by Vikki Vaught
Helen handed him the basket of food. “Be careful. Try not to worry about me or your sons. I promise…we’ll be fine. Wells will protect me with his life. Please send word when you arrive safely and that Margaret is all right.”
“I’ll write as soon as I know how Margaret is. I love you my darling.” Grabbing her close, he kissed her, and then mounted his horse and galloped away.
As Helen watched him ride out of sight, she regretted that she hadn’t yet told him that she loved him. Helen wished she could have gone with him, but she knew it was too soon for her to travel, and it would only slow him down. He needed to get to Margaret right away. Even changing horses every four hours and not stopping except to eat, it would take him at least twelve hours to get there.
That night Helen went to bed at her usual time, right after she fed her sons. Since Mildred, the wet nurse, had a cold, Helen was nursing both the twins. They had set their cradles up in the sitting room so that when they woke up in the night, she could get to them quickly. She kept the door open between her room and the sitting room so she could hear them as soon as either one of them woke up.
Helen was having trouble going to sleep because she kept thinking about Matthew. She knew she was finally ready to tell him she loved him. When she told him goodbye that afternoon, she’d had to bite her tongue to keep from telling him. She made up her mind she would tell him she loved him as soon as he returned from seeing his sister. She was so worried about Margaret and hoped she would be all right. She was so young. Saying a prayer for Margaret, she finally drifted off to sleep.
Late that night, after climbing up to the balcony to Lady Collingswood’s room, Louis slowly opened the French door, making sure that he made no noise that would wake Lady Collingswood. He quietly crept into the bedroom with Clyde and Ross following right behind him. Louis motioned for them to go into the sitting room to take care of the babies while he went over to the bed.
God, he didn’t want to do this, but he’d promised Cecilia.
He had to follow through.
He leaned over and put his hand over her mouth. She immediately opened her terror-filled eyes. Before she could let out a scream, he cuffed her, knocking her out. Louis tied her up and put a gag around her mouth. His cohorts gagged the babies before they could cry out. Creeping quietly out onto the balcony, Louis threw Helen over his shoulder, his hired thugs put the babies in slings, and they carefully climbed down.
Once they were on the ground, they quietly made their way to their horses and rode away. Louis took Helen and the babies to the old abandoned cottage on the edge of the Marquess of Ralston’s estate. Cecilia wanted him to kill Helen right away, but Louis was getting cold feet about killing her. He had never killed anyone before, and now that he was faced with having to do it, he just couldn’t. Planning an accident was one thing, but this was cold-blooded murder.
What could he do to get rid of Lady Collingswood without having to kill her?
Louis racked his brain trying to think of something. He continued to ponder this well into the night. Just as he was ready to give up hope, it came to him. He would sell her to a brothel in London. He knew Madame Lucille would pay him handsomely for Lady Collingswood, and there was no way she’d ever be able to escape. Her husband would never find her in a place like that. He decided he would just tell Cecilia he had drowned Helen, taken her body out to sea, and thrown it overboard. Cecilia would be furious he had deviated from her plan, but what could she do? As long as Cecilia thought Lady Collingswood was dead, she wouldn’t be able to do anything about it.
The next night, Clyde and Ross set off for Somerset with the babies. Before they left, Louis said, “Now hear me well. Do not do anything to harm these babies, and when you get to the baby farm, you tell Mrs. Benton to take good care of them. Tell her that I’ll be checking on them regularly, and that she’ll get money each month to take care of them. Go straight to the baby farm, and don’t let anyone see these children. When you drop them off, come back here, and I’ll have the rest of your money.”
Thank God he had convinced Cecilia to let him take them to the baby farm. If he couldn’t kill Lady Collingswood, then he definitely couldn’t kill innocent children, no matter what Cecilia wanted.
He kept Helen sedated throughout the next day while he figured out how he would get her to London. Helen cried for her children every time she regained consciousness. It was obvious to Louis that her breasts were causing her a great deal of pain. She kept moaning in her sleep and rubbing her breasts, and they were leaking milk all over the place. The smell of sour milk nauseated.
