Just as the doorbell clanged.
Henry stayed his henchman’s hand, waiting to see if the caller went away. When the bell rang again, this time for longer, he scowled and turned to pull open the door. ‘Stay here and watch them,’ he ordered before stepping through, slamming the door behind him and turning the key.
∞∞∞
Roan and Adam waited impatiently at the main entrance. ‘How long do we give the bastard before we knock his bloody door down?’ growled the former sea captain.
‘Remember our role is to keep the son of a bitch talking,’ warned Adam, ‘however much we might want to draw his cork. We dare not act recklessly until we know for sure where he’s stashed Hope and Gabriel. He has at least three thugs at his beck and call whose whereabouts are equally uncertain.’
Roan nodded his head. ‘Hot headed I may be, but not entirely bacon-brained,’ he commented before adding a rueful, ‘unlike our wives on occasion.’
The two men grinned at each other in perfect accord. A few moments later, Adam was just about to give the doorbell another tug, when they heard footsteps approaching from inside.
Both men took a deep breath and waited as the door was slowly pulled open.
The man on the other side was clearly not Henry Atwood. Both his manner and his attire, not to mention his doubtful hygiene declared him one of the thugs Adam had mentioned.
‘Pray tell your master he has callers,’ Adam ordered in his most aloof condescending tone.
‘Master’s not ‘ome,’ was the sullen response as the man began to close the door in their faces.
‘You misunderstand me,’ Adam added coldly, sticking his foot in the door. ‘I did not ask whether Henry Atwood was at home. I simply asked you to inform him that we are here to see him.’ He paused and looked down his nose at the bogus footman. ‘And while you’re about it, you might well consider having a bath.’ Roan fought to hide a grin as Adam affectedly pulled out a kerchief from his pocket and held it in front of his nose.
There was a pause as the man wrestled with what he should do. Then, ‘Who shall I say is callin’ on ‘im?’ His agitated response was that of someone who’d had very few dealings with theton.
‘You may tell him that the Marquis of Birmingham wishes to speak with him. Perhaps you will also enlighten him as to why you are leaving a peer of the realm loitering on his doorstep.’
Thoroughly cowed as Adam had intended, the man hurriedly stepped back and allowed them to enter. Then, with an awkward bow, the ruffian turned and all but ran towards the back of the house.
The two men stood silently, using the time to examine their surroundings. On any other occasion, Gabriel’s home would be considered quite delightful.
Moments later, Henry Atwood finally appeared. Flanking him were two of his ruffians. The man who’d answered the door and another, even more brutish. Both Roan and Adam were in no doubt that these were the bastards who’d abducted Hope and Gabriel.
‘How can I help you, my lord?’ asked Henry obsequiously. ‘Are you lost perchance?’
Roan eyed the despicable individual who’d done such dreadful things to a gentleman he’d only recently had the great fortune to call friend. The resemblance was indeed remarkable, but the man in front of him was merely a pale imitation of Gabriel Atwood. In truth, on seeing the evil bastard for the first time in person, Roan was having a difficult time holding to Adam’s command.
‘My carriage struck a rock some two miles back,’ declared Adam coolly, his tone every inch that of a bored aristocrat. ‘I would be in your debt if you could send one of your men post haste to the nearest town to secure my companion and I alternative transport.’ He looked haughtily around the hall before returning his wintery gaze to Atwood. ‘In the meantime, if your chef would provide us with a small repast, I would be most grateful. We shall wait in the drawing room.’ The Earl paused, staring down his nose at the master of the house who was even now turning an interesting shade of puce. After a space of a few moments, Adam quirked an enquiring brow and spoke again, his voice a few degrees chillier.
‘Perhaps you would direct us to your drawing room, preferably one with a large fire in it.’ He shuddered theatrically and began removing his gloves. ‘The weather has been excessively inclement lately.’
∞∞∞
Nicholas and Malcolm made their way along the edge of the wall until they reached a section that had succumbed to the elements. Clambering over the scattered rocks, they continued along the boundary, this time on the inside, taking care to keep close to the cover provided by the shrubbery. In the distance, they heard the doorbell clang insistently and glancing at each other, shared a knowing grin. ‘Aye, I’d give a lot right now te see Adam in all his pompous glory,’ chuckled Malcolm.
‘Let’s hope Roan doesn’t ruin the charade by laughing,’ the Duke commented drily. He parted an enormous rhododendron and pointed to a large orangery. ‘There,’ he decided. ‘It’s around the side of the house so we’re unlikely to be spotted crossing the lawn as long as Adam keeps Henry Atwood talking in the hall.
‘Hopefully we’ll be able to break a windowpane to get in.’
‘Gabe’ll not love ye for damaging his property,’ warned the Scotsman.
‘At least he’ll be alive to ring a bloody peal over my head,’ responded Nicholas. ‘Come on.’
The two men raced across the lawn towards the orangery. The myriad windows reflected their every movement giving them the uncomfortable feeling of being watched by someone inside. Once against the dubious protection of the building, Nicholas hunted for a door. ‘No sense in breaking a window if some idiot has left the entrance unlocked,’ he murmured, finally spotting two large doors in the French style. Unfortunately, after trying both handles to no avail, the decision was made for them. ‘There’s a key on the inside,’ he observed, pressing his head against the glass above the lock.
‘So, breaking and entering it is,’ mocked the valet with a sigh.
Quickly picking up a small rock, Nicholas glanced around, then swiftly struck the glass and cautiously pushed the shards into the room. Then reaching carefully over the jagged edges remaining around the edge, he turned the key and opened the door.
