Page 18 of Tempting a Lonely Lord
Remain vigilant.
The losses mount, and more will follow.
Beware the path ahead—
Danger waits in the shadows.
He takes what cannot be replaced.
The young. The innocent. They vanish into the night, their cries swallowed by the tide.
Once taken, they are never seen again.
The Piper plays his tune, and those who follow do not return.
The path to his warren is well hidden, his network vast.
Whispers of his trade spread through the docks, but fear silences those who know too much.
Watch. Wait. Be wary of those in power around you.
He moves among them, masked by wealth and influence.
His deception is his greatest weapon.
He is closer than you think…
William rubbed his bleary eyes and stretched. It had been an intensive decoding. His thoughts turned to his brother, and he reached for the bellpull. A few moments later, Harlow stepped inside, ready to assist.
“Yes, my lord?”
“Harlow, has my brother returned?” William asked.
“Yes, sir. Lady Bella and Lady Harrington dropped him off a few hours ago,” the butler said. “I believe his new governess, Mrs. Randal, tucked him into bed.”
Relief washed over William, but an underlying tension remained. He reread the missive he’d just finished decoding, and a chill ran down his spine.The Pied Piper is near.
It was no longer just an ominous warning—it was a confirmation. The Piper was here, in Dover, operating in the very area William called home. Where Michael lived. Where other innocent children lived, unaware of the shadow lurking among them.
His grip on the paper tightened.
He had left active duty behind. He had resigned himself to a quieter life, tending to his responsibilities as a viscount and raising his younger brother. But duty, it seemed, was not done with him.
He could not turn away—not now.
The Pied Piper preyed upon the vulnerable, stealing children in the dead of night, his web stretching beyond the docks and alleyways, reaching into the highest echelons of society.
And he was close.
William exhaled slowly, his pulse steadying. He would remain vigilant. He would not allow another child to be taken—not while he still had the power to stop it.
Sitting back in his leather chair, he closed his eyes and reflected on what he knew about the area. The face that repeatedly came to his mind was that of Bella’s uncle. Despite his having deciphered the note, he found himself fixated on Lord Stephen Bridgewater.
Something felt off about the man, and William was determined to investigate. Bridgewater’s behavior troubled him, though he couldn’t be sure if his concern stemmed from his preoccupation with Lady Bella.But was it just a preoccupation?He suspected the man was harboring a secret, and William wanted to know what it was.
Reaching into his desk drawer, he retrieved a key from a recessed area in the bottom. He took it upstairs to his room,opened a box, and withdrew a costume he hadn’t donned in over a year. He would disguise himself and follow the earl.
Something is amiss with this man, and I will find out what it is.
