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He drew her into an embrace.

“I want you with me. Always. But getting to the lodge could take over five hours. And I don’t know exactly what we are going to face once we get there.”

“But Willard could try to provoke you.”

“Likely, he will.”

“You might need me.”

Lenora. “I will always need you. But you can trust me. I know who I am facing, and I’ve bested him before. I won’t lose control, and I will only fire if I must do so to save your sister, Neville or myself. I want Willard to face justice and be jailed.”

She slumped against him while clinging to his shoulders. Hurriedly, he kissed her brow, her eyelids, her nose and her mouth.

“We will marry just as soon as we get back.” He’d wanted to do a proper proposal, but there wasn’t time. “I’ll arrange a special license, gossips be damned.”

“I’m just so worried.”

“The sooner I go, the sooner I can return. Don’t go home. Wait here with my mother. Tell her the whole truth.” He grimaced. “I suspect she knows more than she’s let on.”

“Alright,” she reluctantly agreed.

Then, Asquith said loudly, “You will. Or the deal is over.”

Lenora frowned.

“You don’t want Millie thinking I’m up here with you. Better she be angry with me than concerned for your state of mind. She needs her concentration.”

“I understand,” she said. She affected a frustrated growl. “Please take care.”

“I swear I will not let anything take away our future.”

“I know,” she replied. “I trust you.”

His heart filled.

She hadn’t said she loved him. But every action confirmed her regard. And, for now, I trust you would be enough.

He kissed her one more time. Soundly. Then he raced back down the stairs.

“Don’t ask,” he warned Millie.

“Oh,” Millie widened her eyes, “I will be asking. But first, we save Neville. We’re running out of time.”

“Right,” he replied, grimly pursing his lips. “Let’s go.”

He believed what he’d told Lenora. He could restrain his violence.

But he had one more test to pass.

Chapter Fifteen

Asquith glanced up at the crescent moon. The sliver of illumination hadn't been visible through the last stretch of the wearying journey from London to East Sussex. Between the difficult ride and the urgent and comprehensive tactical discussion they’d held, he’d lost track of time.

Walking in silence and with grim determination, he followed Millie, who in turn followed Dixon, on a path through the darkened wood toward Willard's estate, where Dixon believed Neville was being held.

They’d found the Bow Street runner at the tollhouse. The tollkeeper should have been beholden to Willard. He was not. The suspicious goings-on had troubled the good man for some time, particularly as Willard's uncle had been a well-respected war hero. In the keeper’s mind, Willard’s activities had disgraced the former owner’s name, and so he had been glad to offer Dixon shelter and assistance these past few days.

Willard, as it turned out, was even worse than Asquith had known. In addition to abducting Neville, he had instigated the abduction of several young women, whom he’d installed at the lodge against their will.