There was no chance she would ever love him now. Her couldn’t blame her.
He thought of Nicky, in the hands of that smiling devil. He was gripped with cold rage, at himself, as well as Count Anton. Nicky was such a gallant little boy, so bright and full of pluck, it made Gabe sick to think of him in the hands of the count.
Where was that devil taking him? And for what purpose?
He could think of at least one reason why Nicky had been taken alive; if there was no body, you could not prove murder.
On the other hand without a body, the count could not inherit for at least seven years. Gabe kept telling himself that.
Arriving at the Austrian ambassador’s, they pounded on the door until someone came to open it. Gabe pushed his way inside. “Where is Count Anton?” he demanded.
Servants came running to eject them, but confronted with five tall, angry gentleman men they hesitated.
“Count Anton—where is he?” Gabe growled.
“What is the meaning of this intrusion?” The ambassador, Prince Esterhazy himself, came down the stairs, dressed in a gorgeously embroidered dressing robe. He was accompanied by a number of guards. Recognizing Gabe, he frowned and waved the guards back.
“By what right do you come shouting and brawling into my house, Renfrew?” His cold glance took in the others. When he saw Nash his brows rose even higher.
“A matter of the utmost urgency. Where is Count Anton?” Gabe demanded.
The ambassador glared at Gabe. “If it’s any business of yours, he left. He was called away suddenly. But—”
“Called away? Where to?”
“Zindaria. But—”
“To his yacht?” asked Nash. He turned to Gabe. “We’ve been having it watched. It was moored at Dover two days ago.” He turned back to the ambassador. “So was he going to his yacht in Dover?”
“I expect so,” the ambassador said impatiently. “I shall complain to your government about this invasion—”
“Do that,” said Gabe as he left. “And then explain why your houseguest kidnapped a seven-year-old child—the crown prince of Zindaria—from his bed in the middle of the night!”
“What do you mean, kidnapped a child? He can’t possibly—” the ambassador began, but Gabe did not stay to listen. By the time the ambassador had finished his sentence Gabe was thundering down the road, riding as though the devil were after him.
But the devil was ahead. With a seven-year-old child in his power.
The curricle pulled up outside the Esterhazy residence. Harry jumped down, peered at some marks on the pavement under the gas lamp, then swung himself back up into the curricle and snapped the reins.
“Where are we going now?” Callie asked.
“Dover.”
“How do you know that’s where they’re going?”
He jerked his head at the pavement. “Rafe left a note in chalk. He always used to do that when we were in the army. Only time it fails is when it rains.” He gave her a quick grin. “Good thing the weather has cleared up, isn’t it?”
She nodded. “You think Nicky’s going to die, don’t you?”
“No!” He looked shocked. “What the hell are you thinking those kind of thoughts for? Stop it at once. Gabe will get him back.”
“Do you really believe that?”
“Yes,” he said simply. “Once Gabe sets his mind to something, there’s no stopping him.”
Harry put his arm around her to steady her as they swung sharply around the corner. “It will be better if you hold onto my arm from now on,” he told her. “I’m going as fast as I can and if we hit a bump, you’ll go flying unless you’re anchored.”
She slipped an arm through his and hung on. His solid warmth was comforting.