That evening when Helen woke up, she cried, “Where are my children? Please, you have to let me feed my babies. They’re so little! They need me.”
Louis gruffly said, “Your babies are fine, and as long as you cooperate, they’ll stay that way. You and I are going on a little trip. I’m going to untie your ankles, and I’ll leave the gag off for now, but if you make a sound, it goes back on, and I’ll hurt your children. Do I make myself clear?”
Helen nodded her head as great big tears rolled down her cheeks. The trip was grueling. She kept asking about her sons, and she complained about the pain that she was feeling since she wasn’t able to feed them. Louis actually felt sorry for her, but he’d promised Cecilia he would get rid of her, so he had to do it. They traveled by night and would find an abandoned barn or cottage to rest during the day.
During the day, Louis kept her sedated, and he would tie up her feet so he could get some sleep. Since the horse was carrying two people, it took them longer to get to London. Before they arrived in town, he stopped at an abandoned building and gave Helen some laudanum in her ale so she would sleep while he went to get a carriage. Once he had the carriage, he would take Helen to Madame Lucille’s Gallery.
And then…she would be gone for good.
Chapter 22
April 1821
When Matthew arrived at Peter’s estate, he ran up the steps and knocked on the door. The butler opened the door, and he pushed his way in as he demanded, “Take me to my sister.”
“My lord, please, let me take you to the drawing room. Your sister is in there having tea.” Matthew felt a huge sense of relief flood through him on hearing this news, because if Margaret was already up out of her bed, she must be all right.
When Matthew entered the drawing room, Margaret and Peter were seated calmly, drinking their tea. When Margaret saw him, she jumped up out of her seat and ran over to him, flinging herself into his arms as always. Matthew picked her up and spun her around in a circle, both of them laughing for joy at seeing each other again. It had always been this way whenever they saw each other after having been apart. That was the love of a brother for his sister. Finding her safe, Matthew felt his knees go weak from letting go of the fear that had gripped him ever since he had received the note from Peter.
Margaret shouting with joy, said, “Matthew, it’s so good to see you. Is Helen with you? I’m surprised…”
Interrupting, Matthew asked, “Are you all right? Peter sent me the note about your miscarriage. I’m relieved to see you already up and about.”
With puzzlement on her pretty face, she said, “Matthew…I haven’t had a miscarriage. Peter didn’t send you any note. In fact…why would you travel so close to Helen’s lying in?” Then, with concern in her voice, she asked, “Is Helen all right? And the babies—are they all right?”
A cold chill ran down Matthew’s spine as he realized he’d been duped.
This had to have something to do with those attempts on Helen’s life!
“Oh God, I’ve got to get back to Helen and my sons right away. Whoever made those attempts on her life must be behind this forged note.”
Peter looked shocked. “I never sent you any note. Did you bring it with you? Maybe I’ll recognize the handwriting. Surely, Helen is safe. I’m sure you left Wells with instructions to protect her. Helen will be fine, but I’ll go back with you. Let me get you a fresh mount. I’ll get
Cook to pack you some food for your return trip. Why don’t you rest for a couple of hours, and then we’ll leave?”
Matthew knew Peter was right, he probably needed to sleep, but he couldn’t afford the time. He had to get back fast. “I’d appreciate a fresh mount, but I’ve got to travel fast. Having another rider with me will only slow me down. I’ll take the food though. I can’t rest! I’ve got to get back to Helen right away!”
“I wish you’d let me come with you,” Peter said. “If something has happened to Helen, I could help you.”
Speaking up, Margaret said, “Matthew, I know you’re worried about Helen, but please let Peter come with you.”
Hugging Margaret, Matthew replied, “Please, just pray that I’m wrong, and Helen is home safe and so are my sons. I appreciate your offer Peter, but I can’t let anything slow me down. I’ll send you word once I get home to let you know what happened.” Just as soon as the fresh mount was saddled, and he had the food, Matthew took off, galloping away, leaving a cloud of dust in his wake.
