“I tried to reach her, but she was out of the Duck and Goose before I could. I then watched her run down the lane and disappear.”
It couldn’t be her.
Wolf thanked him again, and then the Deville brothers left.
“What possible reason could Samantha have to be in such a place at midnight?” Ash asked.
“None that I can think of, but Rose did say she felt something wasn’t right with her.”
“Agreed,” Ash said. “She is not herself.”
Before Warwick could tell them his story of that night he was gripped with tension, and a bitter taste filled his mouth. He looked at Wolf. His eyes were now an intense green.
“Who?” Warwick rasped.
“I don’t know.”
“What’s going on?” Ash demanded.
“I’m not sure, but something is wrong. Very wrong.” Warwick grabbed his jacket, and soon he, Ash, and Wolf were running out the door.
“Left,” Warwick said. A vision of Samantha slipped into his head. “It’s Samantha.”
Their feet pounded.
“Someone is hurt,” Wolf said. “Are you sure it’s her?”
“Yes.” He felt her—she was terrified and in pain. He needed to reach her.
He let instinct guide him and was soon veering right and then a sharp left. They’d been running for about ten minutes when he saw James’s carriage in the street ahead. The twins and Samantha had gone out in that today.
“What is going on?” he asked the driver who still sat on his seat controlling the horses.
“It’s Lady Samantha, sir, she’s disappeared. Sam and two maids, plus both Mrs. Charltons have gone looking for her.”
“Dorset!” Ash bellowed his wife’s name as she appeared before them.
Warwick followed his brother-in-law’s long strides. Ash was crushing her in a hug when he reached them.
“Where is Somer?”
“C-coming. We’ve looked everywhere but could not find Samantha. It is as though she has disappeared.”
Red-eyed and pale-faced, the other twin appeared. Warwick hugged her close. “I have you.”
“I-I can’t find her,” Somer whispered into his neck. “Help us, Warwick.”
“Tell us what happened.”
“We were just about to get into the carriage, and a group of boys ran our way. They were yelling. Samantha moved to the left and Dorrie and I to the right to avoid them, but they stopped beside us. Sensing trouble, we walked through them and saw her being dragged into that lane by two men. We followed with Sam the footman, but it is as if she’d vanished before our eyes.”
“You both need to focus now.” Warwick released Somer, and Ash reluctantly did the same with his wife. “We have to find her but to do that we need you.”
They nodded, inhaling a deep breath and slowly exhaling, their eyes on him.
He felt an icy calm settle over him. She was still alive. He’d know if not, and that was not something he’d contemplate. They had to find her and fast. If she was hurting, she’d need healing.
Warwick pulled out his earplugs and stuffed them into his pocket.
