Page 52 of The Lady Who Said No to the Duke
‘If what is related?’the Dowager snapped.
‘There is a young man, a Mr Dudley.He is enquiring for Mr Randolph Linton.When I told him the gentleman was not here, he told me that he had been informed at Linton House that he was attending this At Home with his sister.He became somewhat agitated when I informed him that Lady Helena had been present, and has now left, but that Mr Linton had not called.It may, of course, be nothing—’
‘I think it may,’ Hal said.‘At least one member of that family has no cause to love Lady Thea.With your permission, Duchess, I will talk to him.’He hardly waited for her nod before he was out of the door.
Mr Dudley was a stocky young man and Hal decided that he was a gentleman from respectable County stock.
‘I am Leamington,’ he said, holding out his hand.‘Tell me how I can help.’
‘A duke?’The young man’s eyebrows lifted, but his handshake was firm and confident and there was no hint of deference in his voice when he said, ‘Is Randolph Linton a friend of yours?’
‘Far from it.Come in here and explain all about it.’He steered the younger man into one of the small reception rooms and closed the door.‘You have my utmost discretion.’
‘The swine attempted to ruin my sister,’ Dudley said between clenched teeth.‘I was in Ireland.When I returned home to the Deanery—my father is a rural dean in Yorkshire—and I heard what had happened, I wrote to Linton, told him to expect a visit from me today to demand satisfaction.If the swine is trying to hide from me, then I’ll hunt him down like the rat he is.And force him to meet me.’
‘I rather think that he had taken action to tie your hands and revenge himself on another lady at the same time,’ Hal said grimly.‘If you are prepared to share your story with a small group of people for whose discretion I can vouch, we may secure your satisfaction and save that lady.’
Chapter Sixteen
It was the second stop to change horses.The sounds reaching Thea as she lay tied and bundled up on the carriage seat were unmistakeable.Ostlers shouted orders at lads, there was the jerk as the traces were released and the new team backed in, the clatter of hooves on stone and the background noises of a busy coaching inn.
Two changes, twenty miles and a main route, she decided.
A groom had blown his horn for the gates, which meant that this was a turnpike road, and the previous inn had been bustling too.
Not, then, some country track leading to goodness knew where.If they knew how she had been taken, perhaps the carriage could be traced.If she managed to escape, then it would be relatively easy to discover where she was.
If…if…
She told herself to be positive.If she gave up, there was no chance of escape unless her captors were incredibly careless, but if she stayed alert, ready to take any opportunity, then there was hope.
The carriage lurched into motion again and Thea drew in as much breath as she could, wriggled her fingers to try to keep the blood flowing and set herself to follow the route.
* * *
‘I believe that Randolph Linton has taken Lady Thea,’ Hal said after introducing Dudley to the small group in the drawing room.‘He received Dudley’s letter informing him that he was about to be called to account for his behaviour towards Miss Dudley and decided to take out insurance.’
‘But how does that help him?’Lady Wiveton asked, looking confused.
‘If he compromises her, he could reasonably hope that she would have to marry him, and he would then find himself protected by being the son-in-law of a prominent earl.Or, failing that, he could hold her until we somehow bought off or otherwise dissuaded Dudley from calling him out.’
‘I’d have thought it simpler for him to refuse to meet Dudley.Disgraceful, of course, and downright cowardly, but it is not as though he has much reputation to lose,’ Porchester objected.
‘I told him that I would horsewhip him to within an inch of his life if he did not agree to an honourable meeting,’ Dudley said.
‘Ah.Yes, I can see that a sneaking little wretch like that would try some scheme to wriggle out of doing the honourable thing in that case,’ the Earl said.
Gibson entered and announced with a discreet cough, ‘Some positive news, Your Grace.David the under-footman found a bright crossing lad who saw that team turn north on Audley Street.He had the sense to tail a cab to follow from junction to junction.It headed north again out of London on the Edgware road.’
‘Excellent.Make sure he is rewarded for his initiative, Gibson.Well, gentlemen?’
‘I’ll follow on horseback,’ Hal said.The relief of knowing what had happened, what they were dealing with, wasalmost physical.‘That will be more flexible.When I find her I can hire a carriage to bring her back.’
‘I’ll come with you,’ Porchester said.
‘And so will I,’ Dudley said in a tone that would not takenofor an answer.‘My horse is here.’
‘Gibson, have the two best of my son’s mounts saddled and tell three of the grooms to mount up also.He keeps his horses here, says he’s not got enough stabling at his London house,’ the Dowager added as the butler strode out, sounding critical and as though it was not her doing that her son was displaced.