Matthew rode all through the night and all the next day and arrived back at Collingswood mid-afternoon of the following day. The first person he saw was Wells. “Where’s my wife? Is she all right? And my sons—are they all right?”
Looking grave, Wells shook his head. “My lord, your wife and sons have been abducted. I’ve notified the magistrate, and he’s been looking for them. They found your wife’s night rail, so we know she was at that old abandoned cottage on Lord Ralston’s estate at least for a while.”
Matthew interrupted and cried out in a pain-filled voice, “Oh God, no…no, please, this can’t be true! I knew something was wrong when I got to my sister’s house and found out the note was a forgery. My sister’s in perfect health. It was all a lie! Did anyone see anything?”
“No, my lord. Sally found your wife and sons gone the morning after you left for Hampshire,” Wells explained. “They found some tracks leading from the cottage. One set was leading east, and then there were two sets of tracks leading north. It looked as if the tracks leading east was a horse carrying either a very large individual, or two riders. I’m sorry, my lord, to have to tell you this news.”
Distraught over the news, but so tired from his travels, his mind wasn’t functioning properly. He shook his head to try to clear his mind. “I’m going to see the magistrate. Surely he has found out something more by now. Oh God, who would do this?”
When he got to the magistrate’s house, he found out that one of the men out searching had returned with information about his sons. Someone saw two men traveling with babies in the direction of Somerset. Matthew knew this meant that Helen had been separated from her children.
Oh God, she must be frantic.
It tore Matthew apart to delay going after Helen, but he knew he needed to go after the babies first, since it was the strongest lead.
Just as Matthew was getting ready to leave, Peter showed up and offered his help. At this point, Matthew was too exhausted to argue, so he agreed that Peter could come with him. He had Edwards saddle two horses quickly. Cook packed a basket of food for them, and then they were on the road headed for Somerset.
Matthew and Peter had to travel slowly since it was already after dark, which frustrated Matthew terribly. Fortunately, the men who had taken the babies weren’t trying to cover their tracks, so it was easy to pick up their trail. After traveling for several hours, they stopped at a tavern. When he questioned the innkeeper, he found out that two men with babies had been through about ten hours ago, so they were gaining on them.
They traveled for about six more hours, then stopped at another local coaching inn. They found out from that innkeeper that the two men had just left about an hour ago. The men had stopped there for the night. Matthew was encouraged, and it gave him the energy he needed to continue on.
Matthew caught up with the men just as they were about to turn onto a side road that would take them into the town of Chard. The men gave up without a struggle and handed the babies over to Matthew. The poor little ones were filthy dirty. They were sound asleep, but it didn’t appear to be a natural sleep. Handing the babies to Peter, he turned his unbridled fury on the men. One of them got away, but the other one was soon subdued.
Matthew had the man in a chokehold. “What have you done with my children? It’s obvious you have used something on them to keep them from crying. What have you been using?”
Gasping for breath, the man cried, “I’m sorry guv’ner. We was using laudanum to keep ‘em quiet like. Didn’t use nothin’ else, and then only a wee bit. I promise we weren’t goin’ to ‘urt ‘em none.”
Sitting on the bastard with his hands around the man’s neck, Matthew yelled, “If either one of these children are harmed in anyway, you’re a dead man! Now, where…is…my…wife?”
With each word he bellowed, he threw another punch until the man’s face was bleeding, and his eyes were swollen shut. Just as he got ready to hit him one more time, the bastard called out, “Th’ man what ‘ired us was takin’ ‘er t’ Lunnon t’ a brothel. I…I…don’t know th’ name o’ it or th’ name o’ th’ man what ‘ired us, but just know it’s in Lunnon! Please don’t ‘urt me no more.”
Matthew rolled the thug over, took a rope from Peter, and tied him up. Matthew threw the bastard over his horse, took his sons from Peter, cradled them in their slings, and mounted his horse. Peter took the reins of the horse carrying the thug and pulled it behind his. They stopped at the first coaching inn they came to, and Matthew paid for a room so he could clean his sons up.
