“We need to prevent him from charging off to save his wife be—”
“That’s what the missive was about?”
“Yes, but—”
“Forgive me, my lord, but you had no business trying to stop him.”
“He was about to sacrifice everything he and his family have accomplished, without considering other options.”
“Even so…” Elks looked like he’d rather be ten thousand miles away when Adrian regained consciousness than face his inevitable wrath.
Sympathizing, Edward told him, “He’s like a brother to me. I only mean to help him as he has helped me in the past. If that can be done — if his wife and valet can both be returned to him without him having to make an unnecessary sacrifice — surely it’s worth trying.”
Elks held Edward’s gaze for a while, then nodded. “All right. Tell me what you need.”
“We have to lock him in a room from which he cannot escape.”
The look on Elk’s face said that he hated this as much as Edward. “I know just the place.”
Adrian felt the floor pressing into his left hip and shoulder before he remembered what had occurred. And then it came crashing back into his skull, like a nightmare lying in wait for just the right moment to pounce.
His eyes opened as he drew a breath, and the nightmare worsened.
No.
He glanced around the room he was in. The one beneath the stairs. The same place his father had whipped him when he’d been a boy. Where he’d first known what it meant to kill a man. Where he’d kicked the chair from under Clive Newton’s feet and watched him hang.
Pulse instantly racing, Adrian pushed up into a seated position. He would get out of here, and once he did, he was going to murder Edward.
How dare the man stop him from going to rescue Samantha?
Who the hell did he think he was?
This reckless decision of his was going to get her killed.
Her and Murry both.
O’Leary had been clear. Adrian was to do as instructed or face the consequence.
Closing his mind to the memories this place evoked, Adrian shoved up onto his feet and crossed to the door. If he banged on it loudly enough the servants would hear. Eventually, someone would come and free him.
By the time he heard the key turn in the lock, he was beyond livid. How long had it been? An hour, possibly two?
The door inched open and Edward’s familiar face came into view.
Adrian launched himself at him as soon as he entered the room. “How dare you do this to me? To my wife? You had no right.” He slammed Edward against the doorframe and grabbed him by the throat. “I’ll kill you for this, you—”
“Enough.”
The firm command made Adrian realize that Edward had not come alone. Shoulders hunched, muscles straining with fury, he glanced sideways, to where Moorland, Eldridge, and Kendrick all stood. Together with bloody Wrengate.
Adrian had made his contempt for him clear to Edward, had he not? Yet Edward had chosen to involve him in Adrian’s personal affairs anyway.
He glared at the duke. “What the hell are you doing here?”
“Repaying a debt,” Wrengate replied, his arrogant tone making it clear he’d rather be anywhere else. “Marsdale helped search for my brother after he went missing. Unfortunately, I owe him.”
Lord have mercy, it felt like a vein was about to pop in Adrian’s head.
