***
COLIN ARRIVED AT HIShome, his head aching after last night’s drinking, only to be informed that his wife and sister had departed for the country estate.
Hell and damnation. He was looking forward to taking a much needed bath followed by a civilized conversation with Abigail. He had planned to beg her forgiveness, grovel if he needed to. Anything to get her to forgive him for his boorish behavior.
But now his wife had decamped without waiting for him. He would follow in the next train leaving for Lincolnshire. But it would be hours before he got there, and he had a sudden, fierce desire to see her, talk to her, hold her in his arms. Reassure himself she was well, that he had not destroyed their chance at happiness.
He was removing his greatcoat when Elizabeth burst into the foyer, rumpled and disheveled. Her hair falling down from her coiffure, her cheeks tear stained and her eyes red.
“Colin! Oh, thank God you are here.” She rushed into his arms.
Icy fear raced through him, sudden and unrelenting.
“What’s wrong Elizabeth? Where is Abigail?”
“Oh, Colin. She’s been taken.” The girl babbled between near hysterical sobs.
The fear consolidated into a frozen knot around his heart. He shook Elizabeth softly. “Taken where? By whom? For God’s sake, speak!”
She thrust a crumpled paper at him. “The man said I should give you this note. And that if you wanted to see Abigail alive again, you are to meet him at the place specified in the note and go alone.”
He was already scanning the note, but it said little else. “Do you know who took her?”
“No, but he seemed to know Abigail. And she him.”
Could this be the same person who arranged for the other attempts on their lives? The rifle shot; the attack by thugs. It had to be.
But none of that mattered now. What mattered was rescuing Abigail. He needed to focus. God, how he wished he could have Wang by his side. The older man's wisdom and calm presence would be so useful in this situation. Not to mention his fighting skills. Instead, he was alone and nursing a hangover when he needed to be sharp and focused. For a moment, he considered asking for Gabriel’s help, but quickly dismissed the idea.
Gabriel would be in no better shape than himself, and the kidnapper had specified to meet him alone.
It seemed he was going to have to rescue Abigail all by himself and on a day when he wasn’t at his best.
He would give anything, including his life, to make sure Abigail was safe and unharmed. Pray to God that it was enough.
CHAPTER 32
