And he knew one thing she didn’t. Heknewthe city didn’t lie to the south. No doubt she had imagined that he would travel to Madrid in an effort to overtake her knowing the entire time he was on a wild goose chase.
If he weren’t so unbelievably angry, he might have admired her ingenuity.
She couldn’t have more than a few hours head start, and she might be traveling leisurely if she thought he would head south. He could conceivably overtake her in short order. And then she was damn well going to level with him. Right after he throttled her.
He threw open his trunk and yanked a few changes of clothes out. He mentally went over a list of necessities for his impending journey. He would hire horses from the posting inn a few blocks down and secure food from the tavern.
Castelonia. The name simmered in his memory like a beacon shining in the night. He would inquire as to the fastest route to the isolated country. He knew that’s where she was headed. He prayed he was right.
“What’s going on?” Robby’s sleepy voice filtered to him from the doorway.
Ridge turned to see his brother standing inside his room, his clothes rumpled, his face bleary with fatigue.
“I’m sorry, Robby. I didn’t mean to wake you.”
“It’s all right. I don’t sleep much these days.”
Ridge cocked an eyebrow but he didn’t have time to venture into his brother’s idiosyncrasies. He had to move fast if he was going to catch India.
“I don’t have a lot of time to explain, Robby, but I’ll be leaving for Castelonia. I’ll leave money for you, Udaya and Kavi to travel back to England.”
Robby cleared his throat. “What’s in Castelonia?”
Ridge sighed in exasperation and turned back to finish packing his clothing in something lighter than his trunk. He glanced over his shoulder to see Robby still standing there.
“India deceived us. She had no intention of leading me to the city. She lied about the location, and she’s on her way there now. Without us. I plan to catch up to her.”
“I want to come.”
Ridge turned around again. “Robby, no. You can’t. I need to hurry. She’s already gained a significant head start. I would appreciate you escorting Udaya and Kavi back to England for me.”
Robby shifted, his face drawing as if he were in pain. He looked away for a moment and when he returned his gaze to Ridge, Ridge could swear there were tears in his eyes.
“There’s something I need to tell you, Ridge.”
“Can it wait until I return?” he asked.
“No.”
The raw agony in Robby’s expression stopped Ridge cold. Never had he seen suck a look on his brother’s face. Dread slammed hard into his chest, and his breathing sped up.
“What is it, Robby?”
Robby let out a long, shaky breath, the sound a sharp staccato in the otherwise silent room. He closed his eyes and rubbed his fingers over his hair down to grip the back of his neck. His chin hung to his chest for a long moment, and when he looked back up his haunted stare bore into Ridge.
“I’m dying, Ridge.”
Chapter Twenty-Three
The seconds ticked away as Ridge stared in shock at his younger brother.
“What?”
Robby shifted uncomfortably. “I’m dying.”
Ridge’s heart thudded painfully in his chest. His mind sought to make sense of his brother’s declaration. Was this a jest? That he could receive two such shocks, first India’s betrayal andthis, in one night was incomprehensible.
“I don’t understand,” Ridge finally whispered.
