Wish Upon a Duke

by Jamie Salisbury

  She found Lady Dorset seated in comfortable floral print chair staring out the window of her sitting room. Having never seen the dowager countess in this state, Savannah was pleasantly surprised by what she found: Lady Dorset having a cup of tea. She wasn’t dressed, but wore a cream-colored dressing gown. She saw Savannah and began to get up. Savannah shook her head.

  “Please, stay seated. No reason to get up.”

  “Is there any word about my grandson?”

  She shook her head. “No, not yet, but I feel confident this constable will find him soon.”

  “Tommy Burns? Yes, I understand he’s one of the best. London tried to recruit him. If anyone can find Vincent, it’ll be Tommy.”

  “That’s good to know.”

  “Now, is there anything I can do to help?” Lady Dorset asked as she set her tea down on the white table next to her. Everything seemed to be done in the white French provincial style that was all the rave in some circles.

  “I wasn’t expecting you to be out of bed, but now that you are, yes. I was going to ask you to go to Sky View and make sure there’s enough food and drink for all the searchers. I know it may overwhelm Cook.”

  “It will. Cooking is her world. Don’t worry, I’ll take care of the rest.”

  “Thank you. I plan to go to Brook Fall and do the same. There is much going on, and the staff are going to be stretched thin.”

  “Fortunately, there are well-organized housekeepers to assist.”

  “I thought it would help for us to be involved as well,” Savannah added.

  “I couldn’t agree more. Give me about an hour to ready myself. If you wish, go on to Brook Fall. I can handle everything here.”

  “Thank you, Lady Dorset.”

  Chapter Twenty-three

  Two more days had come and gone with still no sign of either Dawson or Vincent. Everyone was on edge. Savannah did her best to keep a brave face, when underneath, he knew she was beginning to be anxious. Each day that passed gave her more cause for her to worry.

  The constable had sent word to the small village nearest Mortimer’s home. He wanted to find out what sort of man Dawson was, who knew him, what his habits were. Anything to know the man better, and to figure out why he needed to obtain funds using such drastic measures.

  While they waited for word from the north, the search continued. By now, the search had expanded, trying to take into consideration Dawson might use the dark of night to travel if he felt the need to leave the immediate area.

  Gabriel didn’t think he would risk taking Vincent too far, but at the same time, he might feel comfortable enough to take Vincent somewhere familiar to him, to his home, or close by. He knew Mortimer was smart enough to understand his home would be the first place authorities would search.

  “You look like hell,” Parr told him the third morning.

  His friend was probably right. He’d barely slept, but knew if he did lie down, he’d sleep far too long. He ate only when reminded.

  “Thanks for the update,” he replied sarcastically.

  “Why don’t you go home for a while? Lie down, bathe, shave, eat. You need to have your wits about you.”

  “Thank you for your concern. My valet is here. He brought me what is necessary.”

  “You need to listen to your friend, Gabriel,” Savannah said. “Your things are upstairs in the earl’s bedchamber. Go. Take a bath, change, and lie down. When you’re finished, I’ll have Cook fix us a proper dinner.”

  Seeing he was outnumbered, Gabriel relented. “I’ll do it. However, I do it with one request.”

  “What’s that?” she asked.

  “You wake me immediately should anything happen or change,” he replied as he took Savannah’s hand. “You, my dear, need to do the same.”

  “I already bathed and changed this morning. I slept, even if it was only for a couple of hours. It’s you we’re concerned about.”

  He sighed and, seeing he was outnumbered, retreated from the room. He beckoned Savannah to walk with him. She looked much better than he did. Her moss-green muslin day dress caught his eye. It was a color that suited her.

  “Join me? You could help me wash,” he said.

  “Yes, and if I do, it’ll turn into something else. I can’t, Gabriel. I need to stay focused. When all this is over and Vincent is safely returned...”

  “I plan on obtaining a special license, and we’ll marry quickly. I’ll not have you or Vincent living anywhere but under my roof.”

