Page 42 of My Secret Duke
Y ou have nothing to worry about as far as Lieutenant Harrison is concerned.”
Ivo stared at Freddie. “What do you mean?”
“He’s been transferred. As far away from here as possible. His superiors were unimpressed with his bullheadedness where you were concerned. They thought he had overstepped the mark, and I must admit,” he said, looking smug, “I did not correct them.”
Ivo wanted to laugh, but he reined it in. “There’s still Rendall.”
“Yes, there is,” Freddie agreed. “You heard that they let him go? There was no reason to hold him.”
“That is what worries me.”
He had hardly stopped speaking when there was a high-pitched scream from the rooms above. Conversation stopped, and the guests looked at each other, not sure whether to be worried or amused.
“Edwina’s high spirits,” said the dowager dismissively.
But the screams were getting louder, accompanied by the thud of footsteps coming closer. Edwina burst through the doorway, with Georgia close behind her, and both girls were hysterical.
“Gabriel, Gabriel!” Edwina sobbed.
Instinctively, Gabriel dropped to his knees and the girls ran into his arms.
“It’s all my fault!” Georgia wailed. “I threw the doll out of the window, and Olivia went to get it, and then the man took her!”
Ivo felt himself go icy cold. It was as if his blood froze in his veins. Gabriel was demanding, “What man?” while the others watched on, shocked and confused.
Vivienne took Edwina in her arms, and attempted to soothe her. “The man outside,” the little girl hiccupped. “He said, ‘Are you Lady Olivia Ashton?’ and then he took her a-away.”
“Who was this man?” Ivo’s voice was loud.
At the same time, his mother shouted, “Carlyon!”
Georgia clung to Gabriel. “He said to tell you,” she said, looking at Ivo. “He said—he said,” she screwed up her face in the effort of remembering. “‘Tell Northam I have taken his woman.’ And then he said he would have his revenge.”
Silence seemed to fill Ivo’s head, as if everything had stopped. The room dimmed. Olivia. He blinked when Carlyon appeared in front of him, his old face wrinkled with concern.
“Your Grace? The lantern is gone from the table by the door. One of the servants saw Lady Olivia go out with it.”
Charles replaced Carlyon in front of him. “Is it Rendall? Ivo?”
Yes, it was Rendall. He had no doubt. Finally, he had shown his hand—and it was even worse than Ivo had imagined.
“It’s dark outside,” he said, thinking aloud. “He’ll need a lantern to find his way over the salt marsh. He’ll have taken Olivia’s. We’ll be able to see the light!”
And he was gone, ignoring the voices calling after him, taking the stairs two at a time. His brain was churning with worry and fear, but he had a plan now. The cupola on the roof had been built for just such a day as this. The tower rose high above Whitmont, high enough to see all over the salt marsh. And if Jacob Rendall had the lantern, that was even better. Ivo would be able to follow him. He could find Olivia and bring her back. He would wrap his arms about her and never let her go again.
Charles was right behind Ivo as he reached the roof and flung open the narrow door that led to the ladder. Quickly, he climbed upward, and in a moment, he was standing high above the world, with only the dark, cloudy sky above him.
Ivo didn’t know what Rendall meant to do, but he knew it would be nothing good. “Revenge,” he had said. He wanted revenge, and he was going to take the woman Ivo loved. How had he known that was Olivia? He didn’t understand yet, but right now, that wasn’t important. All that mattered was finding Olivia unharmed.
“There!” Charles pointed. There was a light bobbing out in the darkness.
Ivo had a map of the marsh in his head. He knew it as well as he knew the layout of his own house. And with the tide coming in, Rendall was heading into the most dangerous part, full of quicksand and pools of murky water that were traps for the unwary, ready to pull him down if he put a step wrong.
He took a shaky breath. Rendall must know of the danger, given that he had grown up here. Perhaps he just didn’t care.
Ivo centered his spinning thoughts. He needed to reach Olivia before it was too late.
Other voices were growing louder now. Gabriel and Freddie had followed him and were asking questions. Justina and Roberta, too, their eyes worried. Gabriel put his hand on Ivo’s shoulder to capture his attention. He looked grim. “This is Rendall, isn’t it?”
“Yes.” Ivo didn’t look away from the other man’s face. He knew what Gabriel was thinking. This was all Ivo’s fault. “I will get her back safely,” he vowed.
Gabriel hesitated. “You’d better,” he said gruffly.
As Ivo climbed back down the ladder, Freddie’s voice echoed after him. “Good luck!”
A quick visit to his room, and Ivo threw off his formal jacket, changing it for a coat, then he changed his shoes for boots. When he stepped out into the corridor, he found Charles, who had done the same. He had never been more grateful for his brother. Downstairs, Carlyon was wringing his hands as usual.
“Hang a light in the cupola so it can be seen!” Ivo instructed him. “And send someone to Portside to find Bourne. Tell him what is happening. Tell him I need his help in the marsh.”
“But what will that beast do to Lady Olivia?” Carlyon wailed.
The remaining guests were gathered now in the foyer, and their voices fell silent at the question. Ivo could hardly bear to meet their eyes. “I am going to bring her back,” he said.
The dowager gave a gasp. “You,” she began, and Ivo could tell she was about to blame him for everything. He knew he deserved that, and he wouldn’t have stopped her. But he was grateful when Vivienne cut her short.
“Olivia is a clever and resourceful girl. She will stay safe until Northam reaches her.”
Ivo prayed she was right.
Charles hesitated as they began to move away from the house. “Do we need a light?”
“No,” Ivo said. He had reached the gate that led into the salt marsh, barely slowing as he opened it. “I know this place. I know it better than anyone.”
It was true. Even as emotion threatened to overcome him, Ivo reminded himself that he had played here since he could walk. Even with the tide coming in, he had the advantage, not Rendall. All his years living and breathing the salt marsh had been for this moment. If anyone could save Olivia, then it was he.