Page 74 of Only Scandal Will Do

Scrambling out of bed, she hurried to the escritoire and pulled out a sheet of foolscap, a pen and inkpot. In the midst of mending the pen, she paused, her mind racing. She’d no idea how long it would take for the message to reach Reginald. He might be out on a case or have gone home for the day. Might it not be better just to go herself? She’d never sent messages when she’d lived in Virginia. If she needed to speak to someone, she simply went to see them. And with time so of the essence, perhaps that would be the best course now.

Mind made up, she dressed hurriedly in her brown velvet riding habit, which she could don without Margery’s help. The fewer people who knew about her errand, the fewer to try and dissuade her from venturing out. She could take care of herself, even if she was a marchioness now. And she’d take a groom with her for good measure.

She buttoned the many silver buttons and settled the fashionable tricorn hat on her head. Why had Janie’s description sounded so familiar? It really did not describe Jack, who was taller, and his hair a medium brown, not light. Then, who had long blond hair and a tall, lanky frame?

Nigel, the swordsman who had threatened her in the House of Pleasure.

Stomach dropping into her knees, Kat steadied herself with a hand on the bedpost. Surprised that she could think the name without retching, she trembled at the memory of the man. What if Nigel had preyed upon Juliet? Perhaps he had the house watched and had known that she and Duncan were gone. Had he threatened or coerced Juliet to leave with him? Or simply lied to make her trust him? At the thought of Juliet in the hands of that wretch, she quailed. She must get to Reginald Matthews immediately, then find Duncan.

The sun was still high in the sky as she descended the staircase. There should be enough daylight to reach Bow Street before dark. Lord, but she was frantic to do something to help poor Juliet.

Once out of the house, she headed to the stables. “Henry! Saddle Stella for me and a horse for you,” she called, glancing around for the groom. “I am going to Bow Street. If anyone can find Lady Juliet, Mr. Matthews can.” No flurry of activity as she would expect. Had they all been given a holiday? “Henry?”

“Wrong again, my lady,” a man said, and clamped a hand over her mouth. Someone

pinioned her arms behind her back and swiftly tied them in place. A gag replaced the dirty hand and although Kat tried to scream and kick at her assailants, they were just as strong as they had been five months ago. Despite her struggles, she found herself once more trussed like a Christmas goose, facing her captor. She hoped her rage spewed from her gaze like venom from a viper, but Nigel ignored her except to check her bonds.

He turned to his companion, the jolly kidnapper of course, and snarled, “We haven’t got all night. Put her in that damned carriage now! She’s got someone waiting on her, Will. Someone she don’t want to keep waiting.” The swordsman glared at her with eyes like spun steel. “And after the trouble you caused me last time, bitch, if you so much as breathe wrong I’ll carve your husband’s name across your forehead so he’ll be able to identify your corpse.” He smiled at her, showing teeth like a crocodile’s. “Your carriage awaits, my lady.”

CHAPTER 32

A sickening feeling of traveling back in time assaulted Kat. She sat up on the carriage seat, shielded by a curtain torn during her struggles with the kidnappers. If she leaned to the left, she could catch glimpses of fashionable London streets. They soon gave way to the seedier lanes of Covent Garden. She itched to test her bonds, but Will sat across from her, smiling amicably, a cocked pistol in his hand to ensure her good behavior.

The carriage slowed. Curious, she peered through a jagged rip in the fabric. The plain board house sparked no memories as they turned a corner and headed to the back of the building.

But a cold chill swept down her body, despite the August heat.

As soon as the horses halted, Nigel jerked the carriage door open, cut the cords around her legs and hauled her out. He dragged her forward roughly, and she tried to buy as much time as possible with her lagging steps. The longer she could delay them, the greater her hope of rescue. Duncan had no idea she had been taken, much less where, so help would be slow in coming. Once again she was on her own.

Nigel and Will hustled her down the horribly familiar corridor, not into the small necessary chamber, but to a room that served as an office. Kat stopped on the threshold, stunned at the sight of the two people awaiting her there. The small, dark-haired woman was of course the madam of the house, whom she had last seen handing Nigel a mask for her face on the night of the auction. At that memory, her face flushed, her breathing quickened. She sent her a narrowed-eyed, hate-filled glare.

The woman returned her stare evenly, saying nothing.

The madam’s companion, however... What in God’s name was Tommy Redmond doing here?

“Yes, I was sure you would remember me, Lady Dalbury,” said Mr. Redmond, elegant in a blue satin jacket. He was dressed much as the last time she had seen him, on her wedding day. Turning his gaze to Nigel, he said tersely, “You can remove that gag, Crawley. Even if she screamed, no one would think twice of such noise emanating from this house.”

Nigel stripped the gag from her mouth, leaving Kat coughing and gasping. When she’d recovered enough, she raised her face to the man clearly in charge.

“How could I forget you, Mr. Redmond? You were so completely besotted at the duel I was amazed you could stand up with my husband during the wedding ceremony. But you seem rather sober today. Which is your usual state?” Her weapons were few now, but her wit might buy her the time needed for rescue. The question “rescue from what?” made her stomach churn.

“You’d better be damned glad Duncan had the taming of your tongue, not I.” Redmond sneered. “I’d probably have cut it out by now, or beat you black and blue to teach you to mind it better.” He fixed her with a brutally cold blue stare. “I’d curb my mouth if I were you,

Lady Dalbury. My hand is just itching to teach you some respect.”

As he flexed his hand before her face, she had to bite back a laugh. He would not hesitate to hit her, but his pompous manner struck her as ludicrous. “You should save your energy for my husband. I am sure he will have something to say about my abduction, and any ‘education’ you might think to inflict. He will take exception to the abuse of his wife.”

Nigel pushed Kat into a plush club chair pulled up in front of the desk. Immediately, Will knelt and tied her legs together with more of the scratchy twine. The dark-haired woman moved to a similar seat across from her, while Redmond sauntered behind the desk and sat in the gilded leather secretary’s chair. He leaned back, looking like the cat that had stolen the cream. His fingertips rested together, barely touching, forming a tent in a strange parody of praying hands.

“A wife he would not have had if not for my machinations, my lady.” His tone became petulant. “If I had not dragged him here for the auction, he would not have made your acquaintance.”

“You take too much credit, my lord. We would have met at some ton function. That evening, in fact, we were both bound for the same masquerade ball.”

“A ball you would not have attended, being otherwise occupied here.” His smugness made heat blaze in her cheeks. Infuriated at his inference, she shot a glance of renewed hatred toward the woman across from her.

Redmond chuckled. “Oh, no Lady Dalbury, you must give credit where credit is due. Do not send your black looks to dear Amorina. She had no part in your abduction, other than to put you into the auction at my request.”

“Your request?” She must not have heard him correctly. “Why would you want me in the auction?”