Page 34 of His Stolen Duchess (Stolen by the Duke #7)

Chapter Twenty-Eight

T hey drove back to the city the following morning. Georgina didn’t mind one bit as she got to see more of Dottie and check on how she and the unborn child were doing. To her surprise, Lysander allowed her to bring the parrot into the coach with them without complaint.

As she sat on the bank of the lake at the Duke’s friend’s townhouse, she thought some more about Mr. Squawksby. Lysander hadn’t commented on the bird for some time, and she knew that was down to the parrot himself, who had been on his best behavior for some time.

He’s a smart bird, and he knows that if he annoys Lysander, he will be shipped out. Who knows where he will go and if anyone will take care of him?

Georgina looked out at the serene lake, smaller than the one on Lysander’s estate, but no less beautiful. Then, she looked back at the townhouse but did not see anyone inside. Lysander was supposed to join her after his business breakfast, but he was obviously running late.

She smiled to herself. He had called it a lesson, but they would only be swimming together. He was an adept teacher, and she had learned everything she needed to know. She wouldn’t allow herself to be swallowed by a lake again.

I don’t know how Lysander has lived with that guilt for all these years. His parents blamed him for the death of his younger brother, and to that, I say, boo!

She took another look at the townhouse, but he had not yet materialized.

“Well!” Georgina announced as she stood up. “I now know how to swim, so I shall get started without him, and he can join me when he gets here.”

She giggled at the thought. He would be surprised to see her in the lake after being deathly afraid of the water not so long ago.

Georgina stepped into the lake, welcoming the cold to which she had now become accustomed.

She walked in, deeper and deeper, the cold encompassing her, slowly working its way up her body.

She paused for a second, considering that it was more the feeling of being with Lysander that warmed her when she went into the water than simply growing used to it.

He had taught her to swim because of what had happened to his brother, but he had also chosen to be with her and teach her when he could have easily assigned someone to the task.

He could excuse it as something else, but she felt that he wanted to be with her.

And when they were with her family the last time, he got on with them ever so well.

With all that warmth in her heart, she pushed off and swam. She could still remember the panic of being in the water when the Duke had taught her, but it didn’t echo within her any longer. It felt effortless now, and she was weightless in the water.

She was free.

There was something so tranquil and calming about gliding atop the mirrored surface of the lake, breaking through it and creating ripples. She took a breath as she stopped in the middle of the lake, kicking her feet to keep herself afloat. She could stay in the water forever.

Georgina turned once more to look for the Duke exiting the house, to see the look on his face.

She screamed.

At the edge of the lake, three masked men stood watching her. They looked at each other as they worked out which one of them would go in after her.

Lysander sat in the back of his carriage as it drove to his friend’s townhouse.

It was not really a swimming lesson with Georgina, but an excuse to spend some more time with her alone.

It was enjoyable to see her swim through the water with increased ease, and there was something about the water that freed him, helped him to open up.

Without warning, the coach lurched, and Lysander heard a loud splintering sound. The rear left-hand corner of the coach tipped and bounced on the ground, nearly toppling the Duke from his seat.

The carriage dragged along the roadway, then bounced back up, and he was weightless for a second before coming back down. The horses finally stopped, and the coach came to a juddering halt.

Lysander didn’t wait. He scooted across to the more elevated side of the coach as it teetered like a seesaw and opened the door, then pulled himself into the doorway and dropped to the ground.

Lysander found the driver on the other side of the coach, looking at the spot where there had once been a wheel.

“What happened?” Lysander demanded.

The driver scratched his head as he looked at the axle, then down the cobblestone street at the wheel lying on its side. “I checked all the pins yesterday, Your Grace. It must have come out with all the bumps in the road. I’ll find it, and I’ll have it fixed in no time. I apologize, Your Grace.”

“It’s not your fault. Just be quick about it. I have an important appointment.”

“Aye.” The driver ran off down the street to retrieve the wheel and linchpin.

Men and women slowed as they passed to stare at what had happened, a little excitement on their morning travels.

Lysander watched the driver as he searched for the missing linchpin. He walked off past the wheel and began searching around the cobbled street.

“Boy,” Lysander called out to a passing urchin.

He reached into his pocket and took out some coins.

“Tuppence if you can have a blacksmith back here with a linchpin and a hammer in ten minutes.” He pressed the coins into the boy’s hand.

“I’ll give you another upon your return.

Tell the blacksmith he’ll be well compensated. ”

“Of course, sir! Thank you very much, sir!” The boy ran off, dodging in and out of the crowd.

Lysander walked around the carriage, checking the other pins—they were all intact. He watched the driver, who was far off down the road, looking for the linchpin.

He was glad he sent off the street urchin when he returned with the blacksmith before the driver found the missing pin. Lysander sent the blacksmith to retrieve the wooden wheel and roll it back to the carriage, and directed the boy to call back the driver.

Between the three men, they managed to lift the carriage enough to slide the wheel back onto its axle. After that, it was easy to secure the new linchpin, and after paying the blacksmith and giving the urchin the rest of his money, they were back on their way.

When they reached the townhouse, Lysander was only running a little late. He left the driver at the front to park the coach and take care of the horses while he went for a dip with his wife. He took his leather valise containing his swimming attire with him into the house.

He was about to change when he caught something out of the corner of his eye. He looked down the long hallway and out the rear window to see a figure moving at the rear. It was not Georgina.

