“What’s going on?” Eden demanded.
“We think something has happened to Maddie and Samantha. Get everyone now and go to the study. There is no time to lose,” Cam said, entering behind Warwick. “Hurry.”
“Call our horses, Buttles!” Harry ordered the butler who was lurking in the entranceway.
“It won’t be easy with all the carriages outside the doors,” Dev said. “Have them brought to my house, Buttles.”
“At once,” the butler said.
They thundered up the stairs to the study and burst through the door. Warwick stopped short when he found James in there with Lord Raine, Mr. Brown, the Bow Street Runner, and Mr. Spriggot, the private investigator.
“What has happened?” James rose.
“Maddie and Samantha are missing. We believe something has happened,” Warwick said, his voice a rasp. “Blanchet sent her a note.” His entire body was clenched.Where was she?He had to find her. She had always been part of his life, but now she was so much more. He loved Samantha and could not fathom a future without her in it. He needed her back here with him.
Footsteps were heard, and he knew the rest of the family were arriving. They would feel something was off and had come here.
“We need to find them,” Harry growled.
“And we will, but to do that we need a direction. With that and us, we will get them back,” Dev said.
“Gabe wanted to speak with me, and then Buttles arrived with news Mr. Spriggot and Mr. Brown had an urgent message for me,” James said. “In light of what you have said, I think it is important we all hear it before we hunt down whoever has my sisters and destroy them.”
“I’ll start,” Gabe said. “Theo Lavigne, the French spy your father sold secrets to, was hanged here in England. The late Duke of Raven told the right people that he knew the man was a spy and said he had proof. He then twisted everything to make himself look the hero. Lavigne was caught and hanged.”
“And no one in this room is surprised,” Max muttered.
“Lavigne had a son and daughter,” Gabe continued. “They arrived in London six months ago as Mr. and Miss Blanchet.”
“That sniveling weasel. He is a dead man!” Warwick yelled.
“It’s my belief he and his sister knew their father had hanged due to the Duke of Raven’s accusations against him and have attempted twice unsuccessfully to abduct Lady Samantha. Tonight, they succeeded,” Gabe added.
“Who then is behind the blackmail attempts?” James asked.
“And hurt my brother,” Dev snarled.
“I am pleased you suffered no ill effects,” Mr. Brown said, not in any way surprised that Warwick looked hale and hearty. And angry, he thought. Rage and fear warred for domination inside him. He should have told Samantha what lay in his heart, not just that she was his Raven, and now she wasn’t where he could reach her. Someone had taken her from him, and they would be made to pay.
“If I may speak?” Mr. Spriggot said.
“Go ahead,” James said.
“We found the longtime mistress of one Mr. Breel, the late duke’s man of affairs. He has a son,” Mr. Spriggot said.
“We believe he may be the one behind the blackmail and who shot Mr. Warwickshire Sinclair,” Mr. Brown added.
“I’ve never met a family who fall into trouble like you lot,” Gabe said. “Lavigne’s son is an excellent artist,” he added. “That is how he got close to Lady Samantha. He studied with her in Ireland.”
“Samantha’s Blanchet?” Wolf whistled. “It’s hard to believe that simpering fool could be behind the kidnapping attempts.”
“He is not her anything,” Warwick snapped.
“So, is it Breel or Lavigne who has taken Maddie and Samantha?” Dev asked.
“As the note stated Lavigne, we believe it is him. Two sisters of a duke are more leverage,” Wolf said. “Also, he was in attendance this evening.”
“I invited the man who has taken my sisters into my house,” James rasped.