  “Very well. Agreed.”

  When they reached the bottom of the staircase, he took her in an embrace. “I’ve missed this,” he whispered.

  “As have I. Very much so, but you must go. Have Burns find me when you’ve awakened.”

  “I will, though I’d rather you come with me.”

  “Gabriel, go.”

  He kissed her lightly on the lips and she watched him as he headed up the stairs. She returned to where Parr stood looking out a window, hands in his pockets. He turned in her direction. “You know you’re good for him.”

  “How do you mean?”

  “He’s not as restless. You’ve given him purpose.”

  “I can’t take credit for that. He’s maturing with life’s situations.”

  “Do you know he’s even talking about taking his seat in Parliament?”

  She shook her head. “No, but then we haven’t had much time to speak privately.”

  “He dotes on your son and loves you in ways I never imagined he could.”

  Smiling she sat before the hearth, where a fire blazed. The seasons were beginning to change, but today, rain seemed likely, making the air cooler. “Has he told you I was quite leery of him when we first arrived. I wasn’t sure what to make of him.”

  “I was surprised when he told me that he’d agreed to mentor your son. It’s so out of character for him.”

  “And now?”

  “Now, I simply sit back in awe of him, and wonder if this is the same man I grew up with.”

  “Vincent adores him, and I, well, I find I’ve fallen madly in love with him as well.”

  He nodded and smiled in her direction. “I know.”

  “I’m not sure if Gabriel’s ever shared much about my background, but marriage was the least of my priorities. Vincent is my world, and making sure he was educated to take over the earldom when he’s older was my only concern.”

  “You’re both doing an excellent job. I have no doubt young Vincent is going to make a fine earl.”

  “Thank you. I hope that holds true. I’m so afraid this incident will do harm.”

  “He’ll be fine. This experience will, in the long run, make him stronger. Remember, children are resilient.”

  “Yes, they are.”

  Parr walked away from the window. “I believe I’ll go check on things outside. It appears it’s going to rain, and I saw a group of men headed back toward the house.”

  She nodded. “I look forward to our next conversation.”

  “As do I, Mrs. Dawson.”

  * * *

  It suddenly occurred to Gabriel as he lay in his tub that there was a portion of his estate he’d yet to send any search party to explore. Rocky and uninhabitable and surrounded by trees and thick forest growth, few knew it existed. No one tried to ride in such brutal terrain. Horses were known to slip, throwing their riders to the ground.

  There was a small cave in the middle of the forest, sitting on a rise, hidden away. A brook ran not too far from the cave’s entrance. He smiled. Actually, as a boy, he thought it to be a cave, when in reality, looking at it through adult eyes, it was no more than a place to hide out of the elements.

  He remembered Timothy, Roland, and he used to go there when they wanted to put a good scare in their respective governesses. Had Mortimer ever been with them? He couldn’t recall because of Dawson’s infrequent visits to Sky View. He and Timothy had been thick as thieves, always wandering off and leaving Roland and Gabriel to fend for themselves. Fortunately, hi
s father had taught him survival skills since he was a young boy. His father always said there could come a time in one’s life when they might find themselves alone and their very survival would depend on how well they knew how to live off the land.

  Gabriel had brushed it off as his father living in a world gone by. He was a duke, and dukes never needed to have survival skills. They had people to cater to their every need.

  His father, angry about his heir’s noncompliant attitude, had ridden with his son late one afternoon and left him at the cave with no horse, no food, nothing. A storm swept in right as the old duke left, leaving Gabriel one of two choices. Wait it out until morning, or take the chance of being struck by lightning as he walked back to the castle. He’d chosen to stay. All through the night, he sat back as far as possible inside the small cave, scared at first. The more hours that passed, the less afraid Gabriel was. The next morning, he came out, tired, hungry, and thirsty and walked home. Never again did his father test him. He’d passed whatever test it was his father had been trying to put him through.

  Survival.

