“Why would he take Vincent?”
Parr cleared his throat. “I’m sure it has something to do with the earldom. Have you heard him mention that or his feeling cheated when he found out Vincent had taken his rightful place?”
“No. All I know is what he told us about living in India.”
A footman opened the drawing room door and stepped inside.
“Come, the carriage awaits,” Gabriel said.
She walked alongside Gabriel, and Parr followed. No one said a word, but Savannah was grateful she had these two strong men with her. On her own, she might not fare so well.
* * *
Sky View was lit up with torches when they arrived. Savannah descended from the carriage and rushed to the house before Gabriel could even help her down. Inside, they were met by a distraught Higgins, who took the young earl’s disappearance personally.
“Higgins, it’s not your fault,” Savannah told the butler.
Gabriel interrupted. “I’ve sent Parr to talk with the footmen who were on the grounds at the time of Vincent’s disappearance. They’ll tell us where they’ve already searched for the boy.” He turned to Higgins. “Have the stables been checked?”
“Yes, Your Grace, and the greenhouse as well. The maids have checked every room in the house, as well as the basement. If he’s here, he’s hiding well.”
“Did anyone see Dawson this evening?”
“He went to the village to eat. Told Cook not to go to all the fuss of preparing dinner for one.”
“And he never returned?” Savannah asked.
“No, madam.”
“Has anyone told Lady Dorset?”
“No, madam. No one wished to wake her until you were informed.” Higgins was stoic as always, ready to do whatever was asked of him.
Savannah nodded, then lifted her skirts and turned toward the door.
“Where are you going?” Gabriel asked.
“To wake the dowager countess, of course.”
Chapter Twenty-two
It didn’t surprise Gabriel at all that Savannah took matters into her own hands. She stayed on top of everything that was going on as they searched for young Vincent. Certainly, she was worried, but he knew her well enough to recognize this was all a cover to keep her emotions in check so she didn’t break down.
Parr returned, finding no sign of either Vincent or Mortimer. Gabriel began to wonder if they were even in the area. They would have been able to put considerable distance between them if the man had planned this in the first place. Parr thought the same thing and suggested they send for the local authorities. It was clear as day this was a kidnapping.
As dawn began to break and weary searchers returned to Sky View empty-handed, Savannah made sure everyone was fed and plenty of coffee and tea made available. She appeared tired, dark circles beneath her eyes as she pushed a serving cart containing tea into his study. No English lady would have taken on the difficult task, but would have left the work to servants. His heart swelled with pride that his future duchess was not afraid to do what needed to be done.
“Lady Dorset? How was she?” he asked as he accepted a cup from her.
“Hysterical, of course. I wouldn’t expect her to react any other way. She offered to send some men to assist.”
“Good. The more hands, the better,” Gabriel replied.
She passed a cup to Parr, who’d been sitting quietly in a worn leather chair in front of the fire. “I suggested she have her staff go through her house.”
“I imagine she was mortified by that,” Gabriel said quietly.
“Actually, no.”
“It’s probably best you woke her to tell her. Knowing the countess, I’m sure she would have been quite indignant if she found out a search had been going on while she slept.”
Savannah sighed. “What do you suggest we do now? Expand our search?”
“Yes. I’ve sent a man to fetch the authorities. We’ll widen the search once they arrive.”
“Good,” she replied.
Gabriel could see she was far more than fatigued and led her to the other chair by the fire. “Here, sit for a few minutes.”
“But if there’s news or someone needs me...” she protested.
“They’ll know where to find you.”
“What does Mortimer think he’s going to gain by all this? If it’s money he wants...”
“It may well be,” Parr said. “I believe he thought you’d never leave America. That way, he could claim the earldom. You thwarted his plans when you and Vincent arrived.”
“You’re right,” she said softly.
“All we have to do is find out where he’s taken Vincent,” Parr said.
“They could be anywhere.”
“He owns nothing, and as far as Parr’s been able to find out, Mortimer lives in London,” Gabriel said.
“If that’s where he’s taken Vincent, it could take weeks to find them. London’s a huge place, and hiding would not be a problem if you knew where to go,” Parr said.
“Then send men to London to search for him. You’ve got runners working. Use them to flush him out.”
“I’m sending word to my man, explaining the situation and to expand the search,” Parr replied.
She rose from her chair. “I can’t just sit here and do nothing. Vincent is out there with a strange man, who knows where. We must find them.”
“And we will. They’ve got at least a couple of hours’ start on us, and we have no idea where Mortimer would have taken him.”
“Are we overlooking any cottages or buildings on the estate? What about Brook Fall? Is there anywhere he could hide there?”
“There is the tower, but that’s in plain sight,” Gabriel replied. “Now that it’s daylight, we can have the men go through all the empty cottages.”
“He’s not here,” Parr said grimly. “He wouldn’t be so brazen as to keep him so close.”
Gabriel arched a brow. “Where, then?”
“I suggest expanding the search to nearby villages. He’s going to want to stay close to follow what’s going on here.”
“I don’t know what he expects to gain except money.”
