“If we had never discovered that Norman had been kidnapped, would you have wanted to find your child even though he may have been in a band of thieves for several years and was considered a criminal?”
Tears filled the older man’s eyes. “I wanted my son back. It didn’t matter to me what he’d done. I just wanted him back with the family who loved him.”
This was the answer Trevor wanted to hear. “I thank you, Baron Grisham. Have a pleasant day.”
If Trevor’s daughter had been kidnapped, he would move heaven and earth to try to find her, just as he knew Louisa’s father would.
And that was exactly what Trevor planned to do. Whether it took moving the heaven and earth, hewouldfind her.
Chapter Thirty-One
Shivering, Louisa huddledin the corner of a stall wrapped in a horse blanket. In those six years she practically lived on the streets working for Macgregor, she knew where to go to keep warm and where she could find food to steal. Her memory had returned completely now, and she knew exactly what to do in whatever situation she was placed in. It was as if she’d never left and spent a whole month being loved by two adorable children and one very handsome and kindhearted man.
Sickness rolled in her stomach, but not from lack of food this time. Instead, disgust for the life she now lived—because of her wrong decisions—weighed her down and made her miserable.
The weather had turned chilly today. At least she had a warmer dress to wear instead of the rags she’d been in when Trevor had hit her with his curricle. And the cloak and bonnet she had on when he kicked her out of his mother’s house were her only possessions. Still, they were much better than what she’d been accustomed to for six very long and miserable years.
A noise from the front of the stable brought her alert. Fear crept upon her, making her heart thump wildly. She couldn’t be discovered hiding in the stable. She didn’t want anyone to catch her. Instead, she wanted to surprise Eliza Watson whenever her childhood friend left the house.
Slowly, Louisa rose and peeked over the stall. Whistling, a groomsman walked around the carriage, preparing it for travel.For the first time in three days, hope grew inside of her. She prayed Eliza would be the one needing the vehicle this morning so that Louisa would get her chance to speak with her former friend.
Going without seeing Trevor or the twins for so long had put Louisa in a melancholy mood, and she couldn’t stand to be miserable any longer. She was determined to formulate a plan and stop Macgregor, along with confronting her childhood friend before making an appearance to her family. Living like this was destroying her heart, and she refused to take this abuse even one more minute.
“Mornin’ Joe.” Another stable hand walked up to help the groomsman.
“Good morning.”
He ran his hands over his wide middle. “Who needs the carriage today?”
“Miss Eliza. Who else in this miserable family wants us to wait on them hand and foot?”
Surprise flipped through Louisa, and she quickly covered her mouth before a laugh escaped. Obviously, the servants did not approve of their mistress.
The stable hand shook his head, his long black hair slapped against his neck. “Honestly, I cannot wait until she marries. Good riddance to the spoiled chit, I say.”
“And I would say the same.” The groomsman nodded in agreement. “The sooner she becomes Lady Wellesley, the better for us all.”
Louisa gasped and sank down the wall. Eliza… engaged to Frank?
As children she and Eliza were inseparable and Eliza was always over at Louisa’s house. When they became older, Louisa realized her friend had an infatuation with Frank. By this time, Louisa and Frank had become betrothed, and not wanting to goagainst the wishes of her parents, she didn’t argue with their decision. Secretly, however, she had wished Frank would rebut the betrothal and marry someone else. Somebody more his age, or prettier, or even wealthier—anything, but wanting to marry her. Eliza had been starry-eyed whenever Frank was around, and Louisa had wondered if Frank was interested in her friend.
One day she’d asked him, praying that he found Eliza better suited for him. Instead, he’d rolled his eyes and flipped his hands in the air. “She’s too chubby for me,” he’d said.
From what Louisa had seen of her old friend yesterday, the years had been kind to Eliza. She’d lost her baby fat, thank heavens. So perhaps that was why Frank changed his mind.
“Where is Miss High-and-Mighty off to this early in the morning?” the younger man asked the groomsman.
“I don’t know for certain, but I heard her telling the butler she had to visit with the policeman about that man’s death the other day.”
“Oh, that Macgregor fellow—the thief from Seven Dials?”
Louisa gasped again, and slapped her hand over her mouth.Macgregor? Dead?Cautiously, she slid back up the wall to peek at the two servants.
“Aye. The same fellow.” The groomsman shook his head. “It makes no sense to me. Miss Eliza says she saw the man stabbed while she was coming out of the hospital that night. Yet…”
Pausing, the tall man took a quick look around, probably searching for anyone who would overhear. Thankfully, he didn’t see Louisa.
“What was she doing at the hospital?” the groomsman continued in a lower voice. “She has never gone there before.”
