His groom rubbed his eyes and blinked. It was much dimmer in here than outside. “You’re lookin’ a mite peaked.”
“If I want a medical opinion,” Will growled, “I’ll go to the doctor. What did you find out about Shipley?”
“Did a runner.”
Howden must have alerted the man. “When?”
“Early this morning on a ship to America. Took everything he owned which, from what the landlady said, weren’t that much.”
Will pulled out the papers Andrew had left earlier concerning his research into Shipley’s business, and swiftly read the information. The man was a fraud. No money, no property, as far as Andrew could tell. Shipley even left an unpaid bill at the tailor’s. He put that page down and looked at the next one. A number of deposits from an unknown source had been put in Shipley’s bank account.Bloody hell, he was a straw man. The question was, for whom and why involve Eugénie?
He flipped open Howden’s journal to the last entry.
Shipley suddenly pressuring me concerning Miss Villaret.
It was always possible that Shipley had seen her from afar and fallen in love with her, but considering the rest of the information it seemed highly unlikely. Which begged the question: Who was really after Eugénie, why did they want her, and what was the best way to protect her?
He ran a hand over his face. Of one thing he was certain. No man, other than him, would ever touch her.
Hervé Villaret de Joyeuse sat in the shade of a room open to the breeze, a wet cloth clinging to the back of his neck. Soon he’d be able to transport his niece onto the ship waiting for him in the port and depart for Martinique. The captain was already nervous of the weather and wanted to leave immediately.
“Milord?” His valet entered carrying the same letter he’d departed with.
“What happened?”
“Monsieur Shipley has left the island.”
Thebâtardhad better not have taken Eugénie. “Alone or with the girl?”
“Alone. At least no one I spoke with saw Mademoiselle.”
“Merde!Now what will I do,hein?” Even though it was too hot to pace, Hervé could not think while sitting. Kidnapping her would cause an uproar, but it might be his only choice. He’d waited patiently, yet the weather would close in soon, and he’d not be able to leave for months. He needed to get her to a French territory where his guardianship of her and his trusteeship over her property would be recognized, and he could easily find a priest who would do as he was told. It was the only way to recover his family’s fortune that had been lost during the rebellion.
“Get Monsieur Yves.Maintenant.”
“I am right here, Brother.”
Yves sauntered into the parlor, half-drunk already. Well, he would sober soon enough when told they were close to losing everything. “It is time for you to make yourself useful.”
Yves took a drink of wine. “And what task would you have me perform?”
Hervé smiled without humor. “You will abduct Eugénie.”
The glass in Yves’s hand fell, shattering on the tiled floor. “Are you mad?”
“Shipley has run.”
“Contact that man, Howden. He is for sale.”
“Non.”Hervé shook his head. “It is too dangerous. If Sidonie knew we were here, she’d find help to hide our niece. This is the only way.”
“Merde,” his brother swore. “You are taking too big a risk.”
“Yves, she is our last chance. I must have her.” Hervé wiped a cloth over his face. “And soon.”
“This will not be easy.” His brother grabbed a new glass, filling it with the chilled white wine on the sideboard. “How much time do I have?”
“A week, perhaps two. No more.” He paused to allow the seriousness of the matter to sink into his brother’s head. Hervé would never have thought it of his mother, but she must have played their father false to have given birth to such an imbecile. “The captain says it will soon be too hazardous to sail.”