Lysander dropped the bag, sprinted down the hallway, and burst through the door.

He took in the scene in an instant.

One masked man stood just beyond the door. Another stood at the edge of the lake, and a third was circling it. Georgina was trapped in the middle of the lake like a fish in a bowl surrounded by cats.

“Help!” she shouted.

The masked man closest to Lysander turned and raised his fists, but he wasn’t quick enough. Lysander was on the man before he could put up a fight or defend himself. A swift left hook, followed by a right hook, caused the man to collapse to the ground with a groan.

The other two masked men were not close enough to surprise. The furthest man circled back around the lake to join his counterpart to take on Lysander together.

The men were both large and about as tall as Lysander, but heavier. One of them cracked his knuckles as they came together. The other rolled his neck. Lysander didn’t bother checking around himself for a weapon. There was so much rage surging through him that he didn’t need one.

You dare come for my wife! You dare do that to me!

Perhaps they were there to burgle the house, or Lysander’s friend was in trouble, but that didn’t matter now. Whatever the reason, they had entered the rear of the property and circled Georgina while she was helpless in the middle of the lake.

You will all pay for that.

Lysander waited for the two men to regroup and come at him.

They attacked together, separating a little to attack him from opposite sides.

He didn’t wait in the middle for them to come to him, and bounded toward the man on his left, allowing himself to throw more rights than lefts, and putting enough distance between him and the man on the right to stop them from attacking simultaneously.

The masked man swung at him, and Lysander brought his arm up to block the punch. A swift fist to the man’s stomach made him double over. Lysander finished him off with an uppercut, and the man crumpled as quickly as the first man had. Lysander turned quickly to face the last of the trio.

The masked man didn’t attack swiftly—he’d seen what had happened to his two friends when they’d tried that. Instead, he circled Lysander while assessing the situation.

When he had circled enough that the house was behind him, the masked man swiftly turned and ran for the building.

Lysander was after him in a heartbeat. The man reached the back door, but as he grabbed the handle, Lysander yanked him back by the collar. The masked man spun around, throwing the back of his fist at Lysander’s head.

The Duke ducked under the swing, coming back up with fists flying, slamming his left fist into the man’s torso, just below his shoulder, and his right into the ribcage on the opposite side, knocking the wind from him. The man didn’t go down, but he had the fight taken out of him.

Lysander held him by the back of his collar, reached over to grab the first bandit, and dragged them both toward the lake.

“Are you all right?” he shouted to Georgina.

“I’m—I’m fine,” she called back.

“Get out of the water.” Lysander pointed to the side of the lake, instructing her to exit the water away from where the three men now were.

Georgina began swimming to the far bank.

Lysander tore off the mask from the man he still held. “What are you doing here?”

The man snorted, coughing and grabbing his chest in pain.

Lysander didn’t waste any time on him. He half ran with the man, tossing him headfirst into the lake. The man screamed out before he hit the water.

Lysander turned his attention to the two remaining men who were still trying to get to their feet and strode over to them.

“Which of you wants to tell me what I need to know?” he commanded.

“Bugger off!” one shouted.

“I thought as much.” Lysander grabbed the man by the shirt. “You can help your friend.” Then he tossed him into the lake.

Lysander grabbed the third man, lifted him to his feet, and slammed his right fist into the man’s chin, knocking him back down. Then, he lifted him to his feet again and ripped off the mask. The man had blood on his lower lip.

“I won’t ask you a second time,” Lysander warned. “What are you doing here?”

The man faltered, not speaking immediately, and Lysander clenched and lifted his fist.

“No, no, no,” the man begged, lifting his hands before his face. “I’ll tell you what you want to know.”

“Then speak,” Lysander demanded. “What are you doing here?”

“Lady Eastbeck sent us,” the man stuttered. “We were to take Her Grace to Lady Eastbeck. I don’t fully know why. She said something about keeping the two of you apart like her and her lover.”

Lord Abbington.

“Then what?” Lysander asked. “What were you to do with her after delivering her to Lady Eastbeck?”

“I don’t know. That’s the truth. That’s all we’d been hired to do. She said to come here and take her; that it would be the easiest job we could do. It was the money, Your Grace. We didn’t want to do it, not really, but she offered us so much money to retrieve her.”

My coach? Did she orchestrate that to delay me so they could enter the home? If she did, then she meant the repair to take far longer.

“On the grass!” Lysander ordered the two men stumbling from the water. “One move and I’ll make sure you don’t get up next time. Do you understand me?”

The two sopping wet men slumped to the ground and remained still, while the remaining masked bandit removed his soggy disguise without being asked. They both glared at the Duke, but quickly averted their eyes when he stared back at them.

“Georgina, go to the driver at the front of the house and summon the Bow Street Runners. Have them come here as quickly as possible.”

Georgina nodded, but glanced worriedly at the three men.

“Don’t worry, I’ll be fine,” he assured her. “Go now.”

Georgina did as he’d instructed and ran to the house. As soon as the Bow Street Runners arrived, he would have the three men arrested, but he wouldn’t mention Lady Eastbeck’s name for now.

He didn’t want to unnerve Georgina more than she obviously was, and she didn’t need to know the men had come after her. He would explain that it was a simple burglary that had gone wrong and that she had nothing to worry about. They would not return to the townhouse lake again.

As for Lady Eastbeck? He would deal with her personally.