Edward felt blood rush to his ears, his fear only rising.
“Did you look around the market?” He needed to stay calm.
“Yes, but she wasn’t there,” Ophelia explained, no longer crying at last. “Alice took her.”
“Lady Alice?” Edward was confused.
“Yes.” Ophelia nodded. “I saw her in the market, and I asked her what she was doing here. She told me she had come to meet a friend, but it was obviously a lie. She might have come to find me and take some sorry revenge, and she took it by kidnapping Amy. I am certain it was her.”
“You are right.” If someone was capable of stopping so low, it was only Alice.
“But she couldn’t have gone far. We must follow her so we can get Amy back. She was in a simple black carriage instead of the one she usually uses.”
“Ophelia, please breathe,” he said calmly, knowing he was going to get Amy back. “We will bring her back.”
Ophelia nodded, but Edward had already moved away. He hurried out of the house, springing to action as he told his carriage driver what had happened. He had been travelling with no one but two footmen and his carriage driver, but Edward knew he could find Alice. If she had indeed kidnapped Amy, she would head back to London and nowhere else. He leapt inside his carriage, not letting panic take hold of him.
He was not going to let Alice get away.
“I will be back soon.” Ophelia nodded, tears still streaming down her face, but all Edward could think about right now was Amy. He could not let go of this last connection with his sister. He loved Amy too much to lose her. Even if he had to turn the entire area upside down, he was going to find Amy, and if Alice truly had her as Ophelia suspected, he would make sure she suffered immensely for trying to kidnap his beloved niece.
Right now, he simply needed to find her.
They had only been driving for about thirty minutes, finally reaching the outskirts of town, when Edward’s carriage driver informed him that he could see a black carriage just a little up ahead, stationed at the side of the road.
“Stop the carriage.”
Edward got out, walking to the front to sit beside the carriage driver as they approached. Surely enough, a black carriage was standing still on the road, the driver trying to do something with the wheel. Edward hopped down, striding up to the driver, who immediately left the wheel and came to Edward, continuing to glance at the carriage in fear. Edward immediately knew something was wrong. He could sense it.
“Who is inside the carriage?” he asked the driver, keeping his voice low.
“Sir, can I trust you? You look like an important man?” the driver asked, sweat dripping down his forehead.
“I am the Earl of Sommers; you can trust me. Now tell me at once who is inside the carriage.”
“It is a young woman, My Lord,” the driver immediately divulged. “I believe she has kidnapped a child from someone and is now running away. I pretended that the carriage had broken down and stopped here so someone might have been able to find us, and I could not let a small child get hurt. Are you aware of who she is?”
“She is exactly who I am looking for,” Edward replied, his anger only increasing. “Thank you for reacting intelligently, and I will make sure you are rewarded for it.”
He nodded at the man, making his way towards the carriage. As Edward opened the door, he found Alice seated inside, Amy clasped tightly in her arms. Amy was loudly crying, her sobs already beginning to pain Edward’s heart as he stared at Alice, who had gone speechless.
“Lord Cavendish,” she whispered, her eyes wide in horror.
“Get out.”
He took Amy from her arms, and the child immediately calmed down the moment her gaze fell on Edward. She smiled through her tear-streaked face, melting Edward’s heart as he realized she recognized him. He was filled with relief at finding her, finally feeling a little at peace. Ophelia had been right; it had been Alice.
“My Lord, I can explain.”
“Do not even try.” Edward raised his hand the moment Alice started to speak, “You are going to be dealt with by the authorities.”
“Edward, please, I was only doing it all for you.”
She began sobbing, but Edward knew even her tears were fake.
“You kidnapped my niece for me? Please do not try to justify your wrongdoings with lies, Lady Alice. You have already done enough.”
“I just wanted to show you how irresponsible that Ophelia is so you could love me instead.”
