“Another fall down the stairs I suppose,” Emory chuckled. At least Violet had been unharmed when he’d last seen her and hoped she remained so.
A child’s cry bled into the dining room and Liam rose. “I don’t believe that is a fall, though it’s possible.”
There had been no children in the caves. Besides, those cries came from someone very young.
“She won’t stop crying. I’ve tried everything. Is she ill?”
Emory stood at the sound of Kilmuir’s panicked voice and made his way to the front of the cottage.
“I’ll take her.” Mrs. Murry pulled the child from Kilmuir’s arms. “For one, she has soiled herself.”
“I just changed everything,” Kilmuir insisted, and Emory would laugh if the gentleman weren’t so distressed. Brought down by an infant.
“Let me examine her,” Liam insisted.
“She’s hungry,” Mrs. Murry announced, then turned for the kitchen.
“I tried to feed her.”
Mrs. Murry harrumphed and then ignored all three of them, disappearing into the kitchen.
“I need to hire a nurserymaid, immediately.” Kilmuir pushed his fingers through his hair.
“Did you get no sleep?” Liam asked.
“None. Now that I have her, what do I do with her?”
Emory laughed, thankful that he’d not fathered a child and had been careful about not doing so.
“Dr. Talbot you are needed now,” a footman in the Duke of Arscott livery announced from the open door.
“Lady Epworth?” Liam asked.
“It’s time.” The gentleman was winded, nearly panicked, then Emory recalled that Lady Epworth was due to deliver her child.
“I’ll be along momentarily,” Liam announced in a calm tone far opposite of what the servant or even Kilmuir had displayed.
“My instructions are to tell you that you must hurry so that the child can be delivered so that Lord Epworth may search for his sister, unless you know of her whereabouts.”
“Sister?” Emory, Liam, and Kilmuir asked at the same time.
“Lady Violet has gone missing. She left without Lord Epworth’s escort and the vehicle has been found abandoned.”
Emory grabbed his greatcoat and headed for the door. He knew something was going to happen to her. He felt it down to his bones.
“Who would take her?” Liam asked. “Is there a chance that she is sick or injured?”
“Is anyone searching for her now?” Emory asked.
“Every servant that can be spared is looking, Lord Ferrard. We’ve not yet informed His Grace. As to someone taking her, we’ve no idea who would do such a thing.”
“Who would have reason to take her?” Liam asked. “If Eardly were around, I’d suspect him, but I haven’t seen the gentleman in days.”
Emory’s stomach churned at the name. He’d almost forgotten about Eardly.
“Eardly is still in the area,” Kilmuir offered. “We had dinner together just last evening. He was prepared to leave the area and said that he’d soon be claiming his fortune and one does win if one has patience and waits long enough.”
Emory’s blood ran cold. “Did he say what this fortune was?” Emory demanded.
