Page 28 of Tempting a Lonely Lord (The Rakes of Mayhem #6)

Dover

Two days later

“My lady, Lord Dudley’s carriage and the Dormans’ carriage have arrived. There are two carriages and they each seat six people,” Garrett said, inclining his head. “I will alert the ladies and Lord Bridgewater.”

“Thank you, Dudley.” Bella peeked out the window of the parlor and saw William stepping down from the carriage.

He looked so handsome in his buff-colored breeches and black jacket and a simple white shirt.

She watched as he spoke to the duke and duchess in the second carriage.

Seeing him turn back to the house, she eased the curtain back in place.

She was looking forward to the fête—it was all the household had been chatting about for the past two days.

Well, that and the treasure that Uncle Stephen and Michael had unearthed.

“Ah, Bella, there you are,” Uncle Stephen said, stepping from his study, his face lighting up as he straightened his waistcoat. “Just a reminder that I’ve invited the lovely Lady Rivers to accompany us.”

“Yes, I cannot wait to see her again to become further acquainted,” Bella said with a smile.

She’d noticed a difference in her uncle these last few days—since he’d made his decision to stop drinking.

He seemed happier, calmer, and with a spring in his step, especially where the lovely widow was concerned.

Yesterday morning, he had called a family meeting and shared a codicil of her father’s will with her and her grandmothers—announcing that her father had left the unentailed Bridgewater Manor to Bella, with her twenty-first birthday.

What was even more noteworthy was that he declared that any mineral rights discovered on the property would also belong to Bella.

Before this, Uncle Stephen had been quite evasive when it came to discussing anything about her father’s will—except anything having to do with his guardianship of her.

Grandmama had suggested that he have the family solicitors examine the map to determine its authenticity, and Uncle Stephen agreed.

Bella’s twenty-first birthday would happen soon, but she planned to find a way to include her uncle in anything having to do with the potential copper operations.

Yesterday afternoon, he had invited Lady Rivers over for tea to become better acquainted with the family—and in the case of Grandmama, to renew their acquaintance.

Bella found the widow to be both spirited and kind.

And it was clear—at least to the three women in the house—that Uncle Stephen was taken with Lady Rivers.

“Elizabeth lives close to where the fête is being held,” Stephen said. “Perhaps I should take my smaller carriage so I can stop by her home and pick her up on the way.”

“I won’t hear of it, Stephen,” William said as he and Michael stepped into the main hall. “Lucas and Harriett’s carriage is right behind mine and has plenty of room. It’s large and accommodating. It can comfortably seat six people.”

“I hope everyone is ready,” Grandmère said as she and Grandmama approached arm in arm.

“Wait. Lacey wants to come, too,” Michael said. The black dog padded up and gave a soft woof as she planted herself beside him. “Can she, William?” the little boy pleaded.

“Since the fête takes place outdoors, it should not be a problem—that is, if Lady Bella permits it.”

Michael beamed at Bella. “Can Lacey come with us, Bella?”

“I have no objection. If you keep up with her.” Bella opened a closet and withdrew a leather leash. “You must keep her on her leash and close to you. And if you need assistance with Lacey, ask one of us.” She smiled, handing the leash to Michael.

“I will. I promise,” he said, eagerly attaching the leash to Lacey’s collar. “You get to come, girl!”

Lacey gave an exuberant bark and wagged her tail.

“There’s a chill in the air today, my ladies,” Garrett said, handing Bella’s pelisse to William. The butler smiled at Bella and her grandmothers. “If you plan to be outside all day, you will all need your pelisses.”

Bella smiled at his thoughtfulness. He had always been more like a kindly older uncle or grandfather to her. Garrett had been in her father’s household for what seemed like forever. His kindness had been a true comfort after her father’s passing.

She couldn’t help but notice that Lacey continued acting somewhat aloof around Garrett.

She noticed that the dog huffed as Garrett moved forward to assist Grandmama and Grandmère with their pelisses.

With so much going on, she didn’t have a chance to speak to him about it.

Surely they’d resolve it among themselves… at least, she hoped so.

