“Ah, you saw Miss Unity as well? And Miss Sophia?”
Edwin hid his grin. “Why yes, I saw all the sisters. The two younger accompanied Miss Walters and I on our walk.”
“How lovely.” Edwin could see Habtage was burning to ask him more, but he kept his eagerness to gather information on Miss Unity contained.
Edwin decided to show some mercy to his friend. Leaning forward in his chair, he clasped his hands together and chuckled.
“Miss Unity sends her regards by the way. She hoped you would call on her soon.”
Habtage’s face lit up with excitement. “Yes, I must do so. Perhaps I will join you the next time you call upon them?”
“I intend to go again tomorrow. You are most welcome to join me.”
Habtage nodded in satisfaction and leaned back in his seat, opening the paper back up to read once more. Edwin shook his head and grinned.
Perhaps I am not the only one who will soon be taking a Walters sister as a wife.
* * *
Tabitha could not stop thinking of her fight with Sophia well into the afternoon. She paced the length of her room, trying to hang onto her elation over her engagement while also battling her anger at her sister. In the end, though, it was no use. She could not revel in her happiness with her strife with Sophia hanging over her head.
Releasing a heavy sigh, she determined to find Sophia and try to mend things between them. She did not like when they were at odds with each other. Leaving her room, she made her way through the house, searching for her youngest sister.
She did not find her in her bedroom, the parlor, the library, the kitchen, or any of the other usual spots Sophia might frequent. Tabitha searched a few unusual spots, including their Papa’s study, but still, her sister was nowhere to be found. It did not occur to her to worry until she wandered outside and did not find Sophia anywhere in the garden or near the house.
A small amount of concern pricked at her heart.
Perhaps she went for a walk to cool her head?
Tabitha clung to that thought to keep her from panicking as she hurried back into the house. She found Mr. Neil and questioned him as to Sophia’s whereabouts.
“I have not seen Miss Sophia for some time, Madam,” he replied with a furrowed brow.
“Could she have taken a maid out with her, do you think?” Tabitha asked, her heart in her throat.
Mr. Neil appeared thoughtful for a moment. “Perhaps, though it is highly unlikely a member of the staff would leave the premises without first informing me. The maid that accompanied Miss Unity into town, for example, relayed her absence to me. It is expected of each employee.”
“Would you mind gathering the staff and finding out if anyone is missing, or if anyone has seen my sister?”
“Of course, Madam,” Mr. Neil said with a bow before hurrying off to do as she had asked.
While the butler questioned the staff, Tabitha searched the house a second time. By the time she had finished, her heart was racing madly.
Where is Sophia?
She was hurrying back toward the second-floor landing when she heard the front door open and close. Picking up her skirts, she ran the rest of the way, praying it was her youngest sister returning from some outing. When she reached the top of the staircase, she came to a halt and felt her hope dash into pieces.
It was Unity, not Sophia.
Unity gazed up at her with a frown as she handed her parasol to a waiting footman.
“Tabitha? Are you all right? You appear rather devastated about something.”
“Have you seen Sophia anywhere?” Tabitha asked, not wasting any time.
Unity slowly shook her head. “No…not since this morning. Why do you ask?”
Tabitha descended the stairs to join her sister. “I cannot find her anywhere.”
“Did she go out?”
Tabitha shrugged. “I do not know. Mr. Neil is supposed to be questioning the staff to see if a maid went with her and perhaps did not let him know.”
Unity took a breath, fighting to control the worry Tabitha could see flash in her eyes.
“Well, there is no reason to panic,” her sister insisted in a calm tone. “I am sure Sophia just wandered off without thinking, or something of the sort.”
“I do not think…” Tabitha began, but was interrupted by the appearance of Mr. Neil. She did not like his defeated expression.
“Miss Walters, Miss Unity, I have spoken with the entire staff, and I am afraid all are accounted for and no one knows where Miss Sophia could be.”
Tabitha felt as though the world turned off balance in that moment. She stared at the butler in horror as Unity let out a startled gasp. It was her worst fear come true. A little voice had been nagging at her mind that something was not right. Sophia would not just leave without telling anyone where she was going, and certainly not without a chaperone.
She was nowhere in the house. Nowhere on the grounds.
Sophia was simply gone.
Chapter 32
Edwin arrived at Tabitha’s house the next morning in high spirits. Habtage was with him, and he could sense the anticipation thrumming through the gentleman’s body. They were both excited to see their preferred Walters sister again.
I am excited to see my betrothed.
Oh, how he enjoyed using that word.
Arriving at the house, they were surprised to find no one waiting for them. No grooms appeared to take their horses, and when they knocked on the door, there was no answer.
