Reforming the Duke

by Keira Montclair

  “How did you get her name?” Philip asked. He needed to know if he could trust her.

  “She told me. I found her in a room tied to all the bedposts. Stinky and Candie had just left. Sara, Lady Downey, she said she could send me to a duke and an earl, and they would pay me good money to help her. I hate it there, but I didn’t want my legs broken. I didn’t want her to be hurt either. So when they took her away, and you showed up… Well, it made me think I might take a chance. Sara said she would hire me to sew for her. I would be happy to work for a lady like her. Or to do anything, really. I’ve only been there a short time, you know. Ever since my father sold me ’cause he lost on the horses. And he won’t take me back. I seen it in his eyes; he won’t even look at me now. He’s ashamed of me.” Tears filled the girl’s eyes as she talked. She brushed them away forcefully.

  Philip could not believe his ears. He let her babble on because he simply couldn’t speak. Such heartless cruelty. He was sick to his stomach at the prospect of getting to the wharf too late or not being able to find Sara in time. How could he possibly find the correct ship quickly enough? They were so close to finding her, but it still might not be enough.

  “Don’t worry, Miss Alyssa.” Adam rubbed her arms to comfort her. “I’m not sure Sara will want her shop open, but either way, we’ll help you find another job. What can you do?”

  “Adam!” he barked.

  “What? Perhaps she can bake or sew or clean. I’m sure Mother could find a place for her. She is always looking for good servants.”

  “I used to bake a lot of pies and pastries for my church. The reverend, he loved my apple pies and strawberry tarts.”

  “There you go, Philip. She can bake. We will bring you to see our mother right after we find Lady Downey.”

  “Do you think she will like me?” Alyssa stared up at Adam with wide eyes.

  “Surely she will,” he said, tightening his grip around her shoulder.

  “Alyssa, I am sure our mother will take care of you,” Philip said. “We need you to help us now, though. Can you think of any more details about the carriage Stubby is driving? Or which ship Sara could be in?”

  Alyssa stared at the roof for a second, “I have seen the carriage, but I can’t remember…”

  “Well, think! We need to know now!” he ordered.

  Alyssa jumped in her seat and clung to Adam, who glared at him. “I don’t think you are helping, Philip.”

  “Forgive me, Alyssa, I am distraught. Please try to think.”

  “Yes, Your Grace, I am trying my best.” She fingered her skirt as she spoke, her eyes darting from Adam to Philip.

  Fortunately, Ardleigh and Graham had followed them in their change of course. When both carriages met at the docks, they had a quick meeting and split into pairs again to attempt to ferret out any information from any locals. After fifteen minutes, they regrouped.

  “Nobody is saying anything, Brentwood,” Ardleigh said. “They are all tight-lipped. Doesn’t matter how much money I show. The area is too large. There are too many ships. We need a better plan.” The man’s exasperation was clear to everyone.

  “We will find her. Ridley, you and Ben hit a couple of the local taverns and see what you can find out. Graham, find the shipping office and see which ones are leaving in the next twenty-four hours, and where they’re going. Take Ardleigh with you. Adam and I are headed toward the end of the docks. We will work our way in. Meet back here in thirty minutes.”

  The two of them climbed back into the carriage, which Alyssa had not left, and headed down to the end of the wharf. He couldn’t believe the cacophony of voices, peddlers, shipmen. It would be so easy to get lost in this crowd—a thought that sent a shock of fear down his back. After disembarking, they headed toward the last dock. There were two ships loading. The larger one at the end appeared to be a freighter.

  “Wait, please, stop for a moment!” Alyssa had her head tipped toward the sky and was slowly turning in a circle, looking around.

  Philip’s impatience got the best of him. “What? What is it, Alyssa?”

  “Something, I don’t know for sure.” Her gaze roamed the area as she spoke.

  “There!” She pointed to an old carriage, hidden by two ramshackle buildings. “Right there, that’s it. That’s Stubby’s carriage!”

  Philip took off toward the carriage. He flung the door open and quickly lumbered two steps back, covering his nose. “Bloody hell, that man rots!” He forced himself to search the interior but found nothing.

