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That thought restored his determination, and he picked up his spoon and began eating again. He forced himself to fill his mind with images that were pleasant instead of alarming, like holding Astrid in his arms again. Like bringing her back home, where she belonged.

We are never going to be apart again,he swore to himself.If we make it through this, if she’s not killed, and I’m not arrested, I’m not ever going to let anything come between us as long as I live.

He finished his soup and got to his feet. Without thinking about where he was going, he made his way up the stairs and into his study. He avoided even looking at the big master bedroom, the place where he and Astrid had only just been beginning to spend time together.

We’ll have plenty of time. Years and years. Our whole lives. We’ll laugh about this one day.

It was hard to imagine that just now.

He sat down at his desk and pushed some papers around, going through the motions of organizing things, almost as if by cleaning up the things on his desk he might be able to clean up his thoughts and get his plans for that evening into some semblance of order.

At least this confrontation is going to take place at The Arc, he thought. The Arc was his home turf. He knew every nook and cranny of the place, knew it better than anyone else. Nobody would be able to sneak up on him or take him by surprise in his own club.

It was, perhaps, the only advantage he could count on.

He sighed and cradled his head in his hands.God, let me save her. Let me bring her home safe.

Chapter 34

As the clock struck midnight, Conor pulled on his boots.

DuBois stood in the doorway of his study, concern etched on his face. “You should really take a carriage, My Lord,” he said. “This late at night, there might be bandits about.”

Conor shook his head. “If I pull up in a carriage, with a coachman, they might hurt Lady Middleborough,” he said. “They might consider that to be me having brought someone along.”

“I don’t know how they can expect you to go without a carriage,” DuBois said. “You don’t think you’re perhaps taking the note’s instructions too literally?”

“I think that if I don’t take them literally, I risk putting my wife in grave danger,” Conor said. “I won’t take that chance, DuBois.”

The butler nodded. “As you say, sir. What would you have us do while you’re away?”

“Wait one hour,” Conor said. “If you haven’t heard from me by then, summon the police to the house and show them the note.”

“Once they’ve seen it, it’s likely they’ll decide to follow you to The Arc,” DuBois pointed out.

Conor nodded. “If I can’t take the situation in hand within the hour, I’m going to need their help,” he said. “It will be fine to have them come in at that point. I’ll just have to make sure that whoever’s behind this vile kidnapping isn’t too close to Astrid when the time comes.”

“How will you do that?”

“I’ll stand between her and the gun, if I have to,” Conor said grimly. “She’s in this situation because of me. If someone is to be killed tonight, I won’t allow it to be her.”

DuBois was quiet.

“Don’t worry,” Conor said, though he couldn’t imagine his words would have any real effect on the man who had been serving his family since Conor’s childhood. “I’ll be home by sunrise, and this will all be behind us.”

“I’m sorry, My Lord,” DuBois said.

“Sorry?” Conor frowned. “For what?”

“I failed you. I failed to keep your wife safe from harm.”

Conor shook his head. “Of course I don’t blame you,” he said. “You weren’t with her when she was taken.”

“I should have been,” DuBois said. “I should have done a better job keeping track of her. I didn’t have any idea where she was or when she was due to be back.”

Privately, Conor agreed that DuBois could have done better at staying on top of where Astrid was, but he didn’t want the butler to blame himself for what had happened. “She was with her father,” he said. “That was what you knew about her whereabouts. It wasn’t wrong for you to trust that she was all right while she was with her father.”

DuBois inclined his head gratefully. “I’ll leave you to it, shall I?”