With William’s assistance, Bella slid her arms into the sleeves of her pelisse and pulled on her gloves. “I don’t mind crisp weather, as long as it doesn’t rain.”

As soon as everyone was settled, the carriages lurched forward and headed toward town. The ladies took the first carriage, with William and Michael, and Uncle Stephen rode with the Dormans in the second carriage.

As they neared town, Bella noticed the Dormans’ carriage stopping in front of a beautiful, four-storied mansion.

Surrounding it were smaller, yet elegant, townhouses.

Two streets separated these homes from the more popular taverns and other places frequented by the locals, yet they were all close to the beach—a reminder of the size of the town.

Uncle Stephen emerged from the carriage with a spring in his step and entered the mansion.

This must be the residence of Lady Elizabeth Rivers. The countess had a beautiful home.

“I suppose he plans to walk into town with the widow. It’s a short distance, so it should be fine,” Grandmama said. “It’s nice to see my son finally more like himself.”

“He’s not angry or sad anymore,” Michael piped up as the carriages continued on their way. “So he can be happy.” The boy smiled at his grandmothers and Bella, before pasting his face against the glass, where he continued to gaze at the vast colorful tents and people.

“Michael, dear, I fear we will scatter eventually, but you need to stay with one of us,” Grandmère said as they alighted from the carriage after arriving. “Grandmama and I plan to visit our friend, Madame Vorest. You are welcome to come, of course,” she added.

“I would like that,” he said. “Can I tell her about the tweasure?”

They all looked at William. “Perhaps it would be better to keep that to ourselves for another day or two until we find out whether the map is real,” he said. “It’s with the solicitors right now being evaluated. For today, we should keep it to ourselves, until we know it’s legitimate.”

Bella knew it was real. It had to be. But she nodded her agreement, as did her grandmothers. Gradually, Michael gave his reluctant nod as well.

“I want to try the games, and eat some of the tweats,” he said.

“We’ll make sure you’ll get to do everything you’d like to do…within reason,” Grandmama said, patting the boy’s head.

“I see Madame Vorest has a tent a few yards away. What do you say we start there, Anna?” Grandmère asked.

“I’d like to see her—although it’s going to be hard not to mention the treasure. Maybe we just stop by to say hello,” Grandmama suggested. “Are you interested in coming with us, Bella?”

“I would like that. William, will you be with us?”

“If you don’t mind, Lucas and I will be visiting a few of the tradesmen who are displaying their wares. We also want to speak to the blacksmith,” William said as Lucas and Harriett approached. “Then we’ll join you once more, and perhaps take some refreshment?”

“Yes, that sounds lovely,” Bella said. Turning to Harriett, she asked if she would like to go with them to visit Madame Vorest.

Harriett said she remembered hearing about a Roma fortune teller when she lived at Dudley Manor, but she’d never had the opportunity to meet her and was greatly looking forward to it.

As the four women, Michael, and Lacey entered Madame Vorest’s tent, they found her distraught and pacing, holding a handkerchief to her teary eyes.

“Madame Vorest, what’s wrong?” Grandmère asked.

“I fear something awful has happened,” the fortune teller said, wiping at her eyes.

“My little granddaughter has gone missing. Yesterday, Sophia was with her older sister Diana. They were planning on walking to the home of a friend just a stone’s throw away, but when her sister went back into the cottage to retrieve her gloves, she returned, and Sophia was gone.

Disappeared. We searched the area all yesterday afternoon and night, and this morning.

We have not been able to find her. I had to come here today, but I am afraid I am not much use. ”

“Have you searched the grounds of the festival?” Grandmama asked.

“Yes, as I said, we have been searching everywhere. There hasn’t been a sign of her anywhere. Oh… my sweet Sophie. She’s only seven,” the older woman cried. “I’m certain they’ve taken her.”

“ Who has taken her?” the duchess asked.

“ They have… The slavers. It’s been happening for years. Dover’s children have been steadily disappearing. There is a great evil in this town.”

“How do you know they are being sold into slavery?” Grandmama asked.