Edwin frowned and shared a glance with Habtage. His friend looked equally baffled.
“Perhaps they have gone out?” he asked.
“So early?” Edwin did not think so. Besides, even if the family had stepped out, that did not account for the apparent lack of servants.
He knocked on the door again, harder this time. After several moments more of nothing, it finally opened and they were greeted by a harried looking Mr. Neil.
“Good day, My Lords,” he said, though his voice shook.
“Good day,” Edwin replied. “We have come to call on Miss Walters and Miss Unity.”
The butler appeared hesitant for a moment.
“My Lords, I do not know that Miss Walters and Miss Unity wish to see anyone at present…”
Edwin furrowed his brows. “Why ever not?”
“I…it is not my place to say, My Lord.”
“Then perhaps you should at least ask the ladies if they wish to see us?” Habtage suggested in a calm tone.
The butler appeared torn for several moments, then gave a single jerk of his chin before stepping aside to allow them to enter. There was a great commotion coming from the upstairs of the house when Edwin and Habtage stepped inside. It sounded as though people were crying and shouting. Startled, Edwin turned back to the butler.
“What is happening here?”
Mr. Neil released a heavy sigh and shook his head sadly. “Miss Sophia has vanished. The Baron and his other daughters are beside themselves with worry.”
“What?” Habtage exclaimed.
Edwin did not wait for further explanation. He took off through the house. Reaching the stairs, he readied to rush up them when Tabitha appeared on the landing above him. She came to a sudden halt when she spotted him. Her eyes were red and her face wet with tears.
“Edwin?” she murmured.
“Tabitha, I have just heard the terrible news,” he said. “What do you think could have happened?”
As though in a daze, she began descending the stairs toward him.
“Nobody knows,” she whispered, her voice raw and hollow. “My sister and I had a terrible fight yesterday. I was so angry with her, but I wanted to apologize. I…I tried to find her, but I could not. She was nowhere in the house or on the grounds…”
She was babbling, her distress over the situation clear. When she was within arm’s reach, he took her by the hands and gently pulled her the rest of the way down and into his embrace. Holding her to his chest, he ran his
fingers along her hair and whispered words he hoped were comforting into her ear.
“It is all right, my darling. We will find her. I will do everything I can to help.”
Clutching his jacket, she began to sob, her face pressed against him.
“I was so angry with her! What if she is hurt? What if…what if…?”
“Do not think that way,” Edwin insisted. “Your sister is very capable of taking care of herself. She will be all right, we just have to find her.”
The sudden sound of a throat clearing startled them both. Glancing up, Edwin found Habtage staring at them with raised brows.
“And what, pray tell, is going on here?” his friend questioned.
Tabitha slowly worked her way out of Edwin’s arms, though he hated letting her go when she was in such a state.
“I apologize for the inappropriate display, My Lord,” she stammered, dropping into a curtsy. “Lord Morrington was only offering me comfort during this difficult time.”
Habtage’s expression softened. “Your butler informed us that Miss Sophia has gone missing. What exactly has happened?”
She sniffled. “She disappeared yesterday late in the afternoon. We have searched the entire estate for her, but all we were able to discover was her handkerchief lying at the end of the drive.”
“Could she have gone somewhere without telling any of you?” Edwin asked.
Tabitha looked back at him and shook her head. “We questioned every member of the staff, but none recall seeing her leave, and none escorted her anywhere. She would not have gone without a chaperone at the least, but she would have certainly told one of us where she was going. This is not like her at all.”
Edwin did not want to ask her the obvious next question, but he did not see how it could be avoided.
“Do you…do you believe someone may have taken her?”
Tabitha’s shoulder stiffened and her eyes went wide as she stared at him. At length, however, she slowly nodded.
“I think it may be possible.”
“But who?” Habtage asked with a furrowed brow. “For what purpose?”
“I do not know…”
“Tabitha? Has Papa returned yet?”
Edwin, Habtage, and Tabitha all turned to glance up the stairs just as Miss Unity appeared. She was as disheveled looking as her older sister, and stopped short when she realized Tabitha was not alone.
“Oh! I did not realize…My Lords, I…”
She was clearly thrown off balance by their presence. Habtage stepped to the bottom of the staircase and gazed up at her with a tender expression.
“Miss Unity, your sister has just been telling us about Miss Sophia.” His voice was gentle, as if he feared breaking her with his words. “Lord Morrington and I intend to help you recover her.”
Miss Unity released a small cry and hurried down the stairs toward him. She flung her arms around his neck and hugged him tight, giving no care to propriety and decorum. There was really no room for such things at present. A crisis lay before them.
