Page 25 of Loving an Earl (Widows of Mayfair #1)

W hen Emmeline got separated from Lilly, she hurried back to Blackstone and Caldwell. “Have you seen Lilly? I can’t find her.”

Caldwell replied, “I haven’t seen her since we danced.”

“She saw someone dressed as a smuggler and was afraid of him.”

Both Caldwell and Blackstone chuckled. “That was Langford.”

“Of course it was. But knowing it was him doesn’t ease my fears. Where is she?”

“Where is who?” Of course, Langford chose that precise moment to join them.

“Lilly,” Emmeline replied, getting more worried by the second. “I got separated from her and can’t find her.”

She couldn’t see his face, but by the tightening of his stance, she could tell he was worried, too. “The Duke of Westport just told me that Redford was set free until his trial. Did any of you see him here?”

Emmeline thought she was going to be sick. How could this be? How could such a man simply be let loose?

“I think we should split up and check every inch of this place,” Langford continued. “Emmeline, you stay with Blackstone and check the family’s private rooms. Caldwell and I will separate and check all the public spaces and the immediate grounds. Talk to everyone and see if anyone remembers seeing her. Tell them her costume. Someone might know something. We should meet back here in an hour. Because if we haven’t found her by then, she isn’t here.”

*

Bloody hell , Edmund scolded himself for leaving his cane with the footman at the door as he limped as fast as he could down the hallway opening every door he came to and scanning the room from top to bottom. He soon found himself in the servants’ hall, which he believed led outside. Most of the London townhomes had similar floor plans and this was no different. He came to the kitchen and crossed it, taking a candle from the table as he went and continuing down the corridor. If Redford wanted to escape with Lilly unnoticed, this would be the best way.

His foot stepped on something that crunched beneath his boots. He picked it up and his heart tumbled to his knees. The squished, elaborate gold mask in his hands belonged to Lilly. He’d never forget the beauty of seeing her wearing it. He hobbled as quickly as he could and burst out the door into an alley. Breathing heavily, he continued running toward the street, scanning for anything out of the ordinary. Unfortunately, the street was full of parked vehicles, and guests still arriving. He hurried back inside to meet with the others, hoping against hope that they’d found her somewhere without her mask and his fears were unfounded, but when he saw them, Lilly wasn’t with them.

He wanted to tear his hair out and bellow at the top of his lungs. If only he had stayed with her earlier, insisting they had their conversation then. His insides had protested waiting until tomorrow, but he’d let her choose the time and place. He needed to ask her forgiveness for his crazed behavior of late, and he needed to say three life-altering words. I love you. He rubbed his chest, which ached from exertion and stark terror. He held up her mask.

“I found this near the servants’ entrance. Redford must have her.”

Emmeline leaned her head against Blackstone, and his arm circled her waist, helping her stand because she looked ready to collapse.

“Blackstone, take Emmeline home. Caldwell and I will go to my house and head out on horseback. I have an idea he’s heading for Gretna Green to force Lilly to marry him. We should be able to catch up with him.”

Thirty minutes later, Edmund and Caldwell sped off hoping to intercept the coach carrying Redford and Lilly before they traveled too far. Both parties would have to stop at roadside inns along the way for fresh horses. Fortunately for them, Redford would need to travel in a coach with Lilly and wouldn’t be able to move nearly as quickly as they could on horseback.

Into the dark they rode, not as fast as Edmund would have liked, but to keep the horses and themselves safe, they had to go slower than during the daytime. Not to mention a throbbing pain lancing up and down his leg causing him nausea.

After twenty miles or so, they stopped to retrieve fresh horses, and as much as Edmund needed to rest his leg, which had gone numb, there would be time after they found Lilly. When Edmund inquired about a man and woman traveling with a driver, his tension eased somewhat. They had been seen. God only knew that Redford had done to Lilly by now, but at least they knew they were on the right trail, and they were only about a half hour behind the carriage. If they pushed the horses harder they could overtake Redford soon.