When Matthew tried to remove their dirty linen, it stuck to them, so he had to wait for the water. It was obvious that they hadn’t been changed the entire time they’d been gone. When the tub of warm water arrived, Matthew began bathing them, but they remained asleep, which frightened Matthew since his sons should have responded when he put them in the bath. Their linen was stuck to their skin, and he had to soak it to get it off their bottoms and their little legs.
When Matthew saw the red welts all over their groin, buttocks, and thighs, he wanted to go downstairs and beat that thug into a blooding pulp again. Once he had them cleaned up, the innkeeper’s wife brought him some clean linen so he could use them as nappies. His sons finally began to whimper. Before long, they were crying loudly.
Matthew knew they were starving and sent Peter to find some milk. The innkeeper’s wife brought him some goat’s milk, and once his sons were fed, they fell back to sleep.
Thank God they were alive.
Now he had to get them home so he could go after Helen.
Who would do this horrible deed?
He wished that the thug had at least given him a name. Then he would have a clue as to who was behind the abduction.
The next day, Matthew and Peter arrived home with the children, and he turned his sons over to the wet nurse. Finally, he knew his sons were safe and would be cared for. Mildred crooned gently to his sons, then said, “Milord, I’ll put some salve on their little bottoms, and they’ll be right as rain in no time. I promise t’ take good care o’ both o’ th’ little tikes.” Once his sons were settled, Matthew sent a message to Sanderford, hoping he could get the search for Helen started.
Matthew turned the thug over to the magistrate, but before he did, he made the bastard describe the person who hired him. All the thug could really tell him was that the man was medium height and overweight, with light brown hair and brown eyes. There were no distinguishing marks on the man, but he did tell him that he spoke and dressed like a gentleman.
As much as Matthew wanted to leave immediately to go find Helen, he knew he had to get some sleep. Once he knew his sons would be fine, he went to bed and slept for about eight hours.
When he got up, Peter was already up and ready to leave. “You need to let me come with you. I promise I won’t slow you down. I’m excellent on horseback. Besides, you’re going to need help when you get to London. I can help you look for her.”
Matthew sighed. “Peter, I appreciate your help, and you’ve already proven to me that you can keep up, so I definitely want you to come with me. Make sure you send a note to Margaret letting her know what’s going on. I’m sure she must be worried.”
Before they left, Matthew ordered Wells to hire some guards and told him to make sure his sons were never left alone for any reason, not even for five minutes. Whoever was behind this could try to steal the twins again, and he wasn’t taking any chances. Matthew knew Helen must be out of her mind at the thought of what could be happening to her children.
They made it to London in two days because they only stopped to change horses and get a bite to eat. They went straight to Sanderford House and Melody greeted them. “Matthew, Henry’s already begun the search for Helen. I know you want to go find her, but you look exhausted, and if you get sick you won’t be able to search for her at all. Henry’s out there right now with Weston and Hayden. They’re combing all the brothels in town. He’ll find her. Let me show you to your rooms so you can get some rest. I promise I’ll wake you just as soon as Henry gets back.”
Matthew went upstairs to his room and climbed into the bed without even removing his clothes and fell into an exhausted sleep. Since he’d only slept for no more than twelve hours in the last week, he slept for ten hours straight. When he woke up, he ordered a bath and shaved. When he arrived downstairs, Melody told him that Henry was still out searching, but he’d sent word that he would be home soon. Matthew went into the breakfast room and filled a plate. He didn’t feel like eating, but he knew Melody was right—he needed to eat so he didn’t get sick. Peter was already in the breakfast room when he got there.
Peter took a sip of his coffee, and then set it down. “You look better. Were you able to sleep? I was so exhausted I slept like the dead.”
“Yes, and I feel ready to get out there and find my wife. I just wish Sanderford would get back so I can find out what he’s been doing.” Just as he was finishing his breakfast, Sanderford arrived. He looked like hell, and it was obvious he hadn’t slept for quite a while. After Sanderford entered the breakfast room, Matthew jumped up out of his seat, sending it crashing to the floor. “Sanderford, have you gotten any leads on where my wife is? Where have you been concentrating your search?”
