Page 110 of One Night with an Earl

“Why?” Their gazes met and clashed with unspoken words. She wanted to cry out that he’d broken her heart by not believing in her. By not standing up for her. Helpless, the words caught in her throat.

To be fair, she understood she was at partly fault. She had lied to him. Even though her initial reasons were for her own protection and survival, she should have told him the truth sooner. Instead, he’d discovered her past in the worst way possible. Lady Malvern’s cruel words had a ring of truth to them, and the evidence looked damning.

Yet nothing eased the hurt in her heart that Oliver had never considered the other possibility—that she’d never intended to use him as a means for revenge, but instead, she’d fallen deeply and madly in love with him.

“Lord Drake!”

They turned at the shout to see the Duke of Warwick standing like a towering spruce in the casino doorway. He barreled through the crowd, his focused green gaze taking in the two of them together.

“What is it?” Oliver asked when he reached them.

“Lady Penelope is missing. One of the Malvern servants came to my home searching for you.”

“Penelope’s missing?” Ana asked.

The duke turned to her. “She’s been gone for a full day already. Lord and Lady Malvern thought she may have gone to find you, Miss Gardner, and when they could not find you, they thought to ask Lord Drake if he knew of your whereabouts. No one else knows she’s missing.”

“I do not know where Penelope has gone,” Oliver said.

Icy fear pierced Ana’s chest. A full day? If Penelope had simply visited Timothy, she would not be gone that long. It was well past midnight now. Which could only mean— “Oh my God. I know where Penelope went.”

“You do?” His Grace asked.

“I have a good idea. But I must hurry if I am to stop them.”

“Them? Who’s them?” Oliver asked.

“Penelope and Lieutenant Smithfield.”

He frowned. “The army officer you told me about?”

“Yes, time is of the essence if I am to prevent them from doing something even worse. Only family and a few others know she is missing. If word gets out, her reputation is at stake.” Ana moved from behind the roulette wheel, intent on heading out the door. She needed to find a hack who would be willing to leave the city at this time of night.

Oliver reached out to grasp her arm. “Oh, no, you don’t. You are not going alone. I’m coming with you.”

She gave him a scalding look. By the stubborn set of his jaw and his firm fingers wrapped around her arm, she knew better than to try to dissuade him. Besides, she needed to move quickly and could not think of herself, only young Penelope.

“Fine,” she said. “But we must hurry.”

“Take my carriage,” the duke said. “I’ve worked on improving the friction of the axle. It’s the fastest conveyance in London.”

Chapter Forty-Two

The Duke of Warwick was right. The luxurious ducal carriage was not only well-sprung, it was swift. The wheels positively flew over the North Road.

“You think Penelope and her soldier intend to marry?” Oliver asked.

Ana’s mind churned as she thought of possibilities. Gretna Green in Scotland. A country clergyman ignorant of Penelope’s age and family connections. Someone who would be willing to conduct a ceremony for enough gold coin. If Penelope and Timothy failed to wed and had spent the night together at an inn, Penelope would be ruined, and they’d need to marry anyway.

What a bloody mess.

She should have noticed the signs. Penelope was warm and caring, and her change in demeanor hid wounded feelings and made her vulnerable. Still, to run away together, to completely defy her parents and risk the worst kind of scandal was drastic, and Ana had never suspected Penelope would go so far.

Ana wasn’t ignorant of her own predicament. She was ensconced in a carriage with Oliver. His broad shoulders seemed to dominate every square inch of the space, and the scent of his shaving soap released a slew of unwanted memories.

How had she ever thought she was stronger? She involuntarily responded to him in the close proximity.

“Ana, have you thought of what we should do when we find them?” he asked.