They quickly switched their saddles, and off they went. For the first time since he knew what happened to Lilly, he breathed deeper, knowing he would find her and she would soon be safe from the bloody blackguard that was the murderous Viscount Redford. And if it was the last thing he did, he would see the man pay for his actions regarding Lilly.

Minutes later, the clouds parted and the moon illuminated the road. Edmund spotted the carriage not far ahead. Without slowing, both he and Caldwell retrieved the pistols they were carrying—just in case. He wouldn’t put anything past Redford.

Edmund and Caldwell split up, riding on either side of the coach forcing the driver to stop. “See here! What is the nature of your business?” the driver spat at them.

“We have come for the kidnapped lady,” Caldwell said as he aimed his pistol at the driver. “Do not move or I’ll put a bullet in you.”

Edmund, his heart up near his throat, slid off his mount and staggered as he moved cautiously toward the door. Before he made it, the door flung open, and two shots were fired in his direction. He dove beneath the carriage in the nick of time. At the sound of Redford reloading, Edmund scurried from beneath the coach and flung open the now-closed door and pointed his gun at Redford. Hatred shone from Redford’s eyes as he realized he was caught.

“Put the guns down. Slide them on the floor and kick them out of the carriage.” Without taking his eyes, or his pistol, off Redford, Edmund kicked the pistols away from the coach. Still meeting Redford’s glare, Edmund asked, “Lilly, are you hurt?” He could not risk looking at her. Redford was desperate, and a desperate man would do almost anything to get what he wanted.

“No.” Hearing her voice confirm she wasn’t hurt nearly took him to the ground with relief.

“Caldwell,” Edmund yelled.

He came up beside Edmund. “Yes.”

“Is the driver secured?”

“Yes. My best sailor’s knot. He won’t be going anywhere until some poor blackguard frees him.”

“Do the same for Redford.” Caldwell climbed into the carriage, clearly happy to oblige. “Lilly, you may get out.”

She flew out the door so quickly that Edmund barely had time to react and catch her. His damaged leg buckled and they tumbled to the hard ground with a loud thud. “Did you get hurt?” he asked as he breathed through the pain of rocks and sticks stabbing into his back.

“No. You cushioned my fall.”

She rose off him, and helped him stand when she saw him struggling to get up. “Your leg. Is it bothering you?” Her concern was a balm to his pain.

“Yes. But I’ll be fine.” He walked her over to the side of the road, then wrapped her up in his arms and held her as her body shook and she broke down and cried big, gulping sobs into his chest. She was trying to talk, but he couldn’t make out a single word. He kept holding her as his heart broke in two for her. For a young lady of nineteen, she’d gone through so much in her short life. Now that he’d found her safe and unharmed, he swore he would spend the rest of his life devoted to making her happy.

It wasn’t long before Caldwell stood beside them. “They are both tied up. Can you help me get the driver inside the carriage? I’ll drive them back to the inn and send for the constable. Lilly can ride my horse.”

Edmund helped Lilly up on Caldwell’s mount.

“Have you ridden astride before?”

“Yes. Several times.”

He swallowed down his groan of pain when he mounted his horse. There would be time later to rest his leg. They rode side by side in front of the carriage. When they arrived back at the inn, the innkeeper sent word immediately to the local constable. Edmund, Lilly, and Caldwell sat in a private room enjoying refreshments while a stablehand guarded the carriage and its occupants.

“Let me look at your leg?” Lilly asked, her face pale and her eyes worried. Edmund didn’t need her worrying about his leg. He was concerned about her.

“If I remove my boot, I’ll never get it back on. There will be time for that later.” He paused and lowered his voice. “Tell me what happened?”

She pushed her hair from her eyes, her coiffure long since destroyed, and the anguish he saw in them rattled his heart. “Not now. Not here,” she whispered.

As much as he wanted to know, he could see she was in no condition to explain her terrible ordeal now. The constable arrived not long after. They explained what had happened, and he assured them he would see the two prisoners to London.