  After hurriedly dressing, Gabriel had a fresh horse brought around front. As he waited, he found Savannah speaking with the housekeeper. He was in awe how she put on a brave front, taking charge of everything rather than sitting down and waiting on others to do it for her.

  He caught her eye as he walked across the room and nodded to the housekeeper. “I’m going to go look in an area we’ve neglected. The terrain is far too rough to ride, but there is somewhere that would be a perfect hiding place until things calmed down here.”

  “I would like to go with you, Your Grace,” Savannah said.

  He shook his head. “As I said, the terrain is unforgiving. I’ll be back as soon as I can.”

  She gripped his arm, stopping him before he could leave. “I can’t sit by while everyone else searches for my son. I’ll go mad with worry if I’m not a part of the effort. If you love me, you must accept I’m not the kind of woman to let others do the work while I sit at home and wait. I am going with you.”

  He sighed, but recognized that she’d search for Vincent with him or without him. At least if they were together, she’d be safer. “Very well, my sweet.”

  As they walked together to the stables, then mounted their horses, he knew she wasn’t happy, but he couldn’t be angry with her. “Follow me,” he instructed, then kicked his gelding into a gallop, and she raced along beside him without hesitation.

  They rode hard until the land under them began to change, becoming rockier and more uneven. Gabriel put up his hand and motioned for her to stop. He dismounted and neared Savannah’s mount, then helped her down.

  “We can’t take the horses any farther. There’s too big a risk they’ll slip. We continue on foot,” he whispered.

  He tied their horses before taking her hand in the darkness. “Come. We have a ways to go. If Mortimer is nearby, he has the advantage, and we’ll scare him off with our talking.”

  She nodded, then lifted her skirts as she began to walk. “Lead the way,” she whispered.

  Cautiously, he moved into the dense brush. They weren’t too far from the small cave, but if the pair were still there, it would be because they hadn’t heard anyone approaching. Mortimer had the advantage by being above them. Gabriel had brought a lantern but didn’t dark light it lest the villain see the glow.

  However, even if Mortimer did see or hear them coming, he wouldn’t get far. Not with a young boy in tow. Their best chance was to hope they weren’t heard. Gabriel already had a plan in mind of how they would approach the area, though he hadn’t thought Savannah would be so insistent in coming. She would slow him down. Hopefully, not too much.

  The terrain became more and more rocky. Walking became harder. He extended a hand to Savannah to help her keep her balance. Coming upon a brook, he knew they weren’t far from the cave. He pointed in the direction of the small opening and pressed a finger to his lips to assure Savannah would remain quiet.

  They stood beneath an oak and listened. He wasn’t quite sure for what. A noise, any indication someone was near. He motioned for Savannah to stay where she was as he carefully made his way up the rest of the path. Facing the mouth of the small cave, he stood his ground. He was met with silence. He pressed on, finding inside the remains of a fire, just recently extinguished. The embers were still warm.

  They’d just missed them.

  Or had they? A groan from deeper inside caught his attention. Gabriel moved farther inside, a pistol cocked and ready at his side. It was a small area carved out in the rocks. The sound of another moan drew him in. He had no light and needed a torch or something similar to see. It was the sound of a child.

  Not knowing whether Dawson lurked in the shadows waiting to attack, Gabriel sucked in a breath, lit the lantern, and continued in the dimly lit cave. A moment later, he almost tripped over something. It felt like a body. As he bent down, he heard another sound. He had found him! Vincent was alive and safe. He bundled the boy in his arms and made his way back toward where the light that filtered in.

  He laid him down at the cave opening. The boy was asleep, obviously drugged to keep him quiet. They needed to get him to the castle and have a doctor fetched. They would take him to Brook Fall; it was closer.

  Gabriel was about to call for Savannah when he heard a scuffling out in the open. His body went into protection mode like a lion defending his pride. As his eyes adjusted to the light, he was only able to make out the figure of Mortimer Dawson bending over Savannah, pistol in hand.