The two men looked at each other but said nothing in front of Savannah. He and Parr already knew the man probably wanted what he saw as rightfully his: the earldom. With Vincent out of the way, he could come back to claim it. How long he would remain hidden to do this was undetermined. Gabriel figured him for a greedy man. He’d make a mistake, which was why it was imperative they find the pair soon. The longer it took, the more likely Vincent’s life hung in the balance.
“Why don’t you go lie down for a while? I’ll come get you the moment the constable arrives.”
“I wouldn’t be able to sleep, but I believe I’ll retire upstairs and change.”
Both men stood as Savannah walked across the room and out of sight. Gabriel knew she knew the seriousness of the situation, and why her son was probably taken. She was smart and observant of her surroundings.
“Is there anywhere else we should be looking?” Gabriel asked as he sat next to Parr.
“Not at the moment. As far as we know, he owns no property,” Parr remarked.
“He wouldn’t chance taking Vincent there if he did. He’ll keep him somewhere close, like you said. Perhaps he found a cottage to let,” Gabriel added.
“Or found an old abandoned one,” Parr said.
Gabriel tapped his fingers on the chair arms. “I think we need to check my estate a little closer. There are some old abandoned cottages on the southeast corner. They aren’t in particularly good shape, but would do for a day or two.”
“Shall I send out a party to search the area?”
“Yes, make sure someone from my estate is present. They’ll know where to look.”
As Parr was about to take his leave, Higgins knocked and brought in a message. “This came for Mrs. Dawson, but I was told she is lying down. I thought you should read it.”
He passed the
paper to Gabriel and began to leave, but Gabriel stopped the butler. “Wait.”
He scanned the paper and reread to make sure his eyes hadn’t deceived him the first time.
“Is it from Dawson?”
Gabriel nodded. “Yes. It seems he wants the ten thousand pounds in exchange for Vincent.”
“We were right. He wants money. He says it’s his due for what Roland did to him.”
“I see.” He turned to Higgins. “Who brought this, and are they still here?”
“Yes, a boy brought it. Told me a man who fit Lord Dawson’s description instructed him to bring it to the house in exchange for some coin.”
“Do you recognize the lad?” Gabriel asked.
“No, Your Grace.”
“Very well. See he is fed while I'll come talk to the boy shortly. Perhaps he'll tell me something, like where he picked up the note."”
The butler disappeared, and Gabriel turned to his friend. “This means he isn’t far. He’d never send a boy if he weren’t nearby.”
“I agree. Vincent will slow him down, not to mention he’s going to figure everyone is looking for him. How do you want to play this?”
He knew Savannah was going to be angry with him for making decisions without consulting her, but she needed her rest if she was to be any assistance in finding her son.
“I’m going to acknowledge him and tell him that amount of money simply isn’t lying around. That it’ll take some time to procure it.”
“Ask him how Vincent is.”
“I planned to.”
“I’ll send a runner to follow the boy.”
“Good idea, but make sure it’s someone who will blend in in case Mortimer sees him. I don’t want him spooked.”
Gabriel hurried and penned his reply. He hoped this would buy them enough time in their search. Mortimer was by no means stupid, but the man also didn’t seem to have a real grasp of the world. He thought if he wished it, it would happen. The longer he thought the money was his, the longer he’d treat Vincent with care.
“Go find your man. I’m going to the kitchens to give this to the boy and size him up. I’ll lead him out the kitchen door.”
“I’ll have him close by.”
“I hope this works,” Gabriel muttered. “I hate when children are involved.”
“As do I.”
The two men walked to the grand hall, and Gabriel headed down a back hall toward the kitchens while Parr went in search of the runner.
When Gabriel entered the kitchen, the maids stopped whatever task they were doing. It was highly irregular that a duke come to a kitchen. He ignored them, though he acknowledged the cook, who asked him if she could get him anything. He shook his head and walked toward the boy seated at the well-worn kitchen table. The room was redolent with smells that reminded Gabriel of being a boy and sneaking down to the kitchens at his own home.
“Here is my letter. Where are you to meet the gentleman who paid you?”
“I’m not. I’m to leave it in a special spot. He said too many like you would want to talk to him if we met.”
Gabriel silently cursed. This wasn’t what he intended. He should have known Dawson would take extra precautions. He’d make sure the runner stuck around and waited for the letter to be picked up.
“Very well.” He reached into his waistcoat and pulled out a couple of coins. He placed them in the boy’s hand. “This is for you.”
“Thank you, sir, er, Your Grace.”
Gabriel cocked his head. The boy was observant. He had been paying attention to what was going on around him, or else he wouldn’t have heard the cook refer to him by his title.
He turned on his heel and left the kitchen. Though he could use a couple of hours’ sleep, Gabriel refused to allow himself the luxury. He owed it to Savannah to see that her son was returned safely. He wouldn’t rest until young Vincent was reunited with his mother.
Love. That’s what this must be. It was still hard for him to conceive that he actually loved a woman for who she was and what she thought. He’d resisted long enough, and now he couldn’t wait to make her his wife. She already was his in other ways. There was no reason to put things off. As soon as he could make the arrangements and get the license, they would marry.
