Esme smiled softly. “Marianne is so kind, I don’t think she would turn me away even if it would do her better to do so. Doesn’t it fall to me to protect her from herself? To protect Finn?”
“They’re both grown people with their own minds,” Diana said. “They don’t need protection. Not from the potential consequences of love or friendship, at least.” She looked toward the door. “He loves you. It’s evident in every move he makes, every twitch of his mouth and dart of his eyes when he’s near you. You’ve lost so much in your life, it would pain me to see you lose something so precious, as well. This time of your own doing, rather than the machinations of a rotten cousin.”
Esme smoothed her skirt. “I-I’ll think about it.”
“I’m sure you will,” Diana said with a kind squeeze of her hand. “Now I’ll join Lucas and Delacourt. I’ll see you this evening. Perhaps we’ll even get to speak of more than these horrible things, start our own path to what I’m sure will be a powerful friendship. Good day, Esme.”
“Good day, Your Grace,” Esme said, and escorted her to the door that led from the antechamber to the hall.
Once Diana had gone, she crossed back to the settee where she’d been during the ordeal. She sat and placed a hand where Finn had been beside her through every moment, every tear, every terror.
She could hardly think straight at present, and she wondered if that was why she was starting to have a kernel of hope thatperhaps her life could work out. Perhaps she could have the future that Finn kept dangling in front of her, promising her the world if she just trusted him.
CHAPTER 25
Finn entered his chamber after the party was over and the guests gone home. He was surprised to find Esme still in the antechamber, standing at the window, her hands clenched before her.
“The party has ended?” she asked.
He heard the anxiety in her tone and moved toward her in the hopes his presence would help calm it. “It has. Sebastian and Marianne wished to stay, but I forced them to go. They deserve a few days of wedded bliss, even if we do decide to involve them in whatever happens with Chilton.”
Esme shifted. “Good.”
“If it’s good then why do you look so nervous?” he asked. “Is it just thoughts of what we discussed with the duke and duchess?”
“Yes, but also no. I’m concerned because I haven’t heard from Jane today. I wrote to her last night and expected a response. Even if she was angry with me for putting myself in danger, she would have offered to bring me clothing.”
“I understand why you’d be worried. But don’t forget, I asked Ripley to look after her. It’s possible he’s taken her someplace safe.”
“I wrote to him, as well. And even if he tried, he couldn’t stop Jane from responding. Or even showing up here to scold me in person for taking off and locking myself in with you. She’d want to make certain I was unharmed.”
Finn’s frown deepened. “I trust you know her best. And if course your best friend would be a woman with her own mind.”
“I’m certain Ripley has decided to guard her. But Jane is capable of slipping a guard if she thinks it’s foolish to have one. She’s feared for me about all this, but she would likely believe she could take care of herself. She always has, her entire life.” She frowned and her worries were apparent. “I hope there’s some other explanation than that she got into trouble.”
There was a knock at the door at that time and they both turned toward it. “Come,” Finn called out, distracted by the number of ways this situation could be wrong. Could be dangerous.
The door opened and Bentley entered. “I’m sorry to disturb, but there’s a missive here for a Lady Charlotte. I told the man that no one was here by that name, but he insisted?—”
Esme rushed forward. “Charlotte?” she gasped, and grabbed the note.
Bentley looked confused but he exited when Finn nodded. He moved to Esme as she tore the seal and unfolded the pages.
Just because I can’t get to you doesn’t mean I can’t get to those you care about. Meet me at my home at ten tonight. Come alone or she’ll lose more than her hair. F.
Esme gasped as she read the words out loud and then held up a crudely cut chunk of blonde hair. “Jane’s,” she gasped. “He’s taken Jane.”
Esme’s stomach rolled and she gagged as Finn took the note and the long piece of hair and looked at them, himself. “Breathe,” he said gently. “Breathe, my love.”
He turned and went to the door to ring for Bentley. The butler returned and Finn said, “Send for the Duke and Duchess of Willowby right away. Tell them it’s an emergency and to come as soon as they can. When they arrive, have them brought straight to us here.”
“Yes, my lord,” Bentley said with a quick, concerned glance at Esme, who was bent against the back of a chair, shaking like a leaf.
When the servant left, Finn went to her. “We don’t know for certain?—”
“It’s her hair,” she whispered. “I’ve fixed it a dozen times for her while we giggled about what gentleman she was meeting that night. Iknowher hair. And it would explain exactly what we were just talking about. No matter what we did, he found her thanks to me. He realized who I was because I was foolish enough to turn to you. And now he is going to punish me through her. It’smyfault.”
“It’s not your fault,” Finn said, and caught her arms. “Look at me.” She lifted her chin. “None of any of this is your fault. It’s his. His fault for being a cruel bastard. My fault for not taking it seriously enough from the beginning. Your father’s fault for not making sure you’d be protected from a man he didn’t trust. You were failed, butyounever failed.”
