He pulled her into his arms and held her tight.
“I’m here, Ruby. And together we will find your brother. But if you can tell me something to aid in that search, then you must.”
Forrest felt her shudder. Her hands clutched his lapels.
“What do you mean?”
“Talk to me. Let me help you. I know something is not right with you. If you believe what you are withholding from me will help Adam, then you must speak up.”
“Nathan and I are ready.” Zach entered the room, stopped, then backed out. “We will be waiting for you downstairs.”
“We must look for him.” She eased back out of his arms. “Please, Mr. Howarth, we must go. He will be scared.”
“But you do have something to tell me?”
“Yes.”
“Then let’s go. You can talk in the carriage.”
“Zach, take Ruby downstairs. I will say goodbye to Ella and meet you shortly. Have Hogan drive with Sam; we may need him.”
Forrest pressed a kiss to her forehead and then nudged Ruby to Zach.
He found the others still in the parlor. He said goodbye to his daughter, who seemed happy with her nanny and the duchess, who did not seem inclined to leave the house. Gabe was pacing the hallway. Michael leaned in the doorway, watching him.
“Send word if you need me, Forrest.”
“I will. I fear there is more to Adam’s disappearance, but as yet I don’t know what.”
“Stay safe, cousin.”
Gabe stalked back to where they stood, hair standing off his head, eyes a bit wild.
“She will be all right, Gabe. Dimity is strong, and when I return, I look forward to meeting my niece or nephew.”
“Find Ruby’s brother and get back here.”
He nodded and left, running down the stairs and out to the waiting carriage. Climbing in, he took the seat beside Ruby. Across from him sat Nathan, Zach, and Mr. Winston, wedged into the seat.
“We will go to Nobby Lane first, as that is where he went missing from,” Zach said as the carriage started moving.
Forrest looked at Ruby, wondering if she would speak now, in front of the other two men. Tell them why she’d said her brother was missing because of her.
“Will you tell us what happened, Mr. Winston?” She looked at the man.
“Mr. Zwart and I helped Adam down the stairs. He wanted to sit outside and draw. We left him only briefly, but when we came back down, he had gone.” The man’s face was lined with worry. “We have searched everywhere. Knocked on the doors of those closest. No one has seen him. It’s as though he disappeared.”
“’Tis not your fault,” Ruby said, gripping the hand of her elderly friend. She inhaled deeply, exhaling slowly. “I need to tell you all something, and I know it is likely to see me dismissed from your employ and before the magistrate.”
“I doubt that, but continue,” Forrest said, placing his hand over the ones she now clasped in her lap. He kept them there as she began.
“A man stopped me in the street one day when I was walking home. He said I was to get into a carriage. Another man was in there. He told me he knew who I worked for and that he’d been watching me. I saw him that day at Gunter’s Tea Rooms, and at the park.”
“So this is only just a recent thing?” Nathan asked.
“Yes. It was after we visited the tearooms. That evening on the way home.”
“The day Dimity, Beth, and Ruby picked you up? They said you were upset,” Forrest added.
