“My niece is missing. Maybe abducted.” The Countess was pale with fright.
His father noted Theo’s attire. The whole damn house must know that he had bedded Penn. They’d know soon that he would wed her, that he loved her.
“Marsden,” said Harlow of Griff, the Countess’s step-son, “is rousing the men to help.”
“I’ll join them!” Tain picked up the hem of his vermilion banyan, and raced down the hall to enter the library.
“What’s wrong?” Penn asked.
“One of the young ladies is missing. Abducted.”
“That’s awful! What can we do?”
“I need clothes. I’ll go to my room and change. Stay here.”
“I can’t!”
“Well, I bloody well can’t talk to you in the daylight in your room!”
A gun shot pierced the air.
“What in hell is that?” she yelled and ran to the window. “Dear god. They’re all outside! Running toward the stables. You must hurry.”
“Stay here.”
“Bugger that,” she told him and tugged him toward the stairs.
He ran with her. “Terrible language, my girl.”
“Bugger, bugger, bugger.”
More yelling stopped them short. Then a trilling giggle.
“What now?” Penn said, horror in her eyes.
Lady Bridgewater rushed into the library. “Oh, hallo-o-o, my darlings?” She wore a thin morning robe, a huge mobcap and muslin trousers! “What the Christ is all the shouting about?”
Penn pointed toward the yard. “A lady is abducted.”
“You don’t say? One of the fellows did that?” She tore off her mobcap, her white hair springing out wild as strewn hay. “By damn, that’s jolly awful.”
Penn rolled her eyes at Theo. “We’re leaving.”
“But why? Look!” Lady Bridgewater climbed on one of the chairs to get a better look at the commotion. “Oh! No need to go. They’re all coming back to the house!”
“They are?” Theo craned his neck.
“Indeed. One has a pistol trained on another man. A few men and women are hugging each other. Order of the day for this party, wouldn’t you say?” Lady Bridgewater cooed in delight as she got down from her perch. “Excitement’s all over and done! Fie and fiddlesticks. I would’ve liked to see all that.”
“Oh, my,” said Penn.
Theo was quite undone. Confused. Angry. Relieved. He’d never been to a party like this one!
“Oh! Tickles!” Lady Bridgewater clicked her fingers, then in a few strokes jammed her hair up into her mobcap. “What a treat! No straight laces here, eh? I shall have such fun sharing all the juicy bits that’ve distinguished this party!” She gave them both a big open-mouthed wink.
“Please don’t, my lady,” Penn pleaded.
“Not you two. No, no. Tain is my favorite. Aren’t you, darling?” She gave a little flutter of her fingers and sailed toward the door.
