didn't have any trouble, did you?"
Bo and Jack exchanged a quick, uneasy glance. Avery felt an immediate sinking in the pit of his stomach.
"What happened? What went wrong?"
"Nothin' really happened," Bo began to explain. "It's just we got one more than you're payin' for."
Avery went completely still. He was glad for all the noise and ruckus that was going on around them. No one would notice his sudden look of distress. "What do you mean?"
"I mean, we had to take a woman same time as we took the boy," Bo blurted out.
"A woman?" Avery was stunned. Who had they taken? The answer came instantly. It could only be Catherine. "For God's sake, why?"
"There was no way to avoid it. She came up just as we was takin' him. There was nothin' else we could do, but take her, too," Jack defended.
"That was stupid!"
Bo bristled at his insult. "Would you rather we have killed her?"
Avery quickly assessed the situation, wishing desperately that Vivienne was there with him to help him make a decision. It came to him, though, that the decision had already been made for him. "No. Let's go. I want to see them."
Bo and Jack set their near-empty mugs on a nearby table and led the way outside.
Nothing was said a
s they made their way down the docks. The night air was heavy with the stench of dead fish and rot. Despite the lateness of the hour, there were still many people moving about. Prostitutes of all ages plied their trade with open enthusiasm, meeting with great success among the newly arrived sailors. Avery was glad when they finally reached the Dolphin.
The ship was captained by one Joseph Black, a thin, cold-eyed man Avery knew to be completely without conscience or morals. Money was Black's one and only love in life, and he would do anything and go anywhere for the right price. Before finalizing his plans with Bo and Jack, Avery had made certain that a cabin could be made available on Black's ship for a "less than willing" passenger if enough money was involved. It was to the Dolphin, under the cover of darkness a few hours earlier, that the two kidnappers had delivered Alex and Catherine, still bound as they had been when they'd been spirited away from Huntington House. No one on the ship had paid them the slightest bit of attention.
"Did you have any problems boarding?" Avery asked as they paused for a moment before going aboard the ship.
"No. It went just like you said it would."
"And no one saw you?"
The two kidnappers shrugged. "If they did, they didn't care."
"Good." Avery mentally rubbed his hands together. Soon it would all be over. His father would pay the ransom, and then he and Vivienne would have enough money to tide them over until the title became his.
They said no more as they mounted the gangplank. The crewman on watch gave them a cursory look over and then, recognizing Bo and Jack, let them pass. They went belowdecks to the small airless cabin that was serving as Alex and Catherine's prison. Bo had the key and he unlocked the door and shoved it open.
Avery stared in satisfaction at the sight of his son and sister blindfolded, gagged, and bound hand and foot lying on the two narrow bunks.
"What d'ya think, guvnor? We brought 'em here just like you said."
Avery hesitated to speak for fear Alex and Catherine could hear him. He nodded his approval to the two, then backed out of the room and closed the door.
"The key, please." He held out his hand.
"And I'll take the money," Bo countered.
"You left the note?"
"Right there by the pond where they could find it."
The exchange was made.
"It was nice doin' business with you, gent," Bo and Jack said in unison as they went back out on deck. They were grinning from ear to ear over their good fortune. They might not have gotten the young woman for their own as they'd hoped, but the money they'd just received made that small sacrifice worth their while. "You ever need anything else done, you just let us know."
Avery waved them off, eager to be out of their disgusting company, and then went to seek out Captain Black.
"Ah, Mr. Smith," Black said sarcastically as he admitted Avery to his cabin. He knew the name was a fake, but he didn't care. The color of his money was all he cared about. "I think we have something that needs to be discussed."
"Indeed we do," Avery said, taking a seat in the chair the captain indicated. Avery had decided right away not to have Alex killed. He knew of a man who lived off the coast of France who had a taste for the unusual and could afford to indulge himself. Having met him some years ago, he'd contacted him about taking the boy off his hands, and he'd been pleased when the man had offered him a huge sum for the lad. They were to meet in five days. Avery wondered now if he'd be interested in having his sister, too.
"As you know, our original deal was only for the boy. The woman was not part of our agreement."
"I want to take her along as well when we sail. I'm sure I can work something out when I go to finalize the deal on the boy." Amoral as he was, he felt no guilt at all in getting rid of his sister, too. She meant nothing to him. She never had and never would. Only Vivienne was important in his life.
"It can be arranged, but you understand the charge will be double now?"
"Of course, I would have expected no less, and there will be a bonus for you if things go smoothly."
"I'm sure having her on board will be no problem, Mr. Smith."
"Good. When are you planning to set sail?"
"We must leave port in two days if we're to make your rendezvous point on time."
"Fine. I'll be here in plenty of time to sail with you."
"Good. Until then, I'll take good care of my 'guests.' No harm will come to them. We wouldn't want to sell damaged goods." The idea of a bonus appealed to him. He would protect the two without fail.
