Page 66 of The Duke's Forbidden Bride
How many had been transported in secret yet right in plain sight?
A wave of dizziness assaulted her, and she swayed slightly. She was aware of strong arms wrapping around her, but she could not breathe, not as she spiraled, thinking of all those women.
No more.
No more would suffer an awful fate.
“Give me a day,” Spencer told her. “The masquerade ball is tomorrow night, but tomorrow I will meet with a lead I have been in contact with before, and I will get more information. Wewillsee justice delivered to those wretched men. Theywillbe brought to their knees. I won’t shut you out, Eleanor.”
His eyes met hers, honest and open.
“I cannot promise no more walls, but… I will try to keep them lowered.”
Chapter Seventeen
“Your Grace, it is good to see you again,” Elias Larkin said the following morning, shaking Spencer’s hand.
Spencer had barely slept, and he could only hope it didn’t show in the tense lines on his face.
“And yourself. I will be returning to Everdawn Hall shortly, and I wish to tie up some… loose ends.” He gave the man a look. “Have you received any word on my winnings?”
“Yes, Your Grace,” Elias answered, his face brightening. “In fact, just the other day, the bets you placed became rather profitable. I have the ledgers locked safely away. Do excuse me one moment. While I keep a lot of paperwork in here, my more…refinedclients need extra security, so their books are kept in a locked cabinet in the next room. One cannot be too certain of anything these days.”
“Indeed,” Spencer agreed smoothly as the man rose and pulled a set of keys from his waistcoat pocket. “I appreciate your extra measures.”
Once Elias left, Spencer shot up and rifled through the desk. The ledgers were not left out this time, and he cursed under his breath before he yanked open the desk drawer, looking for anything of note.
If Elias offered false names for betting, Spencer could be looking at any alias Follet or Belgrave worked under. But perhaps if they thought they were already being discreet enough with their cargo, they had no use for fake names.
After all, he had already seen Lord Follet’s name on a ledger.
He searched for more smudged ink, more crossed-out words, and as soon as he found one that had ‘—rave’at the end, he slipped it into an inside pocket of his tailcoat.
Then, he went back to his seat before Elias even returned, smiling at the unsuspecting accountant.
Or perhaps he is suspecting. Lord Belgrave is a powerful man, after all. Perhaps his accountant is waiting for somebody to catch him out, to free him. If Elias Larkin is under similar threats as Jack Renshaw, then he might be waiting for somebody to uncover the truth.
Spencer pushed those thoughts aside. He had to focus on Charlotte and Eleanor.
“Here are your ledgers,” Elias said, handing over the books. “And do not hesitate to reach out should you want to do more business.”
Spencer smiled broadly. “I am certain I will.”
“Leave us for a moment,” Spencer ordered as he entered Eleanor’s chamber an hour later.
Frances started, before bobbing a curtsey and scurrying out of the room.
Spencer shut the door behind him and strode over to where his wife sat at her vanity.
He paused and looked at her, taking in her soft features. “You—you look beautiful.”
She blinked at him. “Thank you.”
What possessed me to say such a thing?
He shook off the thought and produced the document he had snatched from the accountant’s desk.
“I did not want to call you to my study when we must prepare for the ball, but I wished to show you this. I got it from a clerk I have been meeting with.”
