Candace Camp - His Wicked Charm

Everyone began again to talk at once.

“Quiet!” Thisbe’s husband, Desmond, jumped to his feet. He was normally such a quiet man that his outburst shocked all of them into silence. “We can’t go running off in all directions. We need to get organized. Maybe it’s the Dearborns and maybe it’s just some men hoping to make a profit. We need to be ready for all contingencies, including a ransom demand. We haven’t received one yet, but I would wager we will—no matter who took them. Let’s divide up. Rafe, you and Stephen go confront the Dearborns. Theo, Alex showed you where they held him. You and Reed make sure they don’t have Thisbe and the others there.” The men left immediately as Desmond went on, “The duke should stay here because he’ll be the one they ask for ransom. The same for Uncle Bellard because we need his brain.”

“And you, as well,” Con told him. “To keep us all straight.”

Desmond sighed, casting a glance at the duke, who was pale and shaken. “Yes. I’m afraid I must stay. Con, can you follow the kidnappers?”

“I intend to. That wagon Megan described will make it easier.”

“I’ll go with you.” Megan stood up.

“What?” Con whirled on her. “No. Absolutely not.”

“Are you saying that I’m not capable?” Megan’s chin thrust out. “That I’m too delicate?”

“I’m saying that Theo will have my head if I drag you around the city when you’re bloody, bruised and concussed.”

“That’s—it’s—”

“It’s smart,” Lilah said, rising to her feet. “Megan, you have been through enough today to fell anyone. You’re sore. You’re tired. You would slow Constantine down. Think of all the time and effort that would be wasted if you should lose consciousness again and he had to bring you back.”

Megan regarded her stonily for a moment. “Oh, hell…” She sank back down on the couch.

“Anna, too,” Lilah went on before Anna could speak. “You both need to recover.”

“Exactly.” Con turned toward the door.

“That’s why I am going to accompany you,” Lilah continued.

Con stopped abruptly. “No.”

“Why not? I trust you’re not going to say because I’m a woman.”

Megan snorted with laughter. “Yes, Con, why not? I think she should. Don’t you, Anna?”

“Yes, indeed.”

“After all—” Lilah plowed ahead “—as you said, I am logical, rational and right . It will be an excellent counterpoint to your qualities.”

Con glowered. “Blast it, Lilah, you’ll slow me down. What if we catch up with them? What if there’s a fight?”

“Then you’ll have someone to help you. I kept up with you when we went looking for Alex, didn’t I?”

“Yes, but…what about your aunt? Won’t she wonder what’s happened to you?”

“I can send my maid back to tell her I’ve been invited to stay for tea.”

“I’ll send her a note extending our invitation to you for dinner and the evening,” Anna offered. “Or, even better, Megan can. A marchioness is much more impressive.”

“There, you see? Think of the advantages if I go with you.” Lilah continued her list of reasons. “You’ll have another person to look for them, to question people. And—” Her face lit triumphantly. “If you find your mother and sisters and need reinforcements, you’ll have someone who can go for help while you keep watch to make sure they don’t escape.”

“Oh, for…” Con looked at Desmond.

“I agree.” Desmond shrugged. “It’s better if you have two people.”

“The devil.” Con looked back at Lilah. “Very well. You’re coming with me.”

CHAPTER FIVE

IT WAS A mistake to take her. Con knew it as soon as he said it. Lilah Holcutt never made anything easier. She would fuss; she would question; she would need looking after. But there was no way out of it now. Strangely, deep down it didn’t really bother him.

Con sent a footman to have one of their vehicles brought round, then walked over to Anna. Squatting down beside her, he said, “I need you to tell me everything you remember about your vision.”

Anna nodded. “I had a headache, so I was lying down. I dozed off, I think, because suddenly I woke up with a jolt. And I saw your mother and the others.”

“You saw them being taken?” He was a little surprised to see Lilah sit down beside Anna and take her hand.

Anna shook her head. “No. I didn’t realize that before. It wasn’t in London. It was in the country. There were no other houses around, but there were trees. I saw Thisbe and Olivia being pulled out of—of something. It was rather dark inside the vehicle.”

“A carriage?”

“I’m not sure. It was enclosed, but it opened in the back. It had a set of two doors, and they opened outward.” She demonstrated. “Two men were carrying the duchess and Kyria. They were very still. I wasn’t sure if they were asleep or—” Her voice caught.

“I’m sure they’re fine,” Con said soothingly. “Kyria was chloroformed. Probably Mother was, as well. The men want money for them. They wouldn’t risk killing them.”

She nodded. “Yes, you’re right. There was a third man, who had a gun aimed at Thisbe and Olivia. They were all walking somewhere.”

“Where? Could you see where they were?”

Anna shook her head. “There was a house, and I assume they were going there, but the vision ended before I could see them enter it.”

“What did it look like?”

“Two floors tall, but not a big house. Very plain. It was stone—a beige sort of color—or maybe just aged and dirty white stone. There was an outbuilding, a shed or small barn, off to one side. There was ivy growing up one wall. It—I had the impression nobody lived in the house.”

