Chapter Fourteen
Ridge was due to meet Logan at the rendezvous point in twenty minutes, and yet, as he shut his chamber door, his pack thrown over his shoulder, he found that he couldn’t move. He glanced across at Isabella’s door anddebated whether he should even go to her, but considering the way they had parted, perhaps it was for the best if he just left things as they were.
With a sigh, he started to leave, but then a flash of something caught his eye. He frowned, walking over to her door. He bent down and picked up a scrap of fabric—and suddenly every sense went on high alert. A fear like nothing elsehe’d ever knownbeforeclawed athimfrom the inside.
He pounded on the door. “Isabella!”
No answer.
He tried several more times, until the commotion awoke Claudia.Theladies’ maid appeared in the doorway of her rooms. “Mr. Claymoore?”
He wasted notime in demanding, “When was the last time you saw your mistress?”
“About…six o’clock, I think?” She hesitated. “She told me when she went down to dinner that I could retire early, that she wouldn’t need me for the rest of the evening. Why?”
For answer, Ridge merely shoved open Isabella’s door. He had a feelingaboutwhat he would find, but something still withered inside of him when he saw the state of her rooms. Items were scattered in a haphazard manner, indicating that someone had been looking for something.Without a doubt,Isabella wasn’t responsible for this disarray.
But he knew who was.
“Blimey,” Claudia breathed from beside him, and then she covered her mouth with her hands. “Oh my God, do you think she—?”
“I have to go,” he said curtly. “Stay at the castle.”
She nodded, but he was already on hisway to the master’s quarters. He pounded on Liverpool’s bedchamber door. He had retired, leaving the quest at hand to his agents, but this was a development that Ridge needed to relay to his superior.
The door was wrenched open by the earl, who faced him in a long nightshirt and cap. When he saw Ridge standing there, his brows drew together. “What’s happened?”
He hated to even say the words. “Isabella is missing.”
“What? How?” the other man demanded.
Ridge stated the obvious, but it still infuriated him, because it meant that this was one mission that he’d failed. “The viscount found a way to slip inside the castle undetected.”
“Blast!” Liverpool sighed heavily. “I imagine you know where he will be going next.”
He nodded. “I was on my way to meet Montgomery when I discovered she was gone. Iwillget her back.”
“I know you will, Claymoore. I have every confidence in your abilities. You haven’t let the Crown down yet.” He paused. “Ijusthope you know that the lady can never be yours.”
Ridge wanted to arguewiththat remark, but heknewitto betrue. Notonlywas she married, but they were also from two completely different social classes. Her family would never accept a union between them, and he wouldn’t do her the dishonor of suggesting she ever tie herself to a man like him.
But in the end, all he said was, “I’ll send word when I have an update.”
The moment Ridge arrived on the beach,Montgomerywas waiting for him, but as he drew closer, Logan winced.“I know that look.Something’s wrong.”
Ridge clenched his jaw as he pushed the skiff into the water. He didn’t speak until they were inside. As he picked up his set of oarsto row to the cutteranchored along the cliffs, he said, “Simon got to Isabella. She’s gone.”
Logan appeared to digest this, and then he said, “I’m quite surehe willcome toregret that decision.”
“Indeed.” Ridge stared at his fellow agent. “He will. Because he’s about to haveanencounter withthe infamous,One-Eye.”
***
Isabella groaned as she clutched her head. She’d never had such a splitting headache before. It took a moment for the pain to recede enough for her to recall exactly where she was.When she did, her eyes popped open, but her vision was cloudy and distorted.Likely thanks to theether.
But as things started to become clear, she realized that she was in a skiff and beingtediouslyrowed away froma cave tucked intotheside of the cliffs. She moved her arms,though sheexpected her wrists to be bound. Since there was no such impediment, she started to stir.
“You’re already awake, I see.” She turned to glare at Simon, who was looking at her ina similar, annoyed manner. He let go of one of the oars and reached into his pocketthenwithdrew a handkerchief and a bottle. “I think what you need is a bit more sleep—”
