Lady In Distress (The Langley Sisters Book 3) (28 page)

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

“So are you officially asking me for Bella’s hand, Luke?”

Ace had gone to send a message to a man about something, and Finn had yet to arrive, so only Will and Luke sat in his office.

“I have no right to with what hangs over my head, yet I am, and have asked her. We wish to marry as soon as it can be arranged, but that will be after I have resolved this problem.”

“Her sisters will want to put on lavish wedding for her.”

Luke sighed. “Will, we have loved each other for more years than I care to count, and while I understand what Phoebe and Livvy will want something special for their sister, we don’t want to wait any longer than necessary to be together.” Running a hand through his hair, Luke tried to get out the words that were in his heart. “I woke smiling today, Will. A big wide one, and then I laughed, which, believe me, has not been something I have done a lot of lately. I did not wake to that cold, dark feeling invading my chest, not knowing when I would see her. The danger is still there, but now I have hope, because I have Bella. I need her to survive, Will, just as she needs me.”

“I hope you spoke to her like that?” Will’s voice was gruff as he stood to answer the knock on his door.
 

“She knows.”

“Excuse me, my lord, but Sally has returned from the park with Eddie, but has lost Miss Langley.” Roberts entered the room.

“What!” Luke was out of his chair in seconds.

“Bring Sally here at once,” Will said, putting a hand in Luke’s chest as he tried to pass him. “And have Lord Levermarch and Mr. Dillinger brought here, too.
 

“Stay. She will come to us, and then we will listen and take action.”

Luke stood aside as the butler returned with the maid. His body was tense, his heart pounding. Where was Bella?

“Tell us everything, Sally.”

She looked at Luke and then to Will and nodded.

“We entered the park and a boy bent to speak to Eddie and then ran off.
 
But Eddie’s ribbon had come undone and he followed. Miss Langley asked me to go along the left path while she took the right, but I never saw her again. Tears filled her eyes. “I searched everywhere. I walked into the trees and then on the road where the carriages were, but I saw no sign of her.
 

“What of the boy?”

Sally nodded. “He brought Eddie to me, and when I questioned him as to where the lady had gone, he said he hadn’t seen her.”
“Did you believe him?” Luke snapped.

She nodded. “I questioned him thoroughly.”

“Did you see which way the boy walked, Sally? Think now,” Will added. “This could be very important.”

“He ran off to the north, my lord.”

“Roberts, have our horses brought round now and then send word to Lord Levermarch’s brothers and any men he has to help search. Sally, you will lead the staff in a search of the area for Miss Langley or the boy,” Will stated.

Dear God, this was not happening
, Luke thought. They had just become betrothed; finally they could be together.
 

“I hear raised voices,” Livvy said, entering Will’s office with Finn and Ace on her heels.

Luke looked at her and watched the color drain from her face. What did he look like if he had produced that reaction in her without saying a word?

“Bella?” she whispered. “Where is she?”

Will caught her as she reached for him, and Luke shuddered. He wanted Bella in his arms.

“Sally came back from the park saying that Bella has gone missing. Luke and I need to leave now with Sally, love, to find a boy who they spoke to.”

“I will come.”

“You will not,” he said firmly. “You will stay with Henry and wait for Phoebe and Finn’s brothers.”
 

She started to cry. “Y-you believe something has happened to her, don’t you?”
“Give me the keys to the guns.” Luke caught them as Will threw them at him. Then going to the locked cabinet where Will kept his arms, he opened it and took out a shotgun and pistols. Handing some to Finn and Ace, who had arrived in haste after hearing the news, he then placed a knife in his boot and took another for Will. Locking it again, he then used another key to open the drawer Will kept his money in. Taking out a large pouch, he stuffed it into the inside pocket of his jacket. Luke then locked his emotions away; he’d had plenty of practice over the years, and it took an effort but he managed, and was soon the cool controlled man he needed to be.

“The information I was bringing you today implicated Anthony, Luke.” Finn’s face was grave. “Could it be he who has taken Bella?”

“He was just here!” Livvy cried.

“He asked her to marry him,” Luke snarled.”
 

“I sent him away after Bella told him she loved Luke,” Will added. “But he knew about you,” he said, looking at Luke. “Said he’d bribed one of my servants to get that information.”

“We leave now.” Luke threw Will his weapon.
 

“Luke,” Livvy whispered. He hugged her briefly. “We’ll bring her back, Livvy. I promise.”

She nodded and then stepped back to where Will was waiting. He held her briefly. “Finn will have Phoebe brought here, and you must promise me that you both will stay here until we return,” Luke heard Will say as he began to leave the room. “I can’t look for her and worry about you at the same time.”

Luke heard her muffled agreement that she would not leave the house.
 

Sally awaited them in the entranceway.
 

“Is there anything you can tell us about this boy, Sally? Anything that will distinguish him from others?” Will questioned her when he arrived.

“His scarf,” she said quickly. “It was red, and his hair is black, but he wore a brown cap.”

“Roberts, send the staff out to look around the streets for the boy or Miss Langley. Sally will go along to identify him. Tell them to ask questions of anyone they see about her,” Will said. “Have Lord Levermarch’s brothers join us at the northern end of the park. I will leave word there as to where we have gone.”

“I will see to it, my lord.”

“And my wife and her sister are not to leave this house or I shall fire the lot of you.” Will’s parting words made the butler pale, but he nodded and then closed the door. Luke heard it lock behind them.

They were all soon mounted and left the drive.

“Lord Anthony’s lodgings, does anyone know where they are located?” Luke questioned.