“It is what the sailors that come here tell us—only they cannot tell us who is doing it. And we have never been able to stop it. They don’t steal only Dover’s children.

My family… They tell me it happens in other cities and towns…

even London. But so many have disappeared from Dover, and we have no idea who is behind it. ” She wrung her hands as she paced.

“What does your granddaughter look like?” Bella asked gently.

Madame Vorest sniffled and stared straight ahead, wiping her tears away.

“My Sophie… She is my daughter’s youngest child, you see.

She is so pretty. She has little blonde ringlets and blue eyes, a blue like the ocean.

And yesterday, she was wearing a blue dress, one that I made for her.

And here I am, a gypsy. I read the tea leaves, I looked into my crystal ball, I have even tried to read my cards—but to no end.

I cannot see anything. Everything is gray and murky.

What good are my gifts if I cannot help my own family? ”

As Bella’s grandmothers and Harriett consoled the Roma gypsy, Bella whispered to Michael that perhaps he might enjoy going for a walk with Uncle Stephen and Lady Rivers—she saw them through the opening in the tent.

“I think Lacey might like to go for a walk as well,” she said to Michael, who nodded solemnly.

“I’m sorry for the fortune teller,” he whispered. “I hope they find Sophie.”

Bella hugged him. The boy felt everything so deeply that she didn’t want him to be fearful or saddened by this terrible news about missing children being sold into slavery.

Bella whispered to Harriett that she was going to escort Michael and Lacey to Uncle Stephen and Lady Rivers. “When I return,” she suggested, “perhaps we can seek out William and Lucas to tell them about Sophie.”

Harriett agreed. “They know a lot about these terrible smugglers. But I had no idea it had gotten this bad in Dover,” she said.

“I won’t be long,” Bella said. “I see Uncle Stephen and Lady Rivers at the horseshoe toss, down the way,” she said, pulling back the tent flap.

Taking firm hold of Michael’s hand and the dog’s leash, she escorted them to her uncle and told them what had happened.

Stephen assured her they would watch over Michael and Lacey.

“Thank you, Uncle. I’ll return to Madame Vorest’s tent, where Harriett is waiting with Grandmama and Grandmère. We plan to seek out William and Lucas and tell them about the lost children,” she said.

Stephen nodded. “Yes, I saw them speaking with the blacksmith at the other end of the main thoroughfare.”

Bella thanked her uncle and Lady Rivers again and turned to make her way back to the fortune teller’s tent. Just as she was a few feet away, a hand snaked out and grabbed her wrist, yanking her to a shadowed corner.

“There you are, my darling,” someone said in a low voice, a voice that made her skin crawl.

Baron Darkmoor .

Before she could run or even scream, his hand covered her mouth, and he dragged her toward a tent where several horses had been stabled.

“I heard that your family found the map— my map . I have been searching for it for years. That map will be mine, my dear. As you will be. When we are married, I will have both you and the treasure, something I’ve wanted for so very long.

” He yanked her hard against his chest. “And now, I would like a kiss to seal our deal, my dearest.”

She tried to struggle, to get away, but he was too strong.

His arms were like bands of steel around her, and he grabbed a fistful of her hair and smashed his mouth against hers in a brutal kiss.

Panic engulfed her as she frantically thought about how she could get away.

Anger filled her at how she had allowed herself to be taken.

She still had her feet. She remembered one of her father’s grooms explaining that the top of a man’s foot was a vulnerable spot.

With that thought whirling in her head, she lifted her foot and, with as much force as she could, slammed her heel onto the top of his.

He yelped and his grip on her loosened, and she gasped as she made her escape.

But she’d only managed a few feet before he grabbed her hair and dragged her back against his chest.

“You won’t get away so easily, Lady Bella. But I do like your spirit.” He laughed. She almost gagged. His breath smelled like stale whisky and his lips were dry, not soft like William’s. He bit down on her lip as he forced his tongue into her mouth, and she whimpered with fear as she tasted blood.

Roughly, he shoved her against a wooden post in a dark corner in the back. “You will be mine. And that is a promise,” he said, as he painfully groped her breasts and forced his kiss on her again.

~*~