Page 93 of Tempting the Marquess

OhGod.

They were all going todie.

* * *

William crumpledthe innocuous note in his hand with a roar of rage. Just a few lines, with the potential to destroyhim.

Standish,

Come to the Claremont townhouse at your earliest convenience. Unfortunately, there has been a terrible accident involving Lady Samantha and her mother. They need your help. It is a matter of life or death. Of course, come alone.

“My lord? What has happened?”

He glanced at Jensen. “Arrange for an unmarked carriage to be brought around at once. Fetch my pistols. And send a note to White. Tell him to come right now, Claremont townhouse, possibly injured hostages.”

“Lady Samantha?” said his butler, sucking in a harsh breath.

“And her mother. Go!”

After putting on a thin, hammered iron breast plate Mrs. Kingsley had found while tidying one of the storage antechambers, and re-securing his shoulder bandages, William was on his way. He urged the driver to show no mercy for others meandering around Mayfair, and they took off at a fast trot. It was barely a few miles to Sackville Street, but when carriages and carts and phaetons and curricles were all trying to out-jostle each other, sometimes even a short distance could take forever.

Today, thank Christ, he was lucky.

He ordered the carriage to pull up a little way down from the Claremont townhouse, and ran the rest of the way. No doubt there would be men posted to watch for him, but there was no need to announce his arrival with trumpet fanfare. After inching down the narrow alley next to the townhouse, he forced open a wooden gate and slipped into a small courtyard garden. If his calculations were correct, the kitchens were just up to his right.

Interestingly, he couldn’t see many people around. Not even footmen or guards. Perhaps they were all inside the house. Or perhaps Claremont was arrogant enough to consider his skills so superior he didn’t need extra protection.

Taking a deep breath, William retrieved one pistol from where he’d tucked both into his waistband, and pushed open the kitchen door. Inside, three servants were attending to food preparation, but none stopped him or called for help when he walked in. In fact, they gave him the barest of glances. Clearly a man wandering about with a weapon didn’t shock anyone in this household.

He opened the door between the kitchens and hallway a fraction, and glanced up and down. All clear. Lifting his pistol higher, he started walking toward the front of the house.

A soft whistle had him whirling around to see a middle-aged, sturdy-looking maid standing in a shadowed alcove, beckoning himover.

“Front parlor, my lord,” she whispered. “Lord and Lady C, and Lady Samantha too. But the earl’s French connection is on hisway.”

William nodded cautiously, utterly unwilling to trust anyone in this household. “Is thatit?”

“Penn the butler is guarding the door, making sure no one goes in or out who shouldn’t be, of course.”

Inclining his head with a grim smile of thanks, he continued toward the parlor, until her soft voice halted him again. “The countess has been badly hurt. That evil bastard pushed her down the stairs. But Lady Samantha is unharmed, as best Iknow.”

“Thank you,” he said tersely, swallowing his rage and fear with difficulty. “There are others on their way—this will soon beover.”

The maid frowned at him. “Aye, and you should have bloody well waited for them. White is not going to be happy with you, mylord.”

His jaw dropped. “Excuseme?”

“I’m an operative like you. Trudy is my name. I was assigned to be another set of eyes and ears around Lady Samantha. You must know White always has a second, just in case. Are you ready to begin?”

“Yes, ma’am!”

Trudy grinned, then darted past him and hurried down the corridor to the front parlor. “Mr. Penn. Mr. Penn!”

A moment later, Claremont’s butler stepped into his line of sight. “I’m rather busy at the moment, Trudy,” he snapped irritably to themaid.

“But Mr. Penn, Cook and Kitty are fighting again, and this time it is bad. He pinched her behind, so Kitty picked up a knife and threatened to cut off his male parts!”

“I thought Cook had gone to the fishmonger.”

“He returned a quarter hour ago, sir. But Kitty, she’s got a wild look in her eyes. Please come, Mr. Penn, you know they won’t listen to anyoneelse.”

William could only watch in astonishment as the butler made a growling sound, but actually followed Trudy back down the hallway toward him. Several feet past where William stood, she paused to adjust her apron, giving him the opportunity to step out from his hiding place and hit the butler across the back of his skull with the pistol. The man slumped to his knees, and William hit him again for good measure, sending him toppling to the floor.

Trudy leaned down and tore a strip from the hem of her dress. “Here. Tie his hands withthis.”

He did, and the man’s feet, then shoved the butler into a nearby linen cupboard. “Trudy, my thanks.”

“Quite all right, my lord. I’m going to fetch help—there are a few men in a safe house down the street. Try not to get yourself killed before we return.”

William bowed. “I’ll do mybest.”

“Godspeed sir. Today must be theday.”

“I know,” he muttered, as she ran back to the kitchens. He crept in the opposite direction, inching his way down the hallway until he reached the parlordoor.

The time for reckoning wasnow