“Oh, Brooks! I love you too and have long waited for your proposal.”
“You have? Does that mean your answer is yes?”
“Yes, yes, yes! I would be absolutely delighted to become your wife.”
Alesbury bent down and gently kissed her. When a sweet moan escaped her lips, he wrapped his arm around her waist, pulling her tighter against him, and deepened the kiss. He could kiss her forever and never get enough of her. It took all his willpower to break the kiss and take a step back. He caressed her cheek. “Shall we tell your family our happy news, my darling?”
“Yes, but perhaps you could give me a few moments to refresh myself? I shall return momentarily, and then we can inform everyone.”
“Of course,” he said as he led her back into the ballroom. She wound her way around the room to the hallway beyond and went toward the ladies’ retiring room.
Alesbury watched the door to the ballroom as several minutes passed, but Violet did not return. Where was she? Had she changed her mind? No, she wouldn’t agree to be his wife one moment and cry off the next. He wanted to announce their engagement, but he couldn’t very well say anything without his betrothed by his side. He looked across the ballroom, where he spotted Edgerton talking with Lady Edgerton and made his way over to them. “Edgerton, a word please,” he whispered.
Edgerton turned toward his wife. “I’ll only be a moment, my dear.”
Courtney nodded, and Edgerton and Alesbury moved to a more secluded alcove.
“Your sister has not returned to the ballroom,” Alesbury said, an edge of panic in his voice.
“What do you mean? I saw her moments ago.”
“She said she needed to visit the ladies’ retiring room, but I fear she’s been gone overly long.”
“Perhaps she’s chatting with a friend. Ladies have a way of spending enormous amounts of time chatting.”
Alesbury scanned the room once again. “Perhaps.”
Courtney sidled up next to Edgerton. “Is something amiss, my love? You two look much too serious, and others are starting to notice.”
Edgerton nodded. “My darling, would you kindly look for Violet in the ladies’ retiring room? She’s been gone a long while, and I want to make sure nothing’s amiss.”
“Of course,” Courtney said, hurrying away.
“I saw Carlisle earlier and I suspect he has a hand in this,” Alesbury said.
Edgerton looked over the sea of people, but he couldn’t see Carlisle. “Really? We mustn’t jump to conclusions. The ladies could return momentarily.”
“Carlisle despises you, and I believe this could be his revenge against you. Think about it. You married Courtney and deprived him of her generous dowry. And with the smuggling ring destroyed and Richmond’s refusal to invest in his next shipping venture, he’s out of options for a quick influx of cash. I understand Miss Putnam’s father has balked at a quick ceremony and wants the banns to be read, which has to make Miss Bainbridge, with her large dowry, a tempting target.”
“Your theory has merit, but I’m not convinced. Calm down until my wife returns.”
Both men continued to scan the room for Carlisle, but he was nowhere to be seen.
Within moments, Lady Edgerton entered the ballroom with a frown marring her pretty face. Edgerton and Alesbury walked over to her. “She’s not in the retiring room, but I found this in the hallway,” Courtney said, holding out an embroidered handkerchief. “It belongs to Violet. I watched her stitch it.”
“I fear Carlisle has her,” Alesbury said. “We must make haste. I can guess where he’s taking her.”
“You could be right especially since Carlisle is nowhere to be seen,” Edgerton said. He turned to his wife. “My love, can you be brave for me? Tell my mother you wish to return to the townhouse immediately but don’t say anything about Violet while you’re still in the ballroom, even if she asks for her. We need to find Violet before word leaks out about her apparent disappearance.”
“Do you really think Lord Carlisle has abducted her? Are you sure?” Lady Edgerton whispered, her voice rising.
Edgerton stroked his wife’s arm. “Carlisle was here earlier, but it appears he’s gone as well. We’ll find her. Please stay calm and do not mention this to anyone here. When you’re in the carriage, let Lavinia know what’s happening, but not before. Can you do that?”
Lady Edgerton nodded. “Please find her,” she whispered before slipping away to find her mother-in-law.
“Come,” Edgerton said. “It will be quicker to run back to the townhouse and retrieve the horses. The street’s too clogged to wait for the carriage to be brought around. If Carlisle’s traveling the Great North Road toward Scotland for a quick wedding, as I suspect he may be, we’ll be able to overtake him on horseback.”
The men slipped out through the French doors to the garden beyond, where there was a gate that led to an alley, and then to the main road. As soon as they were out of sight of the house, they took off running. It took only minutes to reach Edgerton’s townhouse, but to Alesbury, it felt like a lifetime. He had to rescue Violet before Carlisle hurt her. She was the woman he loved, and he would give his life for her.