  “That’s how I knew he was nearby. I caught his smell in the wind.” Alyssa nodded her head proudly.

  “Well done, Alyssa, but there’s no one inside.” Philip turned and searched the docks for anyone resembling Stinky or Sara. “But they can’t be far.”

  Graham came barreling down the street, yelling to them as he went. “Philip, the only two ships leaving”—he stopped to catch his breath—“are those two.”

  Ardleigh caught up with them, the other three not far behind.

  “Great.” Philip smiled. He sensed they were close now. “Then we only have two ships to search. Adam, take Alyssa back to our carriage. I don’t want Stinky to see her. Graham, you and Ben stay here with Ardleigh. Keep your eye on everything and everyone coming and going from those two ships. Ridley, you’re with me.”

  Philip headed down to the end of the dock. The freighter was the larger of the two ships. The second one looked more like a privately owned pleasure vessel and sat opposite the freighter on the other side of the dock. He decided it was probably for a wealthy individual and so there wouldn’t be many places to hide. They headed for the freighter. There had to be many places where someone could stow a prisoner on a freighter.

  When they reached the end of the dock, he shouted to the captain of the ship to allow them aboard.

  He was waved on, and with his hands fisted at his sides, Philip climbed to the gangway to board the ship. He would find her. He had to.

  He loved Sara, he needed her, and his life would be nothing without her.

  ***

  Sara was locked inside a large trunk, rolling on some kind of cart. She had a small source of light through two holes, but she couldn’t see or hear anything. Once she was put on the boat, she probably would have no way out. She might never be free again.

  This was her last chance. No matter how much pain it would cause, she tried her best to bounce in the trunk. If she could just rock it enough for someone to see it, maybe they’d free her. Maybe she’d be saved.

  Before she could try again, her weight shifted as if she were being steered up a steep incline, probably onto the boat.

  ***

  Philip shook hands with the captain of the ship and introduced himself. “I am looking for a beautiful young woman who has been kidnapped and brought to the docks to be sold. Have you seen anyone brought on board against their will?”

  “Your Grace, I understand your plight and your urgency, but we would never allow anyone to bring someone aboard against their will.” The man tugged on the collar around his neck. Sweat broke out on his brow. He was clearly nervous. Did he have something to hide, or did the line of questioning simply discomfit him?

  “How many passengers do you have?” Philip asked.

  “Less than ten and our accommodations are not comfortable. We deal mostly in trade.”

  “And do you trade humans, Captain?” His jaw came up a notch as he stared at the captain.

  “No, sir, we don’t. This is a legal operation. We follow all regulations. There is no young girl on this ship, I guarantee you.”

  Philip had to admit the man looked incensed at the mere suggestion. Would a guilty man be able to put on such a show?

  “Do you mind if we search your cabins, Captain?”

  “Yes, I do. You will only slow us down. We have to get moving. You have taken enough of my time already. Please remove yourselves from my ship.” As he spoke, two burly men came up behind him.

  Philip glanced at R
idley and turned to leave. He headed down the plank in time to see a man pushing a cart with a large trunk on it toward the smaller ship.

  ***

  In the confines of the small box, Sara willed her body to calm. In order to survive this imprisonment, she needed to be calm, to be in control. Her tongue touched the fabric stuck in her mouth and she choked. Ignore the sour-tasting gag. You are strong, you have value, you can do this. Your moment will arrive. You must be ready when it does. The smell of dead fish assaulted the fine hairs in her nostrils. Rough movements jarred her senses again as her new prison bounced over what sounded like old rickety boards. How long could she endure her stifling prison?

  Perhaps it was hopeless. She had been sold as if she were a piece of raw meat, and now was about to sail across the ocean. Philip would never find her. Never, ever, ever…

  Her eyes closed as she fought for a very shallow breath. The next one was even shallower. Maybe it was time to stop fighting. Maybe this was it, where everything ended.

  Her eyes flew open.

  Philip! I love you. Don’t give up on me. Please find me.