Edmund wanted to rent a coach, but Lilly refused. “I can’t be inside a carriage right now. I need to be outside and free.”

Once again, he respected her wishes.

They rode the twenty miles back to London in silence. Edmund’s eyes were heavy with exhaustion but he managed to watch over Lilly just in case she nodded off. He would not allow her to be hurt on his watch. She’d been through enough.

Edmund watched from atop his horse as Blackstone, Emmeline, and Vivian hurried out the front door when they arrived at Emmeline’s townhome. Blackstone immediately stepped forward and helped Lilly down, and then, with his arm around her waist, he escorted her inside the townhome. It was the right and gentlemanly thing to do, but still, a stab of jealousy pierced Edmund’s insides that someone else had the privilege of putting an arm around her. But what right did he have to be jealous? He’d managed to ruin whatever relationship he and Lilly had again and again. He pushed the thought from his mind—that didn’t matter now. The only thing that mattered was that Lilly was safe and away from Redford.

“Are you getting down?” Caldwell asked with worry.

“I don’t know if I can. My leg has gone numb again.”

Caldwell signaled to a footman standing outside the front door. “Lord Langford needs help getting down from his mount.” Between the footman and Caldwell, they were able to help him dismount and lend a hand in getting him into the house. The stairs were a bugger; Edmund kept thinking he was going to fall backward and break his neck. When he finally reached a comfortable chair and his leg placed on a footstool, he breathed a sigh of relief.

*

The six of them sat in the drawing room as a servant brought in tea. Aunt Vivian served Lilly, who sat beside her on the settee with Emmeline on the other side. “My dear, drink this. It will warm up your bones and help settle your stomach and nerves.”

“What did you put in it?” She may be numb and fighting sleep, but she was sure she’d witnessed Aunt Vivian pour something from a decanter into her tea.

“It is brandy. Just a little. It will help you relax and sleep.” Aunt Vivian patted her knee. “You have had a terribly shocking ordeal, and you need rest.”

Lilly needed much more than rest. She needed to forget what happened. She needed to never see Redford’s evil face again. She quivered. Unfortunately, she believed his face would plague her during sleep for many nights to come. The room was uncomfortably silent as all eyes watched her. Why? Were they waiting for her to scream? Start blabbering to herself? She may do those things, but she would wait until she was in the privacy of her chambers. Then she could fall apart. “I imagine you want to know what happened?”

Emmeline took one of her hands in hers. “We do. But only if you are ready to talk about it.”

She truly didn’t know if she’d ever be ready. “What I want to know is will Redford ever be free again?”

“Not if I have anything to say about it,” Langford said as his rubbed his upper thigh. Lilly didn’t think he was aware he was doing it.

“How?” she asked.

“The magistrate will know by now what happened, and will no doubt send word soon asking you for an audience. When you are ready, he will arrive and take your statement.” He paused. “You don’t have to meet him alone. I will be with you if you’d like.”

“Thank you. I will think on it. Meanwhile,” she took the last sip of the brandy-laced tea and winced, “if you will excuse me, I’m going to rest. I’m not ready to talk about it.”

*

As soon as she was gone, Emmeline said, “Tell us what happened. I was so afraid for Lilly. I drove mother and Blackstone mad as I paced the floor.”

Edmund told them what he knew. As he said the words, he was thrown right back to the moment they’d caught up with the coach. His heart had pounded inside his chest and he found it hard to hear anything. All he had wanted to do was get Lilly and never let her out of his sight again. He would profess his love and beg for her forgiveness for being an utter arse.

However, when he finally saw the horror on her face and in her eyes, he’d almost vomited. When he held her trembling body in his arms while she sobbed, his heart had broken for her. He knew at that moment he would do anything for her. He should have shot Redford on the spot. Or, at the very least, beaten him to within an inch of his life. It would have been no more than he deserved.

The vacant stare in Lilly’s eyes just now as she exited the room tortured him anew. He would do everything in his power never to see that look in her eyes again.