Page 53 of The Odd Riddle of the Lost Duchess
The door was knocked on and Donovan turned to answer it. “His Grace, the Duke of Newberry.”
“You!” George spat as he turned to his enemy, “Did she come to you?”
Newberry’s face was hard set. The question wasn’t specific but there was only one ‘she’ George could be this enraged about. “No.”
“Then what are you doing here?” George roared. “She is missing, you cur, and you are standing here like you are innocent of all this! How dare you!”
“What is all this shouting?” Mrs. Benwick cried, as she ran into the foyer and caught sight the two Dukes and her pale daughter. “Your Graces, what is the cause of this uproar?”
“My sister is gone,” George said stonily, “And I can bet my left arm this mongrel has something to do with it.”
Newberry’s eyes flashed, “I didn’t do anything to her, Leverton–I love her!”
“You don’t know the meaning of love,” George snapped
“She left!” Ann spoke with a wavering voice, “She left here in peace…but…”
“But what, Miss Benwick?” George asked.
Ann’s face was loaded with fear and regret. She turned towards the Duke of Newberry, “She sent a note you, Your Grace. I don’t know what it said.”
Fierce anger consumed George. Ann’s words compounded his rage and he was inconsolable. Knowing that Emmeline had still defied his orders to forget Newberry, and had planned some rendezvous with the man, he felt justified in his anger. “I knew it was you!”
Newberry’s left leg slid back and the Duke instantly fell in a fighting stance. “I did nothing!”
“Your Graces!” Mrs. Benwick cried. “Please, not here!”
Again, the door was knocked on, and the butler, whose face still showed his shock over Emmeline’s disappearance, went to answer it.
Standing there were two constables of the law. Both men were dressed in blue swallow-tail coats with high collars, white trousers, and a top hat.
“Good day, Your Graces, Mrs. and Miss Benwick,” one said clearly, “May we have your attention please!”
The five people were instantly quieted and George, seeing the uniformed men, felt a cold sensation wash through his system. A similar pallor was on Newberry’s face as the two Dukes faced the authorities.
“Officers,” Mrs. Benwick said nervously. “Welcome, may I help you?”
“Thank you, Madam, I am Constable Greer,” the first officer replied, “But we are here to see His Grace, the Duke of Leverton. We had inquired at his home, but were told to come here post haste…Your Grace—” the man said while producing a box from behind him.
The box was smashed in one corner and streaked black all over. It was the same box of chocolate George had given Emmeline. “Does this box look familiar to you?”
Chapter 18
A Hunt for Lady Emmeline
Noah’s gray eyes flit to Leverton and to the constable holding the box of…chocolates?He was baffled until he heard the Duke choke out a sound like a gasp.
“W–where did you find it?” Leverton stuttered.
“Do you recognize this box, Your Grace?” the constable asked again. This time Noah felt fear and cold dread running through him, and he almost stumbled when Leverton replied.
“Yes, of course. I gave that to Lady Emmeline six days ago,” his rival said with a dazed tone. “Where did you find it?”
The constable replied, “A few feet away from an upturned carriage on the road towards Brennan Hi—”
Noah was out the door in seconds, running towards his horse, with fear cramping his gut. Brennan Hill was a township between his and Leverton’s duchies, but it was to the north, out of the way of either dukedom.
“Halt!” a rough voice called over and Noah spotted Leverton rushing towards him. Noah wasn’t in any mood to attend to him, stuck his foot in the stirrup and mounted his horse.