  She kicked her legs as hard as she could. How she wished she could get this awful gag out of her mouth so she could shout his name out loud. Twisting and throwing her shoulders inside the small compartment, she rocked and rocked and rocked…

  She rocked as hard as she could until the entire trunk swayed under her weight.

  Philip!

  ***

  He spun around to face the smaller boat behind him. Something bothered him about the man and his cargo. It didn’t have anything to do with the man’s face, which he couldn’t see, so perhaps it was the way he was walking? He watched as the man turned and struggled to push the cart up the plank to the ship.

  Then it dawned on him. The trunk on the cart was moving. Moving?

  Sara?

  He yanked his pistol out and bellowed at the man, “Stay where you are!”

  Philip charged the man, Ridley following him. The man released the cart at once, turning and racing back up the dock as fast as he could.

  “Stop!” Philip yelled. Stinky, it had to be, he was sure of it. The vile man paused for a moment to glance over his shoulder at them. Philip took aim and fired, intent on injuring him so he could not escape. Stinky yelled and grabbed the back of his leg.

  He continued running, much slower due to the leg injury.

  Philip shouted out to his brother and Ardleigh, who were approaching the docks. “Stop him! He’s the one!”

  Stinky made it to the end of the dock and headed up the street, but when he saw the two men charging toward him, he changed direction abruptly, darting directly in the path of two grays pulling a carriage.

  One of the grays bucked at the loud sound, but the beast couldn’t pull away from the carriage. Philip, Graham, Ardleigh, and Ridley all watched as the horse reared up on its hind legs in fear. The animal’s hooves crushed into Stinky and pinned him to the ground. The impact must have snapped his neck.

  Philip didn’t hesitate. He rushed back to the cart and moved the trunk carefully so he could open it.

  All the while, he prayed.

  Please, God, let her be in here, let her be alive. I promise to cherish her and love her for the rest of my life. You sent her to me. Please, let us carry out the plan You have for us. I love her!

  He opened the trunk, and almost collapsed at what he found. Sara’s beautiful green eyes stared up at him. She was contorted, dirty, tangled, clearly in pain, bruised—and the most beautiful sight he had ever been blessed to see. Philip had to restrain himself from shouting out his joy. His eyes searched hers as he yanked her gag off and helped her sit. Rather than cut her bindings immediately, he let her stretch out. She was clearly in pain from the position she had been forced into.

  Framing her face with both hands, he kissed her lips softly. “I love you, Sara,” he whispered. He held his forehead to hers and sighed, oblivious to everything around him but her, his life. He kissed the tears from her cheeks. “I am so sorry, so sorry. I will never let anything happen to you again.” He fought his own tears, finally pulling back to look at her again, wanting to make sure she was truly all right.

  Sara gazed up at him. “I knew you would find me, Philip. Thank you. Thank you for not giving up on me. I was so frightened.”

  “Where were they taking you? Do you know the man in that boat?”

  She glanced over her shoulder just as the fair-haired dandy came onto the deck of his ship. His eyes widened at the sight of Philip. “Yes. He paid Stinky money for me. He was going to…”

  “Never mind,” he said at once. She’d suffered enough and didn’t need to recount what the bastards had planned to do. Moving slowly, gently, he lifted her out of her prison and set her on the deck. “Pardon me,” he whispered. “I promise to be right back.”

  Allowing the anger that had been building inside him all day to flare to life, he surged down the dock and jumped onto the dandy’s boat. The man had disappeared, but unless he’d dived into the water, there was only one place he could be—in the living area beneath the deck. The small door was locked, but the duke gave it one powerful kick, then another. It burst open and he charged toward the man.

  “You can’t touch me! I’ll destroy you!” the man shrieked.

  Philip threw his fist into his face, a satisfying crunch ringing out at the same time as the bastard howled. He dragged him up out of the boat and onto the docks. Ardleigh was already making his way toward him, along with Ben and Graham.

  Oddly enough, the boat he was on suddenly left the dock. He couldn’t help but smile about that end.

