There had been no sign of Nelson, but there had been a sign of something else. She and Winsome stared down at some bits of meat sprinkled nearby the garden wall.
“Look, Serenity, there is a footprint too. Large, from a man’s boot.”
Serenity clutched her sister’s hand. “It cannot be true!”
“It is true, though. Somebody was here and tempted him with meat. Somebody made off with Nelson. You always said it was a possibility, though I did not see much in the idea. You were right.”
“I do not want to be right,” Serenity said, sobbing. “What’s happened to him? He must be so frightened! Who took him?”
Winsome patted her hand. “Calm yourself, your weeping will not help Nelson. He has a collar on and somebody might look at it. It says who he belongs to. We should advertise a large reward in the newspapers and somebody will bring him back.”
“Do you think so?” Serenity said, grasping at any hope at all. “Do you think they would take him and then bring him back for money?”
“I hope so. We should put in the advertisement that he wears a red collar and has only three legs and one working eye. Then if someone has seen him, and really he is distinctive looking, they will remember and want the reward.”
“We must send Thomas or Charlie for Papa. We must get an advertisement in for tomorrow. Oh, I can’t bear the idea of how frightened he is and what might be happening to him. He will be so bereft and sad to be taken from his home!”
“I’ll send for Papa,” Winsome said. “You’ve got to tell Lord Thorpe that dog walking is off on account of our dog gone missing.”
“Lord Thorpe!” Serenity cried. She picked up her skirts and ran toward the house. If she could not run to her father at this very minute, she would run to Lord Thorpe.
*
Roland had beengirding himself all morning. This was the momentous day. He would ask Lady Serenity for her hand and God willing she would accept.
Quinn had gone so far as to suggest a nip of brandy, but Roland had declined. If ever in his life he must be clear-eyed and clear-headed, it was this morning.
The hours had ticked by tortuously slow. Why did they go so slow when usually they were moving at a much faster pace? He crossed and recrossed his drawing room as Havoc looked on with interest. He occasionally stopped and pulled out a velvet box from his pocket—a token for his future bride.
He’d spent some time at Rundell & Bridge the previous day, examining what was on offer. There were some very grand pieces, and Lady Serenity deserved every one of them, but then something more modest had arrested his attention. A small gold pin, fashioned as a honeybee. It housed two pearls comprisingits body, one smaller for the head and the other larger for the body. The fashioning of the gold had been exceedingly detailed and the whole was surrounded by diamond chips. It was not elaborate or prohibitively expensive, but it was charming and would suit Lady Serenity. After their talk of slatted skeps, it would show that he cared for her concerns. She really had been concerned, too. Then, of course, he had recalled the duke claiming she had a particular affinity for bees and the pin had seemed just right.
Finally, the minute hand on the clock inched toward eleven. Roland turned to his dog. “Come Havoc, it will not hurt us to be on the early side of things.”
The mastiff got to his feet and lumbered over to him, ever agreeable to be going somewhere. Roland leashed him and set out to the square, determinedly ignoring any curtains on any of his windows that might just now be pulling aside to watch him.
He arrived at the gate to the gardens a full five minutes ahead of time. Therefore, he’d been surprised to see Lady Serenity running toward him. In a state too, and without Nelson.
She reached him out of breath. “Lady Serenity, what has happened? Has someone been taken ill?”
“Nelson,” she said, brushing tears away from her cheeks. “Somebody has taken him! He’s gone and my father is at his club and we need an advertisement in the newspapers right away so somebody can bring him back!”
This was all said in such a rush that it took Roland a moment to take it all in. “You are certain? You have looked everywhere in the house?”
Lady Serenity nodded.
Just then, Mrs. Right came running out of the house after her charge. “Lord Thorpe,” she said coldly, “as you can see, we are in the midst of an emergency. Serenity, do come back inside.”
Roland was not at all sure why the housekeeper was glaring at him just now.Hedid not take the dog. “Lady Serenity, I will put an advertisement in immediately. Please tell the duke that I did so and I offer a sum of a thousand pounds for Nelson’s safe return, which I am happy to do.”
“A thousand pounds!” Lady Serenity cried. “Gracious, I was thinking of pressing my father to offer a hundred pounds. Certainly, somebody will bring him back for such an amount. But is it too much to ask of you? It is an excessive sum.”
“It is nothing at all, to guarantee Nelson’s safe return.”
“I am not sure the duke will approve it, Lord Thorpe,” the housekeeper said. “He might have a mind to decline your help in this matter.”
Lady Serenity stared at Mrs. Right, aghast.
“Do not fear such a thing, Lady Serenity,” Roland said. “Nobody, not even the duke, can stop me if I wish to offer the sum. We will have Nelson returned.”