“Did you just ask if the Baron had returned?” Edwin glanced between both sisters. “Is he not here with you?”
Tabitha shook her head. “No, he went with a group of the staff early this morning to search. We had informed the authorities of her disappearance as soon as we realized she was gone, but there has been no word from them, so father decided to go searching himself. Unfortunately, we have not heard if they have been successful or not.”
“Which has to mean they have not,” Miss Unity wailed.
“Let us not draw any conclusion yet,” Edwin said as calmly as he could. “Once the Baron returns, Lord Habtage and I will offer what help we can to him.”
“Thank you, that is very kind of you,” Tabitha murmured, meeting his gaze. Emboldened by Habtage and Miss Unity’s own embrace, Edwin reached out and took Tabitha’s hand in his, squeezing it.
“We will find her,” he assured her, his voice hard with conviction. “I swear we will.”
Chapter 33
By the time the Baron returned home, the sisters were subdued, but obviously still anxious. The four of them all waited in the parlor together, and while Edwin and Habtage took seats across from each other, Tabitha and Miss Unity paced frantically back and forth.
When Lord Narnwood walked into the room, he looked surprised as his gaze slid between Edwin and Habtage as they stood to bow to him.
“My Lords, I apologize for being away when you arrived,” he said, bowing to each of them in turn. “I am afraid you have found yourself in the middle of a crisis of sorts.”
Tabitha and Miss Unity both ran to him.
“Did you find her?” Miss Unity asked in a breathless voice.
“Is there any sign of her?” Tabitha asked at nearly the same time.
Releasing a heavy sigh, the Baron reached into his jacket and pulled out a small object.
“I am afraid we have not found her.” His voice was laced with misery. “But we did find this.”
He handed the object to Tabitha, who stared down at it in shock.
“Her pocket mirror,” she gasped. “Where did you find this?”
“It was lying on the road, just as her handkerchief had been. It was…it was in close proximity to Lord Burrows’s residence.”
The room went deathly silent at this news.
“Lord Burrows?” Tabitha murmured. “You do not think…could he have…Papa?”
“Did you go to his house?” Edwin asked.
Lord Narnwood nodded. “Yes, I did. I was informed, however, that he had left for London late last night on urgent business.”
Left for London? In the cover of dark?
“Were you able to search the house at all?” Habtage questioned, moving to stand next to Edwin.
“We did,” the Baron confirmed. “But there was no sign of my daughter.”
Edwin had little doubt that that was because she was in London with Lord Burrows.
Why would he do such a thing, though? Why would he steal Miss Sophia away?
He had always suspected Lord Burrows of being somewhat unhinged, but to kidnap a fifteen-year-old girl?
That is monstrous.
“My Lord, I shall leave for London at once,” Edwin announced. Tabitha turned to stare at him in awe, but he kept his focus on her father. “If she is there, I can discover Miss Sophia’s whereabouts and bring her home.”
“I shall go as well,” Habtage said, clapping Edwin on the shoulder. “It will be better to have us both searching the city for her.”
The Baron’s eyes grew misty as he stared at Edwin and Habtage, but he kept a tight hold on his composure and gave them each a curt nod.
“Your help is immensely appreciated, My Lords. I do not know how I will ever be able to repay you.”
Edwin slid his eyes to Tabitha for a moment before returning them to her father.
“No repayment will be necessary, My Lord. We are always willing to help our friends.”
“Come, Lord Morrington, if we leave now we can be in London this afternoon yet,” Habtage said.
Edwin glanced toward his friend and nodded. “Right. Let us be off then.” He could not leave without saying goodbye to Tabitha, however, and turned back to her. Though she stood next to her father, he could not stop himself from saying, “I will see you soon.”
She gave him a small, shaky smile. “I will hold you to your promise, My Lord. Find my sister, and return here as quickly as you can.”
Edwin nodded, and after on last lingering look, turned and hurried from the house with Habtage.
* * *
What in the hell am I going to do?
He swirled his crystal glass, though his eyes did not focus the amber liquid inside as it sloshed from side to side. His mind was a riot, more so than usual, and he knew he may have just made a fatal error.
You have kidnapped a Lord’s daughter. They will search for her. They will hunt you!
“My Lord, are you going to join me?”
> Victor turned in his chair to gaze at the woman waiting for him on the bed on the opposite side of the room. She laid on her side, naked already except for the silk sheet draped about her waist. He eyed her exposed breasts, but it was her red hair that caused his manhood to stiffen.
Improperly Enticed By The Rascal Earl (Steamy Historical Regency Romance) Page 25
