But no sooner than he had dressed and was applying himself to his cravat, there was a knock on the door. “Enter,” he said.
Jarvis, his face carefully blank, entered the room. “Hawkins would like to see you, Your Grace.”
“The groom?” Nathanial frowned, decided his neckcloth would pass muster, and turned. “What could Hawkins have to say to me this early?”
“That is for him to say, Your Grace, but I determined it was Urgent Business.”
Immediately, Nathanial’s thoughts went to Theo—and specifically, the fact that she had called for the carriage that morning. That in itself was unsurprising, as was the fact the carriage and Hawkins had returned without her, but he couldn’t prevent the feeling of dread that crept through him.
“I’ll come downstairs,” Nathanial said, taking the stick that lay propped against the dresser. He preferred not to use it, but it was convenient, he’d found, to have it on hand.
Hawkins was waiting for him in the library, and Nathanial wasted no time in asking, “Is it the Duchess?”
“I’m afraid it is, Your Grace,” Hawkins said, rubbing his nose with the back of his hand. He was a burly man of indeterminate age whose crooked nose suggested he had once tried to make a career of boxing. As long as Nathanial could remember,however, he had been part of the household, and he had no reason to question his loyalty.
“Well?”
“She requested me to take her to Hyde Park this morning,” he said. The dread Nathanial had been feeling settled into mingled anger and panic. “Around eight o’clock, sir. I suggested she might want an escort, and offered to walk her to her destination, but she appeared to think my services unnecessary and bid me to watch the horses.”
Of course she had, the little fool. An attempt on her life wasn’t considered danger enough for her to be careful. The Lord help him, he was going to have words with her when he got her back.
If he got her back.
The thought was so terrible, so horrific, he reared back. No, he would find her. There was no other option. He would not allow it.
“And?” he asked, though he barely recognised his voice. “What happened next?”
“Well, you see, that’s the thing, sir. She passed through the gates and was lost to sight. I held the horses for her as she bid for an hour, but she didn’t return. I handed the horses to a passing boy—they’re quite all right, sir—and searched the vicinity myself, but I didn’t see her. Thought I should come back and inform Your Grace of the events.”
It would be impossible to keep this matter from the servants, no matter how hard he tried. Jarvis would, no doubt, attempt to keep talk to a minimum, but this was severe enough he could not hide it. No one could. Theo was gone.
But now was not the time to panic.
“Very well,” he said. “Dispatch as many servants as you can spare to search the area, although I doubt she’ll be there now.”
“Yes, sir,” Jarvis said. “Should I inform the servants whom we are looking for?”
“Tell them Her Grace may have fallen ill again.”
“Yes, sir.”
Nathanial pinched the bridge of his nose. He had tothink. Who could have wanted to harm her? The letter she had received last night would give him a clue, but he didn’t know where she had put it. Where she hadhiddenit. Last night, he’d felt unequal to confronting her, and she had been just as gently affectionate as always, looking at him in a way that . . . He had felt sure she wanted no other.
He should have found that damn letter.
Using his cane, he pushed himself to his feet as Jarvis cleared his throat. “Betsy wishes to speak to you, Your Grace,” the butler said, waving her in.
“Betsy?” Nathanial looked across at Theo’s lady’s maid, the one who had so often glared at him and made her disapproval plain. “Well? I presume this is about Her Grace.”
Unusually, the woman had tears in her eyes, and she held a folded piece of paper in shaking hands. “She told me to give you this if she didn’t return in two hours, Your Grace,” she said, passing it to him and pressing her hands against her face. “I never thought—she never said—I didn’t think she’d be in danger.”
Without bothering to respond, Nathanial ripped open the note.
My dearest Nathanial, it began in an achingly familiar hand.
If you are reading this, I conclude I have not returned home, and you must no doubt know I went to Hyde Park this morning, not my mother’s house. You see, last night, I received a letter claiming to know something about your accident, and I went to discover what I could. I know you are planning on making enquiries, but you’re too hurt, still, and I wanted to spare you that.
If the worst has come to pass, I beg you would not hurt yourself looking for me. Only know that these months marriedto you have been the happiest of my life. I was looking for a hero, and I had not known I had found one in you.