“Yes, I know the address as I had to reply to there with our acceptance to his picnic,” Finn said.

They reached the northern end of the park and Will signaled a man. “You, there.”

“Yes, my lord?”

“I need you to stand here and direct some men who will approach on horseback. I want you to tell them that Lord Ryder and Lord Levermarch have gone to find Lord Anthony.” He then added the address.

Luke handed him some money before they rode off. They did not speak again until they arrived at the address. The house was in a respectable part of London, with others of equal quality flanking it. Luke handed his reins to Finn who would stay out here with Ace. Pounding on the door produced nothing, so they went around the back and knocked on the servants’ entrance and still no one answered. Finding a window at ground level, Luke smashed it using a stone from the garden, and climbed inside, followed by Will.

“It’s empty!” Luke looked around the walls; no pictures or furniture. Going from room to room, they found nothing until they reached one of the bedrooms on the second floor. Here there was a bed and clothes, but nothing further.

“What the hell is going on?” Will walked around to a desk that had pieces of paper and other items scattered over it. Finding a note, he opened it as Luke searched through the clothes that were discarded on the floor.

“He’s got nothing,” Will said minutes later. “These are markers that are being called in, and bills from outraged suppliers. Lord Anthony has obviously been living a lie, and has set about discrediting and trying to remove you because he wanted to marry Bella.

“And Bella’s dowry was supposed to save him,” Luke whispered.
 

The sound of a fist banging on the front door had them both running back down the stairs. Luke unlocked it and threw it open. Finn and his brothers stood outside with Ace still on his horse holding the others.

“Anthony has nothing, he’s been living a lie and has been trying to get rid of Luke to clear the way for him to marry Bella for her dowry,” Will stated.
 
“She told him this morning that she would not marry him, and I was with her when she did so. I saw the rage in his eyes. It was real, and both Bella and I commented on it.” Will looked grim as he finished speaking.

“Where would he take her?” Luke’s words cut through their conversation. “You’re noblemen; tell me what he will do now.”

“He’ll take her to a Gretna Green, or a church if he already has a license,” Ben said.

“Christ, we could look everywhere. Do you know how many bloody churches there are in a day or two’s ride from London?” Alex looked horrified, Luke swore long and low, which no one blinked at.

“She’s mine,” he snarled, “and no one is taking her away from me now.” Luke looked at each of the men before him. “You need to know that even if he marries her I will have her, whether I have to kill him to achieve it. Bella and I cannot live without each other, nor will we.”

“You can’t—”

Luke impaled Alex with a look. “Yes,” he said softly. “I can. She is my life as I am hers. I will not allow her to live an unhappy one with another, nor will she allow me to live without her.”

Finn broke the silence. “It’s the way of things when you love, Alex. It would have been no different for Will or I. We would kill for Phoebe and Livvy, and one day you’ll know why.”

Will nodded. “I’d destroy anyone who hurt Livvy.”

Ben and Alex looked at the other and whistled, but said nothing further.
 

“Don’t look, but behind Alex, there is a man who has been hovering on the corner of the street. He keeps looking up here and then away,” Finn said softly. “I suggest Ben and Alex go now, stroll towards him, and see if he runs. If he does, you give chase. When you catch him, bring him here.”

The twins nodded, shaking the hands of each man. Alex then slapped Ben on the back and together they started walking. Luke shook his head at Ace as he started to dismount and he remained on his horse. He watched the twins elbow each other as they walked, chatting loudly, from the corner of his eye.

“They’re on the opposite side of the street from him, and so far he has yet to move. Ben has just given Alex an elbow in the stomach which has sent him stumbling across the road,” Finn said.
 

Luke hated standing here knowing Bella was in danger. He hated that the twins were doing something while he was not. He wanted to go after her, but knew he had no idea which direction Anthony had taken. He didn’t think the man would hurt her, but after what he had done to Luke, he knew what he was capable off and that sent a chill down his spine.
 

“Open the door and go inside. They have him and are bringing him towards the house.”

Will and Luke did as Finn asked and stood waiting for the twins to arrive.

“Why have you grabbed me?” The man Ben and Alex held was dressed in rough clothes, his hair greasy, body thin and bent, and he was protesting loudly.

“Where has Lord Anthony taken Miss Langley?”

“I-I don’t know what you’re talking about,” he stammered.

Luke walked forward, keeping his eyes on the man, holding his terrified gaze. He stopped inches before him. “You look familiar to me. In fact, I believe it was you who tried to take a knife to my throat a few days ago.”

“I never saw you before.”

“And now I look closely, you could be the man who tried to run me down with a carriage, too.”

“Wasn’t me!”

“Miss Langley is my betrothed, and related to every man in this room, and it’s our belief that Lord Anthony has abducted her. We,” Luke gestured with his hand around the room, “care very much for Miss Langley and it would be in your best interests to remember that before you open your mouth again.” Luke watched the man swallow several times. “So I will ask you one final time where he has taken her. If you do not reply, then I will start beating the answers out of you.”

The man looked from Luke to the others and back to Luke.

“H-he’s gone to a church.”

“Gretna Green?” Will said.

“No, he says he doesn’t need to go there, and said something about a village called Biverton.”

“I know where that is!” Ben said. “We’ve been there, Alex, to watch a boxing match. Do you remember?”

“By God, yes!”

“Tis lucky for you that I care more about getting to her than evening the score between us, sir. But if you ever appear before me again, you shall not be so lucky. Let’s go.” Luke walked past the man and out the door.
 

I’m coming, Bella.

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN