Clara pushed past both men and ran for the stairs. There had to be some mistake. Some misunderstanding. But when she burst into the nursery, the crib stood exactly as empty as they had said.
She rang the bell wildly. “Someone must ask the servants—perhaps somebody has taken him for a walk, perhaps?—”
“My Lady,” Richmond said gently, coming up behind her. “When Mrs. Holt returned and said she had seen someone hurrying from the house, we immediately accounted for every member of staff. None of them had him. There is only Mrs. Holt and Mrs. Parker who tend to him, and both are accounted for.”
Clara turned to Julian. “He has been taken.”
Julian was at her side in an instant, his arms around her as she broke into tears.
“We will find him,” he said. “I promise you that.”
CHAPTER 32
“Right,” Julian said, pulling himself together with visible effort. “Charles—send word at once. Summon the Duke of Sinclair and the others, you know who I mean.” Charles went at a run. “Tell him to make haste!” Julian shouted after him down the stairs.
“Richmond, assemble every servant in this house. I want to question all of them, not only Mrs. Holt. Someone else must have seen something. The gardeners, the coachmen, everyone.”
“And the carriage, Your Grace?”
“Send men out after it at once. Get a full description from Mrs. Holt of what she saw.”
“Yes, Your Grace” Richmond hurried off.
“I want to help,” Clara said. “If you are questioning the servants, I want to be there.”
He turned to her. “You will. We shall do it in the drawing room. You and Marianne will sit with me and tell me at once if anything anyone says does not sit right. Richmond, fetch Mrs. Parker. I wish to speak to the both of you first.”
A few minutes later, the housekeeper and butler entered the drawing room. Both looked crushed, as though their own child was missing.
“Mrs. Parker,” Julian said, “tell me. How could anyone have got into the house?”
“Richmond?”
“Nobody came through the front door,” Richmond said. “I have been stationed at my post all day. Whenever I had to step away, the under-butler took over.”
“We will have to speak to the under-butler.”
“I already have, Your Grace,” Richmond said quickly.
“I do not care that you spoke to him. I will speak to him.” Clara heard the rough edge in his voice. She had never seen him this agitated, not once, not even on the worst nights at Dover.
“Of course, Your Grace. I shall have him sent here at once.”
“Good.” Julian turned. “Mrs. Parker, who was with David? We already know Mrs. Holt was outside with Molly. You or Nell? How could neither of you have noticed?”
Mrs. Parker swallowed. “We were both below stairs, Your Grace. Mary was watching him.”
“Mary? Who is Mary? Why was she not with him the whole shift?”
“One of the housemaids. There was an incident in the kitchen this morning, Your Grace. One of the scullery maids burned herself badly on the stove, and I was needed in the still room. Nell’s father is an apothecary, so she has experience in these kinds of things also. So we were both below stairs, and Mary was given charge of David. She is reliable, Your Grace. I would not have left him with her otherwise.”
“Where is she now?”
“Nell has gone to fetch her, along with the others. We knew you would wish to see everyone.”
Richmond remained, watching him. “Your Grace, if I may?—”
“You may not,” Julian said.
