“We have to find her, Ramsey. I’m in—” Vale’s voice broke. “I’m in love with her. I won’t lose her.”
Ciaran’s chest went tight. It did Vale credit that he’d fallen in love with a lady like Eloisa Jarvis. She would be the making of him.
If they found her.
“You won’t lose her. I promise you that, Vale, but it won’t do any good to go rushing off in whatever direction strikes your fancy. Just give me a moment to think.”
Vale didn’t argue, but he paced and sighed in an agony of impatience while Ciaran tried to sort out what was best to do. The truth was, neither he nor Vale had the faintest idea where Jarvis had gone. He might be on his way back to his home in Berkshire, or, if he truly did intend to flee England he’d be headed in the opposite direction, toward Dover. This was provided he’d actually left London at all.
“We need to return to Portman Square and question the servants before we do anything else,” Ciaran said. “You can depend on it, the servants know what Jarvis is about.”
Vale shook his head. “I already tried that, Ramsey. The fellow who answered the door was as tight-lipped as they come. I couldn’t squeeze a single word out of him.”
“They’re hired servants, Vale, and you can be sure Jarvis hasn’t paid them a farthing for their service. The man will find his tongue once we make it clear they’ll get their wages from us, not Jarvis.”
Vale blew out a breath, then wheeled around toward the door. “Yes, all right. That makes sense. Come on, then.”
Once again Ciaran stopped him. “Wait, Vale.”
“Damn it, Ramsey! What now?”
“Where’s Lady Felicia? If you’re obliged to chase after Miss Jarvis, what becomes of your sister?”
To Ciaran’s surprise, a slight smile rose to Vale’s lips. “There’s no need to worry about Felicia. Markham is taking her back to Lewes this afternoon. I don’t want her tangled up in this mess, and her season is over in any case. Markham offered for her again last night, and this time Felicia accepted him.”
“Ah. Markham finally came to his senses, did he?”
Vale waved a hand in the air. “Markham’s been in love with Felicia for years now. He simply didn’t know it, the fool. Why do you suppose I dragged him to London for Felicia’s season? I knew he’d come to his senses as soon as some other gentleman tried to take her away from him.”
Ciaran shook his head. “Poor Nash.”
Vale shrugged. “Eh, Nash will recover. He isn’t in love with Felicia. He wants Miss Fisher. He has since the season started.”
“Miss Fisher?” Ciaran stared at him. “Good Lord, Vale. You seem to know a great deal about who’s in love with whom.”
“I’m more observant than you think, Ramsey.” Vale gave him a considering look. “Speaking of love, where is Lady Lucinda?”
Unfamiliar heat rose in Ciaran’s cheeks. “She’s, ah…she’s upstairs in her bedchamber.”
Ciaran was careful to sayherbedchamber rather thanourbedchamber, but he could see by Vale’s raised eyebrow his friend guessed the truth. Fortunately for Ciaran, Vale was too distracted at the moment to press him. He simply nodded, then asked, “Will you go up and tell her you’re going out?”
Ciaran hesitated. The moment he stepped into the bedchamber Lucy would read his expression, and she’d know at once something was wrong. “She’ll want to come with us, but it will only worry her if she has any inkling her cousin’s in danger. There’s a chance Jarvis is at Portman Square still, as well. Lucy’s much safer staying here.”
“Alone? I don’t think that’s a good idea, Ramsey.”
Damn it. Ciaran didn’t like the idea of Lucy being anywhere near Jarvis, but he liked the idea of leaving her here alone even less. “You’re right. I’ll go fetch her. Go to the carriage, Vale, and wait for us there, will you?”
“Yes, but hurry, Ramsey.”
Ciaran took the stairs two at a time. When he reached their bedchamber he threw open the door with such force it crashed into the wall behind it. “Lucy? Lucy!”
No answer.
He ventured further into the room. The bed was made, the coverlet neatly drawn up. The fire had burned down to embers in the grate. A breakfast tray stood on a low table, with the meal mostly untouched.
Ciaran’s footsteps echoed in the empty room. “Lucy?”
Silence, so loud his ears rang with it.
