Page 79 of The Curious Life of the Unfortunate Duchess
“Someone must go for David,” Leonard insisted. “I fear he might react badly in his present state.”
“I will go for my son,” Percival announced. “We will return to Brookside and you and I will go for Elizabeth together.”
“Good,” Catherine sighed, appearing very relieved that there would be no more running about for the time being. Yet if his sister was comforted, Leonard only felt his anxiety mounting. He waited until Percival was out of earshot, off to collect David from his post before speaking again.
“The hour is early,” he told Herbert and Catherine. “There is time to check the mill and see if Elizabeth is being held there.”
Catherine stared at him, her face contorted into a mixture of pity and contempt.
“Leo, when have you last slept?” she asked softly. “You are growing deranged in your exhaustion.”
“Sleep?” he snapped. “How am I to sleep when Elizabeth is God knows where?”
“You are making little sense, Leo,” Catherine chided him gently. “Surely the highwaymen would not alert you to the place where they have kept her. That would be inane. They would have to know that is the first place you would go to look for her. They have been one step ahead of us this entire exhausting situation. I assure you, they would not easily tell you where to find Elizabeth.”
Leonard loathed to admit she was right. His eyes burned and he longed for it all to be over, for Elizabeth to be safe again.
“The best we can do now is wait,” Herbert agreed, the heaviness in his voice nearly tangible. “I do abhor to say it, Your Grace.”
“Come inside, men,” Catherine instructed. “Beatrice has made you a meal. You must keep up your strength now. You will do no one an iota of good if you weaken yourselves.”
“I must check on Miss Follett,” Herbert sighed and Leonard remembered what the barrister had said about her being at her wits’ end.
“No, Herbert,” Catherine told him firmly. “You will eat. I will tend to Frances. You, also, have been running yourself ragged.”
Leonard peered closely at the barrister and realized how terrible the older man appeared.
“My word, Herbert, you seem ready to drop,” Leonard choked. He had been so caught up in his own thoughts and worries, he had neglected to care for the rest of his household. Yet as he peered at his sister, he saw she was also suffering the effects of the past days.
“We will all eat together when the men arrive back from the Cooke’s estate,” Leonard said firmly. “You and Herbert will wait for me in the front salon. I will tend to Frances.”
“Leo, you must—”
“I insist!” Leonard barked, some shame gripping his gut. He was the Duke—his duty was to his family and the duchy, and he had quite nearly failed everyone, including Elizabeth. Not once had he paid a visit to Frances, despite her fragile state. He had been so consumed with running amok that he had neglected her.
“All right, Leo,” Catherine relented but Herbert did not seem so certain. “Come along, Herbert.”
“Your Grace, I do not think—” the barrister began to protest but Leonard was having none of it. The time for arguments and bickering was done.
“No one asked you to think, Herbert. Those are my instructions. I will see if Frances will join us.”
He paused, his lips parted as he considered his next words.
“She will not,” Herbert managed to say. “She has not come from her room since the night of the gala.”
Herbert was quite certain but Leonard had to try even though he knew the barrister spoke the truth. Catherine was correct—strength was needed and there was no greater strength than in the family being together.
Leonard did not bother to answer Herbert’s cynical comment but instead moved indoors as the afternoon sun faded into twilight. There were hours left until the ransom drop and Leonard wanted everyone to be together. No more harebrained confrontations, no more arguments or schemes. Until it was time to leave for the drop, Leonard wanted there to be nothing but as much calm as they could manage under the circumstances.
We will eat, rest and approach the kidnappers with a clear mind. Only then can we ensure that Elizabeth is returned to us safely. If we continue to unravel, bickering and squabbling amongst ourselves, we only weaken ourselves.
Leonard stole up the servant’s stairs toward Frances’ quarters, his guilt mounting. He hadn’t a clue what he was going to say to the oldest Follett sibling but he knew he had purposely avoided her since that terrible night, knowing he was ill-prepared to deal with her fits of frustration.
Elizabeth would be ashamed to know I have not been there for Frances.
He rapped on the heavy wooden door, leaning his head close to detect sound from inside.
“Herbert?” came the plaintive cry. “Is that you?”
