Page 54 of Lord of Loyalty

“They must have had a fast horse, sir. I saw nothing but the death cart.”

“The death cart?”

There was a clatter as Will’s sword dropped from his nerveless hand. He fumbled his way into the parlor and collapsed into the first seat he came to.

She couldn’t be dead. It was a ruse of Pike’s. He’d feel it if anything had happened to her, wouldn’t he?

A shadow came between him and the window. “What about my daughter, sirrah? And now to add insult to injury, you have assaulted my person.”

Something snapped deep inside Will. He surged to his feet.

“I don’t give a midden clod for your damned daughter, sir—I neither have her nor want her. She’s probably run off with that worm of a Frenchman, the Comte de Velors. Leave my house now. Someone’s taken the woman I love, and I must find her—and I’ll trample over any man who gets in my way.”

“Steady, Will, steady.” Maybury’s voice filtered through the blood drumming in Will’s head. “I’ll help Mathieson find his daughter. I have a horse still saddled and ready. I’ll go first to your neighbor’s house and question the servants. Think no more of us. Go and rescue Isobel.”

Will felt ready to weep with relief. He patted Maybury’s shoulder. “I thank you. Go, both of you. Apologies, Mathieson. I’m certain your daughter will be found.”

Someone pressed a pewter goblet into his hand. Shakily, he drank the contents, relishing the fire that coursed down his throat. His best brandy, kept under lock and key by Goodwife Cooper. How well she knew him!

“Thank you, Goody. Now, if Manners needs patching up, pray, do so—he’s no use to me broken. I shall make my plans, gather my forces, and devise a strategy for the return of Mistress Marston.”

And pray to God in Heaven that he was not already too late to save her.