“Yes, well, I was offered a promotion and quite a large salary.”Nigel shrugged.“It is nice to have a purpose.Not sure I would have lasted very long on vacation.”
They entered the small fishing village where they had taken lodging for the night.“Let’s get a good night’s rest and then leave in the morning for London.”He narrowed his eyes at Nigel.“I’m serious.Last time.Don’t ever talk to me again.”
Nigel chuckled.They walked into the inn from the back door.“All right.But I do have something to give you.I have been cleaning up Lord Fleming’s affairs before his nephew and family come to take possession of the town house.He left you an envelope.I meant to give it to you earlier, but I forgot with all this.I’ll bring it to your room.Just give me a few moments.”
Rhys entered his own room, immediately stripped off his jacket and shirt, and poured water from the pitcher into the washbowl.Scooping water with his hands, he splashed his face, rinsing off sweat and droplets of blood.A knock rang out.He grabbed a towel and quickly patted his face.Then he went to unlock the door and let Nigel in.
“Here, I found this.It had your name on it.”Nigel shoved a large envelope into his hands.“See you in the morning.”The man unceremoniously turned on his heel and walked away.
Nigel was a strange bird sometimes.Rhys shut the door and locked it again.He finished washing up and then took the envelope and went to sit on the bed with his back against the headboard.Before he even opened it, though, his thoughts returned to Violet, as they had every night this week.God, he missed her laugh and the smell of her hair.Had the baby been moving?Had she been eating enough?Fuck.Why was he sitting here in fucking Brighton when he could be back in London and in bed with her?
He ripped open the envelope, breaking the seal, and peered inside.His eyes widened as he pulled out a large bundle of cash.He set it next to him on the bed.Then he pulled out a piece of parchment.Lord Fleming’s familiar scrawl filled the page.
My dear boy,
I hope I have spoken to you about this already, but it is always good to have a backup plan.If you are receiving this letter, I am dead.The favor I must ask you is twofold.First, I need you to go to Lady Awbrey and warn her of the danger of her liaison with Lord Lavensham.His mistresses have all met untimely deaths, and I am certain those were not all the tragic coincidences that he has always lamented.The truth is that Lady Awbrey and I have been friends for years.When her husband died, I hoped to comfort her in any way that I could.Even though our friendship is strong, I held myself back from pursuing her romantically because this job has been my life for so long, and I did not know how I could change my focus this late in life.Unfortunately, my cowardice only led to my watching her be scooped up by James.The money I have included inside is for her so that she need not worry about the financial repercussions of ending her relationship with James.
The second part of the favor is simply that you consider following the advice of an old fool like me.Don’t make the mistake of letting this job define your life.My regrets are many that I never allowed myself to love someone and be loved in return.That I held myself back instead of reaching for what I wanted.We do the hard work that no one else sees.Danger is a constant companion.But don’t make the same mistakes.You deserve happiness as much as the next man.I have watched you grow into a man of worth.A man who takes responsibility for not just himself but those that he surrounds himself with.I am proud of you, whatever that is worth.
Goodbye, friend.
Rhys wiped at a tear that streaked down his cheek.Fresh grief hit him like a fist to his chest.Death was a part of life, he reminded himself.But he hadn’t felt like this since his mother died.This man had plucked him from the streets and showed him what it was to be a man of worth.He had been the closest Rhys ever had to a father.That’s what a father was, was it not?Not always the person who had sired you, but the figure who ushered you into manhood with the rules and values that would help mold you into the person you became?
You deserve happiness.That’s just what Violet had said with such quiet conviction.He hadn’t believed her at the time.And he still wasn’t sure, but damn it, Violet made him happy.She was a bloody miracle in his life.Tomorrow, he would go straight to her and beg her to keep him in her life in whatever manner she wished.He would be whatever she needed him to be because she was his life now.
*
The sights andsmells of London assaulted his senses as he rode back into the city.He was tired and dusty, but he couldn’t wait to see his girl.As he rode down Oxford Street, he briefly wondered if he should go home and bathe before going to her house, but immediately dismissed the idea.He needed to kiss her.Then he would go home, greet his dog, and get cleaned up.
He pulled up to the mews and gave his horse over to the stable hand.“We’ve had a long journey.Give him a good rubdown and extra hay.”
“Yes, Mr.Seaton.”
Rhys pulled his watch out of his jacket pocket.Four o’clock.She was probably having tea with toast and jam in her sitting room.He came through the back gate, strode over to the tree, and climbed up.Her window was closed and he gave it a tug, only to find it locked.How odd.Why would her window be closed on such a balmy day?Violet enjoyed the fresh air.
He climbed back down and headed to the kitchen door.With a quick rap of his knuckles on the door, he let himself in.It was quiet, not a soul bustling about.He frowned and headed down the corridor to the butler’s office.Mr.Hodgins’s head popped up from the ledger he was studying as Rhys stepped into the threshold.“Mr.Seaton!”
“Good day.I am looking for Lady Sommerset.Is she at home?”
Hodgins rose, his hands clasped in front of him.“No, sir.”
“When do you expect her back?I will return then.”
“But she is gone.”
“Gone?What do you mean?”
“The duke came and took her.”
Panic grew in his chest.“What do you mean, man?Took her where?When?”
“Monday last week,” the voice came from his left.Rhys turned and found Jim standing in the hallway.“I tried to find you.But you weren’t at home.”
Rhys tugged a hand through his hair.“I had business out of town.I sent a note to her to explain my absence.”A lot of good it did.
“I have not opened her correspondence.”Hodgins waved a hand at a neat pile of notes on the corner of his desk.“The duke was quite angry.He arrived and forcibly took her from the house.She was allowed to take her lady’s maid with her.They traveled to Eastwell Park.”
“He said he was takin’ her so he could keep an eye on her until the baby came,” Jim said.“He was in a right snit.He shook her something fierce.”
