“What is the matter?” The woman asked, noting the concern etched on Whitney’s face.
“Have you seen my husband? Christopher Campbell?”
Mrs. Dove-Lyon chuckled. “I know his name, dear. But, alas, I have not seen him. Should I have?”
If he wasn’t here, where could he be?
“I, um, he left home earlier this afternoon stating that he had to run an errand and would be back shortly. He hasn’t been back and it has been hours. I worried that he visited you to null our contracts.”
The woman belted out a laugh. “Absolutely not. There is no nulling of any of my contracts. I’m sorry, dear, he hasn’t been here.”
Whitney pressed her lips together. Where could he be?
“If you’ll excuse me, I must get back to my patrons.”
“Of course.” Whitney stood. “I am sorry to have bothered you.”
Outside, she looked up and down the street. Her coachman approached. “Are you ready to return to Colthrop, my lady?”
“If Lord Campbell were to come to this area, where would he usually go?”
The man shifted uneasily from one foot to the other.
She reached out a hand and touched his arm. “Please. I will ensure that ye see no ill repercussions for providing the information. I need to find him,” she begged.
With a curt nod, he straightened. “The gambling hells is where he would pass his time. A few were his favorites, but they are not near here.” He looked pained. “They are in an unsavory part of the city, my lady.”
“Take me,” she ordered and not waiting for him to argue, she climbed into the carriage and impatiently waited for them to start moving. When the carriage rocked forward, she let out a sigh.
Was he gambling? He’d said he had stopped. It was their wedding day. She thought back to when they’d left after the ceremony. She had noticed her father hand something to Christopher. Was it money?
Had he taken their marriage money and gone to gamble with it?
Anger ran through her veins like fire. How could he? When she found him, in whatever seedy establishment he happened to be in, she would give him an earful.
Betrayal enveloped her as they bounced along the road. Once again, she felt the fool.
The carriage rocked to a halt and shortly after the door swung open. “My lady, we are here.” He looked around. “But are you sure you want to get out of the carriage? It could be dangerous.”
She poked her head out and surveyed her surroundings. This part of the city was darker than the parts she was used to. Men and women of ill repute walked the streets. Some nuzzling and acting completely improper for public show.
Vile words were spoken. A couple were rutting against a brick wall like animals. Her eyes rounded at the sight and her coachman moved in her line of sight to block the view.
“My lady, this truly is not a place for you.”
She was beginning to think he was right, but she had no choice. She needed to find her husband. “If Lord Campbell is here, then I must find him.”
He nodded. “If you insist, but please, let me ask around. You should stay within the safety of the carriage.”
She would be safer here, where another servant had accompanied them.
“Please hurry,” she begged. As upset as she was for being taken for a fool, there was a small pestering feeling that told her something was wrong. And that it wasn’t because Christopher had betrayed her.
Chapter Twenty-One
Christopher groaned. Itfelt like he had the weight of a hundred men on top of him. He must have been dreaming because he could have sworn that he heard Whitney’s voice. But that was impossible.
He heard it again, but it sounded so far away.