Avery gladly paid Black the outrageous sum he demanded for Catherine's passage. Then, his business dealings set, he returned home. He hoped Vivienne would approve of the arrangements he'd made. He wondered as he made his way toward their townhouse whether news had come yet concerning Alex and Catherine's disappearance.
Chapter Four
Gerald was scowling blackly as he paced the parlor of Huntington House just before dawn the following morning. Late last night the servants had notified him at the inn of Catherine and Alex's kidnapping and he'd raced to the estate to take charge until Avery could arrive from London or the duke returned. By the time he'd gotten to the house, the servants had already searched the grounds for clues, but he'd insisted they go over everything one more time just to be sure. To his despair, the results had been the same. They'd found nothing. Whoever had taken them had known what they were doing.
Now, as Gerald waited for the family to arrive, his thoughts were focused on his own well-being, and he was furious. His whole future had been planned around the marriage to Catherine, and he wondered what he was going to do now. Taking care of himself was, and always had been, his utmost concern.
Vivienne and Avery sat silently in their carriage as they made their way toward Huntington House. Playing the part of concerned parents, they'd left London as soon as they received word of Alex's disappearance.
Vivienne's expression was calm as she stared out the window into the darkness of the night. When Avery had first told her of the complication, she'd been angry. But then, after she'd had time to think about it, she'd changed her mind. She'd come to realize that with Catherine out of the way things would be much, much easier. She was one less person they had to deal with or worry about, and, ultimately, that much more money in their pockets—in more ways than one.
"We're here," Avery spoke up, breaking the silence as their vehicle made the final turn in the road.
"Thank heavens. The ride out here is always so dull."
"Ah, but this time, my love, the results will be worth it," Avery offered.
"Indeed they will," she agreed, smiling slyly at him. "Indeed they will."
When the carriage halted at the front entrance, Avery descended and then helped Vivienne down. There was a slight chill in the predawn air, so she pulled her light wrap a little more tightly around her shoulders, then leaned weakly against her husband as they mounted the few steps to the door. She wanted to give the impression that she was distraught over the loss of her son, but inwardly, she was wondering with perverse pleasure just what the servants would think if they knew she was the one who'd planned the whole thing.
Dalton, Huntington's most trusted servant, met them at the door. He was looking tired and strained over the night's events. "Good evening, my lord, my lady. Lord Ratcliff is awaiting you in the parlor."
"Thank you, Dalton," Avery replied. He took Vivienne's wrap and handed it to Dalton, then escorted her in to meet with his sister's fiancé. He greeted the other man as he met them at the parlor door.
"I'm glad you finally made it," Gerald said, relieved by their presence, then turned to Avery's strikingly beautiful wife. "Hello, Vivienne."
"I'm so glad you could be here with us tonight, Gerald. This is such a trauma. Our poor Alex—kidnapped!" She managed to sound quite desperate. "And our dear Catherine taken, too. I can hardly believe it."
"Neither can I," Gerald said slowly. "I can't imagine why anyone would want to cause them any
harm."
"It's a tragedy," Avery added. "What's been done so far?"
Gerald quickly told him about the searches and the messages sent to both him and to the duke.
"Good, good. We can only hope my father will know what to do next."
"He will," Vivienne spoke up confidently. "I just wonder, though, how soon he'll be arriving."
"He's at Ellington," Gerald offered.
"Then it will be hours, maybe even as late as the afternoon before he returns," she said.
"Perhaps we should all try to get some rest?" Avery suggested. "It's been a long night for all of us, and the day promises to be even more arduous. Were you staying here at Huntington House, Gerald?"
"No. I came for a visit only to find your father had gone. I took a room at the inn."
"Well, there's no need for you to go back there now that we're here. I'll have Dalton prepare a room for you."
"Thank you, Avery."
"Darling? Are you ready to retire?" Avery inquired of his wife.
"I think I'll have a cup of tea first. I'm tired, but I'm so upset I don't know if I could fall asleep right away. Will you join me?"
"No. I'm going on up. Gerald, I'll see you in a few hours."
"Of course, and thank you, Avery."
Avery nodded and left them alone in the parlor. After instructing Dalton to make up a room for Ratcliff, he went to his own bedroom. He was feeling immensely pleased with himself as he stretched out on his bed, and by the time Vivienne joined him over an hour later, he was sound asleep.
It was well past noon when the duke's entourage pulled up before Huntington House. The minute his carriage stopped, Edward climbed out. The ride had been an exhausting one, but he didn't bother waiting for help in getting down. There was no time . . . no time at all.
"Your Grace," Dalton greeted him as he held the front door. The entire household staff had kept a constant vigil, watching for the duke's return ever since they'd sent word to him, and Dalton knew all would be relieved now that he had returned.
