Page 79 of Scandal’s Daughter

Chapter 32

“Wherein our hero discovers a betrayal.”

Sebastian strode up to Lord Nibley to find the man white-faced against his ridiculous costume.

“Where is Miss Bomford,” he demanded.

“How the devil should I know?” Nibley threw back at him with surprising violence in his voice. “The last I saw she was stepping into your carriage, you rogue.”

“What?” Sebastian exclaimed, too alarmed to refute the accusation.

“I never thought you, of all people, would treat a lady so!”

“Nibley, talk sense man! If I’d taken her somewhere what the devil would I be doing here, demanding where she was?”

Nibley paused and took a breath, giving Sindalton a hard look. “You swear you’ve not seen her since before supper?” he demanded.

“Upon my honour!” he raged, grasping Nibley by the arm and barely restraining himself from the need to shake him. “Where is she?”

“I don’t know, but there’s some havey-cavey business going on here and no mistake,” he replied, his voice dark with foreboding.

“You said she got into my carriage?”

The tall man nodded, his brow furrowed as he remembered. “Yes, not more than a half hour ago. I thought it was damned odd, but she didn’t look to be being forced away. There was a footman in your livery and the man beside her had your build,” he said, staring at Sebastian as though he doubted he was being entirely honest. “And he was wearing that black domino mask - though the hood was up,” he added, as an afterthought.

Sebastian clenched his fists and cursed.

“She was desperate to speak to me,” he said in a low voice, knowing he could depend on Nibley’s discretion. “She said she was in trouble.”

Nibley frowned harder and nodded. “She wasn’t herself tonight, I could tell. I admit I assumed ...” He sighed and looked directly at Sebastian. “I assumed she’d decided not to accept my offer and was wondering how to let me down gently.”

Sebastian paused, knowing this was hardly the time but he owed the man the truth. “I’ve offered for her too, Percy.”

Nibley gave him a crooked smile. “Ah,” he said, nodding. “Well, I can’t pretend I’m not sorry on my own account but ... well, I’m glad you’ve come up to scratch at last. It was clear she was in love with you.”

Nibley held out his hand and Sebastian shook it warmly, but his face was grave.

“But I don’t think that was what was troubling her, Percy. I think it was something very serious, and if you believed she was stepping into my carriage, then there is every chance she believed it too.”

“Good heavens!” Nibley exclaimed, and then lowered his voice, drawing Sebastian further away from the crowds. “You mean you think she’s been kidnapped, but who on earth ...”

“Wait,” Sebastian said as a cold feeling ran through his blood. “You said the man was built like me, but his hood was up ... to cover his hair.”

“Yes, that’s right but ...” Nibley’s words ground to a halt as his eyes widened.

“Beau!” they said together.

They took off running as Sebastian headed for his carriage.

“I’ll go to his place in town,” Nibley shouted. “I’ve left my sister with friends, so she’ll be taken home. If he’s not there I’ll go and shake up Falmouth, he seems to know every cut-throat in London from what I hear. He’ll have a trick or two to play I’m sure. What about you?”

“He’ll head for Gretna,” Sebastian said, hollering to his coachman to get moving as they approached. “But he might change at Ware and I may at least get news from his servants.”

They both went their separate ways and Sebastian promised himself the pleasure of beating Beau’s pretty face black and blue when he got his hands on him.

***

Georgiana could see little of the outside of the vast building that was the seat of the Duke of Ware.