“Where did you find this?” Faircliffe demanded, his voice as shaky as Chloe’s fingers.
“In Dory’s cradle.” Tears streamed down her cheeks. “Leisterdale was in ourhome. In Dory’snursery. If I hadn’t been taking a nap with the baby in our room…”
Dory gurgled, oblivious to the shocked adults surrounding him.
“I don’t understand,” said Viv. “How did the kidnapper get inside your house?”
“He said ‘May I come in?’” Chloe answered bitterly. “And our butler let him in.”
“Hastings let a madman walk into our home?” Faircliffe said in disbelief.
“Let me guess,” Jacob said, his tone ironic. “Your unwelcome visitor didn’t ‘look’ like an undesirable. He looked like what he is: a lord. White, wealthy, male, upper-class accent… How am I doing?”
Chloe took an unsteady breath. “That’s exactly it. Leisterdale didn’t even offer a calling card. To our butler’s credit, Hastings left him in the parlor while he went to find me. Only the soulless blackguard didn’t stay there. Leisterdale strolled through our home as if he owned it. And then whenthisworthless creature—”
The maid cringed.
“—passed him in the corridor, he asked bold as brass where to find the nursery, and shetoldhim. Then carried on her way as if nothing at all was amiss.”
“He seemed important,” she mumbled. “Like you said, a lord or some such. I reckoned he was a friend of Your Graces, if he had the run of the house like that.”
“You think we’re the sort of parents who would grant strange men access to Dory’s nursery, as long as they have a title?”
“I don’t know, Your Grace. Iwasn’tthinking. He was such a fine gentleman, and I just… wanted to be helpful.”
“You wanted to help a kidnapper, you mean?” Chloe’s face was bright red.
The maid burst into tears and hobbled down the road, dragging her valise after her.
“Wait,” Viv called out to stop her.
“I’m sacked,” the maid called out without slowing. “They can keep my last month’s wages.”
“Run after her,” Viv told Jacob.
“No, let her go.” Chloe pressed her wet cheek against her baby’s soft night rail. “I want nothing to do with her.”
“You’d better,” said Viv.
Chloe’s eyes flashed. “Who do you think you are to tell me how I should feel and act when my flesh and blood was… almost… kidnapped.”
Her sharp voice trailed off as she realized Viv had a very good idea indeed how that might feel.
“I know you’re angry and scared,” Viv said softly. “But you can’t send away the only eyewitnesses to Leisterdale’s latest attempted abduction.”
“Shite.” Jacob took off running after the maid.
“Find Hastings, too!” called out Faircliffe.
Without slowing, Jacob touched his hand to his chest and lifted his fingers to the sky.
Viv reread the ominous note. She barely restrained herself from crumpling the threat in her fist.
Jacob was one of the most famous poets in England, and he wasn’t allowed across the threshold of his own publisher.
Whereas some well-heeled blackmailer with the right clothes, color, and accent was allowed to waltz into a duke’s town home and nearly steal a baby without anyone blinking.
30
