Page 29 of The Virgin Duchess

This cannot go on. I can’t allow this a moment longer.

“Rose,” he lifted his sister up, forcing her to meet his eyes as he dipped his head toward her, “I will not allow him to harm you. You have my word. I swear it.”

She looked up at him with tears still crowding her eyes, the redness of her flushed skin bright from the sobbing.

“How can you be sure?” Rose shook her head, wiping at the rogue tear that escaped. “He knows where we are. He had heard that you’ve been searching for him.”

Clenching his jaw, Frederick glanced up at the ceiling, taking in a deep breath. As he pulled Rose into his arms once more, Frederick whispered to her, smoothing his hand down the back of her head.

“I will not let anything happen to you. Iwillfind the Baron and put a stop to all this.”

Slowly coming down from the frenzy of panic, her tears drying, Rose leaned into Frederick for support. And he would stay there with her as long as she required. Still, when she returned to her room, he knew that a trip was in his future.

This problem was becoming too great for him to manage alone. While he despised the idea of bringing anyone else into this affair and risking not only whoever aided him but Rose as well, there was little more he could do on his own.

So, he would seek out Richard.

The door to Blackford Estate opened moments after Frederick knocked, and he was escorted to the study by the butler of the house. Richard was already waiting for him, having received Frederick’s letter of his impending arrival.

“Richard, thank you for seeing me.” He crossed the room, reaching out to shake his friend’s hand.

“Of course. You’re my best friend, and I shall lend my assistance wherever I can.” Richard looked over at the butler still waiting at the door. “That’s all for now. Thank you.”

The man bowed and left the two of them alone to discuss Frederick’s problem with the Baron of Halfacre. He intended on keeping the situation as vague as possible for Rose’s sake, and Frederick only hoped that Richard would understand, taking his words at face value by merit of their friendship.

“Now,” Richard gestured to the set of chairs in front of the room’s fireplace, taking a seat, “what is this about Halfacre? He’s been absent for a time without anyone aware of his location. Has he done something?”

Frederick swallowed, his stare landing on the floor as he took a seat in the unoccupied chair next to Richard’s. It was a moment before he answered.

“Yes. Halfacre has done something that concerns my family. I do not wish to speak more on it, only to say that it is of serious concern and could do terrible harm to my family.”

Sitting up straighter, Richard regarded him. “Frederick, if he’s done something truly so outrageous, surely you must see the value of revealing it. Should the constables be brought in? Are you in danger?”

“No, no, no. We’re not getting the constables involved.” Frederick shook his head, holding up a hand like it might actually stop Richard from getting up and contacting them at once. “I shall be able to manage this myself. I just need to locate the bastard, and I’m out of ideas.”

His friend’s eyes widened. It wasn’t often that Frederick let his temper get the best of him, and he was usually either playing off his disinterest with false flirtations or quietly allowing the rest of the room to fill it with conversation.

In truth, few people—even Richard—knew who he was down to his core. Frederick despised the ton and the gossiping nonsense they were so known for. He didn’t enjoy lavish parties with too many attendants to even keep track of them. And he wasn’t altogether fond of the notion of a relationship.

That was why he had leaned into the image of being a rake. It served his purpose.

Women and their families were far less likely to seek him out for a favorable match if they believed he was not of value and propriety. Indeed, the number of partners he’d taken during his university years when men were supposed to be sowing their wild oats was far less than he let on.

“Frederick,” Richard started again, “you are my dearest friend, and I will help you however I can. I’ll admit that it is a shock to see you so obviously out of sorts, however. I don’t understand why you are so bent on finding and…if I am presuming correctly,destroyingHalfacre.”

Closing his eyes for a moment, Frederick reached up and pinched the bridge of his nose.

“I appreciate your help, Richard. I will tell you that he is not the sort of man you’d see around any of your family either. He has…there is a chance that he could harm my family’s standing. You must see that I can’t allow that.”

Richard was the one to hold up his hand this time, his expression one of soothing Frederick’s frayed nerves.

“I do. Assuredly. You have not taken advantage of my assistance or kindness ever in our lives, Frederick. I trust you. What can I do?”

Adjusting in his chair, Frederick let out a long breath, his stare shifting to the fireplace. As he leaned forward, propping up his chin with his fist, his elbow on his leg, he considered the situation.

“I need to find him. I’ve asked around at each social event I’ve attended. I’ve had servants search the city for him, and still, nothing. I need to get him in my grip, then I will be able to put a stop to his conniving dealings.”

Richard was quiet, but when Frederick glanced up at him, he could see the wheels turning in his friend’s mind, that look of concentration familiar after the years of studying together. For a moment, it made Frederick miss those days long ago in university. Life seemed so much simpler then, and he was much more of a single mind.

---