He would be better prepared to see to her and Vincent’s safety once they were living at Brook Fall. Nothing could have prevented this turn of events. Dawson had planned this and would have waited until the time was right. They’d left Vincent in capable hands, and Dawson had preyed on that. They’d made it too easy for him.
* * *
Savannah awoke with a start. She’d only meant to come upstairs to change, where she undressed from the gown she’d been wearing since the night before. She had no intention to be gone but a short time. Instead, she’d made the mistake of lying down and falling asleep. She wondered how long she’d slept.
Her maid appeared out of nowhere. “I took the liberty to draw a bath, madam. I thought perhaps you’d like to bathe and freshen up before rejoining the duke and his friend.”
“Thank you.”
She padded into the bathing chamber, removed the remainder of her clothing, and climbed into the tub of warm water. As she did, she picked up Gabriel’s musky scent from their lovemaking the night before. While she desperately tried to convince herself it wasn’t her fault for her son’s abduction, she wondered. Had she stayed at home, would Mortimer have taken Vincent, or had this been spur of the moment? She refused to blame herself. If this had been the man’s intention all along, nothing could have prevented the events of last night from happening.
Vincent would be found because Mortimer wasn’t that smart, nor did he have the means to keep them in hiding. What would happen if he ran out of funds or simply grew tired of the fact she wasn’t going to give in to his demands? Surely, he wouldn’t harm her son.
After dressing, she rejoined Gabriel and Parr, who were standing in the drawing room talking with a man not too much older than Gabriel. He was nodding, and the man who accompanied him was furiously taking notes at a nearby desk. She deducted this man must be the constable.
Introductions were made, then the constable, Tommy Burns, asked Savannah a few questions. Where might Vincent go, who did he know... Certainly, Gabriel must have told him, so the man was asking the wrong set of questions. What concerned her the most was that her young son had been fairly well sheltered since arriving. Most of his contact had been with the people who lived on the estate, and even that had been limited thanks to Lady Dorset.
“If that is all, I’m going to check on Lady Dorset.” She paused and turned to Gabriel. “I’ll need a carriage or even a wagon when I return.”
“Of course. Where are you planning on going?” he asked.
“To Brook Fall. I thought to make sure everyone who is helping out should be fed. If we split the cooking duties, we’ll stop driving both our cooks mad.”
He smiled. “An excellent idea,” he replied. “Let me walk you to the door.”
She said her goodbyes to the constable and Parr before quitting the room with Gabriel right behind her.
“I take it nothing has changed?” she asked.
“No, but these things can take time,” he replied.
“Very well. I’m going to try to talk the dowager countess into rising and coming to oversee making sure everyone has a hot meal as they return. I’ll do the same at Brook Fall.”
He arched a brow and placed his hand on her waist. “I’ll have the carriage readied. I think you’ll find my cook quite well organized.”
“I’m sure I will, but I merely thought to take some of the burden off her. I think both households working together is important right now. Besides, it keeps my mind occupied.”
“I’ll send word if anything changes.”
“Please do, because I got the distinct feeling the constable is one of those men who thinks things like this should be taken care of by the men, and the women need to be sheltered from all of it.”
She paused. “What does that mean? What Roland owes him? Roland never even mentioned him.”
His eyes grew even more serious. ‘Savannah, I didn’t want to say more until my research was complete, but I have reason to suspect your husband may have been involved in something illegal. Before he died he took out a substantial loan, and several of his ships mysteriously disappeared. The man I sent to research the situation has informed me Roland may have been involved in the opium trade, and his ships were sunk by a rival. In fact, that might account for his death as well.”
Her hand flew to her chest. “And where does Mortimer fit in?”
He arched a brow. “I suspect he invested in Roland’s scheme. When Roland died at sea, Mortimer would have lost everything. This is likely why he is demanding ransom now. It’s the only thing that makes sense.”
“Of course.” She stood on tiptoe and kissed his cheek. “Thank you for sharing all this,” she said, adding, “I will check on the dowager. Perhaps she has more information about Mortimer that will help in the search.”
Savannah walked to the dower house, struggling to reconcile the Roland she knew with the blackguard Gabriel described. It was true Roland’s business had consumed his life and taken him away from her and Vincent. As much as she didn’t want to admit it, Gabriel’s assessment rang true. Now there was nothing left to do but defeat Mortimer and rescue her son.
At least they had help now. The constable seemed to know the people of this area quite well, and he knew the terrain like the back of his hand. He mentioned to her he’d lived there all his life, so no one would be able to hide for long. He would find them, probably in some long-abandoned cottage or barn. Not the best scenario when she pictured her son right now, but it was better than them being out in the elements.
She wondered how Vincent was faring. Was he scared, was he cold, was he getting fed? Thankfully, Roland had taken him on hunting trips a few times and had begun to teach Vincent how to survive in the wilderness, something, she always thought him too young for, but Roland had convinced her a boy was never too young to learn survival skills. They would be invaluable to him should he ever need them in the future. She hoped he remembered what his father taught him now.
Wish Upon a Duke Page 18
