Page 82 of Foolish Bride
“How far is England from here?”
“About twenty miles, I suppose. But you shouldn’a think of running for the border, miss. It’s a rough road for a woman alone.” Brianne’s eyes widened and she paled.
“I cannot very well marry this pretender. He’s abhorrent, has injured me, and may have killed Everett.”
Clutching the fabric to her chest, Brianne gasped. “Who’s Everett?”
“Michael’s brother.”
“Why would his grace kill this Everett?”
“The boy was trying to rescue me from the kidnapping.”
“Boy? Is Everett a child?” Practically tearing the gown, she leaned in for more of the story.
“No. I suppose not any longer. He is seventeen. Since he is Michael’s younger brother, I suppose I have thought of him as my brother as well. I pray he is well.”
Brianne frowned, looked at the gown, and back at Elinor.
Chapter 18
Michael road as if an inferno was at his heels. He could already be in Scotland if not for his friends’ extraordinary amount of preparation. First, the letter to James had taken forever to write and send. Then, Thomas had insisted upon gathering more firearms than they would ever require. Mother had delayed him by an hour with words of warning about being careful and not taking unnecessary risk.
Once she finished, Virginia cornered him. She had been hysterical since her daughter’s kidnapping. “You must find her and bring her back. I know that my husband and I have not been as kind to you as we might have been, but that is no reason for you to make my darling girl suffer. I could not stand to lose her.”
Michael couldn’t blame her. There were moments when he wished he had the luxury of hysterics himself. “Lady Malmsbury, be assured, I shall find her and bring her back.”
“I do not want you to think my family heartless. We liked you very much, but then you were injured and his lordship thought it best if Elinor found another husband. You must understand.”
Michael did understand, but his temper still edged near the surface. He had believed himself as unsuitable for the lady as her parents had. Only Elinor remained loyal throughout the past few months. She had come to him in the night and begged for a reason for his betrayal. All he had done was insult her and send her away.
He shook himself. That was the past. She loved him still, and she was his. He would go and get her, then deal with the problem of her parents. None of that mattered. The only important thing was that Elinor was brought home safely.
Michael took Virginia Burkenstock’s hands and looked her in the eye. To his amazement, she stopped weeping. “My lady, I will do whatever it takes to bring her back to you. I would give my life for Lady Elinor. If it is in my power to retrieve her, then I shall no matter the cost. You must believe that.”
“I have faith in you, your grace.” She turned and walked up the curved steps to her chambers.
Interesting that she’d spoken to him alone. She hadn’t gone to Daniel, whose property they were on, nor had she spoken to Middleton, whom she intended for her daughter. She had come to him, knowing his feelings. Perhaps, like her daughter, Virginia Burkenstock played at being simple-minded. What else might she be aware of? But thoughts of his sweet Elinor lying in his arms made him lose focus, so he brushed them away.
In the courtyard, Michael and his friends mounted their horses.
Daniel rode beside him. “We’d best get moving. With any luck, James is close to Kerburghe by now.”
Michael kicked his horse into a trot. It would do no good to kill the beast, and they had a long ride before they could change horses.
* * * *
Before luncheon was served, Brianne stuffed Elinor into miles of wedding gown fabric and pulled her through the castle. “Come on, miss.”
The gown stank of mold and some other odor that she couldn’t identify. If the style was any indication, it had been in a trunk for forty years.
The halls were a blur of gray stone and cobwebs. Dust tickled Elinor’s nose as they ran through, and she sneezed. “What is the hurry?”
“His grace has a bit of a temper. If we’re late, there will be the devil to pay.” With a shaking voice, she tugged harder on Elinor’s hand.
They must have traversed the entire span of the castle before arriving at the chapel. Elinor’s feet ached with the pounding from the stone floors.
She had to admit that it was a lovely chapel with tall ceilings and stained glass. Under any other circumstance, she would have enjoyed visiting such a place. If the marriage had been to Michael, this would have been lovely.