“Why?”

Anna shrugged. “I’m not sure. I… It looked untended. The smaller building was very weathered and leaned to one side. There wasn’t any garden. The ground was dirt and weeds and such.” She closed her eyes for a moment. “Oh! And there was a shutter half-off one of the downstairs windows.”

“Did you have any idea what part of the country it was in?”

“No. I’m sorry. I’m afraid this isn’t very helpful.”

“It is. Every scrap of information will help me. Was there anything more you saw? You said there were trees.”

“Yes, but not right next to the house. There was, um, a very large tree about twenty or thirty feet away. But in the distance I could see thicker trees. Like woods.” She paused, thinking. “Oh! Right next to the vehicle was a large stump, as if a big tree had been cut down in the past.”

“Good. That’s terrific, a great help.”

“I wish I could be of more use.”

“Don’t worry. This is good. I’ll be able to recognize the house.”

Con stood up and turned to Lilah, who had been watching their exchange with a baffled expression. No doubt she had decided both he and Anna belonged in an asylum. But to his surprise, Lilah said not a word.

Outside, the family’s elegant small town carriage awaited them. The coachman stood at the horses’ head, and he came toward Con now, saying, “They’re in fine fettle, sir. They’ll be wanting to move.”

“Don’t worry, Jenkins, I assure you I’ll take care of the team.”

“I’ve no doubt of that, sir.” The man smiled.

“ You’re going to drive the carriage?” Lilah asked, staring.

“Yes.” His smile held a little challenge. “Perhaps you’d like to ride inside. Or you could—”

“I am not staying here,” Lilah replied crisply and went to the front of the carriage. “If you’d give me a hand up…”

Con simply took her by the waist and lifted her to the first step. Lilah grabbed the handhold and shot a dark look at him over her shoulder.

“The first step is rather high,” he pointed out. “

“Yes, and I am rather tall.” Gripping the bar, she lifted her skirt with the other hand and climbed up to the coachman’s seat.

Con caught a glimpse of her stockings once again—an eye-searing yellow this time—and suppressed a smile as he scrambled up after her. The high seat was comfortable but, being built for one driver, it was not especially wide. Con could feel Lilah’s arm against his jacket, the side of her leg touching his.

That was not a thing to be thinking of at a time like this. Taking the reins, Con started forward.

“Why are you driving the carriage?”

“Easier for me to follow that way.” He shrugged. “I have a better view, and I don’t have to yell to the coachman if I want to get down to look at something.”

“Then why the carriage? Wouldn’t a smaller vehicle be easier to handle?”

“I thought of taking my grandfather’s old phaeton, actually. It’d be more maneuverable, lighter. But it’s been some years since it’s been driven—Father couldn’t quite bring himself to get rid of it, but no one uses it anymore. It’s too easy to grab a hansom or a seat on the omnibus.”

“You travel by omnibus?”

“Sometimes.” He grinned at the astonishment on her face. “Too plebian, you think?”

“No. It just surprises me.”

“It’s more convenient in certain parts of town. More in character sometimes.”

“Such as when you’re dressed as a quack medicine salesman?” A smile tugged at the corners of her mouth.

“Careful, you might actually grin.”

The blue eyes narrowed, and she snapped her head around to look forward again. Con felt a pang of regret. After a moment, he picked back up their earlier topic of conversation in a conciliatory tone. “The carriage is more useful, too. We’ll need to bring my mother and sisters back.”

She cast a quick sideways glance up at him. He suspected the words if we find them were on the tip of Lilah’s tongue, but she said nothing. They had reached the site of the abduction, and Con turned onto the street the kidnappers took. At the end of the block, he turned left and joined the jumble of traffic.

“Back there, at the house, how did Desmond know what to do? Who should go to the Dearborns and who should go to Alex’s prison and so on. Nobody objected or discussed it.”

“We know each other well. Rafe is the most intimidating. He’s not as large as Theo, but his eyes can get this look that chills one’s blood. Having lived through a bloody war, then making a fortune in the Wild West, he has little regard for the niceties of gentlemanly behavior. Especially when Kyria’s in danger. That’s why he would be better able to get information from the Dearborns. Stephen is his friend—they were partners in a silver mine after the American Civil War. They understand and trust each other. Stephen will make sure Rafe doesn’t get into trouble. Theo and Reed balance each other, as well. Reed’s the levelheaded one. Theo’s more one for action.”

“Then I really do serve as your counterbalance.” She shot him a sideways glance, and this time her smile won the battle.

Surprisingly, Con found he enjoyed having her along. Granted, Lilah questioned everything, but so far she had not been stuffy, and her conversation kept his mind off the worry gnawing inside him.

“Why were you chosen to follow the kidnappers?” Lilah asked.

“I’m better at that sort of thing. I can tell north from south. I’ve always been good at maps, and I’m familiar with the streets of London and the roads out of it. I’ve had experience, you see. That’s what my agency does—locate lost or stolen objects, missing people. Alex often makes that easier, of course, with his ability. But I’m the one who tracks down the leads and decides where to go.”