  “Escort this fool to the horse patrol,” Philip said. “Have him arrested for attempted kidnapping. I’ll fill out all the paperwork later.”

  A small scuffle followed, but the fair-haired man was too upset about his broken nose to put up much of a fight. Philip’s brothers and Ardleigh escorted him down the dock, taking him out of Sara’s line of sight.

  Philip lifted her gingerly in his arms, kissed the top of her head, and carried her down the dock toward the carriage. When they reached the carriage, Adam and Alyssa bolted out.

  “You found her!” Alyssa exclaimed, her eyes bright with excitement.

  “See, Alyssa, you did help us,” Adam said, giving her a quick hug. “Come, we’ll find another way out of here.”

  “Wait,” Sara shouted. “Don’t take her back! Philip, please do not let her go back there. It is a horrid place. She can work for me. Alyssa, thank you. Please, Adam, bring her to the Ardleighs. We will take care of her.”

  Philip kissed her head and said, “Don’t worry, love, we will find a place for her.”

  Ridley helped him get Sara inside the carriage. After they cut her bindings, the investigator climbed up to the driver’s seat. They were about to leave, when Graham and Ardleigh jumped in the back.

  Philip glared at them both. He’d wanted to be alone with Sara, and they bloody well knew it.

  “Sorry, Philip,” Graham said with a shrug, “but Adam wanted to take the phaeton with Alyssa. Ben’s driving.”

  “Just close the door. I want to get her home,” Philip said.

  As soon as Ardleigh got a good look at Sara, he lost all the color in his face. “Oh, my word.”

  “Damnation, Philip,” Graham whispered.

  Sara’s limbs still looked unnaturally twisted. Her face bore black and blue marks, and she had a huge bump on her head. Philip tried to straighten her legs, but Sara moaned and pleaded with her eyes, “No, please, Philip. It hurts too much.”

  “Maybe it’s best to let them release on their own, Brentwood,” Ardleigh said softly.

  Philip gently pressed Sara’s head down against his shoulder. He didn’t have the heart to see the pain in her face. “Sara, I think you need to move them yourself. Start with your toes and wiggle them slowly. Have you been bound for a long time?”

  Her head nodded into his shoulder while her good hand clenched his shi
rt. Her injured arm and fingers had not moved yet. He noticed her fingers had a dusky, pale shade to them he didn’t like. He rapped his knuckles on the roof to get Ridley to hurry, then attempted to support her legs without causing her any additional pain.

  “When we get her to my place, I will summon the physician to help her,” Ardleigh said. “We will take care of you, Sara. You need worry about nothing.”

  “She is not going with you. She is going to my place,” Philip calmly stated.

  “Bloody hell, no, Brentwood. That is improper and you know it.”

  “Ardleigh, you have no say. She is going home with me. We will be getting married soon enough. I have had enough of wondering what is to happen to her next. She stays with me. I will take care of her. You will have to shoot me to do otherwise.”

  “Sara, do you agree to this? If not, you may certainly return to my home. Sara?” Ardleigh waited for her answer.

  She picked her head up just enough to nod her head in agreement. The pain in her eyes was enough to stop their arguing.

  Chapter Thirty-Four

  Philip stepped inside the door of Hearthstone Manor with Sara in his arms. His mother and Phoebe ran over to see how she fared.

  He headed to the stairway, refusing to stop. He needed to get her to a comfortable bed as soon as possible. “Do not touch her, Mother. She is in a great deal of pain.”

  “Well, at least you have found her. Bring her up to the guest room, and I will help her get cleaned up.” The dowager turned to give orders to the maids.

  “No, I will take care of her. I want the bath filled in the duchess’s room. She was bound for a long time, and I think the warm water will help her muscles to relax. I will tend her myself.”

  “Certainly not, Philip.” His mother’s hands went to her hips as she stared at her son. “No one has been in that room since Caroline left. It is meant for your wife. What you ask is totally improper.”

  “You are mistaken, Mother, I did not ask.” He looked over her head and addressed the maids. “I want steaming hot water brought to the duchess’s dressing room along with tea and biscuits, please, and some cheese and fruit.”