Page 90 of The Lord who Seduced Me
They searched through London and Whitechapel for the rest of the afternoon and into the night.
With each minute making Cabe more and more frantic.
He was cursing, and all he wanted after these long months was his woman in his arms. That should not be too much to ask, and yet it was.
Cabe shook that thought out of his head. He needed to stay focused.
Going back to the bar where he had known the Renegade used to frequent and found nothing.
The patrons were relieved to hear about the man’s death though. And sorry to hear about his woman’s disappearance. But they had no information to pass along.
It was frustrating and Cabe wanted to curse. He sat on his horse, exhaustion and anger leading the search.
Case had caught up with them, and searched for a long time, but had left a few hours ago to keep watch over his own wife and their mother. Cole did as well, and Nathaniel was falling over in the saddle from his exhaustion.
Cabe sighed and turned toward home. He didn’t want to but knew if he was too exhausted that he would help no one.
Riding into the mews of his home, Cabe brushed his horse down and gave him some food. Not wanting to wake anyone when he was more than capable of taking care of his horse himself.
Cabe walked up the stairs of his home and when he got into his bedchamber and saw his bed he sighed.
He wanted Rose in it with him and longed for her with every fiber of her being. If she was harmed in any way at all, he would kill whoever did so.
Cabe fell into his bed, not bothering to get undressed and though his leg hurt, he wanted to sleep for as little as possible.
He rolled over and heard a paper under his head. It poked him in the side of the head, and he sat up, and felt what it was.
He knew it was not the paper with Rose’s virginity stained across it. He had that in his jacket pocket next to his heart.
It was an envelope and it was unmarked.
Cabe held it out in front of him with shaking hands, needing the light from a candle to read it by.
He struck the fire striker several times trying to get it to light and it finally did.
Cabe picked up the letter and with his breath held and opened the seal.
It was not marked with anything, and Cabe’s stomach wanted to retch, it was so tied up in knots.
Turning the paper over, Cabe shut his eyes after reading it. He knew it. Knew that it had been too good to be true.
Captain,
You truly underestimated the lengths that the Renegade would go through to get his revenge on you. You thought it would be easy, didn’t you? Thought that he would simply go away after you killed him? You thought wrong. And your arrogance is going to cost you her life. It is too bad really, she is lovely. Feisty though. She fights back when I want her acquiescence and I have had to punish that. If you want her back, you know where to find me. Her life, for yours. If you do not come to me by tomorrow morning, her life is mine and it will be too late. Do not make me wait, Captain. I would hate for her to be killed.
A friend
* * *
Cabe stood up and clenched his fists. The paper crumpling up into a ball.
Cabe had an idea where the man was, and he would hate to find her there. And could only pray she was not truly injured.
Cabe pulled out his pistols, and his sword. Putting his new wrist bracers on. He felt he would need them.
Looking in the mirror and seeing the look on his face, Cabe knew he would walk into that place and he would face his death head on. Anything he needed to do, he would for Rose.
His life meant nothing if she was not in it. If she was sacrificed in his stead. It was something he would not live with. An option he would not take.
Walking out the door, he made his way back down to the mews.
Saddling a new horse, Cabe rode out into the night.
He would save her life tonight. And he hoped that she knew how much he loved her.