  “You came and ruined everything,” he spat. “I lost everything thanks to your husband. He promised me riches and left me with nothing. I should be earl, not Roland’s American brat. The title belongs to me!”

  Savannah stilled, her eyes cold and uncaring. “It’s rightfully Vincent’s and you know it. Now let me up, or you’re going to wish you had.”

  “What are you going to do? Women belong at home, not out in the middle of nowhere.”

  “I would be home if you hadn’t taken my son.”

  He snorted. “When I’m finished with you and your son, people will thank me. A proper Englishman will be earl once more. It’s a pity I’m going to have to mistake you for a wild beast.” He raised his pistol.

  Gabriel’s steps quickened. As he came out of the dark and into the light, Savannah struggled in Mortimer’s hold. Mortimer got off a shot, but it missed Savannah, who fought wildly with her free hand to find something beneath her skirts. Before Mortimer could straighten himself, another shot rang out. The man was caught off guard, disbelief twisting his features as he fell to the ground.

  Gripped in Savannah’s hands was the small pistol. She’d ridden out with the pistol hidden under her skirts, and it paid off. Roland Dawson lay dead on the ground beside her, a single shot to his heart.

  Gabriel rushed over and took the weapon from Savannah’s trembling hands before helping her to her feet. She clung to him as he led her away. “He was going to kill Vincent and me. It was never about the ransom. He wanted the earldom.”

  “I heard.”

  “I killed him, Gabriel,” she said, passing a wide-eyed gaze over Mortimer’s lifeless body.

  “You were protecting your son and yourself.”

  “I was protecting you as well,” she said, biting her lip. “Though I don’t know if he knew you were here.”

  “It doesn’t matter. It is over.”

  She clutched his arms. “Vincent! Did you find Vincent?”

  “I did. He’s been drugged, obviously to keep him quiet. I truly think Dawson had no real plan, and his threat was merely one made to keep him from being caught. At least in his eyes.”

  He led her to her son. She sank to the cold earth and took him in her arms, cradling him. Tears of relief streamed down her face.

  “Come, let me carry him,” Gabriel said. “My house is closer. We’ll ride there, and I’ll have someone bring the doctor.”

  She nodded and let him
assist her to her feet. He gently picked Vincent up, and the pair began the walk to where their horses stood waiting for them. Vincent never stirred, and during their ride back to Brook Fall, Gabriel wondered just how much sleeping potion the boy had been given.

  They rode in silence, Savannah keeping close to his gelding. “Why doesn’t he wake up?”

  “I believe he’ll sleep off whatever Dawson gave him. He should be fine, but I'll have a doctor called to check him out.”

  “We were lucky, Gabriel. How did you know to look there?”

  “It was somewhere we sometimes played as boys. I hadn’t been in years because of the terrain, so I never thought to send anyone until earlier.”

  “Thank goodness you remembered.”

  “Let us put it behind us. Everyone is safe and Dawson will never be a threat again.”

  The castle came into view like some old fortress. As they rode into the inner sanctum of Brook Fall, they were met by servants and volunteers alike. Gabriel began shouting orders as he brought the horse to a halt and quickly got down.

  As he gazed down at young Vincent lying in his arms, he noticed the boy’s eyelids fluttering. He looked at his surroundings, then at Gabriel, then Savannah, who’d come to Gabriel’s side as he walked to the door.

  “You really do live in a castle,” Vincent muttered as he fell back to sleep.

  “He’s going to be just fine,” Gabriel said, smiling down at Savannah.

  He led them inside and up the staircase. Finding the room he’d occupied after university before his father died, Gabriel lay the boy down on the bed. Savannah got onto the bed from the other side and held him in her arms. For the second time, Gabriel watched as tears filled her eyes.

  “Please get word to Sky View that Vincent has been found. Lady Dorset will want to know,” Savannah said quietly.

  “Don’t worry about a thing. Focus on Vincent. The doctor has been sent for and everyone is being notified,” Gabriel smoothed his hand over her hair, then put his arm around her while she cradled Vincent against her chest.