Beck had been frustrated. They could have gone anywhere. Apparently no one saw themleave. He’d gone to fetch his horse from the stables when he decided to question the stablemaster. A boy who helped around the stables overheard them. He had not been around when Beck had come through here earlier.
“Moorcock,” the boy told him. “I overheard them arguing over Moorcock. It was very early in the morning. I was trying to be quiet with my chores so I didn’t wake them.”
Beck had pressed several coins in his hand and set off for Moorcock with all haste. Yes, he did know the place. No one could traffic in the underbelly of London and not have heard of Moorcock. It was a safe haven for those who wished to fence goods or sell a stolen horse or lose oneself in a week of gaming and not have any questions asked.
If a man from Moorcock had Elise, she was in danger—although no one he had talked to claimed that the woman acted afraid of her companion. More like, anytime someone mentioned the couple, they were arguing. Perhaps that was why everyone thought they were married. Someone even mentioned that the “husband” was not faring well in their arguments.
And Beck knew, at last, he was on the right trail. A Lanscarr woman could talk circles around any man.
Beck had hoped to reach Moorcock ahead of the walking couple. Instead, he had learned they were already there. It didn’t matter. He wasprepared. He had a loaded pistol in his pocket. This “husband” would let her go.
He’d also hired a driver and landau in Stoke-on-Trent and the services of a reputable woman to act as a chaperone. He had sent a messenger to the Lanscarr sisters to be ready. He had found their sister.
Except, she wasn’t where he’d been told she would be.
A few coins to the owner of the Thorn and Thistle had confirmed that Cox was there. Apparently, Cox had a reputation in the village as someone who was well-liked but whom one shouldn’t mess with.
Beck had gone to their room, pistol ready.
It was empty save for a shepherd’s dog who barked ferociously at his intrusion. Having a healthy respect for angry dogs, he’d shut the door quickly. Instead, he’d visited the taverns and gaming dens clustered in the village. No one had seen Cox or a woman matching Elise’s description, or if they had, they weren’t about to tell him, not for any amount of money. Beck was a stranger here. Places like Moorcock were tight-lipped.
That was why he’d found himself hiding in the landau and watching the Thorn and Thistle. They waited down the street from the inn, not wanting to appear out of place and warn this Cox that help for Elise was nearby.
He and the landau driver had taken turns onwatch. The driver had woken him no more than five minutes ago to report that a couple had entered the inn.
Beck had thought it great luck that as he was climbing the stairs to the room, Elise had come running down them, chased by that crazed dog. But she had wanted him to help Cox?
He wasn’t about to do that. He was tired. He’d chased this woman across England. She needed to go home to her sisters. When it had quickly become clear to him that she wanted to return to the room in the inn, Beck grabbed her by force.
That turned out to be a mistake.
Elise had turned into a she-devil. She tried to claw his ears off his head. She twisted and bucked, kicking at him the best she could. She almost cost him his balance several times.
And the dog was nipping at his heels. The only thing that saved him was that he wore good leather riding boots.
He kicked open the inn’s front door. The landau was waiting right there. The driver, Evers, had the vehicle door open. Mrs. Banner waited inside. Beck’s horse was tied to the rear of the vehicle. The hour was still too early for there to be a great deal of activity on the street.
It took almost a herculean effort; however, Beck stuffed Elise into the landau.
And she attempted to come right back out.
He grabbed her hands. “Miss Lanscarr, your sisters sent me.”
“They are going to kill him,” she shouted right into his face.
There was a crash of glass, as if one of the inn’s windows had been smashed.
“Please, Mr. Steele, you must help him.”
“No, I must see you to London.”
She whipped around, reaching for the opposite door of the vehicle. Mrs. Banner tried to stop her, except Elise gave her a hard punch in a manner very unbecoming of a debutante—and Beck realized when he was beat.
Elise would fight them all the way to London. She was that frenzied.
He reached into the vehicle, caught her arm, and yanked her around. “Listen to me,” he ordered in a voice that brooked no disobedience. “Your sisters are beside themselves with worry—”
“He’s in danger,” she responded. “Please, Mr. Steele, you must help him.”
