His mother raised that blasted eyebrow again. “You kissed her, apologized then insisted it would never happen again.”
“Exactly!”
“Then carried on as if nothing had occurred.”
“I tried! She’s the one who avoided me.” He wasn’t the one in the wrong here. It was Miss Doyle who wished not to have anything to do with him. She’d not only avoided him in the house, but then completely disappeared. “It would serve her right if I didn’t go look for her,” he finally said, glad for the anger.
“I agree. She’s better off without you.”
Henry blinked at his mother. “Without me? I’ve done everything for her.”
“It sounds to me as if she’s done everything foryou. Yet you treated her as little more than a servant. Coupled with the fact that you kissed and then rejected her, I would have left you as well.”
All he could do was stare at her. His mother was taking Eve’s side. What happened to family loyalty and all of that rot?
“Admit it, Henry, you care for her.”
“Of course I do. She’s my ward.”
“No. You care for her as a man does a woman.” She took a sip of tea and smirked. “I daresay, you might even be in love.”
Henry tried to argue, but all he managed to do was sputter. Love? What nonsense. Of course he cared, but love? Not likely.
“Go find Miss Doyle. However, don’t do so unless you are prepared to get on your hands and knees and beg her forgiveness.”
“Me!” he demanded in outrage. “She’s the one who ran out on me.”
“Exactly.”
Irritated that he’d not found Eve and that his mother had no pity for his situation, Henry took his leave and returned home, hoping that one of his staff or Pickmore had learned of Eve’s whereabouts.
Instead, he found the Devils of Dalston gathered in his library.
Chapter 17
They’d all searched for Eve until it was late into the evening but none of them were able to find her, or even a clue as to where she’d disappeared to. Henry had gone to each of the coaching inns, but nobody had seen anyone matching her description. It didn’t help that he had no idea when she might have left. Pickmore, Ashford and Keegan tracked down the hackney drivers who usually frequented the area, but none of them had driven Eve anywhere. It was Darton who paid a call to Mr. Francis Hilliard, but he’d not seen Eve either, and promised not to breathe a word that she was missing. He further swore that he’d not tell his mother as she would gossip about the missing ward.
Clark, McNaught, Sellers and Lennox had combed Covent Gardens and the theatres, but she hadn’t returned there either.
Henry was at a loss, his panic not lessening. A person just didn’t disappear into thin air.
What if she hadn’t left on her own? What if someone had come in and taken her. Kidnapped her? There’d been a robbery a few doors down not long ago, except those thieves had taken relics. However, that didn’t mean those very thieves hadn’t decided to take up kidnapping as well. Except, all signs pointed to the fact that Eve had left on her own. Had someone taken her, she wouldn’t have been given time to pack all of her clothing.
That is what hurt the most. Eve had left him and an empty hole where his heart was supposed to be. And as much as Henry didn’t wish to evaluate his emotions in too much depth, he had to wonder if his mother was correct.
Could this be love? Is this what it felt like to lose someone of your heart?
Of course, he didn’t discuss his feelings with his fellow Devils. It just wasn’t something they did. However, having them here, searching, was a great comfort.
“I’ve returned, Lord Kilsyth,” Mrs. Peade announced as she stepped into the library. “Thank you for the day off and I hope there were no difficulties in my…” she trailed off as she took in the room. Mrs. Peade knew each of the Devils and what purpose they served, but this was the first time they’d all been gathered in his home at one time.
“Do you know where Miss Doyle has run off to?” Henry asked and prayed his housekeeper had a simple answer. He didn’t care if it was something so obvious that he’d find himself embarrassed for not thinking of it himself. He just wanted her back.
His housekeeper frowned. “Run off?”
“Yes, run off,” Henry barked, and immediately regretted his harsh tone. “When I rose this morning, I found that Miss Doyle had left. She packed all of her clothing and disappeared sometime after we all retired.”
Mrs. Peade’s mouth dropped open and Henry’s heart sank. His housekeeper had no answers either.
