Page 115 of An Unwanted Spinster for the Duke

No, it couldn’t be, but it was. There was laughter coming from the parlor. Male laughter.

A dose of fear and anger sent a rush through him. He nodded at Simon, and the two moved stealthily toward the source of the noise.

They quickly headed for the parlor. As they peered in, they saw three men lounging, drinking, and even playing cards as if they owned the place. Dominic deduced that these were Linpool’s men. They seemed to have taken over Grisham townhouse.

His fury surged anew. Without a word, he stormed into the room. He quickly punched one man’s jaw, catching everyone else off guard. The man fell to the floor, throwing down his palms to balance himself.

Simon joined in, giving the next thug a swift punch of his own.

For the second time that night, Dominic found himself engaged in a chaotic brawl. He should be tired. He should be in so much pain. And hewas. But his anger gave him enough strength to fight.

With fists and kicks, overturned chairs and shattered bottles, Dominic and Simon somehow gained the upper hand over the three men. They managed to subdue Linpool’s goons, tying them up on the floor. They groaned from the pain, but Dominic was not satisfied. These men had dared invade his wife’s childhood home in London.

Panting, he rested his hands on his thighs. It was at that moment that Grisham’s housekeeper appeared in the doorway. Her eyes were as wide as saucers. Even in the dim light, he could see that she had turned deathly pale.

“Your Grace!” she exclaimed.

“Get the master key,” Dominic ordered, not quite certain why he was asking for it. He just had a strange feeling that he would need it.

Even Simon looked at him curiously.

The housekeeper didn’t ask questions, however. She simply nodded and scurried off. Not long after, she returned with a key in her hands.

Dominic and Simon ascended the grand staircase. The wood creaked beneath their weight, signifying its age. They discovered that all doors were locked. Using the key, they manage to open all of them.

As each door opened, Dominic hoped to see his wife. But with each door, he was disappointed. His alarm grew further.

“How did you know?” Simon asked, looking bewildered by the scene in front of him.

Dominic shrugged. “I just had a feeling.”

Elizabeth and Wilhelmina emerged from their rooms, trembling from confusion and fright.

“What happened? What is happening?” Elizabeth demanded as she tightened her robe and hugged herself.

“We are not certain. We simply found some men in your parlor. They must have locked you in your rooms,” Simon replied gently. “Also, we need to find Marianne. She does not seem to be in any of the rooms.”

“I heard voices,” a soft voice spoke up from the end of the hallway. It was Daphne, standing barefoot. Her eyes were wide, and her lower lip quivered. “They were talking about oak and money. Something like that.”

Dominic’s eyes narrowed at the words. But then something clicked in his mind, and hope bloomed in his chest even as fury continued to prevail.

“Oakmere,” he murmured. He turned to his friend and said softly but firmly, “Stay here and protect them. We don’t know how many more men Linpool had managed to employ.”

As he turned to leave, Victoria ran toward him and grabbed his arm. He turned to her and saw the plea in her eyes.

“Bring her home, please,” she begged.

“I will,” Dominic promised solemnly. And he knew then that he would do anything to make that happen.

He rushed to the stables and saddled a horse. Once he was secure, he galloped quickly into the night, ready for a long ride.

Meanwhile, in Oakmere, Marianne’s wrists ached within the tight ropes Linpool had tied around them.

Her captor had pushed her through the narrow, hidden passages of Oakmere Hall. She had loved exploring, but even she had not gone through these damp and musty hallways. Even the servants must have stayed away because cobwebs lined the walls.

The west wing. She was in the forbidden wing.

Linpool, however, seemed familiar with the twists and turns. Soon, they reached a forgotten study.